RMS Britannia

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The RMS Britannia was an ocean liner of the British Cunard Steamship Lines. She was launched in February 5, 1840 at the yard of Robert Duncan & Company in Greenock, Scotland. The ship and her sisters, Acadia, Caledonia, and Columbia, were the first ocean liners built by the company.

The Britannia was a small ship, 207 feet (63 metres) long and 34 feet (10.3 metres) across the beam, with three masts. She was relatively fast for the time at about ten knots. She had paddle wheels and her two-cylinder side-valve engine (from Robert Napier) had an output of about 740 i.h.p. She had a displacement of 1,154 tons. She was capable of carrying 115 passengers with a crew of 82..

On her maiden voyage, on July 4, 1840, she made Halifax, Nova Scotia from Liverpool, England in 12 days and 10 hours. Her homeward run was made in just 10 days at an average speed of 10 knots.

She was joined by her sister ship Acadia in August 1840, by Caledonia in October 1840 and by Columbia in January 1841. All four ships could carry 115 passengers and 225 tons of cargo. The dining saloon was a long deck-house placed on the upper deck and there was also a 'ladies only' saloon. The fare to Halifax was 35 guineas, which included wines and spirits as well as food.

In January 1842 Charles Dickens traveled to the United States on Britannia. He was seasick for most of the voyage and returned home on a sailing ship.

In March 1849 she was sold by Cunard to the German Confederation Navy and was renamed Barbarossa. She had nine guns fitted. In June 1852 she was transferred to the Prussian Navy and used as a barracks ship at Danzig. In May 1880 she was decommissioned from the Prussian Navy and in July 1880 she was sunk as a target ship.

Film depiction of RMS Britannia

The funding and first crossing of the Britannia were key plot plot elements in a Warner Brothers film released in 1941 as Atlantic Ferry in the U.K., and Sons of the Sea in the U.S.

References

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Last updated on Sunday February 17, 2008 at 23:35:57 PST (GMT -0800)
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