SS Kronprinzessin Cecilie
Encyclopedia
SS Kronprinzessin Cecilie was an ocean liner
built in Stettin, Germany in 1906 for North German Lloyd that had the largest steam reciprocating machinery ever fitted to a ship. The last of four ships part of the kaiser class
, she was also the last German ship to have been built with four funnels
. She marked the end of the influence North German Lloyd had had in the Atlantic. She was engaged in transatlantic service between her homeport of Bremen
and New York
until the outbreak of World War I
.
On August 4, 1914, at sea after departing New York, she turned around and put into Bar Harbor, Maine
, where she later was interned by the neutral United States
. After that country entered the war in April 1917, the ship was seized and turned over to the United States Navy
, and renamed USS Mount Vernon (ID-4508). While serving as a troop transport, Mount Vernon was torpedoed in September 1918. Though damaged, she was able to make port for repairs and returned to service. In 1919, after the end of the war, she was laid up until 1940, when she was scrapped at Baltimore.
s, namely the Kronprinz Wilhelm
(1901), SS Kaiser Wilhelm II
(1903) and finally the Kronprinzessin Cecilie.
The liner was and was 208.89 metre long by 22 metre abeam
. She had two reciprocating, quadruple-expansion steam engine
s that powered two screw propellers. The Kronprinzessin sailed at a comfortable 23 knots.
, she was launched by her father in law Wilhelm II, German Emperor. In July 1907, the new Kronprinzessin Cecilie was planned to leave Bremerhaven
on her maiden voyage
. However, before the voyage could take place, the ship sank in Bremerhaven harbour. It was not until the next month on the 6 July, had the ship been pumped out and repaired, before setting out one the 14 of the same month. Overall, her capacity was 1,741 at the time of her maiden voyage; this was 617 first class, 326 second class and a further 798 third class passengers.
In comparison with a $2,500 first class suite ticket, the immigrant could sail on the Kronprinzessin Cecilie for a mere $25 - one hundred times cheaper.
The interiors of the "four flyers", as they were called, were special. The entire ship was fitted with the best of craftsmanship Germany could offer; the salons were full of ornamented wood and gilded mirrors. While her sister, the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II
was thought by some to be to extravagent, the Kronprinzessin Cecilie was a popular ship. Some of her first class suites fitted with private dining rooms for the reserved passenger. Also, a fish tank was placed in the kitchen, providing first class passengers with the freshest of fish.
The liner operated on North German Lloyd's transatlantic route travelling from Bremen
, with occasional calls at other ports, including Boston and New Orleans
. The ship was steaming toward Germany from America with Captain Charles Polack, who had succeeded Dietrich Hogemann
in 1913, when she received word of the outbreak of war. She was carrying some $10,000,000 in gold and $3,400,000 in silver. The ship headed back to the neutral United States to avoid capture by the British Navy and was interned at Bar Harbor, Maine
, then moved to Boston. Captain Polack had had her normally all-buff funnels painted with black tops as a form of disguise, so as to resemble the or another ship of the British White Star Line
.
(USSB) to the U.S. Navy when America entered the war that April. She was renamed USS Mount Vernon, after George Washington
's Virginia home
. She was fitted out at Boston to carry troops and materiel
to Europe and commissioned
on 28 July 1917.
Mount Vernon departed New York for Brest
on 31 October 1917 for her first U.S. Navy crossing, and during the war made nine successful voyages carrying American troops to fight in Europe. However, early on the morning of 5 September 1918, as the transport steamed homeward in convoy some 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the French coast, her No. 1 gun crew spotted a periscope some 500 yards (457.2 m) off her starboard bow. Mount Vernon immediately fired one round at German U-boat
U‑82
. The U‑boat simultaneously submerged, but managed to launch a torpedo at the transport. Mount Vernons officer of the deck promptly ordered right full rudder, but the ship could not turn in time to avoid the missile, which struck her amidships, knocking out half of her boilers, flooding the midsection, and killing 36 sailors and injuring 13. Mount Vernons guns kept firing ahead of the U‑boat’s wake and her crew launched a pattern of depth charges. Damage-control teams worked to save the ship, and their efforts paid off when the transport was able to return to Brest under her own power. Repaired temporarily at Brest, she proceeded to Boston for complete repairs.
Mount Vernon rejoined the Cruiser and Transport Service in February 1919 and sailed on George Washington’s birthday
for France to begin returning veterans to the United States. Some of her notable passengers during her naval service were: Admiral William S. Benson
, Chief of Naval Operations
; General Tasker H. Bliss
, Chief of Staff of the United States Army
; Col. Edward M. House
, Special Adviser to President Wilson
; and Newton D. Baker
, Secretary of War
. At the outbreak of World War II
in 1939, the Americans offered the former Kronprinzessin Cecilie to the British
as a troop
-transport
, but refuse on the pretext that she was too old. Following the war, the Mount Vernon was laid up in the James River Reserve Fleet, before being scrapped in Baltimore, Maryland in 1940.
