SS Californian

The Californian was a 1902 put into service merchant ship of the British shipping company Leyland Line, which by a German U- boat in 1915, was up to its sinking in service. She gained notoriety in 1912 especially by their controversial role in connection with the sinking of the RMS Titanic.

History

The 6223 -ton steamer was at the shipyard of Caledon Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Ltd.. built in Dundee ( Scotland) and ran on 26 November 1901 by stack. The 136 meters long and 16 meters wide ship was powered by a triple expansion steam engine that could speed it up to 12 knots. The Californian was a cargo ship in the first place, but was also designed for the carriage of passengers. It could carry 55 crew members and 47 passengers. After the sea trials on 23 January 1902, she ran on January 31, 1902 in Dundee on her maiden voyage to New Orleans.

The ship - which was under the command of Captain Stanley Lord since 1911 - was involved in controversial manner in the sinking of the luxury liner Titanic on 15 April 1912. The Californian had south of the Grand Banks stopped in an ice rink and other ships by radio - including the Titanic - icebergs warned. Then what exactly happened the following night, remained controversial: Captain Lord and other crew members watching a ship, rising from the flares. Whether this actually was the Titanic, could never be clarified beyond doubt, especially since a failed attempt to make contact with a Morse lamp. Later, Lord and the crew of the Californian saw exposed to the reproach of having done no help in an emergency.

The Californian was requisitioned at the outbreak of the First World War by the British navy. On November 9, 1915, she was 61 miles (98 km ) southwest of Cape Matapan (Greece ) sunk in the Mediterranean by the German U- boat SM U 35. In this accident, a man lost his life. The wreck of the ship was not found until today ( 2013).