RMS Empress of France (1914)
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Alsatian |
| Owner: | Allan Line, Liverpool |
| Port of registry: | United Kingdom |
| Launched: | 22 March 1913 |
| Maiden voyage: | 17 January 1914 |
| Fate: | sold to Canadian Pacific Ocean Service in 1919 |
| Name: | Empress of France |
| Owner: |
 Canadian Pacific Ocean Service
|
| Port of registry: | Canada |
| Fate: | scrapped 1934 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | ocean liner |
| Tonnage: | 18,481 GRT |
| Length: | 571.4 ft (174.2 m) |
| Beam: | 72.4 ft (22.1 m), |
| Propulsion: | turbines driving 4 shafts |
| Speed: | 18 knots |
RMS Empress of France, formerly SS Alsatian was an ocean liner built in 1913-1914 by William Beardmore and Company at Glasgow in Scotland for Allan Line.
In total, the ship's service history encompasses 99 trans-Atlantic voyages, 5 trans-Pacific voyages, and 8 other cruises in addition to her war service.
This ship was the first North Atlantic liner with a cruiser stern. The vessel was built by William Beardmore & Co Ltd. at Glasgow. She was an 18,481 gross tonnage ship, length 571.4 ft x beam 72.4 ft (22.1 m), two funnels, two masts, four propellers and a speed of 18 knots. Her initial configuration provided accommodation for 287 1st class, 504 2nd class and 848 3rd class passengers.
The ocean liner was initially launched as SS Alsatian on 22 March 1912. She sailed from Liverpool on her maiden voyage to Saint John, New Brunswick for the Allan Line on 17 January 1914. On 22 May 1914, set out on her first trans-Atlantic crossing from Liverpool to Quebec.
Her last voyage that summer began on 17 July 1914; and when she returned to Europe, the nascent war in Europe brought a close to this truncated peacetime period of the ship's history.
During the First World War, Alsatian was converted into an Armed Merchant Cruiser, with an initial armament of eight 4.7-inch (120-mm) guns, although she was later re-armed with eight 6-inch (152-mm) guns and two 6-pounder (57-mm) anti-aircraft guns. Following conversion, she joined the 10th Cruiser Squadron patrolling off the Shetland Islands as part of the Northern Patrol maintaining the blockade of Germany. HMS Alsatian became flagship for Rear-Admiral Sir Dudley de Chair. Later, Alsatian served as flagship for Vice-Admiral Sir Reginald Tupper. During the war years, she became one of the first ships to be fitted with the new wireless direction-finding apparatus. After the squadron was retired in 1917, she was re-fitted for peacetime service.
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