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...
built in Stettin, Germany in 1906 for North German Lloyd that had the largest steam reciprocating machinery ever fitted to a ship. The last of four ships part of the 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...
, she was also the last German ship to have been built with 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...
. She marked the end of the influence North German Lloyd had had in the Atlantic. She was engaged in transatlantic service between her homeport of Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
and New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
until the outbreak of 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...
.
On August 4, 1914, at sea after departing New York, she turned around and put into Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor is a town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population is 5,235. Bar Harbor is a famous summer colony in the Down East region of Maine. It is home to the College of the Atlantic, Jackson Laboratory and Mount Desert Island...
, where she later was interned by the neutral United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. After that country entered the war in April 1917, the ship was seized and turned over to the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, and renamed USS Mount Vernon (ID-4508). While serving as a troop transport, Mount Vernon was torpedoed in September 1918. Though damaged, she was able to make port for repairs and returned to service. In 1919, after the end of the war, she was laid up until 1940, when she was scrapped at Baltimore.
Concept
Kronprinzessin Cecilie, built at Stettin, Germany, in 1906 by AG Vulcan Stettin, was the last of a set of four liners built for North German Lloyd, and the last German liner to carry four smokestacks. She was the product of ensuing battle between Germany and the United Kingdom for supremacy in the North Atlantic. Her older sister, the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse had been introduced to the world in 1897 and was a great success. Her popularity promted North German Lloyd to build three more superlinerSuperliner
Superliner may refer to:*Superliner - an ocean liner of more than 10,000 gross tons*Superliner - a double decker passenger car used by Amtrak*Mack Super-Liner - a heavy-duty truck manufactured by Mack Trucks...
s, namely the Kronprinz Wilhelm
SS Kronprinz Wilhelm
SS Kronprinz Wilhelm was a German passenger liner built for the Norddeutscher Lloyd, a former shipping company now part of Hapag-Lloyd, by the AG Vulcan shipyard in Stettin, in 1901...
(1901), SS Kaiser Wilhelm II
SS Kaiser Wilhelm II
The second SS Kaiser Wilhelm II, was a 19,361 gross ton passenger steamer built at Stettin, Germany, completed in the spring of 1903. A famous photograph taken by Alfred Stieglitz called The Steerage as well as descriptions of the conditions of travel in the lowest class have conflicted with her...
(1903) and finally the Kronprinzessin Cecilie.
The liner was and was 208.89 metre long by 22 metre abeam
Beam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
. She had two reciprocating, quadruple-expansion steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
s that powered two screw propellers. The Kronprinzessin sailed at a comfortable 23 knots.
German career
Named after Crown Princess Cecilie of PrussiaDuchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a Crown Princess of Germany and Prussia as the wife of German Crown Prince William, the son of German Emperor William II...
, she was launched by her father in law Wilhelm II, German Emperor. In July 1907, the new Kronprinzessin Cecilie was planned to leave Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
on her maiden voyage
Maiden voyage
The maiden voyage of a ship, aircraft or other craft is the first journey made by the craft after shakedown. A number of traditions and superstitions are associated with it....
. However, before the voyage could take place, the ship sank in Bremerhaven harbour. It was not until the next month on the 6 July, had the ship been pumped out and repaired, before setting out one the 14 of the same month. Overall, her capacity was 1,741 at the time of her maiden voyage; this was 617 first class, 326 second class and a further 798 third class passengers.
In comparison with a $2,500 first class suite ticket, the immigrant could sail on the Kronprinzessin Cecilie for a mere $25 - one hundred times cheaper.
The interiors of the "four flyers", as they were called, were special. The entire ship was fitted with the best of craftsmanship Germany could offer; the salons were full of ornamented wood and gilded mirrors. While her sister, the SS Kaiser Wilhelm II
SS Kaiser Wilhelm II
The second SS Kaiser Wilhelm II, was a 19,361 gross ton passenger steamer built at Stettin, Germany, completed in the spring of 1903. A famous photograph taken by Alfred Stieglitz called The Steerage as well as descriptions of the conditions of travel in the lowest class have conflicted with her...
was thought by some to be to extravagent, the Kronprinzessin Cecilie was a popular ship. Some of her first class suites fitted with private dining rooms for the reserved passenger. Also, a fish tank was placed in the kitchen, providing first class passengers with the freshest of fish.
