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SS France (1912)
Encyclopedia
The SS France was a French
ocean liner
which sailed for the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique
, colloquially known as CGT or the "French Line". She was the only French liner to have the famous Four stackers
, she was later dubbed the Versailles of the Atlantic, a reference to her décor which reflected the famous palace
outside Paris. Ordered in 1908, she was introduced into the Transatlantic route in April 1912, just a week after the sinking of the RMS Titanic. The France quickly became one of the most popular ships in the Atlantic. Serving as a hospital ship during World War I
, the France would have a career spaning two decades. Her overall success encouraged CGT to create even larger liners in the future.
, British and German liners dominated the North Atlantic passenger route, carrying not only a huge number of immigrants, but catering to the socially elite as well. In 1897 the North German Lloyd had launched their SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, a four funnelled liner which proved a great success. By 1906, Lloyd had three four funnelled liners and another being built. Lloyd were the owners of the so called "kaiser class
" ships which, with their four funnels were a size of strength, safety and luxury. Shortly after the advent of Cunard
's luxurious ocean greyhounds, and , the French Line's
directors decided it was high time to enter the race for supremacy. The company did not become a major participant of the trans-Atlantic ocean liner trade until after World War I
. During 1907 and 1908, when immigration
to the United States
was greatest, the company's share of the market was a mere 10%. In line with its strategy, the company did not have ships of either great speed or size, but instead became renowned during the early 20th century for its luxuriously appointed liners. Under the direction of Jules Charles Roux, president of the CGT since 1904, the company ordered a new liner which was to be named Picardie.
The ship was designed to have four funnels
, a phenomenon which was associated with speed, safety and above all luxury. At the time of the commission of the Picardie, the CGT's flagship was the Rochambeau
, a liner which was a mere 12,000 tonnes. The remainder of the fleet included the smaller sister ships, La Savoie and La Lorraine.
merchant
fleet, she would be that nation's first quadruple-screw liner, as well as their first (and only) four funneled liner and their first ship powered by Parson’s steam turbine
s. Less cumbersome and much more powerful than the more traditional reciprocating engines, the turbines would produce nearly 45,000 shaft horsepower and drive the ship at a top speed of 25 knots (49 km/h) ensuring that she was the largest and fastest French ship at sea. Prior to her launch, CGT changed her proposed name to France, the previous Picardie not reflecting the image CGT wished to encourage.
, she was launched 20 September 1910 into the River Loire. The spectacle was watched by scores of cheering Frenchmen who had gathered for the occasion. In the following months, her machinery was installed and her luxurious interior were fitted. Finally completed in 1912, her maiden voyage departed from her homeport of Le Havre
on 20 April 1912, just five days after the sinking of the Titanic. As a result of the disaster, the France lost much publicity but quickly established herself on her route. She did much to improve the image of the CGT which, to date, had not had much influence in the North Atlantic. Cuisine
onboard was said to have been amongst the finest at sea. Sailing at a service speed of 23.5 knots (46.1 km/h), she was faster than any ship afloat save for the Mauretania and Lusitania. Despite this, she attained a speed of 25.09 knots (46.47 km/h) on her trials. At 23,769 tons, the France was half the size of the newest British liners, such as the Olympic
but what she lacked in size, she made up for in opulence. Her first class interiors were amongst the most lavish seen at sea and were decorated in style Louis quatorze earning the nickname the château
or Versailles of the Atlantic.
Proud of their great achievement, the new France was not without problems; she suffered from disturbing vibrations, and had a marked tendency to roll, even when the seas were flat calm. She was withdrawn from service after just a handful of crossings to have these two serious issues addressed. She was sent to the Harland & Wolff Shipyard
in Northern Ireland
, where longer and wider bilge keel
s were fitted to her hull
to reduce rolling and new propellers were fitted to reduce vibrations, making her not only more comfortable to travel aboard, but faster as well.
