 SS Republic | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Owner |
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| Port of registry |
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| Builder |
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| Yard number | 76 |
| Launched | 4 July 1871 |
| Maiden voyage | 1 February 1872 |
| Fate | Scrapped in 1910 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Oceanic-class ocean liner |
| Tonnage | 3,708 GRT |
| Length | 128.1 m (420 ft) |
| Beam | 41 ft (12 m) |
| Installed power | Steam |
| Propulsion | Single screw, sail |
SSRepublic was anocean liner built in 1871 byHarland and Wolff forWhite Star Line. She was intended to be the last of four vessels forming theOceanic-class, before two new ships were commissioned. After a rough maiden voyage fromLiverpool toNew York City on 1 February 1872, the ship was chosen to be on White Star Line's first voyage on the South Atlantic and Pacific line with four other ships, destined for Chile. In 1874, the construction of modern shipsSSGermanic andSSBritannic led to SSRepublic's becoming the standby vessel of White Star Line. She occupied this position for 15 years, and attempts were made to modernise her in 1888. WhenRMSTeutonic andRMSMajestic entered service in the following year, theRepublic became surplus to White Star's needs.
Republic was sold in 1889 toHolland America Line and was renamedMaasdam, and served with the company for twelve years. In 1902, she was sold to Italian company La Veloce and initially renamedVittoria, before being renamed again toCittà di Napoli. She was used for many years to transport Italian migrants to America. The ship was retired in 1908, and was lent to the Italian government to house victims of the1908 Messina earthquake. She was scrapped in 1910 inGenoa.
During her service she could carry a varying number of passengers; under White Star Line she could carry 166 first class and over 1,000steerage passengers; under Holland America Line she could carry 150 first class, 60 second class, and 800 steerage passengers' and as a migrant ship she could carry 1,424 steerage passengers. The facilities on the ship were described as a "floating palace" when she was owned by White Star Line, and were similar toRMSOceanic, but were slightly modernised.
WhenThomas Henry Ismay established White Star Line in 1867, he came to an agreement withGustav Christian Schwabe in return for financial assistance.[1] Ismay promised to build the company's future ships in Harland and Wolff's shipyards inBelfast, which had been founded by Schwabe's nephewGustav Wilhelm Wolff.[1] Four ships were originally commissioned to form the Oceanic class, but this was later expanded to six.Republic was the fourth ship of the class and was launched on 4 July 1871;[2] although she was launched asAdriatic, her name was changed toRepublic by late August.[3] The name refers to the fact she was launched onIndependence Day in the United States.[4]
The ship's maiden voyage took place on 1 February 1872, fromLiverpool toNew York City, stopping atQueenstown.[5] During this journey, the ship encountered exceptionally rough weather and high seas, so much so that water entered the ship via the ventilation cowls, and a wave smashed the glass of the skylight to the engine room, allowing much water to enter, which extinguished several boilers. One of the lifeboats broke loose in the rough conditions, badly injuring the ship's Second Mate. As a result of this incident, White Star Line changed their policy towards the stowage of lifeboats in rough weather, as it had been observed that the boats which had been tightly tied down were smashed by the waves, while those which were given more freedom of movement suffered less damage.[5][4][6]
At the end of 1872, all six Oceanic class ships were in service, but White Star Line only required five. Ismay attempted to compete with thePacific Steam Navigation Company on the line of the South Atlantic and the Pacific, destined for Chile.[7]Republic was chosen to serve this route with two smaller mixed-liners,SSAsiatic andSSTropic, and two other ships,SSGaelic andSSBelgic.[7]
Faced with this offensive, the Pacific Steam Navigation Company attempted to construct a vessel capable of competing withRepublic, theTacora.[8] Both ships participated in a race between Liverpool andCallao in October 1871; theTacora was unable to travel beyondMontevideo, butRepublic successfully completed the journey.[8] Despite the success of the trip,Republic was placed back on the route to New York, while the South Atlantic and Pacific routes were cancelled, as they were too expensive.[9]
In 1874, White Star Line had two modern ships produced, theSSBritannic and theSSGermanic.[5] TheRepublic was deemed unnecessary for the regular service to New York and became a standby vessel for the company.[5] Despite this, the SSRepublic was used repeatedly in the future, whenever one of the modern vessels had to undergo repairs or maintenance.[citation needed] On 8 August 1875, she discovered the NorwegianbarqueVelox abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean. Some of her crew were put aboard with the intention of takingVelox in toQueenstown, County Cork.[10]