The liner operated on North German Lloyd's transatlantic route travelling from Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, with occasional calls at other ports, including Boston and New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. The ship was steaming toward Germany from America with Captain Charles Polack, who had succeeded Dietrich Hogemann
Dietrich Hogemann
Dietrich Hogemann was Commodore of the Norddeutscher Lloyd fleet of ocean liners. He retired in May 1913 after 44 years at sea. He died in 1917 in Bremen, Germany.-Awards:* Prussian Red Eagle and the Crown* Oldenburg Knights Cross...
in 1913, when she received word of the outbreak of war. She was carrying some $10,000,000 in gold and $3,400,000 in silver. The ship headed back to the neutral United States to avoid capture by the British Navy and was interned at Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor is a town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population is 5,235. Bar Harbor is a famous summer colony in the Down East region of Maine. It is home to the College of the Atlantic, Jackson Laboratory and Mount Desert Island...
, then moved to Boston. Captain Polack had had her normally all-buff funnels painted with black tops as a form of disguise, so as to resemble the or another ship of the British White Star Line
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...
.
American career
Commandeered by the United States on 3 February 1917, the ship was transferred from the United States Shipping BoardUnited States Shipping Board
The United States Shipping Board was established as an emergency agency by the Shipping Act , 7 September 1916. It was formally organized 30 January 1917. It was sometimes referred to as the War Shipping Board.http://www.gwpda.org/wwi-www/Hurley/bridgeTC.htm | The Bridge To France by Edward N....
(USSB) to the U.S. Navy when America entered the war that April. She was renamed USS Mount Vernon, after George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
's Virginia home
Mount Vernon
The name Mount Vernon is a dedication to the English Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon. It was first applied to Mount Vernon, the Virginia estate of George Washington, the first President of the United States...
. She was fitted out at Boston to carry troops and materiel
Materiel
Materiel is a term used in English to refer to the equipment and supplies in military and commercial supply chain management....
to Europe and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 28 July 1917.
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
on 31 October 1917 for her first U.S. Navy crossing, and during the war made nine successful voyages carrying American troops to fight in Europe. However, early on the morning of 5 September 1918, as the transport steamed homeward in convoy some 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the French coast, her No. 1 gun crew spotted a periscope some 500 yards (457.2 m) off her starboard bow. Mount Vernon immediately fired one round at German U-boat
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
U‑82
SM U-82
SM U-82 was a Type Mittel U U-boat of the German Imperial Navy during the First World War.She was launched on 1 July 1916 and commissioned on 16 September 1916 under Hans Adam. She was assigned to IV Flotilla on 21 November 1916, serving with them throughout the war. She carried out 11 patrols...
. The U‑boat simultaneously submerged, but managed to launch a torpedo at the transport. Mount Vernons officer of the deck promptly ordered right full rudder, but the ship could not turn in time to avoid the missile, which struck her amidships, knocking out half of her boilers, flooding the midsection, and killing 36 sailors and injuring 13. Mount Vernons guns kept firing ahead of the U‑boat’s wake and her crew launched a pattern of depth charges. Damage-control teams worked to save the ship, and their efforts paid off when the transport was able to return to Brest under her own power. Repaired temporarily at Brest, she proceeded to Boston for complete repairs.
Mount Vernon rejoined the Cruiser and Transport Service in February 1919 and sailed on George Washington’s birthday
Washington's Birthday
Washington's Birthday is a United States federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February in honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States. It is also commonly known as Presidents Day...
for France to begin returning veterans to the United States. Some of her notable passengers during her naval service were: Admiral William S. Benson
William S. Benson
William Shepherd Benson was an Admiral in the United States Navy and the first Chief of Naval Operations , holding the post throughout World War I.-Biography:...
, Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
; General Tasker H. Bliss
Tasker H. Bliss
Tasker Howard Bliss GCMG was Chief of Staff of the United States Army from September 22, 1917 until May 18, 1918.-Biography:...
, Chief of Staff of the United States Army
Chief of Staff of the United States Army
The Chief of Staff of the Army is a statutory office held by a four-star general in the United States Army, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Army, and as such is the principal military advisor and a deputy to the Secretary of the Army; and is in...
; Col. Edward M. House
Edward M. House
Edward Mandell House was an American diplomat, politician, and presidential advisor. Commonly known by the title of Colonel House, although he had no military experience, he had enormous personal influence with U.S...
, Special Adviser to President Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
; and Newton D. Baker
Newton D. Baker
Newton Diehl Baker, Jr. was an American politician who belonged to the Democratic Party. He served as the 37th mayor of Cleveland, Ohio from 1912 to 1915 and as U.S. Secretary of War from 1916 to 1921.-Early years:...
, Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
. At the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1939, the Americans offered the former Kronprinzessin Cecilie to the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as a troop
Troop
A troop is a military unit, originally a small force of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron and headed by the troop leader. In many armies a troop is the equivalent unit to the infantry section or platoon...
-transport
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
, but refuse on the pretext that she was too old. Following the war, the Mount Vernon was laid up in the James River Reserve Fleet, before being scrapped in Baltimore, Maryland in 1940.