RMS ''Caronia'' was a Cunard Line Transatlantic crossing, transatlantic Steamship, steam ocean liner. She was launched in 1904 and scrapped in 1932. In World War I she was first an Armed merchantman#Armed merchant cruisers, armed merchant cruiser (AMC) and then a Troopship, troop ship. was launched in 1905 as her sister ship, although the two had different machinery. When new, the pair were the largest ships in the Cunard fleet.

Building

John Brown & Company of Clydebank launched ''Caronia'' on 13 July 1904 and completed her in February 1905. She was the only ship in the Cunard fleet to be named after an American, being named after Caro Brown, granddaughter of Cunard's New York City, New York agent. ''Caronia'' was propelled by Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion, quadruple-expansion engines. ''Carmania'' had Steam turbine#Marine propulsion, steam turbines, and proved to be the more economical of the two. Her holds included Reefer ship, refrigerated cargo space.

Service

''Caronia'' left Port of Liverpool, Liverpool on her maiden voyage to New York on 25 February 1905. A successful 1906 cruise from New York to the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean led to ''Caronia'' frequently being used for cruising. On 14 April 1912 ''Caronia'' transmitted the first ice warning at 09:00 to RMS ''Titanic'' reporting "bergs, growlers and field ice". In 1914 Cunard briefly placed ''Caronia'' on its Port of Boston, Boston service. At the start of the World War I, First World War the Admiralty (United Kingdom), Admiralty requisitioned her to be an armed merchant cruiser. She was stationed off New York on contraband patrol. She was a troop ship from 1916 until after the Armistice of 11 November 1918. Her last duties were to repatriate Canadian troops in 1919. She returned to the Liverpool – New York run after the war. In 1920 ''Caronia'' was converted to burn oil instead of coal. After returning to service, she sailed on a number of different routes, including: * Liverpool – New York / Boston * Port of London, London – New York * Port of Hamburg, Hamburg – New York (1922) * Liverpool – Port of Quebec, Quebec (1924) * New York – Havana

Fate

In 1931 Cunard laid up ''Caronia'', and then sold her for £20,000 to Hughes Bolckow & Co for scrap. In 1932 Hughes Bolckow sold her to Kobe Kaiun KK for £39,000, who renamed her ''Taiseiyo Maru'' ("The Great Ocean Ship"). Kobe Kaiun had her towed to Port of Osaka, Osaka, where demolition work started on 28 March 1933.

References

Bibliography

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External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Caronia (1905) 1904 ships World War I Auxiliary cruisers of the Royal Navy Ocean liners of the United Kingdom RMS Titanic Ships built on the River Clyde Ships of the Cunard Line Steamships of the United Kingdom Troop ships of the United Kingdom World War I cruisers of the United Kingdom World War I passenger ships of the United Kingdom