When World War I
erupted in 1914, the France was immediately requisitioned by the French Navy
for use as an armed merchant cruiser and renamed France IV. Her time as a cruiser was short-lived as she was too large, burned too much coal to be of good use, and was consequently reconfigured to carry troops. Later still, in 1916 she was painted white and used as a hospital ship in the Dardanelles
, operating in tandem with White Star’s
new flagship, Britannic
and Cunard's new . During her time as a hospital ship she was converted to have 2,500 beds for injured troops. When the Britannic was sunk in late 1916, the need for high-capacity hospital ships was even more dire, and she continued in this role until the United States
entered the war in 1917, when she was deployed back to the Atlantic to ferry American troops to the continent
with space for some 5,000. In 1918, her military service was cut short by an engine room explosion that killed nine crew members and thus required extensive repairs.
fuel
rather than coal, allowing her engine
room staff to be greatly reduced. She sailed without incident, crossing the Atlantic during the peak months and cruising in the winter until 1927. With the advent of the new , France was diverted almost totally to cruising
.
essentially sounded the death knell for the liner. Many of the millionaires she had carried over the years had been financially destroyed and the general downturn in business cut deeply into transatlantic
travel. The France spent more and more time idle, until she finally was withdrawn from service in 1932. Laid up at Le Havre
, she sat unattended until January 1933, when a fire was discovered by a night watchman. Although it was rapidly extinguished, the fire had caused some minor damage, but by now she was outclassed by her newer running-mates. CGT had by then commissioned a new flagship, the great which was nearing completion. As a result, the company decided it was time to scrap the 21-year-old liner. On 15 April 1935, the old France departed Le Havre
under her own steam to the scrappers at Dunkirk, Scotland
.
Her First Class accommodations were graced with various portraits of Louis XIV as well as his relations. The France was also credited for bringing the "Grand Staircase" to the ocean liner, a fashion which prevails in mordern cruise ships. Her First Class entrance hall and dining room demonstrated this. The staircase in the dining room was in fact copied from the Paris
ian Hôtel de Toulouse
. Further unique points included her Cafe Terrasse and the Salon Mauresque, the latter a reference to the French colonial empire
in Africa
. The ship also had a gymnasium
, an elevator as well as a hair salon, all great novelties at the time. Style Louis seize (Louis XVI) was also used within the private apartments of the Grand Luxe suites onboard. According to a 1912 booklet publicising the liner, her Second Class accommodation was credited as "match[ing] the richness and comfort of first class on the old liners". Passengers in this class could also utilise a hair dressing salon. Third and Steerage classes were also praised as being well-appointed.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
ocean liner
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
which sailed for the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique
Compagnie Générale Transatlantique
The Compagnie Générale Transatlantique , typically known overseas as the French Line, was a shipping company established during 1861 as an attempt to revive the French merchant marine, the poor state of which was indicated during the Crimean War of 1856...
, colloquially known as CGT or the "French Line". She was the only French liner to have the famous Four stackers
Four funnel liner
A four funnel liner, four funnelled liner or four stacker is an ocean liner with four funnels. The SS Great Eastern, launched on January 31st 1858 , became the only ocean liner to ever sport five funnels. As one funnel was later removed, the Great Eastern, by default, became the first ocean liner...
, she was later dubbed the Versailles of the Atlantic, a reference to her décor which reflected the famous palace
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
outside Paris. Ordered in 1908, she was introduced into the Transatlantic route in April 1912, just a week after the sinking of the RMS Titanic. The France quickly became one of the most popular ships in the Atlantic. Serving as a hospital ship during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the France would have a career spaning two decades. Her overall success encouraged CGT to create even larger liners in the future.
Background
At the turn of the 20th century20th century
Many people define the 20th century as running from January 1, 1901 to December 31, 2000, others would rather define it as beginning on January 1, 1900....
, British and German liners dominated the North Atlantic passenger route, carrying not only a huge number of immigrants, but catering to the socially elite as well. In 1897 the North German Lloyd had launched their SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, a four funnelled liner which proved a great success. By 1906, Lloyd had three four funnelled liners and another being built. Lloyd were the owners of the so called "kaiser class
Kaiser class ocean liner
The Kaiser class ocean liners or Kaiserklasse refer to four transatlantic ocean liners of the Norddeutscher Lloyd, a German shipping company. Built by the AG Vulcan Stettin between 1897 and 1907, these ships were designed to be among the largest and best appointed liners of their day...
" ships which, with their four funnels were a size of strength, safety and luxury. Shortly after the advent of Cunard
Cunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
's luxurious ocean greyhounds, and , the French Line's
Compagnie Générale Transatlantique
The Compagnie Générale Transatlantique , typically known overseas as the French Line, was a shipping company established during 1861 as an attempt to revive the French merchant marine, the poor state of which was indicated during the Crimean War of 1856...
directors decided it was high time to enter the race for supremacy. The company did not become a major participant of the trans-Atlantic ocean liner trade until after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. During 1907 and 1908, when immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was greatest, the company's share of the market was a mere 10%. In line with its strategy, the company did not have ships of either great speed or size, but instead became renowned during the early 20th century for its luxuriously appointed liners. Under the direction of Jules Charles Roux, president of the CGT since 1904, the company ordered a new liner which was to be named Picardie.
