Naples, Italy - Republic
Years in Service: 1900-1909
Number of Funnels: 1
Number of Masts: 4
Shipping Line: White Star
Built By: Harland & Wolff, Ltd., Belfast, Ireland.
Ship Description: Dimensions: 570' x 68'. Twin-screw, 16 knots. Quadruple
expansion engines. Four masts and one funnel.
History: Built as Dominion liner Columbus, but was transferred almost at once to
the White Star Line and renamed Republic. First voyage as Republic from
Liverpool to Boston, December 17, 1903. Note: She was rammed by the Lloyd
Italiano liner Florida on January 23, 1909, just south of Martha's Vineyard (not
far from where the Andrea Doria sank), while navigating in a dense fog. The
Republic sank quite rapidly, but the damaged Italian liner was able to rescue
most of the survivors. However, four of the passengers on board the Republic
were crushed to death in their cabins by the bow of the Florida, as it penetrated
the hull. This tragedy marked the first notable occasion upon which the
wireless was put to practical use in summoning aid for ships in distress. The
S.O.S. was answered by no fewer than five liners, which steamed immediately
to the assistance of the stricken vessel. These were the Baltic, Furnessia, La
Lorraine and New York, all well-known trans-Atlantic passenger ships. The
survivors were transferred from the crippled Florida to the Baltic. The severely
damaged Florida had thirty feet of her bow doubled up into a space of five feet.
Her collision bulkhead withstood the blow and thus prevented the ship from
sinking. She was able to steam into New York harbor and later had her crushed
bow replaced by a new one, the Morse Drydock & Repair Company of Brooklyn
doing the work within 24 days for the sum of $39,500. The Republic was the
largest liner lost at sea prior to the Titanic.
Number of Funnels: 1
Number of Masts: 4
Shipping Line: White Star
Built By: Harland & Wolff, Ltd., Belfast, Ireland.
Ship Description: Dimensions: 570' x 68'. Twin-screw, 16 knots. Quadruple
expansion engines. Four masts and one funnel.
History: Built as Dominion liner Columbus, but was transferred almost at once to
the White Star Line and renamed Republic. First voyage as Republic from
Liverpool to Boston, December 17, 1903. Note: She was rammed by the Lloyd
Italiano liner Florida on January 23, 1909, just south of Martha's Vineyard (not
far from where the Andrea Doria sank), while navigating in a dense fog. The
Republic sank quite rapidly, but the damaged Italian liner was able to rescue
most of the survivors. However, four of the passengers on board the Republic
were crushed to death in their cabins by the bow of the Florida, as it penetrated
the hull. This tragedy marked the first notable occasion upon which the
wireless was put to practical use in summoning aid for ships in distress. The
S.O.S. was answered by no fewer than five liners, which steamed immediately
to the assistance of the stricken vessel. These were the Baltic, Furnessia, La
Lorraine and New York, all well-known trans-Atlantic passenger ships. The
survivors were transferred from the crippled Florida to the Baltic. The severely
damaged Florida had thirty feet of her bow doubled up into a space of five feet.
Her collision bulkhead withstood the blow and thus prevented the ship from
sinking. She was able to steam into New York harbor and later had her crushed
bow replaced by a new one, the Morse Drydock & Repair Company of Brooklyn
doing the work within 24 days for the sum of $39,500. The Republic was the
largest liner lost at sea prior to the Titanic.