RMS Adriatic: 27 Years of Service

The Adriatic was the fourth ship of White Star Line’s “Big Four.”  She was ordered in December 1903 and launched in September 1906 on the same day as Cunard’s Mauretania.  Completed in 1907 she was the largest ship in the White Star fleet but did not hold any records for size or speed, but she did introduce new luxuries to transatlantic travel including a Turkish Bath and the first swimming pool on the North Atlantic and confirmed White Star’s commitment to luxury and stable ships rather than speed.  She was a spacious and comfortable ship and well-liked by passengers during her long career.

1:1250 model by Rhenania/Grzybowski.

Adriatic’s dimensions were similar to the Baltic’s but she was fitted with much more powerful machinery and increased boiler capacity and a modest increase in speed.  Her hull, like the Baltic’s, was built flush decked (no well decks) with the weather deck as the shelter deck and a total of nine steel decks.

A twin-screw ship, her manganese bronze propellors were 3-bladed and driven by quadruple expansion reciprocating engines that developed 16,000-17,000ihp for a maximum speed of 17.5 knots (by comparison, the much larger Olympics’ reciprocating engines produced 35,000ihp, augmented by a low pressure turbine at 16,000shp producing 21 knots).  Her engines were efficient and she consumed an average of 290 tons of coal per day.  The cost of speed is evident here:  the turbine driven Mauretania consumed 1,000 tons of a coal per day when steaming at 25 knots (with 70,000shp on four turbines).

Larger funnels, a pair of derrick posts on her foredeck and the double-tiered short deck between the mizzen and jigger masts distinguish her from the Baltic.

Adriatic sailed on her maiden voyage from Liverpool to New York on May 8, 1907 under the command of Captain Edward J. Smith.  Upon her arrival in New York after an uneventful crossing, Smith commented “I cannot imagine any condition which would cause a ship to founder... Modern shipbuilding has gone beyond that.”  Tragically, his confidence would get the better of him. 

Adriatic and Baltic docked together.

Intended for the Liverpool run, Adriatic was transferred to Southampton in May along with the faster Oceanic, Majestic, and Teutonic.  The switch was part of a longer strategy to run express service with the projected Olympic-classliners from the Channel Ports including Cherbourg, France.  As part of IMM, White Star ships joined American line vessels on the this route and offered more efficient service as well as faster rail connections to London.  Once Olympic entered service, Adriatic returned to the Liverpool service.

Adriatic underway.

Adriatic’s career was not without incident.  In 1908, four crewmen were caught looting passenger’s luggage. In 1912, she carried home to Liverpool White Star Chairman J. Bruce Ismay and members of Titanic‘s crew who attended the Mayer Inquiry in New York.   A year later, she grounded at the entrance to Ambrose Channel.  When WWI erupted, Adriatic and Baltic were retained on commercial service and valued for their cargo-carrying capacity. In 1917 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty to bring American troops to the European theatre. 

In 1919, Adriatic returned to the Southampton run after reconditioning and maintained that service until the largest express liners were released from war duties and fully restored.  In subsequent years she sailed from both Liverpool and Southampton as passenger bookings dictated.  In 1926, she began winter cruises to the Mediterranean and Caribbean.  In 1927, she was the first ship to use the new Gladstone Dock in Liverpool.  As the economic slump crept in, vessels such as Adriatic were increasingly refitted with cabin updates, enlargement of Tourist Class facilities, and more holiday cruises.  Adriatic was overhauled several times throughout her long career.

The classic design of two funnels and four masts lends her a balanced profile.

On account of the Depression and the advent of newer vessels such as Britannic and Georgic, older vessels were increasingly difficult to fully book.  Adriatic was periodically laid up and held as a reserve ship.  The merger with Cunard in February, 1934 made her redundant to the fleet and was retired at the end of the year.  After nearly 27 years of service, she was sold to Japanese ship breakers and sailed for Osaka in December. 

R.M.S. Adriatic (1907-1934) built for White Star Line by Harland and Wolff, Belfast, Northern Ireland. 729 feet long, 75 feet wide.  24,541 GRT.  Quadruple expansion reciprocating engines, twin screw.  Service speed 17 knots.  As built 2,925 total passengers (425 First Class, 500 Second Class, 2,000 Third Class).