SS Britannic (1874)
SS Britannic
|
|
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Britannic |
| Owner: | White Star Line |
| Port of registry: |  |
| Route: | Liverpool to New York standard route. |
| Builder: | Harland & Wolff, Belfast, Ireland |
| Yard number: | 83 |
| Laid down: | 3 February 1874 |
| Completed: | 6 June 1874 |
| Maiden voyage: | 25 June 1874 |
| Honors and awards: |
Blue Riband winner |
| Fate: | Sold, Scrapped 1903 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Steamship, Twin funnel |
| Tonnage: | 5,004 tons |
| Length: | 468 ft (142.65 m) |
| Depth: | 45 ft (13.72 m) |
| Installed power: | Steam |
| Propulsion: | Single screw |
| Sail plan: | 4 masts, full-rigged ship |
| Speed: | 15 knots (28 km/h) |
| Capacity: | 1,300 |
| Crew: | 150 |
SS Britannic was an ocean liner of the White Star Line. It was the first of three ships of the White Star Line to sail with Britannic name.
Britannic was a single-screw passenger steamship equipped with sails built for the White Star Line's North Atlantic run. It was initially to be called Hellenic, but, just prior to her launch, her name was changed to Britannic. Together with her sister Germanic, Britannic sailed for nearly thirty years, primarily carrying immigrant passengers on the highly trafficked Liverpool to New York City route. In 1876 it received the Blue Riband, both westbound and eastbound, by averaging almost 16 knots (30 km/h).
The Britannic and her sister Germanic were both built to carry a total of 1,720 passengers in two classes when fully booked, 220 Saloon Class Passengers (Title of First Class at that time) and 1,500 Steerage Passengers. As the ships were virtually larger versions of the "Oceanic" class ships built in the previous years, their accommodations were very similar, with some variances to give each ship its own character. Britannic's saloon accommodations, consisting of a large, spacious dining saloon and a large number of two and four berth cabins were located in the centre of the ship on the main deck, being the upper of the two decks enclosed within the hull above the waterline. The steerage accommodations were located on the two lower decks and consisted of large dormitory-style cabins capable of sleeping up to 20 passengers lined against the hull, with an open space running along the centre line of the ship where passengers could congregate. These accommodations were divided into two main sections at either end of the ship, berths for single men in the bow and berths for single women, married couples and families in the stern.
On 25 June 1874 she made her maiden voyage, from Liverpool to New York. In the autumn of 1876, she captured the westbound Blue Riband and a month later set the eastbound record as well, becoming the only White Star ship ever to hold both records simultaneously. She lost the westbound record to her sister, Germanic, in April 1877 and the eastbound one to the Guion Line's Arizona in July 1879.
...
Wikipedia