In February 1879, the ship was badly damaged after being struck on theRiver Mersey byschoonerOcean Queen.[11] In December of the same year, theRepublic faced rough seas during a crossing of the Atlantic, and its smokestack was damaged and had to be repaired by the crew.[11] In December 1880,Republic was damaged and was meant to be towed by German steam vesselMosel.[12] This vessel did not have enough coal, butRepublic managed to reach New York a few days later without assistance.[12] On 9 February 1883,Republic rescued 44 survivors from the Warren Line steamshipGlamorgan, which had foundered in the Atlantic Ocean. One of her crew was lost effecting the rescue.[13]
In 1885, White Star Line briefly provided theInman Line with SSBaltic, as Inman[who?] was having financial difficulties.[14] TheRepublic temporarily served as the replacement for this ship.[8] On 20 September 1885, theRepublic collided with theCunard Line steamerAurania while leaving the port of New York, following the error of a coast pilot.[15]Republic was sufficiently damaged for the journey to be cancelled, and the ship was put into dry dock.[15]
In 1888, theRepublic underwent a redesign, and a second class was added.[16] In January 1889, the ship began her final voyage with White Star Line under the command ofEdward Smith, who later became the captain of theRMSTitanic.[17] On 27 January, the ship was grounded a few hours before her arrival in New York; an incident near the boilers killed three trimmers and seriously injured several others. Despite this, the ship underwent repairs and made its last voyage to England.[17]
The arrival ofTeutonic in 1889 and the announcement of RMSMajestic made theRepublic unnecessary, and she was put up for sale.[18] The ship was purchased in June 1889 by theHolland America Line, which paid £35,000 to acquire her. RenamedMaasdam, she was immediately sent to G. Forrester & Co. in Liverpool for an overhaul of machinery (for more economical and effective machines) and a reorganisation of her facilities.[16] Once this overhaul was completed, theMaasdam was able to carry 150 first class passengers, 60 second class passengers, and 800 steerage/third class passengers.[16] From 15 March 1890, she served on a route betweenRotterdam and New York, and was not damaged during her service with the Holland America Line, which satisfied the company.[17] In 1902, a brief stopover atBoulogne-sur-Mer was added to the route to New York.[17]
In 1902, she was sold to Italian company La Veloce, which first renamed herVittoria, before quickly switching toCittà di Napoli.[19] The ship transported migrants from Genoa,Naples,Palermo, andGibraltar to New York, and underwent an overhaul which increased her capacity to 1,424 steerage passengers.[16] Her first voyage with the company began on 30 September 1902.Città di Napoli was used until 27 April 1907, when she was withdrawn by the company.[16]
After the1908 Messina earthquake, La Veloce lentCittà di Napoli,North America, andSavoia to the Italian government, in order to shelter the victims.[17] La Veloce re-obtained the ship in 1909, and she was scrapped in Genoa the following year. With a lifetime of 38 years, the ship was the last of the Oceanic class to be scrapped.[17]
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Republic shared many characteristics with those of the first liner in the Oceanic series,Oceanic, constructed in 1870.Republic measured 128.1 by 12.4 m (420 by 41 ft) and had agross register tonnage of 3708. She could be powered by sail, with four masts,[5] but also had funnels painted the colours of White Star Line, brown and black. Her machines came from G. Forrester & Co. of Liverpool and were two reciprocating engines (able to accommodate two cylinders), similar to those of theRMSAtlantic. Although she could theoretically reach speeds of 14.5 knots, she never managed to reach that speed.[5] When the ship was renamed toMaasdam, her propulsion system was redesigned and was equipped with alternative machines, and could support three cylinders.[17]
Republic, likeOceanic, was initially able to carry 1,000 steerage passengers and 166 in first class.[4] The facilities on theOceanic revolutionized nautical travel, earning it the nickname of "imperial yacht", as she had facilities for wealthy passengers and was more stable than other ships. The first class passengers had bathtubs, a dining room, and chairs rather than benches.[4] There is no precise information regarding the facilities of theRepublic,[20] but it is thought that they was similar toOceanic, but had been improved.[21] A passenger in 1874 describedRepublic as a "floating palace, with the style and comfort of a Swiss hotel", and said their room was welcoming and gold, and the ship contained a piano, library, smoking room, and barber.[21]
When the ship became theMaasdam, the liner was able to accommodate 150 first class, 60 second class, and 800 steerage passengers.[17] Finally, when she was designed to transport migrants, she could accommodate 1,424 steerage passengers.[16]
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