The RMS Hesperian Story from Launch to Sinking

The RMS Hesperian was launched in 1891 from the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was a massive vessel, measuring 550 feet in length and 62 feet in width.

The ship's maiden voyage took place on April 1, 1892, from Liverpool to New York. This marked the beginning of a new era in transatlantic travel.

The RMS Hesperian was a marvel of its time, featuring luxurious accommodations and state-of-the-art amenities. It was designed to carry over 2,000 passengers and crew members.

Tragically, the ship's story came to a sudden end on May 6, 1893, when it sank off the coast of Newfoundland during a voyage from New York to Liverpool.

Recommended read: El Faro Ship Crew

The RMS Hesperian is a massive vessel, measuring 502 feet in length, 60 feet in width, and 41 1/2 feet in depth.

It has a deadweight capacity of 9,000 tons and a gross tonnage of 10,000 tons.

The ship was built for the Allan Line service between Glasgow and the Dominion of Canada, providing a vital transportation link between the two regions.

Accommodating over 2,000 passengers, the Hesperian offers a range of amenities, including large dining saloons, music rooms, and libraries for each class of passengers.

The Hesperian was a massive ship, measuring 502 feet in length, 60 feet in width, and 41 1/2 feet in depth.

It had a deadweight of 9,000 tons and a gross tonnage of 10,000 tons.

The Hesperian was built for the Allan Line service between Glasgow and the Dominion of Canada.

It could accommodate around 500 first and second-class passengers, and 1,400 third-class passengers, who were berthed in four-berth rooms.

The ship was designed to provide large and well-appointed dining saloons, music rooms, and libraries for each class of passengers.

The Hesperian had a large air-insulated space for cargo and ship's provisions, cooled by refrigerating machinery.

It was powered by two sets of triple expansion engines, taking steam from boilers working under Howden's system of forced draught.

The Hesperian was the second of two vessels built at Linthouse for the same service.

It was launched on December 20, 1907.

If this caught your attention, see: Hamburg Express-class Container Ship

The Hesperian was a remarkable ship with some impressive specifications. It was built by Alexander Stephen and Sons in Glasgow, Scotland, with yard number 425.

Its launch date was December 20, 1907, and it made its maiden voyage on April 25, 1908. The ship was registered in Glasgow, with registration number 124,266.

Here are some key statistics about the Hesperian's size and capacity:

The Hesperian had a single funnel and two masts, and was powered by steam turbine engines geared to double screws. This allowed it to reach a maximum service speed of 15 knots.

The RMS Hesperian was a British passenger liner that embarked on a historic voyage in 1912. It set sail from Southampton, England, bound for New York City, USA.

The ship was designed for speed and luxury, with a top speed of 20 knots and a gross tonnage of 20,000 tons. It had a capacity for over 1,000 passengers.

As the Hesperian navigated through the Atlantic Ocean, it encountered unpredictable weather conditions, including rough seas and strong headwinds.

The Hesperian's last voyage was a harrowing experience for all on board. It departed from Liverpool on Friday, 3 September 1915 at 7:00 p.m. bound for Québec and then Montréal.

The ship was carrying a large number of passengers, 814 to be exact, along with 300 crew members. Most of the passengers were either British or Canadian, and they were aware of the risks of German U-boat attacks.

The Hesperian was also carrying the casket of Frances Stephens, the widow of a Canadian politician, who had been lost in the sinking of the Lusitania just four months prior. Her body was being shipped to Montréal to be buried beside her husband.

Captain William Main had the ship stop immediately when the U-boat attack occurred, rang the alarm bells, and ordered the SOS signal to be sent. This led to an orderly evacuation of the passengers.

Despite the chaos, most boats were manned and lowered safely, with only one port side lifeboat upsetting while lowering, resulting in the loss of 32 people.

Intriguing read: El Faro Ship Bodies

The sailing schedules of the early 20th century were quite impressive. From 20 August 1908 to 19 November 1908, the Glasgow-Québec-Montréal and Liverpool-Québec-Montréal routes were serviced by eight ships, including the Corsican and Grampian.

Some of these ships, like the Grampian, were part of multiple sailing schedules. For example, it was also included in the Proposed Sailings for the Glasgow-Montreal-Quebec Service from 9 September 1911 to 18 November 1911.

During this time, the sailing schedules were quite busy, with multiple ships operating on the same routes. The Parisian, Numidian, Grampian, Scotian, Hesperian, and Ionian were all part of the sailing schedule from 13 October 1911 to 17 November 1911.

These ships were part of the Distinguished Liners, Volume 2, which features 53 famous ships from 1907-1914.

The RMS Hesperian was torpedoed by the German submarine U-20 on 4 September 1915.

The U-20 was commanded by Kapitanleutnant Walther Schweiger, the same commander who would later sink the British passenger liner RMS Lusitania.

The Hesperian was carrying about 800 passengers and general cargo at the time of the sinking.

The ship was under tow to Ireland when it sank on 6 September 1915, two days after being torpedoed.

Germany had declared a submarine war zone in the waters around Great Britain and Ireland on 19 February 1915, making the Hesperian's sinking a tragic consequence of this declaration.

The sinking resulted in the loss of 26 lives.

Curious to learn more? Check out: RMS Empress of Ireland