RMS Empress of France (1914)

• Empress of France ( 1919)

Registration Number: 136266

The Alsatian was a 1914 put into operation in ocean liner of the British- Canadian operator Allan Line, which was used in the North Atlantic passenger and cargo traffic between Great Britain and the United States. She and her sister ship the same design Calgarian were the largest ships of their shipping company and the last ones were built for the Allan Line. They were the largest steamer that crossed the St. Lawrence River in their time. During the First World War the ship served as an armed merchant cruiser. 1917, the Alsatian over in the fleet of Canadian Canadian Pacific Steamship Company, which took over the Allan Line. Henceforth, the ship sailed under the name of RMS Empress of France. 1934 was scrapped in Dalmuir (Scotland). In 20 years of service, the ship made ​​99 Atlantic crossings, five Pacific travel and eight cruises.

Allan Line

The 18,481 gross registered tons (GRT ) large Alsatian steamship was built 1912/13, at the shipyard William Beardmore and Company, Dalmuir in Scotland near Glasgow. The 174.16 meters long and 22.07 meters wide Alsatian ran on March 22, 1912 by the stack and was completed at the end of 1913. She had an identical sister ship, the Calgarian, which was completed shortly after her. The two modern transatlantic liners were the largest and most luxurious ships ever made ​​in the Allen Line service and also the last before the shipping company was taken over in 1917 by the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company. The Alsatian had two masts, two funnels and four propellers. You could make up to 18 knots. The Alsatian was the first transatlantic steamer, which was provided with a tail, which was rather common for cruise ships. It was equipped with apparatus for wireless radio traffic and to detect submarines.

In the passenger accommodation was room for 287 travelers of the First, 504 Second and 848 third class. The passenger cabins were equipped with heating and ventilation systems. On the A- deck, the spacious and comfortably furnished lounges of the First Class, including the lounge, the library, the writing room and the smoking room were. On the upper promenade deck also was found the Veranda Café and the gym.

On January 17, 1914, the Alsatian ran into left Liverpool on her maiden voyage to Saint John. On 22 May 1914 she gained her first voyage from Liverpool to Quebec. Already on July 17, 1914, she ran for the last time on this route. On August 7, 1914, the Alsatian became an Armed Merchant Cruiser ( armed merchant cruiser ) and declared the 10th Cruiser Squadron assigned to patrolling off the Shetland Islands. It became the flagship of Rear Admiral Dudley de Chair and later Admiral Sir Reginald GO Tupper and was one of the first ships that were equipped with a device for wireless direction-finding.

Canadian Pacific

As the 10th Cruiser Squadron was placed out of service in 1917, the Alsatian went into the possession of the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company, the Allan Line had bought. You ran out on their first trip to the new owners of Liverpool to Canada on 28 September 1918. After the second voyage, in Glasgow was retreaded. On April 4, 1919, the ship was renamed Empress of France, and on 26 September of the same year put it in Liverpool on his debut under the new name to Quebec from.

On 3 May 1922, the first crossing on the route Southampton - Cherbourg- Quebec and on May 31, 1922 started on the route Hamburg - Southampton - Cherbourg- Quebec. 1924 was converted from coal to fuel combustion and in July 1926, the tourist class was in addition to the previous three passenger classes added yet. In January 1927, the second class was abolished. On September 29, 1927, the Empress of France ran out for the last time in Hamburg. On 31 October 1928, the Empress of France took on an entirely new route, when she sailed from Southampton for the first time after Suez, Hong Kong and Vancouver. on September 2, 1931 under the last transatlantic crossing from Southampton to Cherbourg. Immediately thereafter, she was launched on the Clyde. On 20 October 1934, the former Alsatian was scrapped in Dalmuir.