The steamship KÄTIE was built for Stettiner Lloyd by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Glasgow, and was launched on 4 November 1880. 2,737 tons; 97,69 x 12,44 x 8 meters (length x breadth); straight stem, 1 funnel, 2 masts; iron construction, screw propulsion, compound engines, service speed 10 knots; accommodation for 25 passengers in 1st class and 600 in steerage; crew of 45.

The KÄTIE was the first of only two vessels that comprised the fleet of Stettiner Lloyd, which was founded in 1880 to provide a service from Stettin to New York by way of Scandinavian ports. 15 November 1880, maiden voyage, Glasgow-New York. Six days out, the ship encountered a hurricane which stove in her bulwarks and boats, and disabled her engines. She put in at Queenstown for repairs, sailing again on 25 December 1880, and arriving at New York on 6 January 1881. April 1881, 2nd voyage, Stettin - Copenhagen - Christiansand - Newcastle - New York (arrived 1 May), with 539 passengers. 4 roundtrip voyages in 1881, 3 roundtrip voyages in 1882. 1883 voyages to New York: February, from Liverpool; April from Stettin; June, August, October, and December from Le Havre. 1884, reverted to Stettin (6 roundtrip voyages). 1885, 6 roundtrip voyages. 1886, 2 roundtrip voyages. 17 April 1886, last voyage, Stettin - Gothenburg - New York (arrived 23 April). Stettiner Lloyd then went into liquidation, and in October 1886, the KÄTIE was sold at auction, being purchased by her builders, Alexander Stephen & Sons, who were most probably still owed a great portion of her purchase price. 1887, KATIE (Furness Line). 1890, DUNKELD (British). 25 March 1895, wrecked in the River Plate.

Sources: Arnold Kludas, Die Geschichte der Deutschen Passagierschiffahrt, Bd. 1: Die Pionierjahre von 1850 bis 1890, Schriften des Deutschen Schiffahrtsmuseums, 22 (Hamburg: Kabel, c1986), p. 116; Noel Reginald Pixell Bonsor, North Atlantic Seaway; An Illustrated History of the Passenger Services Linking the Old World with the New (2nd ed.; Jersey, Channel Islands: Brookside Publications), vol. 3 (1979), pp. 1055-1056. There may be information on the KÄTIE among the records of her builders, Alexander Stephen & Sons Ltd, now deposited in the Glasgow University Archives and Business Records Centre and in the Manuscripts Department, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

The steamship KAISER WILHELM DER GROßE [GROSSE] was built for Norddeutscher Lloyd by AG Vulcan, Stettin (yard #234), and was launched on 4 May 1897. 14,349 tons; 197,7 x 20,1 meters (length x breadth); 4 funnels, 2 masts; twin-screw propulsion (triple-expansion engines), 28,000 hp, coal consumption 560 tons a day, service speed 22.5 knots; accommodation for 332 passengers in 1st class, 343 in 2nd class, 1,074 in steerage (1901: 400 in 1st class, 350 in 2nd class, 800 in steerage).

The KAISER WILHELM DER GROßE was the first 4-funnel ship, from the time of her launch until 1899 the largest, and in 1898 the fastest merchant ship in the world; in 1898, she carried 24 per cent of the First Class passenger revenue on the North Atlantic to New York. 19 September 1897, maiden voyage, Bremen - Southampton - New York - Plymouth - Bremen. March 1898, record passage from The Needles to Sandy Hook, in 5 days, 15 hours, 46 minutes (average speed, 22,46 knots). 1900, first German ship to have a Marconi Wireless installation. June 1900, released from the burning Norddeutscher Lloyd pier at Hoboken almost undamaged. 21 November 1906, collided at Cherbourg with the Royal Mail steamship ORINOCO, whose clipper bow tore a starboard foreward hole; 3 sailors died on the ORINOCO, 5 passengers on the KAISER WILHELM DER GROßE. 26 January-1 March 1907, cruise, New York-Mediterranean (only cruise by a Norddeutscher Lloyd "four-stacker" with paying passengers). 25 May 1907, lost her rudder on the passage from New York to Plymouth. 12 December 1910, returned from New York on one propeller at 17.5 knots, the other having been lost off Newfoundland on the outward passage. Winter 1913/14, rebuilt as an express emigrant carrier; 13,592 tons, accommodation for 630 passengers in 3rd class and 1,500 in steerage. 18 March 1914, final voyage, Bremen-New York direct (called at Plymouth and Cherbourg on the return passage). 2-4 August 1914, fitted out in Bremerhaven as a merchant cruiser. Sank three ships and stopped the British passenger ships GALICIAN and ARLANZA, which were allowed to proceed. 26 August 1914, off Rio de Oro, Spanish West Africa, overtaken by the British cruiser HMS HIGHFLYER. After a 90-minute battle, the KAISER WILHELM DER GROßE ran out of amunition, and although not badly damaged she was scuttled by her crew. The wreck was not dismantled until 1952. The ship's bell was given to the German government, which passed it on to Norddeutscher Lloyd.

