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SS Majestic (1890)
Encyclopedia
The SS Majestic was a steamship built in 1890 for and operated by the White Star Line
.
, the Majestic was launched on 29 June 1889. The ship spent the next nine months being fitted out for delivery to White Star in March, 1890. White Star had sought to fund the construction of the Majestic and her sister ship through the British government, a proposal which was accepted, with the stipulation that the Royal Navy would have access to the two liners in a time of war.
On 2 April 1890, she left for her six-day, ten-hour maiden voyage from Liverpool
to New York
. There was a strong desire in the White Star management to regain the coveted Blue Riband
, the award for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic. The maiden voyage did not produce a time good enough to win the Blue Riband away from the City of Paris, but on a west-bound voyage between 30 July and 5 August 1891, she achieved that goal, with an average speed of 20.1 knots. Unfortunately, the Majestic held the honour for a mere two weeks, as her sister ship, the completed a crossing on 19 August with a speed of 20.35 knots (the City of Paris then won it back a year later).
In 1895, the Majestic was assigned a new captain, an up-and-coming officer named Edward Smith, who years later would gain lasting fame as the captain of the Titanic. Smith served as Majestic's captain for nine years. When the Boer War started in 1899, Smith and the Majestic were called upon to transport troops to Cape Colony. Two trips were made to South Africa, one in December, 1899 and one in February, 1900, both without incident.
In 1902–1903, the ship underwent a refit, which included new boilers (and consequently taller twin funnels), after which she returned to the Liverpool-New York run. Smith left as captain in 1904 to take on the new Baltic
, then the largest ship in the world. In 1905, the Majestic suffered a fire in her bunker, but the damage was not significant. In 1907, White Star's main terminal was moved from Liverpool to Southampton and, on 26 June, the Majestic sailed from these new facilities for the first time.
When the entered service in 1911, the older Majestic was removed from regular service, and designated as a reserve ship, biding her time at Birkenhead
's Bidston Dock. When the Titanic met her fate in April, 1912, Majestic was pressed back into service, filling the hole in the transatlantic schedule.
On 17 October 1913, she came to the rescue of the French schooner
Garonne, which had wrecked. 14 January 1914 saw the Majestic leave for her last Atlantic crossing. Soon after, she was sold for £26,700 for scrap to the Thomas Ward yard at Morecambe
. Before scrapping of the ship commenced the scrapping company opened the ship for public tours, and some of the still-beautiful interior panelling was saved and used in the offices of the Ward company.
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...
.
History
A product of shipbuilders Harland and WolffHarland and Wolff
Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries is a Northern Irish heavy industrial company, specialising in shipbuilding and offshore construction, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland....
, the Majestic was launched on 29 June 1889. The ship spent the next nine months being fitted out for delivery to White Star in March, 1890. White Star had sought to fund the construction of the Majestic and her sister ship through the British government, a proposal which was accepted, with the stipulation that the Royal Navy would have access to the two liners in a time of war.
On 2 April 1890, she left for her six-day, ten-hour maiden voyage from Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. There was a strong desire in the White Star management to regain the coveted Blue Riband
Blue Riband
The Blue Riband is an unofficial accolade given to the passenger liner crossing the Atlantic Ocean in regular service with the record highest speed. The term was borrowed from horse racing and was not widely used until after 1910. Under the unwritten rules, the record is based on average speed...
, the award for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic. The maiden voyage did not produce a time good enough to win the Blue Riband away from the City of Paris, but on a west-bound voyage between 30 July and 5 August 1891, she achieved that goal, with an average speed of 20.1 knots. Unfortunately, the Majestic held the honour for a mere two weeks, as her sister ship, the completed a crossing on 19 August with a speed of 20.35 knots (the City of Paris then won it back a year later).
In 1895, the Majestic was assigned a new captain, an up-and-coming officer named Edward Smith, who years later would gain lasting fame as the captain of the Titanic. Smith served as Majestic's captain for nine years. When the Boer War started in 1899, Smith and the Majestic were called upon to transport troops to Cape Colony. Two trips were made to South Africa, one in December, 1899 and one in February, 1900, both without incident.
In 1902–1903, the ship underwent a refit, which included new boilers (and consequently taller twin funnels), after which she returned to the Liverpool-New York run. Smith left as captain in 1904 to take on the new Baltic
RMS Baltic (1903)
RMS Baltic was an ocean liner of the White Star Line that sailed between 1904 and 1933. At 23,876 gross tons, she was the largest ship in the world until 1905...
, then the largest ship in the world. In 1905, the Majestic suffered a fire in her bunker, but the damage was not significant. In 1907, White Star's main terminal was moved from Liverpool to Southampton and, on 26 June, the Majestic sailed from these new facilities for the first time.
When the entered service in 1911, the older Majestic was removed from regular service, and designated as a reserve ship, biding her time at Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
's Bidston Dock. When the Titanic met her fate in April, 1912, Majestic was pressed back into service, filling the hole in the transatlantic schedule.
On 17 October 1913, she came to the rescue of the French schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
Garonne, which had wrecked. 14 January 1914 saw the Majestic leave for her last Atlantic crossing. Soon after, she was sold for £26,700 for scrap to the Thomas Ward yard at Morecambe
Morecambe
Morecambe is a resort town and civil parish within the City of Lancaster in Lancashire, England. As of 2001 it has a resident population of 38,917. It faces into Morecambe Bay...
. Before scrapping of the ship commenced the scrapping company opened the ship for public tours, and some of the still-beautiful interior panelling was saved and used in the offices of the Ward company.
Specifications
- Length: 582 feet (177.8 m)
- Beam: 57.7 feet (17.6 m)
- Tonnage: 9,965 gross tons
- Engines: Two triple-expansion steam engines, powering two propellers.
- Service speed: 20 knots
- Passengers: 1,490 people