RMS Empress of Scotland (1906)

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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria. (Discuss)

Career
The USS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria was commissioned in the US Navy as a troop transport after World War I, but the better part of her service history was in trans-Atlantic passenger service.
Name:	1906-1919: ss Kaiserin Auguste Victoria 1919-1919: USS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria 1920-1920: SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria 1921-1930: RMS Empress of Scotland
Owner:	1906-1919: Hamburg America Line 1919-1919: US Navy 1920-1920: Cunard 1921-1930: Canadian Pacific Railway
Port of Registry:	1906-1919: German Empire 1919-1919: United States 1920-1920: UK 1921-1930: Canada
Builder:	Vulcan AG shipyard in Stettin (now Szczecin, Poland)
Yard number:	264
Launched:	August 29, 1905 By the German Empress
Maiden voyage:	May 10, 1906
Fate:	Scrapped in 1930 Blythe
General characteristics
Class and type:	Ocean liner
Tonnage:	5,905 tons
Length:	455.7 ft
Beam:	51.2 ft
Propulsion:	Three masts twin screws
Speed:	16 knots
Capacity:	50 1st class passengers 150 2nd class up to 400 steerage passengers

RMS Empress of Scotland was an ocean liner built in 1905-1906 by Vulcan AG shipyard in Stettin (now Szczecin, Poland) for the Hamburg America Line. The ship was launched as the SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria; and she regularly sailed between Hamburg and New York until the outbreak of war in Europe in 1914. At the end of hostilities, the re-flagged the USS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria, transported war-weary American troops from Europe to the United States. For a brief time, Cunard sailed the re-flagged ship between Liverpool and New York.

The ship was refitted for Canadian Pacific Steamships and in 1921, she was renamed the Empress of Scotland -- the first of two CP ship to be named Empress of Scotland.^[1] This Empress was distinguished by the Royal Mail Ship (RMS) prefix in front of her name while in commercial service with Canadian Pacific.^[2] When not carrying mail, the ship would have been identified as SS Empress of Scotland.^[3]

1 History
2 Notes
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] History

The SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria, was built by Stettiner Vulcan AG in Stettin on the Baltic in 1905-1906. The new ship was ordered by the expanding Hamburg America Line.

[edit] German ship

When the keel was laid down as "Ship #264," this vessel was intended to be named the SS Europa; and she was to have been a sister ship to the SS Amerika which was being built in Belfast during the same period. At the time of her launching on August 29, 1905, her only peer in size was the very slightly larger Amerika which had been launched mere days earlier. The German Empress permitted the vessel to be named after her, and Empress Victoria participated in the launching ceremonies.^[4]

The 24,581-ton vessel had a length of 677.5 feet, and her beam was 77.3 feet. She had two funnels, four masts, twin screws and an average speed of 18-knots. The ocean liner provided accommodation for 472 first-class passengers and for 174 second class passengers. There was also room for 212 third-class passengers and for 1,608 fourth-class passengers.^[3]

The SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria left Hamburg on May 10, 1906 on her maiden voyage to Dover, Cherbourg and New York. Thereafter, she regularly sailed the route between Hamburg and New York.^[3] In June 1914, the Kaiserin August Victoria made her last voyage under a German flag, sailing from Hamburg to Southampton, Cherbourg and New York and returning to Hamburg.^[3]

During the Great War, the Kaiserin Auguste Victoria stayed in the port of Hamburg. In March 1919, she was surrendered to Britain.^[3]

[edit] American ship

The ship was chartered by the U.S. Shipping Board; and the U.S.S. Kaiserin Auguste Victoria carried American troops from Europe to America. This temporary U.S. Navy vessel flew the American flag as American troops were repatriated.^[5]

[edit] British ship

On February 14, 1920, the ship was chartered to Cunard, sailing under a British flag. The SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria sailed between Liverpool and New York.^[5]

[edit] Canadian ship

On May 13, 1921, the ship was sold to Canadian Pacific; and she was re-named the Empress of Scotland. The new Empress was refitted to carry 459 first-class passengers, 478 second-class passengers and 960 third-class passengers. At the same time, this refit incorporated a conversion to oil fuel.^[3]

On January 22, 1922, the Empress of Scotland embarked on her first voyage from Southampton to New York. On April 22, 1922, she made her second trans-Atlantic voyage, sailing the Southampton-Cherbourg-Quebec route. ^[3]

On June 14, 1922 she transferred to the Hamburg-Southampton-Cherbourg-Quebec service. In 1923, she was involved in a collision with the SS Bonus at Hamburg.^[3]

In 1926, the Empress was refitted again, this time with accommodations for first-class, second-class, tourist-class and third-class passengers. In 1927, another refit resulted in first-class, tourist-class, and third-class accommodations.^[3]

On October 11, 1930, the Empress of Scotland made her last voyage from Southampton to Cherbourg and Quebec.^[3]

When the new Empress of Britain came into service, the once-grand vessel was sold for scrap. The ship was gutted by fire and sank in the ship-breakers yard at Blyth; but the hull was raised and what remained of the ship was dismantled.^[3]