Launched from John Browns shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland, April 1913
Only major ship to serve during both first and second World Wars
The last '4 stacker' to be retired
45,647 tons
901 feet long by 97 feet wide
Her giant steam turbines powered four screws at 23 knots allowing her to cross
the Atlantic in 6 days.
Cunard ran a three ship, weekly service with Aquitania together with the
faster but less luxurious Lusitania and Mauretania.
She could carry 3,230 passengers (618 First Class, 614 Second Class and
1,998 Third Class)
Originally coal-fired, converted to oil in 1919 post-war refit
steamed more than 3,000,000 miles and carried 1,200,000
Scrapped 1950 in Scotland after long, successful career.
Wonderful colour film of the Aquitania:
John Maxtone-Graham in "Liners to the
Sun," recounts a funny story about Aquitania's first WWII crossing back to
England. By the time WWII rolled around, Aquitania remained the sole
four-funnel ship in the world.
An old destroyer
from the reserves came out to meet her and signalled with an Aldis
lamp..."FOUR FUNNEL SHIP PLEASE INDICATE. (Captain) George Gibbon's remark
when told the signal was classic: "We are the only ***** four-funnel ship
in the world and that so-and-so wants our name. Tell him to read 'The News
of the World.'
The next signal was DO YOU REQUIRE AN ESCORT, (our) reply CAN
YOU KEEP UP. The final signal as we drew away, still at full speed: YOUR FINE
SPEED REQUIRES LITTLE PROTECTION."
Aquitania
- "The Ship Beautiful"
