Transatlantic liners of the middle of the 20th century are huge high-speed comfortable ships, a whole era not only in shipbuilding, but also in the public life of many states. After all, until the 1950s there was no other way to get from Europe to America, except by sea.

The era has gone along with the liners - they were replaced by fast and less expensive planes. But even today there is an opportunity to visit one of the greatest transatlantic ships in history - the liner Queen Mary. After the end of her career in 1967, this liner was not scrapped like other ships, but became a museum, hotel and business center in Long Beach, California, USA.

On board we will now visit. But first, a little history of the ship.

One of the largest companies serving the transatlantic line was the British Cunard Line. After the end of the First World War, its three largest steamships - Mauretania, Aquitania and Berengaria (the former German Imperator, received by reparation) delivered passengers from Southampton to New York and back without interruption and with great comfort. These three vessels provided weekly departures from both ports. The one-way flight lasted a little less than five days.

But by the early 1930s, these ships were becoming obsolete, and competition in the Atlantic had also increased. The company found itself in a difficult financial situation. Then it was decided to build a new ship.

True, his concept was not immediately decided. The priorities could be speed, or comfort, or economy of the new vessel. The tentative decision was not to chase speed, but to provide the highest level of comfort for first-class passengers. However, in the end, it was decided to proceed from the need to replace the three existing ships with two, but with the same frequency of departure from Southampton and New York, that is, to build two high-speed transatlantic liners, not forgetting, of course, about comfort.

The construction of the liner was started at the shipyard in Clydebank (Great Britain) in 1930, but a year later it was frozen: the world was covered by a severe crisis. Only in 1933, after receiving financial assistance from the British government, construction was continued. The liner, named Queen Mary, was launched by Queen Mary herself on September 26, 1934, and on May 27, 1936, she set off on the first transatlantic voyage from Southampton to New York.

In one of the first flights, Queen Mary set a record for the speed of crossing the Atlantic - the flight was completed in just four days. Transatlantic passengers of that time valued their time, and accordingly valued such records. For comparison: today a transatlantic flight on the same route on the new Queen Mary 2 liner takes six to seven days. But today's passengers have nowhere to hurry: they are on a cruise. And if they need to go to America on business, they will take a faster and much cheaper plane. In the same years when Queen Mary entered the transatlantic routes, it was not yet possible to cross the Atlantic by plane.

The British government subsidized the construction of the Queen Mary for a reason, but in order to have a high-speed transport for the transfer of troops across the Atlantic in case of war. And the opportunity presented itself. Between 1939 and 1946, the Queen Mary and the newly built liner Queen Elizabeth to work with her carried troops across the ocean, taking fifteen thousand people aboard on some flights.

After returning to civilian service, Queen Mary worked on transatlantic flights for another twenty years, until competition with aviation made the operation of old transatlantic ships impossible. In September 1967, the liner completed its last, 1001st transatlantic flight, and on October 31 set off on its last cruise from Southampton to its eternal parking lot in California.

During this voyage, mostly with American tourists aboard the Queen Mary, he crossed the Atlantic Ocean for the last time, rounded Cape Horn, visited ports South America and Mexico. Of course, I would not be the only one who would like to use the time machine and visit this significant flight. But the cruise itself was not very successful, because Queen Mary was built to work in the North Atlantic, and it did not have an air conditioning system. Therefore, as we approached the equator, many passengers and crew members became exhausted from the heat. Secondly, due to the huge fuel consumption, the company ordered the flight to be carried out on two turbines instead of four, which caused a drop in speed and many stops were reduced.

On December 9, 1967, Queen Mary arrived in Long Beach, where she can still be visited today. You can even live on board by booking one of the first class cabins (the other cabins on the Queen Mary have not been preserved).

Let's go through the decks of the liner from top to bottom. I must say right away that not all public premises of Queen Mary are open to the public, and not all of them have survived. But what can be seen gives a good idea of ​​the ship.

Let's start with the cutting.

Maneuvers, as well as on modern ships, are conveniently performed while on the wing of the bridge. Duplicate machine telegraphs were placed on the wings of the bridge.

Next to the cabin were the cabins of the highest command staff of the liner. The captain had a separate study, and a separate living cabin. The captain was served by a separate steward who lived on the same deck.

