Canadian Northern Steamships, Ltd. |
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| Length: | 526.1 ft |
| Breadth: | 60.2 ft. |
| Draft (or height): | 26.8 ft. |
| Tonnage: | 11,117 tons gross |
| Engines: | 3 steam turbines |
| Speed: | 19.5 knots |
| Builder: | Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co., Ltd., Govan, Scotland (Yard No. 450) |
| Launched: | |
| Maiden Voyage: | January 19, 1908 |
| Disposition: | August 13, 1915 (Torpedoed by U-15, Aegean Sea.) |
| Particulars: | Port of Registry: Toronto, Ontario Flag of Registry: Canadian Funnel color: Yellow, blue top. Company flag: Blue and white pennant divided vertically; horizontal red stripe on the blue with saltaires above and below; red ball on white. Signal Letters: H M D G Wireless call letters: M E R Steel hull, two funnels, two masts, triple screw, three decks, steel, wood-sheathed, web frames, shelter deck, steel, teak-sheathed. |
Relationship to Titanic disaster / inquiries. April 8, 1912 - Westbound, Avonmouth to Halifax, encountered and reported an ice field in the vicinity of the subsequent Titanic disaster site: 42°50'N., 49°30'W. to 42°30'N., 50°10'W. Data: December 1890 - Built and engined by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co., Ltd., Govan, Scotland (Yard No. 450). Sister vessel: Heliopolis. Engines: 3 steam turbines 1907 - Built as Cairo for British owned Egyptian Mail Steamship Co., Ltd. January 7, 1908 - Trials in the Clyde. January 19, 1908 - Maiden voyage, Clyde to Naples (arrived January 26) - Marseilles (arrived February 3). December 1908 - Egyptian Mail Steamship Co., Ltd., failed. Cairo and sister Heliopolis laid up for nine months. August 1909 - After nine month lay-up, purchased by Canadian Northern Steamships. Renamed Royal Edward. (Heliopolis, bought at the same time, became Royal George). Refitted at the Clyde for North Atlantic service. May 12, 1910 - First voyage, Avonmouth - Quebec - Montreal. May 1914 - 100 miles west of Cape Race, damaged her bow in collision with iceberg. August 13, 1915 - While in service as a British troop transport, carrying troops to Gallipoli, was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-15 six miles west of Kandeliusa Island in the Aegean Sea. Of the 1,586 aboard, 935 were lost. |
Courtesy: John P. Eaton. Used with permission. |