RMS Empress of France (1914)

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Career
The Canadian Pacific ocean liner, SS Empress of France.
Name:	1912-1918: SS Alsatian 1919-1934: SS Empress of France
Owner:	1912-1918: Allan Line 1919-1934:Canadian Pacific Ocean Service
Port of Registry:	Canada
Launched:	March 22, 1912
Maiden voyage:	January 17, 1914
Fate:	1934, scrapped
General characteristics
Type:	ocean liner

RMS Empress of France was an ocean liner built in 1913-1914^[1] by William Beardmore & Co Ltd. at Glasgow in Scotland for Allan Line.^[2]

In total, the ship's service history encompasses 99 trans-Atlantic voyages, 5 trans-Pacific voyages, and 8 other cruises in addition to her war service.^[2]

1 History
- 1.1 World War I
- 1.2 Between the wars
2 Notes
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] History

This ship was the first North Atlantic liner with a cruiser stern. The vessel was built by William Beardmore & Co Ltd. at Glasgow. She was an 18,481 gross ton ship, length 571.4 ft x beam 72.4 ft, two funnels, two masts, four screws and a speed of 18 knots. Her initial configuration provided accommodation for 287-1st, 504-2nd and 848-3rd class passengers.^[2]

The ocean liner was initially launched as the SS Alsatian on March 22, 1912. She sailed from Liverpool on her maiden voyage to Saint John, New Brunswick for the Allan Line on January 17, 1914. On May 22, 1914, set out on her her first trans-Atlantic crossing from Liverpool to Quebec. Her last voyage that summer began on July 17, 1914; and when she returned to Europe, the nascent war in Europe brought a close to this truncated peacetime period of the ship's history.^[2]

[edit] World War I

During the First World War, peacetime the SS Alsatian was converted into an Armed Merchant Cruiser; and she joined the 10th Cruiser Squadron patrolling off the Shetland Islands. The HMS Alsatian became flagship for Commander Dudley de Chair.^[3] Later, the HMS Alsatian served as flagship for Vice Admiral Tucker. During the war years, she became one of the first ships to be fitted with the new wireless direction-finding apparatus. After the squadron was retired in 1917, she was re-fitted for peacetime service.^[2]

[edit] Between the wars

At war's end, the ship was added to the fleet of Canadian Pacific Ocean Services Ltd. (CP), which absorbed the entire Allan Line fleet. On September 28, 1918, the SS Alsatian began her first voyage from Liverpool to Canada as a newly flagged ship of the Canadian Pacific fleet. After a second, trans-Atlantic voyage, the Alsatian was taken out of service for refitting at Glasgow.^[2]

The ship was re-named Empress of France on April 4, 1919. This new Empress would have been distinguished by the Royal Mail Ship (RMS) prefix in front of her name because the British government and Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) had decades earlier reached agreement on a contract for subsidized mail service between Britain and Hong Kong via Canada. When not carrying mail, the ship would have been identified as SS Empress of France.^[2]

The first voyage as a CP Empress began of September 26, 1919. She sailed from Liverpool to Quebec. On May 3, 1922, her regular route was changed; and she sailed between Southampton, Cherbourg and Quebec. On May 31, 1922, the route was modified yet again; and she sailed between Hamburg, Southampton, Cherbourg and Quebec.^[2]

In 1924, the ship was converted from coal to oil fuel.^[2]

In July 1926, her interiors were re-configured as 1st-class, 2nd-class, tourist-class and 3rd-class accommodations. In January 1927, the interior was again re-configured as 1st-class, tourist-class and 3rd-class.^[2]

On September 9, the Empress set out on what was to be her final Hamburg - Southampton - Cherbourg - Quebec voyage. On September 8, 1928, she sailed on final Southampton - Cherbourg - Quebec voyage before being transferred to the Pacific.^[2]

On October 31, 1928, she sailed from Southampton for Suez, Hong Kong and Vancouver. Subsequently sailed on the Pacific until October 17, 1929 when she left Hong Kong en route to Liverpool.^[2]

On September 2, 1931, the Empress of France set out for what was to be her final voyage from Southampton to Cherbourg and Quebec; and in then she was laid up in the Clyde.^[2]

The Empress was scrapped at Dalmuir on Ocotber 20, 1934.^[2]

[edit] Notes

^ The disambiguation date used in this article's title is not the year in which the hull is launched, but rather the year of the vessel's sea trial or maiden voyage.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ Ship List: Description of Empress of France
^ Suydam, Henry. "How the British Blockade Works: An Interview with Rear-Admiral Sir. Dudley de Chair, KCB, MVO," Brooklyn Eagle (New York). 1916.