Germanic
She departed on her maiden voyage on 20 May 1875 from Liverpool to New York, arriving ten days later.<[3] In doing so, she replaced RMS Oceanic (1870), the White Star's first post-Ismay steamship that was placed on charter by the company in the same year.<[2] In February 1876 Germanic made a record eastbound crossing, sailing from New York to Queenstown in 7 days, 15 hours and 17 minutes at an average speed of 15.81 kn, and winning the much coveted record which would become known as the Blue Riband from the Inman Line's City of Berlin. In April 1877 she broke the westbound record, crossing from Queenstown to New York in 7 days 11 hours and 37 minutes, averaging 15.76 kn. Meaning that Germanic and Britannic (which had also set records) were recognised as among the finest liners on the Atlantic.<[2]
On 7 November 1880, she collided with Samarang off Sandy Hook, New Jersey, United States whilst on a voyage from Liverpool to New York. Germanic was undamaged and resumed her voyage. Samarang had to be beached.<[4] In January 1883 whilst on an eastbound crossing, Germanic's propeller shaft sheared at sea, and she was forced to make the rest of the journey by sail. In April 1885, Germanic encountered a severe storm whilst on a westbound crossing with 850 passengers on board. When she was around 500 mi west of Ireland, an exceptionally large wave broke over the ship causing substantial damage, with several lifeboats torn away, the skylights to her engine rooms smashed, and her pilot house being stove in. Water flooded into the boiler and engine rooms, a hole was torn into the side of the reading room, which was flooded, along with the saloon and staterooms, and 13 people were injured, with one sailor being washed overboard. The captain decided that it would be unsafe to continue the journey, and so the ship was turned around and returned to port in order for the ship to be repaired. This was the first recorded incident where a White Star ship had to abort a journey due to a weather related incident.<[2]<[5]<[6] On 14 January 1886, she was driven ashore at Egremont, Lancashire. She was refloated and taken in to Birkenhead, Cheshire for examination.<[7]
In 1895, after twenty years of service, Germanic was withdrawn from service and returned to her builders to undergo a major refit, in order to modernise the ship and extend her service life: New higher pressure boilers were fitted, and her original compound engines were replaced by more modern triple expansion engines made by Harland & Wolff. New funnels were fitted which were taller than the originals, most of her rigging was removed, and her superstructure was enlarged by the addition of an extra deck. Her interiors were also extensively remodelled. Germanic's gross tonnage was increased to 5,066 tons by the refit, and she returned to regular service on 15 May that year under the command of Edward Smith, becoming the first vessel to embark passengers at Liverpool's new floating landing stage. The new engines improved Germanic's speed; her first voyage using them shaved several hours off her previous record. Being more efficient, they also reduced coal consumption.<[2]<[8] On 11 December 1895, Germanic left Liverpool for New York in dense fog; shortly after leaving the mouth of the River Mersey she collided with the 900-ton Glasgow registered steamship Cumbrae, with Germanic's bow penetrating 14 ft into the side of the smaller ship. Germanics captain kept the ship moving forward at dead slow, in order to keep the vessels locked together, so that the Cumbraes 28 passengers and crew would have time to scramble aboard Germanic for safety. When the two vessels were parted, the Cumbrae rapidly sank. Germanic's bow was badly damaged, and she immediately returned to port, and was withdrawn from service for repairs. She re-entered service in January 1896.<[2]
On 11 February 1899, Germanic arrived at New York with her upper decks and rigging laden with ice and snow after sailing through a blizzard, which gave the ship a list to starboard. The crew chipped away enough of the ice to allow the ship to dock and the passengers to disembark, however on 13 February 1899, while being refuelled with coal at White Star's New York City pier, another heavy blizzard added an even heavier layer of ice and snow, which added an estimated 1,800 tons to her topweight. Now top heavy, and aided by strong winds, she listed to port, so much so that water began to enter doors opened for coaling. Germanic sank and settled upright on to the shallow harbour bottom. She was pumped out and raised by salvage teams; an operation which took just over a week. The ship had sustained water damage to her accommodation but was otherwise undamaged, and was determined to be worth saving, so she returned to Belfast for a refurbishment that lasted three months. The salvage and refurbishment cost White Star £40,000,, an enormous sum for the time.<[2]<[10]
On 23 September 1903, Germanic left on her final run as a White Star liner after 28 years of service. She was then laid up for the winter, and in 1904 she was transferred to the American Line, one of White Star's sister companies within the International Mercantile Marine Co. (IMMCo), the holding group which White Star had been bought by in 1902. Still named Germanic, she served on the Southampton to New York route, with her first voyage starting on 23 April 1904, she completed only six round trips on this route, before being transferred yet again in October that year to another IMM company, the Dominion Line, to be used on that company's Canadian service, and her passenger accommodation was converted to carry 250 second class, and 1,500 third class passengers.<[2]
