RMS Mauretania (1906)

This article is about the original Mauretania. For the later ship named after it, see RMS Mauretania (1938).

Mauretania in 1907 on the Tyne
History
United Kingdom
NameMauretania
NamesakeMauretania
Owner1906–1934: Cunard Line 1934–1935: Cunard White Star Line
Operator Cunard Line
Port of registryUnited Kingdom Liverpool
RouteLiverpool–Queenstown–New York (1907–1919) Southampton–Cherbourg–New York (1919–1934)
Ordered1904
BuilderSwan Hunter, Northumberland, England
Yard number735
Laid down18 August 1904
Launched20 September 1906
Christened20 September 1906, by the Duchess of Roxburghe
Acquired11 November 1907
Maiden voyage16 November 1907
In service1907–1934
Out of serviceSeptember 1934
IdentificationWireless call sign: MGA (until 1934)
FateScrapped in 1935 at Rosyth, Scotland
General characteristics
TypeOcean liner
Tonnage31,938 GRT, 12,797 NRT
Displacement44,610 tons
Length790 ft (240.8 m)
Beam88 ft (26.8 m)
Draft33 ft (10.1 m)
Depth33 ft 6 in (10.2 m)
Decks8
Installed power
  • Direct-action Parsons steam turbines (two high pressure, two low pressure)
  • 68,000 shp (51,000 kW) nominal at launch, 76,000 shp (57,000 kW) on record run, later increased in 1928 to 90,000 shp (67,000 kW) July 1929
PropulsionQuadruple propeller installation
Speed25 kn (46 km/h; 29 mph) ‐ 28 kn (52 km/h; 32 mph) design service speed
Capacity
  • 2,165 passengers total:
    • 563 first class
    • 464 second class
    • 1,138 third class
Crew802
NotesLargest ship in the world from 1907–1910. Running mate to RMS Lusitania and RMS Aquitania

RMS Mauretania was a British ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson on the River Tyne, England for the Cunard Line, launched on the afternoon of 20 September 1906. She was the world's largest ship until the launch of RMS Olympic in 1910. Mauretania captured the eastbound Blue Riband on the maiden return voyage in December 1907, then claimed the westbound Blue Riband for the fastest transatlantic crossing during her 1909 season. She held both speed records for 20 years.[1]

The ship's name was taken from the ancient Roman province of Mauretania on the northwest African coast, not the modern Mauritania to the south.[2] Similar nomenclature was also employed by Mauretania's running mate Lusitania, which was named after the Roman province directly north of Mauretania, across the Strait of Gibraltar[2] in Portugal. Mauretania remained in service until September 1934, when Cunard-White Star retired her; scrapping commenced in Rosyth, in 1935.

  1. ^ Maxtone-Graham 1972, pp. 41–43.
  2. ^ a b Maxtone-Graham 1972, p. 24.