In 1897, Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse of the Norddeustcher Lloyd line, Germany, took the Blue Ribband of the Atlantic from Cunard's Campania and Lucania. After that, Germany lay unchallennged with the fastest ships in the world. It wasn't until 1902 that Cunard and the British Government began negotiations about building two new super liners to win back the Blue Ribband for Britain. By 1903, an agreement had been reached where the government would lend Cunard £2,600,000 to build the two liners, Lusitania and Mauretania. In addition to that, they agreed to make an annual payout to Cunard on the condition that in the case of war, the two liners could be used as war ships.
The two ships were to be built by two different builders, the first at John Brown's shipping yard in Scotland, the other at Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd. They would both have a servce speed of 24-25 knots and would be an amazing length, almost 800 feet long and weigh over 30,000 tonnes. The new turbine engines that would be used on the ships to break the existing speed record of the Atlantic was trusted to an old acquaintance; Wallsend Slipway and Engineering Co. Ltd., who had produced the engines to the two earlier Cunard vessels Ivernia and Carpathia. The engines would bring their power to four huge, three bladed propellers.
The keel for the ship Mauretania, the second to be built was laid in 1904 and in September two years later, she was ready for launch. She was christened Mauretania by the Dowager Duchess of Roxburgh.
One year after her launch, she was put through her sea trials, during which she reached an amazing speed of 27.75 knots. The Blue Ribband was well within England's grasp. When Mauretania's older sister Lusitania snatched the Blue Ribbon from Germany, it was clear Mauretania would be a record breaker too. A slightly more rounded stern had given Mauritania the boasting rights as the largest ship in the world, and had a slightly cleaner look than her sister.
Mauretania began her maiden voyage on November 16th, 1907, but failed to collect the Blue Ribband due to bad weather, averaging 22 knots. She took the eastbound passage record however on her return voyage, averaging 23.69 knots. The following years would show a friendly competition between the captain of the two ships, constantly trying to out do the other one.
In 1908, Mauretania damaged one of her propeller blades and was sent away for repairs. Cunard decided to change her blades from the original three bladed versions to new four bladed ones. This increased her service speed incredibly. On one of her west bound voyages, she averages 26.06 knots, a record that would not be beated for over 20 years.
Although not as popular as her sister because of her dark interiors, the fastest ship always gets the customers. Like so many ships of their day, Mauretania was beleived to me Unsinkable. One advertisment for the watertight doors made by Stone and Lloyd said ‘The Mauretania is practically unsinkable – owing to the watertight bulkhead doors.’ Because of this, she was fitted with a less than adiquate lifeboat spaces, but after the tragic Titanic disaster in April 1912, she and her sister were fitted with more boats.
In May 1914, the duo became a trio when Cunard introduced Aquitania to the fleet. Not as fast as th two older ships, the was longer and more luxurious.
In August 1914, Mauretania was eastbound to New York when her captain received word that Great Britain was at war with the German Empire. The ship was ordered into Halifax instead of New York. Mauretania made only a few more voyages before being called up by the British government to be used as an auxilary cruiser, as had been decided during their construction.
After a few months, it was found they were totally unsuited to the role. Mauretania and Aquitania had drainedthe admiralty coal bunkers, there wasn't a scrap of coal left (Lusitania was continuing her roll as a civillian ship).
Finally, it was decided to use the ships as troopers. After a three month refit, Mauretania was taking soldiers to Greece. During 1915, she carried 10,000 troops. During on of her voyages, the Lusitania was hit by a German torpedo and was sunk, resulting in a great loss of life.
After her trooping duties she was cpnverted to a Hospital Ship. Painted white with red crosses and a long green band, she took 15,000 wounded soldiers home from war.
When the war finished in 1918, Mauretania's war duties were far from over. She was used until late 1919 to take soldiers back home.
After a post war refit, Mauretania was back to her old self. Now she continued to dazzle all those who came aboard. |