The KAISER WILHELM DER GROßE was top-heavy, and was known to her regular passengers as "Rolling Billy". The type of cargo she carried affected her performance: the most lively and preferred cargo to New York was full barrels of beer, the empty barrels going home.

Sources: Arnold Kludas, Die Seeschiffe des Norddeutschen Lloyd, Bd. 1: 1857 bis 1919 (Herford: Koehler, c1991), pp. 66-67 (photograph); Edwin Drechsel, Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen, 1857-1970; History, Fleet, Ship Mails, vol. 1 (Vancouver: Cordillera Pub. Co., c1994), pp. 171-172 (photographs); Arnold Kludas, Die grossen Passagierschiffe der Welt; Eine Dokumentation, Bd. 1: 1858-1912 (2nd ed.; Oldenburg/Hamburg: Gerhard Stalling, c1972), pp. 54-55 (photograph); Noel Reginald Pixell Bonsor, North Atlantic Seaway; An Illustrated History of the Passenger Services Linking the Old World with the New (2nd ed.; Jersey, Channel Islands: Brookside Publications), vol. 2 (1978), p. 560; William H. Miller, Jr., The First Great Ocean Liners in Photographs; 193 Views, 1897-1927 (New York: Dover, 1984), pp. 2-5, 80-81 (photographs).

The steamship KAISERIN AUGUSTE VICTORIA was built for the Hamburg-America Line by A.G. Vulcan, Stettin (yard #264); she was laid down as the EUROPA, but was launched 29 August 1905 under the name KAISERIN AUGUSTE VICTORIA. 24,581 tons; 206 (214.9) x 23,5 meters (length x breadth); 2 funnels,4 masts; twin-screw propulsion, quadruple-expansion engines (17,500 psi), service speed 17.5 (maximum 18) knots; accommodation for 652 passengers in 1st class, 286 in 2nd class, 216 in 3rd class, and 1,842 in steerage; crew of 593.

At the time of her launch, the KAISERIN AUGUSTE VICTORIA was the largest passenger ship in the world, supplanting the AMERIKA. 10 May 1906, maiden voyage, Hamburg - Dover - Cherbourg - New York. 23 June 1914, last voyage, Hamburg - Southampton - Cherbourg - New York - Hamburg. 1 August 1914, laid up for the duration of World War I in Hamburg. 23 March 1919, sailed for Cowes, England, where she was surrendered to the Shipping Controller on 27 March; immediately transferred to the U.S. Shipping Board for use as a troop transport. 14 February 1920-1 January 1921, 10 roundtrip voyages, Liverpool-New York, chartered by the Cunard Line. 13 May 1921, sold to the Canadian Pacific Railyway Co. 5 August 1921, renamed EMPRESS OF SCOTLAND; refitted by Vulcan-Werft, Hamburg: 25,037 tons; converted to oil fuel; accommodation for 459 passengers in 1st class, 478 in 2nd class, 960 in 3rd class. 22 January 1922, first voyage, Southampton - New York - Mediterranean cruise. 22 April 1922, second voyage, Southampton - Cherbourg - Quebec. 14 June 1922, first voyage, Hamburg - Southampton - Cherbourg - Quebec. 1923, collided at Hamburg with the S.S. BONUS. May 1926, passenger accommodation changed to 1st class, 2nd class, tourist, and 3rd class. 1927, passenger accommodation altered to 1st class, tourist, and 3rd class. 11 October 1930, last voyage, Southampton - Cherbourg - Quebec. 2 December 1930, sold to Hughes, Bolkow & Co, Blyth. 10 December 1930, burned out and sunk in the Hughes, Bolkow yard at Blyth. May 1931, wreck raised. October 1931, scrapping completed.

Sources: Arnold Kludas and Herbert Bischoff, Die Schiffe der Hamburg-Amerika Linie, Bd. 1: 1847-1906 (Herford: Koehler, 1979), pp. 154-155 (5 photographs); Arnold Kludas, Die grossen Passagierschiffe der Welt; Eine Dokumentation, Bd. 1: 1858-1912 (2nd ed.; Oldenburg/Hamburg: Gerhard Stalling, c1973), pp. 120-121 (2 photographs); Noel Reginald Pixell Bonsor, North Atlantic Seaway; An Illustrated History of the Passenger Services Linking the Old World with the New (2nd ed.; Jersey, Channel Islands: Brookside Publications), vol. 1 (1975), p. 412.