The cabins of the chief mate and chief engineer of the ship were located nearby.

Now let's go down to the deck below. The deck below is called the sports deck, here is its layout:

The deck plans that I will give here correspond to the post-war layout of the Queen Mary. The post-war layout differs little from the pre-war one, with a few exceptions. In the post-war period, new names for passenger classes began to be used: the first class became cabin, the second became tourist, and the third remained third.

Since we are talking about classes: Queen Mary was designed back in the period when transatlantic ships traditionally used a system of division into three passenger classes (similar to how modern transatlantic flights have first, business and economy class). Accordingly, the cost of the ticket differed. This created great inconvenience even at the design stage, because the classes did not intersect with each other, and all passenger premises (salon, restaurants, promenade decks) had to be duplicated. Therefore, by the 1950s, the number of classes on new ships was reduced to two, and then the division into classes was completely abandoned.

Queen Mary is a classic liner with a three-class layout. Moreover, a significant part of the passenger space was assigned to the first class. Passengers of the second and third class almost did not see the ship: access to the first class was closed to them. Therefore, if we talk about a time machine with the aim of making a transatlantic trip on the Queen Mary: to get a full impression, you will need not only to travel back in time in a time machine, but also buy a first class ticket. But here comes the question of price: how many of us fly first class across the Atlantic these days? Even then, not everyone could afford to cross the Atlantic in first class.

Let's go back to the sports deck. Some passengers actually practiced sports here. In addition, a part of the deck was set aside for walking the dogs of first class passengers. The dogs lived in the premises next door, and special crew members were responsible for their maintenance and walking.

The Queen Mary had three chimneys (at the time, many considered the number of chimneys to be an indicator of a liner's reliability). But the very similar Queen Elizabeth, built a few years later, had the number of pipes reduced to two.

The Queen Mary tubes were in poor condition by the end of the liner's life, and in 1968 they were replaced with aluminum copies.

Below the sports deck is the sun deck. She, like sports, is entirely reserved for first-class passengers.

The Verandah Grill was best restaurant throughout the ship, and worked on the a la carte system. Every modern Cunard Line ship also has a restaurant with that name and the highest level cooking and service.

On the Queen Mary, it was a very prestigious seat for first-class passengers, decorated with theatrical motifs. Lunches and dinners were served here for an additional fee (in the 1930s it was one British pound, in those days not so little). Despite this, the restaurant was so popular that sometimes it was fully booked months in advance.

After 1967, when Queen Mary came to Long Beach, the Verandah Grill was tried in many ways, including as a fast food cafe, and redecorated its decoration accordingly. Today this room is used as a conference room.

The open promenade deck looks the same as on modern cruise ships (although the Queen Mary was built in the 30s of the last century).

In some places there are narrow passages between the terraces of different sides.

And here is what the lifeboats looked like on the ships of those years: unlike modern motorboats, they were not closed from above.

In the forward part of the sun deck there are public spaces: this is a museum and a tea restaurant. However, when the Queen Mary was an active ship, they did not exist: this place was the cabins of the officers and offices.

The deck below is called the "promenade".

The central part of the deck, and perhaps the entire ship, is the first class lobby. High, several decks, atriums, to which modern cruise passengers are accustomed, were not yet made. But the foyers of ocean liners have always been spacious and tastefully decorated.

During Queen Mary's transatlantic career, the central semicircular foyer housed a store where you could buy a variety of traveler essentials. The foyer was surrounded by small first-class rooms: a library, a drawing room, a children's playroom. There was even a special 35-seat lounge designed for passengers to tell stories about their travels to other passengers with the possibility of a slide show. Now almost all of these premises have been converted into shops; they sell souvenirs and literature about historical ships.

The bow of the deck is occupied by a viewing bar for first-class passengers. During flights, this place was exceptionally popular. What could be better than talking and watching the sea with a glass of something intoxicating? When third-class public areas were expanded in the early 1960s, the lookout bar became reserved for third-class passengers.

The bar is still open today.

The deck is surrounded by a promenade terrace, closed from the North Atlantic winds, almost entirely intended for first-class passengers. After the war, two small "winter gardens" were equipped on this terrace - for first and second class passengers, but they have not been preserved.

A small part of this terrace closer to the stern is reserved for second-class passengers. They also had a large open area at the stern.

