RMS Etruria
RMS Etruria
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| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: | RMS Etruria |
| Owner: | British & North American Royal Mail Packet Company (Cunard Line) |
| Port of registry: |
 British |
| Ordered: | 1883 |
| Builder: | John Elder & Co., Glasgow |
| Yard number: | 286 |
| Launched: | 20 September 1884 |
| Completed: | March 1885 |
| Maiden voyage: | 25 April 1885 |
| Out of service: | August 1908 |
| Fate: | Scrapped in 1910 Thos W Ward Preston |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Ocean liner |
| Tonnage: | 7,718 gross tons |
| Length: | 158.2 m (519 ft) |
| Beam: | 17.43 m (57.2 ft) |
| Decks: | 5 |
| Installed power: |
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| Propulsion: | single propeller |
| Speed: | 19 knots (35 km/h) |
| Capacity: |
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RMS Etruria was a transatlantic ocean liner built by John Elder & Co. of Glasgow, Scotland in 1884 for the Cunard Line. Etruria and her sister ship Umbria were the last two Cunarders that were fitted with auxiliary sails. Both ships were among the fastest and largest liners then in service. Etruria was completed and launched in March 1885, twelve weeks later than Umbria and quickly entered service on the Liverpool to New York route.
Etruria had many distinguishing features that included two enormous funnels that gave an impression of huge power. She also had three large steel masts which when fully rigged had an extensive spread of canvas. Another innovation on Etruria was that she was equipped with refrigeration machinery, but it was the single screw propulsion that would bring the most publicity later in her career.
The ship epitomized the luxuries of Victorian style. The public rooms in First Class were full of ornately carved furniture and heavy velvet curtains hung in all the rooms, and they were cluttered with bric-a-brac that period fashion dictated. These rooms, and the First Class cabins, were situated on the Promenade, Upper, Saloon and Main Decks. There was also a Music Room, Smoke Room for gentlemen, and separate dining rooms for First and Second Class passengers. By the standard of the day, Second Class accommodation was moderate, but spacious and comfortable. RMS Etruria's accommodation consisted of 550 First Class, and 800 Second Class passengers. However late in 1892 this changed to 500 First Class, 160 Second Class, and 800 Third Class (Steerage) passengers.
RMS Etruria was to start her regular service to New York from Liverpool, but the clouds of crisis were looming, and by the New Year of 1885 a crisis involving Russia's threat to invade Afghanistan was coming to a head. This was to bring Etruria's North Atlantic service to a halt temporarily, before she had even made her maiden voyage. On 26 March, Etruria, and RMS Umbria, found themselves chartered to the Admiralty. With the dispute reaching a settlement, Etruria was released from Admiralty service within a few days, although her sister was retained for six months.
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Wikipedia