&sq=Facebook&lang=en&file=File:SS_Republic.png) SS Republic
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| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
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| 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 and 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 |
SS Republic was an ocean liner built in 1871 by Harland and Wolff for White Star Line. It was intended to be the last of four vessels forming the Oceanic-class, before two new ships were commissioned. After a rough maiden voyage from Liverpool to New 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 ships SS Germanic and SS Britannic led to SS Republic's becoming the standby vessel of White Star Line. It occupied this position for 15 years, and attempts were made to modernise it in 1888. When RMS Teutonic and RMS Majestic entered service in the following year, the Republic became surplus to White Star's needs.
Republic was sold in 1889 to Holland America Line and was renamed Maasdam, and served with the company for twelve years. In 1902, it was sold to Italian company La Veloce where it was renamed Vittoria, before being renamed again to Città di Napoli. It was used for many years to transport Italian migrants to America. It was retired in 1908, and was lent to the Italian government to house victims of the 1908 Messina earthquake. The ship was scrapped in 1910 in Genoa.
During its service it could carry a varying number of passengers; under White Star Line it could carry 166 first class and over 1,000 steerage passengers; under Holland America Line it could carry 150 first class, 60 second class, and 800 steerage passengers' and as a migrant ship it could carry 1,424 steerage passengers. The facilities on the ship were described as a "floating palace" when it was owned by White Star Line, and were similar to RMS Oceanic, but were slightly modernised.