From the closed promenade terrace, one could get into the spacious first-class public rooms - each through its own foyer. Previously, first-class public spaces could be accessed not only from the promenade terrace, but also from the internal terraces that ran along almost the entire deck. These terraces have partly disappeared in the process of redevelopment in Long Beach.

The grand first-class saloon was the center of Queen Mary's social life. The center in every sense, including in the direct sense: this salon was located exactly in the middle of the ship so that the passengers who gathered in it felt less rolling (after all, storms in the North Atlantic were not uncommon). Salon received musical motives in the design; live music played here in the evenings, passengers danced.

Sunday services were held in this cabin during flights, and passengers of all three classes were invited to these services. The service was traditionally conducted by the captain of the liner.

In the 1970s, there was an idea to turn this salon into a central restaurant (despite the fact that the original Queen Mary restaurants were preserved three decks below). In the process of reconstruction, the decor was partially lost, the room was somewhat reduced in size. But the work was never completed. Today, the central salon is offered for rent for events; its original furnishings have not been preserved.

Passengers of each class had their own smoking room. They didn't smoke in the smoking rooms, but enjoyed cigars and socializing. Traditionally, smoking rooms on ocean liners were considered “male territory”: women at that time did not indulge in cigars, but, however, they also visited the salon.

The smoking room on Queen Mary was striking in its size. In the original furnishings, it was a salon with soft chairs and small tables.

The smoking room is decorated with a painting by the English artist Edward Wadsworth (by the way, he painted it right here on the spot). During the first voyages of the Queen Mary, the picture caused a lot of controversy and even outrage among adherents of the traditional design of transatlantic liners - people never accept a new one right away. But then they got used to the picture, and it has been in its place for eighty years.

On the same deck there is another cozy salon of smaller sizes. It was, of course, cozy in its original furnishings: the modern "conference" furniture now found in the first-class rooms creates some dissonance. But add here mentally old-fashioned soft chairs and low tables, and everything will fall into place.

In place of the smoking room of the second class are equipped service premises and a chapel.

But it’s not easy to guess about the purpose of the room shown in the next photo. It was used by the musicians who played in the main salon for rehearsals before the start of the performance.

In the premises of each class there was a children's room, in which children could be left under the supervision of educators. The first-class children's room has been preserved; the toys in it are recreated from old photographs of life aboard the Queen Mary.

Already today, part of the promenade deck on the starboard side has been converted into a catering center. There are a fast food cafe and two restaurants.

Below is the main deck.

In its central part there was a travel bureau, where first-class passengers could book tickets for a return transatlantic flight, a train, book a hotel, and even buy tickets to theaters in London and New York.

Most of this deck is occupied by first class cabins. The interiors of corridors and lobbies made of precious wood (and fifty different types of wood were used in the design of the liner) are returned to the 1930s and 50s. By the way, the river passenger diesel-electric ships “Lenin” and “Soviet Union” built in 1958-59 in the USSR had very similar interiors. Perhaps, when creating these ships, Soviet designers and designers studied foreign experience in designing prestigious ocean liners.

The aft part of the deck is reserved for public spaces of the second (tourist) class. This is an open promenade deck and saloon.

The salon of the second class, like other premises of the ship, is devoid of "salon" furniture. Now this is one of the conference rooms on board. It is combined with the former promenade deck, which has been converted into a conference hall foyer.

We go down to the next deck. The decks below are unnamed; instead, they are labeled A through H. The lowest decks are off-limits to access.

In the center of Deck A is the First Class Information Desk (now the hotel's "reception"). It was in this foyer that first-class passengers got on board the Queen Mary.

Almost all of deck A is reserved for first class cabins, with the exception of the aft area, where second class cabins once were.

My cabin is also on this deck. Of course, it would be nice to make a transatlantic voyage in a Queen Mary's first-class cabin, but these days it's actually a hotel room. The layout is a large first class cabin, and with a new finish. All of Queen Mary's First Class staterooms were originally wood-paneled, and many of the staterooms retain the original finishes.

Aft Deck A has another open area for second class passengers and another second class cabin. Queen Mary had the traditional vertical arrangement of classrooms at the time. That is, the premises of all three classes were located on all or almost all passenger decks, but in different parts of the liner. On Queen Mary, first-class rooms occupied the entire central part of the vessel, the second-class premises occupied the aft part, and the third-class passengers were assigned premises in the bow.

