Steam-ships : The story of their development to the present day by R. A. Fletcher

luxury and magnificence. Her promenade deck was 400 feet long, and the saloon was 80 by 64 feet, the latter surmounted by a glass dome 21 feet square. Two enormous steamers, the _Celtic_ in 1901 and the _Cedric_ in 1902, of 20,904 tons gross, again established a record for size; the latter is slightly the larger vessel, but in other respects they are sisters. These were the last vessels built for the White Star Line as an independent organisation, as in the following year the line became a part of the great Morgan Combine though still retaining its individuality of management. The _Republic_, a White Star steamer which had just left New York for England, was rammed off Nantucket in January 1909 by the Italian Lloyd steamer _Florida_ inward bound. The White Star liner _Baltic_ took off from the _Florida_ all the passengers that had been saved from the _Republic_. The latter vessel was kept afloat all night by her water-tight compartments. All the while she was afloat she signalled by wireless telegraphy for assistance and this brought the _Baltic_ and other vessels on the scene. The _Republic_ was built in 1903 for the Boston-Liverpool trade of the Dominion Line and was named the _Columbus_, and was afterwards taken over by the White Star. She was a twin-screw steel steamer of 15,378 tons gross, and the largest vessel which has yet been lost at sea. [Illustration: THE “TEUTONIC” AND “MAJESTIC” (WHITE STAR LINE, 1889).] [Illustration: THE “OLYMPIC” (WHITE STAR LINE, 1910). FROM THE PAINTING BY CHARLES DIXON.] A notable event in the trade with Canada was the introduction of the White Star liners _Megantic_ and _Laurentic_, which are run as White Star-Dominion Line steamers to save possible complications with other lines in the Canadian trade. They are important, not only on account of their size, but also because of the engineering experiments they embody, the _Megantic_ standing for the highest perfection of the twin-screw balanced reciprocating engine, while the _Laurentic_ is remarkable for the introduction of reciprocating engines and low-pressure turbines. In other respects they are sister ships. They are the largest vessels yet placed in the Canadian trade. The _Laurentic_ was launched in September 1908 at Belfast by Messrs. Harland and Wolff, and the _Megantic_ left the slips the following December. They are each 565 feet long by 67 feet 4 inches beam, and about 15,000 tons gross. Each carries 260 first-class passengers, 420 second-class, and over 1000 in the third class. Their cargo capacity is also very great. They are singled-funnelled, two-masted steamers. Like all the other vessels of the White Star Line they have been constructed throughout on the most approved principles, nothing that long experience and practical knowledge could suggest being wanting to make them as perfect as possible in all particulars. The last three or four years have seen the advent of the largest steamers afloat, and before the end of 1910 they will be eclipsed by one of the two steamers, the _Olympic_ and the _Titanic_, now building for the White Star Line by Harland and Wolff at Belfast, which are to be of about 45,000 tons each. At present the largest White Star vessel is the _Adriatic_, launched in September 1906 and placed upon the service to New York in the spring of 1908. This gigantic ship is 709 feet 2 inches in length, 75 feet 6 inches beam, and 52 feet deep, and her displacement is over 40,000 tons. Besides the usual luxurious fittings of the vessel, which are all in accordance with the traditions of the White Star Line--she is in this respect an improved version of all her great predecessors--she has an electric passenger lift giving communication between the various decks, a gymnasium, and a full set of turkish baths besides plunge bath, massage couches, and electric baths. The hull is divided into twelve water-tight compartments, the bulkheads being fitted with doors which can all be closed instantaneously from the bridge if desired, and there are no fewer than nine steel decks. The Inman and International liners _City of New York_ and _City of Paris_, steel twin-screw steamers, were launched in 1888 and