The ship was designed to have four funnels
Four funnel liner
A four funnel liner, four funnelled liner or four stacker is an ocean liner with four funnels. The SS Great Eastern, launched on January 31st 1858 , became the only ocean liner to ever sport five funnels. As one funnel was later removed, the Great Eastern, by default, became the first ocean liner...
, a phenomenon which was associated with speed, safety and above all luxury. At the time of the commission of the Picardie, the CGT's flagship was the Rochambeau
SS Rochambeau
-Career:She was named after the Count of Rochambeau, a French nobleman and soldier who participated in the American Revolutionary War. The second of a "à classe unique" of liners commissioned by the Compagnie générale transatlantique...
, a liner which was a mere 12,000 tonnes. The remainder of the fleet included the smaller sister ships, La Savoie and La Lorraine.
Career
Laid down in February 1909, the new liner was to be a marvel of French engineering. Not only would she be over twice the size of any ship in the FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
fleet, she would be that nation's first quadruple-screw liner, as well as their first (and only) four funneled liner and their first ship powered by Parson’s steam turbine
Turbine
A turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.The simplest turbines have one moving part, a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades, or the blades react to the flow, so that they move and...
s. Less cumbersome and much more powerful than the more traditional reciprocating engines, the turbines would produce nearly 45,000 shaft horsepower and drive the ship at a top speed of 25 knots (49 km/h) ensuring that she was the largest and fastest French ship at sea. Prior to her launch, CGT changed her proposed name to France, the previous Picardie not reflecting the image CGT wished to encourage.
The 1910s
Built at Chantiers de l'AtlantiqueChantiers de l'Atlantique
Chantiers de l'Atlantique is part of the South Korean STX Shipbuilding Group and one of the world's largest shipyards, based in Saint-Nazaire, France...
, she was launched 20 September 1910 into the River Loire. The spectacle was watched by scores of cheering Frenchmen who had gathered for the occasion. In the following months, her machinery was installed and her luxurious interior were fitted. Finally completed in 1912, her maiden voyage departed from her homeport of Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
on 20 April 1912, just five days after the sinking of the Titanic. As a result of the disaster, the France lost much publicity but quickly established herself on her route. She did much to improve the image of the CGT which, to date, had not had much influence in the North Atlantic. Cuisine
Cuisine
Cuisine is a characteristic style of cooking practices and traditions, often associated with a specific culture. Cuisines are often named after the geographic areas or regions that they originate from...
onboard was said to have been amongst the finest at sea. Sailing at a service speed of 23.5 knots (46.1 km/h), she was faster than any ship afloat save for the Mauretania and Lusitania. Despite this, she attained a speed of 25.09 knots (46.47 km/h) on her trials. At 23,769 tons, the France was half the size of the newest British liners, such as the Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
but what she lacked in size, she made up for in opulence. Her first class interiors were amongst the most lavish seen at sea and were decorated in style Louis quatorze earning the nickname the château
Château
A château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
or Versailles of the Atlantic.
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, where longer and wider bilge keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
s were fitted to her hull
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
to reduce rolling and new propellers were fitted to reduce vibrations, making her not only more comfortable to travel aboard, but faster as well.
When World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
erupted in 1914, the France was immediately requisitioned by the French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
for use as an armed merchant cruiser and renamed France IV. Her time as a cruiser was short-lived as she was too large, burned too much coal to be of good use, and was consequently reconfigured to carry troops. Later still, in 1916 she was painted white and used as a hospital ship in the Dardanelles
Dardanelles
The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with its counterpart the Bosphorus. It is located at approximately...
