31:
565:
114:
795:
84:
133:
48:
470:
67:
636:
The vessels had luxury on an unprecedented scale, with a dining room dominated by a glass roof, a lounge with a reading and writing room with many books and periodicals, also adorned with large picture windows, a covered promenade deck, a smoking room decorated
685:
by a German submarine, but once again remained afloat. In 1925, she was in collision with another vessel, but neither ship suffered serious damage. She was involved in another collision in 1927. Finally, in 1928, she struck rocks off
669:
was the first of the "Big Four", entering service in 1901. She was the first ship to exceed the Great
Eastern in tonnage. Her career was marred by several accidents. Transformed into an
412:, terming these ships the "Big Four". The four ships were designed to have a tonnage in excess of 20,000 tons and rather than being built for speed and to compete for the
1093:
1271:
400:
was cancelled. Instead, resources were transferred to the company's new project; to build the grandest fleet of ships that had ever sailed the seas, the "Big Four".
880:
enjoyed a successful commercial career, which included war service during the First World War when the ship made several voyages as a troop transport.
1350:
884:
was devoted full-time to cruising from 1933, and was retired the following year, then sold by the White Star Line for scrapping in Japan in 1935.
872:
entered service in 1907. She was the largest, the fastest, and the most luxurious of the Big Four, being the first ocean liner to have an indoor
719:, managing director of the White Star line, had attempted to arrange, by wireless with the White Star New York offices, to delay the sailing of
1335:
1264:
1180:
1201:
533:, at 24,541 gross register tons the largest and also the fastest of the "Big Four", but which was superseded in size before her launch by
591:
935:
1239:
784:
harbour during dense fog. Neither vessel was seriously damaged. She was decommissioned in 1931 and was scrapped the following year.
1257:
1103:
1345:
1143:
956:
905:
503:
1117:
986:
594:. The four ships were propelled by two propellers driven by steam quadruple expansion and reached an average speed of 16
1340:
857:, which serviced her throughout most of her career. The two ships appear together on many White Star Line postcards.
1046:
548:, at a more economical 17,000 tons, was a virtual sister ship to the "Big Four" in her layout and dimensions.
283:
159:
1072:
705:
entered service in 1903. Her commercial career was divided into transatlantic crossings and cruises. When the
1006:
646:
466:. At the time she was launched she was the biggest moving object ever built at 21,073 gross register tons.
446:
240:
236:
811:
was involved in rescues at sea on a number of occasions. In 1909, she received a call for help from the
522:
564:
499:
248:
244:
1312:
867:
812:
781:
622:
528:
352:
89:
395:
384:
366:
146:
574:
s first class reading and correspondence room. Similar rooms were furnished on her sister ships.
553:
326:
1195:
690:
and was considered unrecoverable. It took five years for the ship to be completely dismantled.
1305:
1291:
1235:
1231:
1176:
820:
806:
670:
664:
614:
602:
578:
The "Big Four" had a tonnage of 20,904 to 24,541 gross tons (13,449 to 15,638 net tons), with
485:
420:
346:
334:
117:
72:
36:
1170:
746:
373:
113:
30:
930:
498:. She was the largest ship in the world at 23,876 gross register tons until 1905, when the
1205:
1098:
1076:
990:
939:
674:
330:
136:
590:, which was the largest of the four, was also the only one not to have held the title of
794:
408:
In 1901, the White Star Line ordered a series of four ships that were to be larger than
716:
618:
610:
1008:
The Famous Big 4 of the New York – Liverpool
Service – White Star Line – 1909 Brochure
83:
1329:
873:
754:
724:
638:
630:
626:
538:
516:
132:
1147:
960:
909:
1121:
761:
was taken in tow but sank the next day 14 miles (23 km) from the Mersey Bar
851:
777:
770:
762:
595:
512:
413:
322:
225:
47:
1298:
981:
700:
678:
542:
469:
453:
340:
287:
53:
1249:
617:
separated from the rest of the superstructure. They were provided with four
333:, to be the largest and most luxurious ships afloat. The group consisted of
1228:
The Big Four of the White Star Fleet: Celtic, Cedric, Baltic & Adriatic
733:
could return to
England without setting foot in the United States. However
66:
1067:
1038:
706:
682:
380:
121:
511:
The popularity of White Star's "Big Four" was eventually overtaken by
445:
was completed, she was the biggest ship in the world at 20,904
598:(30 km/h; 18 mph), although their maximum speeds varied.
843:
793:
563:
468:
834:, but was unable to assist. She was also involved in a rescue on
433:
and made her maiden voyage on 26 July. She was shorter than
1169:
Shifrin, Malcolm (2015). "Chapter 23: The
Turkish bath at sea".
687:
606:
1253:
715:
was docked in New York. After the sinking it was reported that
729:
arrived in port so that he and the surviving crew members of
601:
The silhouettes of the four vessels were similar, black
416:, were designed to be more luxurious than their rivals.
621:(two front and two rear) which supported the cables of
1094:"Ismay, saved by 'miracle' to sneak back to London"
425:, and was ordered by Thomas Ismay before his death.
681:in 1917, killing 17 people. In 1918, she was
321:" were a quartet of early-20th-century 20,000-ton
1106:on 5 March 2016 – via blogs.denverpost.com.
737:sailed on schedule. During the First World War,
850:was commonly accompanied by White Star tender
741:was transformed into an auxiliary cruiser. On
1265:
286:, powering two propellers, total 16,000
8:
1272:
1258:
1250:
365:In 1899, White Star Line commissioned the
838:, when she assisted the sinking schooner
586:much larger than the first two. However,
900:
898:
896:
419:The first of the four vessels was named
892:
1039:"White Star Line History Website: RMS
1028:(Swindon: Historic England) pp.253-255
842:. On 17 February 1933, she sailed for
258:700 to 730 ft (210 to 220 m)
20:
906:"The Great Ocean Liners: Celtic (II)"
826:of Lloyd Italiano. On 15 April 1912,
527:, both of which were larger than the
16:Class of ocean liners built 1901–1905
7:
1049:from the original on 9 November 2014
932:White Star Line Oceanic II 1899–1914
876:and a Victorian-style Turkish bath.
298:17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)
14:
1351:Ships built by Harland and Wolff
1144:"The Great Ocean Liners: Baltic"
1118:"The Great Ocean Liners: Cedric"
830:received the distress call from
484:The project was followed by the
452:The project was followed by the
131:
112:
82:
65:
46:
29:
1102:. 18 April 1912. Archived from
957:"The Great Ocean Liners:Baltic"
592:largest passenger ship in world
494:and made her maiden voyage on
462:and made her maiden voyage on
1:
647:Victorian-style Turkish baths
477:
306:
1336:Ships of the White Star Line
633:topped with a black sleeve.
284:Quadruple expansion engines
1367:
1281:Big Four (White Star Line)
819:, which had collided with
805:Commissioned in 1904, the
508:surpassed her in tonnage.
502:24,581 gross register ton
437:but was still longer than
266:75.3 ft (23.0 m)
1287:
1075:24 September 2010 at the
505:Kaiserin Auguste Victoria
216:
103:
23:
1212:. Retrieved 27 July 2010
1083:. Retrieved 28 July 2009
1024:Shifrin, Malcolm (2015)
1015:. Retrieved 27 July 2009
997:. Retrieved 27 July 2009
989:2 September 2011 at the
946:. Retrieved 27 July 2009
846:where she was scrapped.
801:under construction, 1903
765:. On 30 September 1923,
490:, which was launched on
458:, which was launched on
1172:Victorian Turkish Baths
1026:Victorian Turkish Baths
387:'s death, the order of
310: 2,850 passengers
217:General characteristics
1346:Ships built in Belfast
1226:Chirnside, M. (2016).
1204:1 October 2009 at the
802:
745:she collided with the
652:
575:
481:
274:44 ft (13 m)
797:
645:, an indoor pool and
567:
472:
372:, which exceeded the
1175:. Historic England.
938:25 July 2012 at the
1341:Ocean liner classes
995:The White Star Line
641:and in the case of
623:wireless telegraphy
613:, with an "island"
554:Harland & Wolff
447:gross register tons
327:Harland & Wolff
1124:on 10 October 2009
1069:R.M.S. Celtic (II)
912:on 9 November 2009
803:
576:
552:was also built by
482:
379:in length but not
1323:
1322:
1232:The History Press
1210:Ayrshire Scotland
1182:978-1-84802-230-0
671:auxiliary cruiser
329:shipyard for the
315:
314:
156:Succeeded by
118:Harland and Wolff
1358:
1274:
1267:
1260:
1251:
1245:
1213:
1193:
1187:
1186:
1166:
1160:
1159:
1157:
1155:
1146:. Archived from
1140:
1134:
1133:
1131:
1129:
1120:. Archived from
1114:
1108:
1107:
1090:
1084:
1065:
1059:
1058:
1056:
1054:
1035:
1029:
1022:
1016:
1004:
998:
979:
973:
972:
970:
968:
959:. Archived from
953:
947:
944:White Star Ships
928:
922:
921:
919:
917:
908:. Archived from
902:
837:
747:Canadian Pacific
744:
743:29 January 1918,
573:
497:
493:
492:21 November 1903
479:
465:
464:11 February 1903
461:
432:
429:was launched on
393:
311:
308:
290:(12,000 kW)
135:
116:
86:
69:
50:
33:
21:
1366:
1365:
1361:
1360:
1359:
1357:
1356:
1355:
1326:
1325:
1324:
1319:
1283:
1278:
1248:
1242:
1225:
1221:
1216:
1206:Wayback Machine
1194:
1190:
1183:
1168:
1167:
1163:
1153:
1151:
1150:on 3 March 2016
1142:
1141:
1137:
1127:
1125:
1116:
1115:
1111:
1099:The Denver Post
1092:
1091:
1087:
1077:Wayback Machine
1066:
1062:
1052:
1050:
1037:
1036:
1032:
1023:
1019:
1005:
1001:
991:Wayback Machine
980:
976:
966:
964:
963:on 3 March 2016
955:
954:
950:
940:Wayback Machine
929:
925:
915:
913:
904:
903:
894:
890:
865:
836:6 December 1929
835:
792:
742:
698:
677:, she struck a
675:First World War
662:
655:
571:
562:
495:
491:
463:
459:
430:
406:
394:s sister-ship,
391:
363:
331:White Star Line
309:
137:White Star Line
99:
98:
97:
96:
95:
87:
79:
78:
70:
61:
60:
59:
51:
43:
42:
34:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1364:
1362:
1354:
1353:
1348:
1343:
1338:
1328:
1327:
1321:
1320:
1318:
1317:
1310:
1303:
1296:
1288:
1285:
1284:
1279:
1277:
1276:
1269:
1262:
1254:
1247:
1246:
1240:
1222:
1220:
1217:
1215:
1214:
1188:
1181:
1161:
1135:
1109:
1085:
1060:
1030:
1017:
999:
974:
948:
923:
891:
889:
886:
864:
859:
840:Northern Light
791:
786:
769:collided with
717:J. Bruce Ismay
697:
692:
661:
656:
654:
653:Ships' careers
651:
611:superstructure
561:
558:
460:21 August 1902
405:
402:
362:
359:
313:
312:
304:
300:
299:
296:
292:
291:
280:
276:
275:
272:
268:
267:
264:
260:
259:
256:
252:
251:
243:, 13,449
233:
229:
228:
223:
219:
218:
214:
213:
210:
206:
205:
202:
198:
197:
194:
190:
189:
186:
182:
181:
178:
174:
173:
170:
166:
165:
157:
153:
152:
144:
140:
139:
129:
125:
124:
110:
106:
105:
104:Class overview
101:
100:
88:
81:
80:
71:
64:
63:
62:
52:
45:
44:
35:
28:
27:
26:
25:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1363:
1352:
1349:
1347:
1344:
1342:
1339:
1337:
1334:
1333:
1331:
1316:
1315:
1311:
1309:
1308:
1304:
1302:
1301:
1297:
1295:
1294:
1290:
1289:
1286:
1282:
1275:
1270:
1268:
1263:
1261:
1256:
1255:
1252:
1243:
1241:9780750965972
1237:
1233:
1229:
1224:
1223:
1218:
1211:
1207:
1203:
1200:
1199:
1192:
1189:
1184:
1178:
1174:
1173:
1165:
1162:
1149:
1145:
1139:
1136:
1123:
1119:
1113:
1110:
1105:
1101:
1100:
1095:
1089:
1086:
1082:
1078:
1074:
1071:
1070:
1064:
1061:
1048:
1044:
1042:
1034:
1031:
1027:
1021:
1018:
1014:
1010:
1009:
1003:
1000:
996:
992:
988:
985:
984:
978:
975:
962:
958:
952:
949:
945:
941:
937:
934:
933:
927:
924:
911:
907:
901:
899:
897:
893:
887:
885:
883:
879:
875:
874:swimming pool
871:
870:
863:
860:
858:
856:
855:
849:
845:
841:
833:
829:
825:
824:
818:
816:
810:
809:
800:
796:
790:
787:
785:
783:
779:
775:
774:
768:
764:
760:
756:
755:Morecambe Bay
752:
748:
740:
736:
732:
728:
727:
722:
718:
714:
710:
709:
704:
703:
696:
693:
691:
689:
684:
680:
676:
672:
668:
667:
660:
657:
650:
648:
644:
640:
639:stained glass
634:
632:
628:
624:
620:
616:
612:
608:
604:
599:
597:
593:
589:
585:
581:
570:
566:
559:
557:
555:
551:
547:
546:
540:
539:Red Star Line
537:. Lastly the
536:
532:
531:
526:
525:
520:
519:
514:
509:
507:
506:
501:
489:
488:
476:
471:
467:
457:
456:
450:
449: (GRT).
448:
444:
440:
439:Great Eastern
436:
428:
424:
423:
417:
415:
411:
410:Great Eastern
403:
401:
399:
398:
390:
386:
382:
378:
377:
376:Great Eastern
371:
370:
360:
358:
356:
355:
350:
349:
344:
343:
338:
337:
332:
328:
325:built by the
324:
320:
305:
302:
301:
297:
294:
293:
289:
285:
281:
278:
277:
273:
270:
269:
265:
262:
261:
257:
254:
253:
250:
247:-15,638
246:
242:
239:–24,541
238:
234:
231:
230:
227:
224:
221:
220:
215:
211:
208:
207:
203:
200:
199:
195:
192:
191:
187:
184:
183:
179:
176:
175:
171:
168:
167:
164:
162:
158:
155:
154:
151:
150:
145:
142:
141:
138:
134:
130:
127:
126:
123:
119:
115:
111:
108:
107:
102:
94:
93:
85:
77:
76:
68:
58:
57:
49:
41:
40:
32:
22:
19:
1313:
1306:
1299:
1292:
1280:
1227:
1219:Bibliography
1209:
1197:
1191:
1171:
1164:
1152:. Retrieved
1148:the original
1138:
1126:. Retrieved
1122:the original
1112:
1104:the original
1097:
1088:
1080:
1068:
1063:
1051:. Retrieved
1040:
1033:
1025:
1020:
1012:
1007:
1002:
994:
982:
977:
965:. Retrieved
961:the original
951:
943:
931:
926:
914:. Retrieved
910:the original
881:
877:
868:
866:
861:
853:
847:
839:
831:
827:
822:
817: (1903)
814:
807:
804:
798:
788:
772:
766:
758:
750:
738:
734:
730:
725:
720:
712:
707:
701:
699:
694:
665:
663:
658:
642:
635:
600:
587:
583:
579:
577:
568:
549:
544:
534:
529:
523:
517:
510:
504:
496:29 June 1904
486:
483:
474:
454:
451:
442:
438:
434:
431:4 April 1901
426:
421:
418:
409:
407:
396:
388:
385:Thomas Ismay
375:
368:
364:
353:
347:
341:
335:
323:ocean liners
318:
316:
235:20,904
160:
148:
91:
74:
55:
38:
18:
1198:Adriatic II
1081:Great Ships
1013:GG Archives
778:Cunard Line
763:lightvessel
673:during the
414:Blue Riband
226:Ocean liner
143:Preceded by
1330:Categories
1230:. Stroud:
983:Adriatic 2
782:Queenstown
625:. The two
609:and white
524:Mauretania
279:Propulsion
177:In service
888:Footnotes
813:RMS
771:RMS
726:Carpathia
683:torpedoed
605:with red
535:Lusitania
518:Lusitania
473:Plans of
367:RMS
193:Completed
180:1901–1934
172:1901–1906
147:RMS
128:Operators
90:RMS
73:RMS
54:RMS
37:RMS
1314:Adriatic
1202:Archived
1154:23 April
1128:23 April
1073:Archived
1053:25 April
1047:Archived
987:Archived
967:23 April
936:Archived
916:23 April
882:Adriatic
878:Adriatic
869:Adriatic
862:Adriatic
854:Magnetic
815:Republic
759:Montreal
751:Montreal
643:Adriatic
588:Adriatic
584:Adriatic
569:Adriatic
560:Features
543:SS
530:Adriatic
441:. After
383:. After
374:SS
354:Adriatic
319:Big Four
303:Capacity
109:Builders
92:Adriatic
832:Titanic
823:Florida
776:of the
773:Scythia
731:Titanic
708:Titanic
627:funnels
550:Lapland
545:Lapland
500:HAPAG's
475:Baltic,
435:Oceanic
404:History
397:Olympic
389:Oceanic
381:tonnage
369:Oceanic
232:Tonnage
209:Retired
185:Planned
161:Athenic
149:Oceanic
122:Belfast
1307:Baltic
1300:Cedric
1293:Celtic
1238:
1179:
1041:Celtic
848:Baltic
828:Baltic
808:Baltic
799:Baltic
789:Baltic
767:Cedric
739:Cedric
735:Cedric
723:until
721:Cedric
713:Cedric
711:sank,
702:Cedric
695:Cedric
666:Celtic
659:Celtic
615:bridge
580:Baltic
513:Cunard
487:Baltic
455:Cedric
443:Celtic
427:Celtic
422:Celtic
361:Origin
348:Baltic
342:Cedric
336:Celtic
282:Steam
255:Length
75:Baltic
56:Cedric
39:Celtic
844:Osaka
749:ship
629:were
619:masts
596:knots
572:'
480:1903.
392:'
317:The "
295:Speed
271:Depth
169:Built
163:class
1236:ISBN
1196:RMS
1177:ISBN
1156:2009
1130:2009
1055:2013
969:2009
918:2009
753:off
688:Cobh
679:mine
631:buff
607:keel
603:hull
582:and
521:and
351:and
263:Beam
222:Type
201:Lost
852:SS
821:SS
780:in
541:'s
515:'s
249:NRT
245:NRT
241:GRT
237:GRT
1332::
1234:.
1208:,
1096:.
1079:,
1045:.
1011:,
993:,
942:,
895:^
757:.
649:.
556:.
478:c.
357:.
345:,
339:,
307:c.
288:hp
120:,
1273:e
1266:t
1259:v
1244:.
1185:.
1158:.
1132:.
1057:.
1043:"
971:.
920:.
212:3
204:1
196:4
188:4
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