To facilitate maneuvers in ports in the stern of the Queen Mary and other ships of that time, an additional superstructure was built - the stern bridge. During maneuvers, one of the watch officers was on this bridge, transmitting information about the position of the stern relative to other ships, berths and other objects to the wheelhouse.

On deck B are first and second class cabins. Of interest here is the placement of a medical isolation room in the aft.

It would seem that the lower we go down, the less our chances of seeing some interesting public spaces. But, once on deck C, you can see that this is not so. There are restaurants of all three classes here.

As on modern cruise ships, passengers arrived at the restaurant by elevator, or descended to it along a wide gangway.

The three-deck high first-class restaurant is the prototype of today's atriums on cruise ships. This restaurant accommodated all first-class passengers at the same time; accordingly, breakfasts, lunches and dinners were held in one shift. But that only applied to a first-class restaurant. Second class passengers ate in a smaller restaurant in two shifts. And third-class passengers had their own small restaurant, where they ate in three shifts.

The Queen Mary's first-class restaurant is still open today, hosting a Sunday champagne brunch every week.

The premises of the second and third class restaurants are now used as office space and warehouses. Many elements of their design have been lost; access to them is closed.

Deck D, further down, is interesting because it contained a first-class indoor swimming pool. Now the pool is not functioning due to non-compliance with modern requirements for the strength of ship structures, but you can visit its premises during an excursion called “The Ghosts of Queen Mary” (there is one). Second-class passengers also had their own pool: it was located on the deck below. This room has partly become a museum cinema, partly - offices.

The aft deck D deck has been dismantled and is now a museum of the Queen Mary and transatlantic shipping. From the museum you can go down to the engine room of the ship.

The huge propeller of the liner under water makes a great impression.

Deck E and below are closed to the public; almost all the rooms there are dismantled.

A visit to the Queen Mary leaves a very strong impression. And not only because of the stylish interiors in the British style of the middle of the last century, but also because of the feeling of exceptional power of a huge liner, and thanks to the amazingly positive energy of the ship, which transported hundreds of thousands of people across the Atlantic.

A liner similar to the created sensations, perhaps, will no longer be built. After all, this also requires an appropriate era. But it is remarkable that this vessel has been preserved. There will be an opportunity - visit it.

December 1, 1930 The keel-laying ceremony took place at the John Brown shipyard in Clydebank "Queen Mary"- one of the most grandiose passenger ships. For this significant date, we have prepared an overview of the most interesting ships that have left their mark on the history of shipbuilding.

Royal William

Royal William became one of the first passenger ships to cross the Atlantic Ocean. She was launched on April 27, 1831 in Quebec. The ship sailed several times between Quebec and the Atlantic colonies until the route was closed due to a cholera epidemic in 1832. Later, Royal William was sold to the Spanish Navy, where he served for quite a long time.

Great Eastern

Great Eastern (Leviathan) was launched in 1858. The 211-meter steamer was considered the largest ship until 1899. She reached a speed of 14 knots, had a displacement of 32,000 tons, and her engines produced 8,000 hp. From 1864 the ship was converted into a transatlantic cable layer, and in 1888 it was sold for scrap metal for £16,000.

Servia

The world's first steel liner Servia made its maiden voyage in 1881. Due to some innovative technology (such as electric lighting), many historians call it the first "modern" liner. The 10,300-horsepower ship reached a speed of 17 knots. The designers have focused on Passenger Transportation, reducing the volume of the cargo compartment and offering customers an incredibly comfortable stay on the ship. In 1902, the ship was withdrawn due to a breakdown.

Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse

The first four-tube liner, the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, was launched on 4 May 1897. It marked the beginning of the era of new, more modern and powerful passenger ships. The liner won Germany's first Blue Ribbon of the Atlantic for the fastest voyage from Europe to America. During the First World War, she was converted into a warship. Kaiser Wilhelm was sunk in 1914.

