Kaiserin Auguste Victoria

A year after the popular liner Amerika was launched a near sister was completed in Stetin.  Christened by the Empress of Germany, the new vessel thundered down the ways named Kaiserin Auguste Victoria (not to be confused with the Augusta Victoria of 1889) and was briefly the world’s largest liner.  

Kaiserin Auguste Victoria was built on the classic four masts and two funnels configuration.  1:1250 model by HL

As with Amerika, HAPAG was primarily concerned with the comfort and luxuries available to first class passengers.  The severe vibration of the Deustschland in addition to the expense of running the liner at high speed made HAPAG shy of competing on the basis of record-breaking crossings.  Much like White Star they sought swift, reliable, and economical service whilst providing top-notch service. 

Kaiserin Auguste Victoria.  Internet Archive Book Images [No restrictions], via Wikimedia Commons

One of the new vessel’s novelties was a special grillroom, or a la carte restaurant managed by the Ritz Carlton Company.  First class passengers paid extra to dine here (creating in essence a deluxe class) but were refunded a portion of their fare if they chose to dine exclusively in this establishment rather than the dining saloon.  In this exclusive enclave diners read gold-trimmed menu cards and dined on exotic dishes including whole roast oxen and grilled antelope.  One needed look no further for gilded age excess.  Little wonder that Teddy Roosevelt chose Kaiserin Auguste Victoria to embarked on his post-presidential safari!

Passing a freighter at sea.

HAPAG brochures highlighted such luxuries for its first class passengers.  For its third class and steerage tickets, the vessel offered clean, safe, and reliable emigrant service.  For all travelers, publicist stressed the technological side of the ship.  In the days before jets, ocean liners were among the most marvelous symbols of speed and might.  The public was impressed by length, width, tonnage, and speed.  They also (especially after the Titanic disaster) were keen to know about safety features. 

Kaiserin Auguste Victoria docked awaiting passengers and cargo.

Kaiserin Auguste Victoria was outsized (and outrun) by the Lusitania when she entered service in 1907.  Nevertheless, she remained a popular ship on the Atlantic run until the First World War.  She remained in Hamburg until Germany surrendered, when she became a prize of war and was charted by the US Shipping Board to bring the veterans home.  In 1921 she sailed under the Cunard flag while the line’s vessels were being refurbished for peacetime service. 

The vessel was bought by the Canadian Pacific Steamship Line and became Empress of Scotland.  She worked the Hamburg-Southampton-Cherbourg-Quebec service from 1922 until 1930.  She was sold for scrap in 1931.

Kaiserin Auguste Victoria (1906-1918, Empress of Scotland 1922-1930) built for HAPAG by Vulkan Shipyard, Stettin, Germany 1906).  24,581 GRT, 705 feet long, 77 feet wide.  Steam quadruple expansion engines geared to twin screw.  Service speed 17.5 knots.  As built:  2,996 passengers (652 First Class, 286 Second Class, 216 third class, 1,842 steerage).

Reliance and Resolute: the White Cruising Yachts

On the eve of the Great War, HAPAG (Hamburg-America Line) began construction on two 20,000 ton liners, the William O’Swald and Johann Heinrich Burchard.  When the war ended the two ships were completed and given as reparations to Holland. 

Reliance and Resolute embody a classic steamship design with three funnels, two masts, and a graceful counter stern.  1:1250 model by Mercator.

The ships were renamed and sailed on the South America run until 1922 when they were sold to United American Lines in New York.  The sister ships were renamed again Resolute and Reliance and sailed on the transatlantic run between New York and Hamburg.

Reliance at sea.

In 1926 the ships were sold back to HAPAG and alternated between the Atlantic run and cruise service.  Reliance and Resolute were popular cruise ships of the 1920s and 1930s.  The “white cruising yachts” took passengers on a range of getaways from weekends in the West Indies to four-month around the world voyages.  Wintertime cruises were among Reliance’s most exclusive.  An all first-class, 27-day amble in the Caribbean cost a minimum of $250 in 1926.

Reliance leaving port.

On August 7, 1938, Reliance caught fire at her Hamburg berth and was declared a total loss.  Her remains were scrapped by the Krupp Company at Bremerhaven and no doubt became shot and shell during the Second World War.  Resolute was sold to the Italians in 1935 and became a troopship, Lombardia.  She was damaged in an allied attack on Naples and scrapped in 1947 in Spezia.

Reliance built by J.C. Tecklenborg Shipyard, Geestemunde, Germany for HAPAG, 1920.  19,582 GRT, 615 feet long, 71 feet wide.  Triple expansion engines and one steam turbine geared to triple screw.  Service speed 16 knots.  As completed, 1,010 total passengers (290 first class, 320 second class, 400 third class).