SS Germanic (1874)

The "Germanic" between 1890 and 1900
History
United Kingdom
Name:	SS Germanic (1874–1905) SS Ottawa (1905–10)
Operator:	White Star Line (1874–1904) American Line (1904–05) Dominion Line (1905–10)
Port of registry:	Liverpool
Builder:	Harland and Wolff, Belfast
Yard number:	85
Launched:	15 July 1874
Completed:	24 April 1875
In service:	20 May 1875
Out of service:	1910
Fate:	Sold to Turkey, 1910
Turkey
Name:	Gul Djemal (1910–28) Gulcemal (1928–50)
Owner:	Administration de Nav. A Vapeur Ottomane (1910–28) Turkiye Seyrisefain Idaresi (1928–50)
In service:	1910
Out of service:	1950
Fate:	Scrapped, 1950
General characteristics
Type:	Ocean liner
Tonnage:	5,008 GRT
Length:	455 ft (139 m)
Beam:	45 ft 2 in (13.77 m)
Propulsion:	As built 8 × boilers 2 × 2-cylinder compound steam engines 1 screw From 1895 Triple-expansion steam engines
Speed:	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Capacity:	1,720 passengers: 220 × 1st class 1500 × 3rd class

SS Germanic (1874-1950) was an ocean liner built by Harland and Wolff in 1875 and operated by the White Star Line. She was later operated by other lines under the names Ottawa, Gul Djemal and Gulcemal.

Germanic was launched on 15 July 1874, and fitting out was completed in early 1875, but delivery was delayed until May of that year, so that she would arrive in time for the summer transatlantic season. Germanic was primarily powered by steam, although she also carried four masts, three of which were square-rigged. She departed on her maiden voyage on 20 May 1875 from Liverpool to New York, arriving on 30 May. In doing so, she replaced Oceanic, the White Star's first post-Ismay steamship that was sold out of White Star service in the same year.

In July during an eastbound run, Germanic set a transatlantic speed record of 15.76 knots (average), crossing the ocean in seven days, 11 hours, and 17 minutes, winning the coveted Blue Riband. In February, 1876, she beat her own record. On a subsequent trip, when the ship was south of Ireland, the propeller shaft sheared, and she had to limp into Waterford on sail power alone.

In 1895, Germanic underwent a major refit, during which a larger triple-expansion steam engine was installed, and consequently the square rigging was removed from the masts. On 13 February 1899, while being coaled at the White Star's New York City pier, a blizzard blanketed her decks with a heavy layer of snow. Now top heavy, she listed to port so much that water began to enter doors opened for coaling, and Germanic settled on to the shallow harbour bottom. She was raised, and determined to be worth saving, so she returned to Belfast for repairs that lasted four months.

On 3 September 1903, Germanic left on her final run as a White Star liner. She was then laid up for the winter, and in 1904, Germanic was sold to the American Line, one of White Star's sister companies under the International Mercantile Marine Co. umbrella. There, still named Germanic, she served the Southampton to New York route, but for only six voyages. She was transferred yet again to another IMM company, the Dominion Line, a niche company that served the immigrant trade. On 5 January 1905, Germanic was renamed Ottawa. For the next four years, Ottawa plied the Canadian waters, sailing only in the summer, between Quebec City and Montreal. With the summer sailing itinerary for 1909 now over, Ottawa was laid up for winter.