Construction and service to New Zealand
The ship was constructed by Harland and Wolff in Belfast and was launched in 1883. Doric was the sister ship to the SS Ionic (1883). These were enlarged versions of two ships commissioned in 1881, the Arabic and the Coptic.[4] The ship was constructed of steel, a first for the ship building company, whose previous designs had been constructed only in iron. The ship was the first White Star Line ship to bear the name Doric, with a later vessel built in 1923 also sharing the name.[5] The Doric was launched on 10 March 1883; with her sister ship launched two months earlier. She is one of the first ships whose machines were built by the shipyards themselves. These were, until then, built by outside workshops.[6] On the following 4 July, the ship left Belfast for London, making a stopover at Holyhead to embark Thomas Henry Ismay, president of the White Star Line, and several dignitaries accompanying him to visit the ship.[7]
Ismay's plans when he ordered these ships were unknown, but it was likely that he originally planned the project for the route to New Zealand. At that time, in fact, two companies, the Shaw, Savill Line and the Albion Line had just merged to form the Shaw, Savill & Albion Line to compete with the New Zealand Shipping Company, which was preparing to have five brand new ships delivered to them. The route from London to Wellington therefore seemed poised to prosper. Following the amalgamation in November 1882, the owners of the Shaw, Savill & Albion Line entered into negotiations with Ismay to plan a joint service, benefiting from the experience of the White Star Line. An agreement was quickly formed between the two companies[8][9]
The Doric then continued her charter contract throughout 1884, and joined the joint service on 6 January 1885, on the Wellington route, passing on the outward journey through Tenerife, Cape Town and Hobart, and to return via Cape Horn, Montevideo and Rio de Janeiro. Crews were provided by White Star, but ships were managed by Shaw, Savill and Albion. The crossings were calm and uneventful.[10]
In 1893, the White Star acquired a new ship on the route, the Gothic. The Doric and the Coptic were then no longer useful on this route where the traffic was down.[11]
Service on the Pacific and fate
In May 1895, the Doric was returned to Harland & Wolff shipyards where her facilities were improved, and its machines changed to the more economical alternative triple expansion machines, which increased her tonnage and speed.[7] In 1896, Doric was again transferred, this time to the joint White Star and Occidental and Oriental Steamship Company service running between San Francisco and Hong Kong. The New York Times reported on 6 July 1902 that Doric had arrived in San Francisco with a particularly large cargo of 2,693 tons, which included the largest ever shipment of opium, at the time, of 33,210 pounds, and 129,492 chests of tea.[1]
Doric left San Francisco for her last White Star and Occidental & Oriental voyage on 8 August 1906.[12] In 1906 Doric was sold to the Pacific Mail Steamship Company for £50,000, who renamed her Asia.[13] Still assigned to the same route, the ship made her first crossing on 11 June 1907 under her new colors, after a rapid overhaul.[14]