, operating in tandem with White Star’s
White Star Line
The Oceanic Steam Navigation Company or White Star Line of Boston Packets, more commonly known as the White Star Line, was a prominent British shipping company, today most famous for its ill-fated vessel, the RMS Titanic, and the World War I loss of Titanics sister ship Britannic...
new flagship, Britannic
HMHS Britannic
HMHS Britannic was the third and largest of the White Star Line. She was the sister ship of and , and was intended to enter service as a transatlantic passenger liner. She was launched just before the start of the First World War and was laid up at her builders in Belfast for many months before...
and Cunard's new . During her time as a hospital ship she was converted to have 2,500 beds for injured troops. When the Britannic was sunk in late 1916, the need for high-capacity hospital ships was even more dire, and she continued in this role until the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entered the war in 1917, when she was deployed back to the Atlantic to ferry American troops to the continent
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with space for some 5,000. In 1918, her military service was cut short by an engine room explosion that killed nine crew members and thus required extensive repairs.
The 1920s
Returned to the CGT in March 1919, her name was promptly changed back to France, although she was kept busy repatriating American troops until that autumn. She was sent for refurbishment that winter, returning to commercial duty in early 1920. In 1921, she passed flagship status on to the newer and larger , but continued to be a popular means of travel, with a near club-like following among the wealthy. Her affluent passenger loads swayed the CGT in 1924 to convert her to an all first-class ship, save for just 150 third class berths. During the conversion, her boilers were modified to burn oilOil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
fuel
Fuel
Fuel is any material that stores energy that can later be extracted to perform mechanical work in a controlled manner. Most fuels used by humans undergo combustion, a redox reaction in which a combustible substance releases energy after it ignites and reacts with the oxygen in the air...
rather than coal, allowing her engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
room staff to be greatly reduced. She sailed without incident, crossing the Atlantic during the peak months and cruising in the winter until 1927. With the advent of the new , France was diverted almost totally to cruising
Cruising
Cruising may mean:*Cruising , driving around for social purposes, especially by teenagers*Cruise , in aviation*Cruising , leisurely travel by boat, yacht, or cruise ship...
.
Final years
The Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
essentially sounded the death knell for the liner. Many of the millionaires she had carried over the years had been financially destroyed and the general downturn in business cut deeply into transatlantic
Transatlantic
Transatlantic crossings are passages of passengers and cargo across the Atlantic Ocean between the Americas and Europe. Prior to the 19th century, transatlantic crossings were undertaken in sailing ships, which was a time consuming and often perilous journey. Transatlantic crossings became faster,...
travel. The France spent more and more time idle, until she finally was withdrawn from service in 1932. Laid up at Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
, she sat unattended until January 1933, when a fire was discovered by a night watchman. Although it was rapidly extinguished, the fire had caused some minor damage, but by now she was outclassed by her newer running-mates. CGT had by then commissioned a new flagship, the great which was nearing completion. As a result, the company decided it was time to scrap the 21-year-old liner. On 15 April 1935, the old France departed Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
under her own steam to the scrappers at Dunkirk, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Interiors
The France was called the most lavish of the Transatlantic liners and its interiors were one of the most consistent of all liners. The revival of the Baroque architecture and interior design occurred in the late nineteenth century and prevailed into the early decades of the twentieth.Her First Class accommodations were graced with various portraits of Louis XIV as well as his relations. The France was also credited for bringing the "Grand Staircase" to the ocean liner, a fashion which prevails in mordern cruise ships. Her First Class entrance hall and dining room demonstrated this. The staircase in the dining room was in fact copied from the Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
ian Hôtel de Toulouse
Hôtel de Toulouse
The Hôtel de Toulouse, former Hôtel de La Vrillière, situated 1 rue de La Vrillière, in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, was built between 1635 and 1640 by François Mansart, for Louis Phélypeaux, seigneur de La Vrillière....
. Further unique points included her Cafe Terrasse and the Salon Mauresque, the latter a reference to the French colonial empire
French colonial empire
The French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule primarily from the 17th century to the late 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the colonial empire of France was the second-largest in the world behind the British Empire. The French colonial empire...
in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. The ship also had a gymnasium
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
, an elevator as well as a hair salon, all great novelties at the time. Style Louis seize (Louis XVI) was also used within the private apartments of the Grand Luxe suites onboard. According to a 1912 booklet publicising the liner, her Second Class accommodation was credited as "match[ing] the richness and comfort of first class on the old liners". Passengers in this class could also utilise a hair dressing salon. Third and Steerage classes were also praised as being well-appointed.
See also
- Ocean liners with four funnelsFour funnel linerA four funnel liner, four funnelled liner or four stacker is an ocean liner with four funnels. The SS Great Eastern, launched on January 31st 1858 , became the only ocean liner to ever sport five funnels. As one funnel was later removed, the Great Eastern, by default, became the first ocean liner...
- List of ships of the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique