RMS Empress of Japan (1929)
Empress of Japan
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History | |
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Name |
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Owner |
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Operator | |
Port of registry |
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Builder | Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Govan |
Launched | 17 December 1929 |
In service | 1930 |
Out of service | 1966 |
Identification | Official Number : 161430 |
Fate | Destroyed by fire at New York City harbour, 7 September 1966. Subsequently scrapped |
General characteristics (as Empress of Scotland) | |
Type | Ocean liner/cruise ship |
Tonnage | 26,300 GRT |
Length | 205 m (673 ft) |
Beam | 25.5 m (84 ft) |
Speed | 22 kn (41 km/h; 25 mph) |
Capacity |
|
General characteristics (as Hanseatic) | |
Type | Ocean liner/cruise ship |
Tonnage | 30,030 GRT |
Length | 205 m (673 ft) |
Beam | 25.5 m (84 ft) |
Speed | 22 kn (41 km/h; 25 mph) |
Capacity |
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RMS Empress of Japan was an
In 1942, she was renamed RMS Empress of Scotland – the second of two CP vessels to be named Empress of Scotland.[2] In 1957, the Hamburg Atlantic Line purchased the ship and re-named her TS Hanseatic.[3]
Concept and construction
By the 1920s the
The new liner intended for the transpacific service was envisioned at approximately 25,000 gross register tons, 203.05 m (666 ft 2 in) in length and capable of carrying 1173 passengers in four classes.
Service history
1930–1942: Empress of Japan
Empress of Japan carried out her sea trial successfully in May 1930, achieving a top speed of 23 kn (43 km/h; 26 mph); and on 8 June 1930, she was delivered to Vancouver for service on the trans-Pacific route. In this period, she was the fastest ocean liner on the Pacific, able to complete a one-way crossing in just nine days.
She would continue sailing the Vancouver–Yokohama–Kobe–Shanghai–Hong Kong route for the rest of the decade. Amongst her celebrity passengers were a number of American baseball all-stars, including Babe Ruth, who sailed to Japan for a barnstorming tour in October 1934.[7]
The outbreak of war in Europe caused Empress of Japan to be re-fitted for wartime service.
Following the Japanese attacks on the Empire outposts in the Far East in December 1941, the name of the ship needed to be changed. In 1942, she was renamed Empress of Scotland.[8]
1942–1957: Empress of Scotland
Following the end of World War II, Empress of Scotland was needed to meet the newly developing demands for trans-Atlantic passenger service. In the period between 1948 and 1950, she was rebuilt at Fairfield in Glasgow. These modifications were necessary to better meet weather conditions on the colder Atlantic route. This extensive re-fitting included a radical reconfiguration of her cabins from the original four classes to just two – first and tourist.[9] In 1951 she carried Princess Elizabeth (later
1958–1966: Hanseatic
Following her sale to Hamburg Atlantic Line in 1958, the ship was radically rebuilt to meet the expanding market for trans-Atlantic passenger service. The ship's rear funnel was removed, her remaining funnels and superstructure were rebuilt and her passenger accommodations were re-configured. The vessel emerged as the 30,030 GRT TS Hanseatic. The renamed and re-flagged ship was designed to carry as many 1350 passengers in comfortable luxury on the Hamburg-New York route.[11] On 8 September 1966, the ship caught fire at New York. The fire developed in the engine room and gutted five decks.[12] On 28 September, the ship was towed to Hamburg, West Germany for inspection. Deemed beyond economic repair, she was scrapped shortly thereafter.[13]
See also
- Samuel Robinson, first captain (1930–1932)
Notes
- SS Empress of Japan (1891) was built for CPto sail the trans-Pacific route.
- SS Empress of Scotland (1906) was built for HAPAG, purchased by CP in 1921, then re-named.
- ^ a b Miller, William H. (1995). The Pictorial Encyclopedia of Ocean Liners, 1860–1994, p. 46.
- ^ Sharp, PJ. "White Empresses". Empress of Scotland: An Illustrated History. Retrieved 2 March 2008.
- ^ Johnston, Ian. "Govan Shipyard" in Ships Monthly. Archived 11 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine June 1985.
- ^ Dawson, Philip. (2005). The Liner: Retrospective and Renaissance, p. 85.
- ^ City of Vancouver archives: "American baseball stars, including Babe Ruth, visit 19 October' Leaving on "Empress of Japan" 20 October 1934." Stuart Thompson collection, 1934.
- ^ Miller, William H. (1988). Great Ship and OCean Liners from 1954 to 1986: a Photographic Survey, p. 61.
- ^ Sharp, PJ. "Transatlantic". Empress of Scotland: An Illustrated History. Retrieved 2 March 2008.
- ^ Miller, William H. (1988). Great ship and Ocean Liners from 1954 to 1986: a Photographic Survey, p. 61.
- ^ Sharp, PJ. "Hanseatic". Empress of Scotland: An Illustrated History. Retrieved 2 March 2008.
- ^ "German liner ablaze in New York". The Times. No. 56731. London. 8 September 1966. col E, p. 1.
- ^ "Empress of Japan (II) – TGOL". April 2018.
References
- Dawson, Philip. (2005). The Liner: Retrospective and Renaissance. London: Conway Maritime Press.
- Johnston, Ian. "Govan Shipyard" in Ships Monthly. June 1985.
- Miller, William H. (1988). Great Ship and Ocean Liners from 1954 to 1986: a Photographic Survey. Mineola, New York:
- __________. (1995). The Pictorial Encyclopedia of Ocean Liners, 1860–1994. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications. ISBN 978-0-486-28137-7