Titanic

The legendary liner Titanic was launched on April 10, 1912. He developed a maximum speed of 24 knots. The displacement of the 269-meter giant was 52 thousand tons. However, the fate of the liner was tragically cut short on the maiden voyage: the Titanic sank on April 14 after colliding with an iceberg.

normandie

The transatlantic liner Normandie began its maiden voyage on May 29, 1935. The ship, which displaced 71,000 tons, is still considered the most powerful turbo-electric ship ever built. With its innovative case design, sophisticated interior and impressive technical specifications, many experts recognized him as the best liner. On February 9, 1942, the liner caught fire from a spark in one of the cabins. It was later sold for scrap.

Queen Mary

September 26, 1934 the legendary liner Queen Mary was launched. However, only 18 months later, the 160,000-horsepower car went on its first flight. The liner crossed the Atlantic in 3 days 23 hours 57 minutes at an average speed of 30.63 knots, and in one of the subsequent flights won the Blue Ribbon of the Atlantic. On March 1, 1940, an order was given to prepare the liner for military service. After the war, he returned to the transatlantic route, but was far from being as profitable. On December 10, 1967, the liner took its place in Long Beach and is now a museum.

Voyager of the Seas

Cruise ship Voyager of the Seas often referred to as a "floating hotel" because of the amount of entertainment that it can offer customers: cabins for every taste, shops, restaurants, sports fields, a climbing wall, an ice rink and much more. Its length is 311 meters, power - 75.6 MW, speed - 22 knots, and the maximum capacity - 3840 passengers.

Queen Mary 2

In 2003, the Queen Mary 2 became the largest liner in the world. The 17-deck machine is capable of speeds up to 30 knots and can accommodate 2,620 passengers. In tribute to modern standards, the ship is equipped with a huge number of shops, restaurants and entertainment centers.

Allure of the Seas

Allure of the Seas, which went on its first voyage three years ago - December 1, 2010, is still the largest cruise ship. It offers its 6,296 passengers the most incredible variety of services, including a theatre, carousels and an ice rink. The liner is equipped with folding (telescopic) tubes, allowing it to pass under low bridges. The average speed of the machine reaches 27 knots. The reliable security system has proven itself several times, successfully extinguishing small fires.

February 11, 1809 American Robert Fulton patented his invention - the first steam-powered ship. Soon steamships replaced sailing ships and were the main water transport until the middle of the 20th century. Here are the 10 most famous steamships

Steamboat Claremont

Claremont became the first officially patented steam-powered ship in the history of shipbuilding. The American Robert Fulton, having learned that the French engineer Jacques Perrier had successfully tested the first steam-powered ship on the Seine, decided to bring this idea to life. In 1907, Fulton surprised the New York public by launching a ship with a large pipe and huge paddle wheels on the Hudson. Onlookers were quite surprised that this creation of Fulton's engineering thought was able to budge at all. But the Claremont not only went down the Hudson, but was able to move against the current without the help of wind and sails. Fulton received a patent for his invention and over the course of several years improved the ship and organized permanent river flights on the Claremont along the Hudson River from New York to Albany. The speed of the first steamer was 9 km/h.

Steamboat "Clairmont"

The first Russian steamship "Elizaveta"

The steamer "Elizaveta", built for Russia by the Scottish mechanic Charles Byrd, entered service in 1815. The ship's hull was wooden. A metal pipe with a diameter of about 30 cm and a height of 7.6 m, with a fair wind, served instead of a mast for setting sails. The 16 horsepower steamer had 2 paddle wheels. The steamship made its first voyage on November 3, 1815 from St. Petersburg to Kronstadt. To test the speed of the steamer, the port commander ordered his best rowboat to compete with him. Since the speed of the "Elizabeth" reached 10.7 km / h, the rowers, strenuously leaning on the oars, sometimes managed to overtake the steamer. By the way, the Russian word "steamboat" was introduced by naval officer P.I. Rikord, a participant in this voyage. Subsequently, the ship was used to transport passengers and tow barges to Kronstadt. And by 1820, the Russian fleet already numbered about 15 steamships, by 1835 - about 52.

The first Russian steamship "Elizaveta"

Steamboat "Savannah"

The Savannah was the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 1819. He made a flight from the American city of Savannah to English Liverpool in 29 days. It should be noted that almost the entire journey the steamer sailed, and only when the wind died down, they turned on the steam engine so that the ship could move in calm. At the beginning of the era of steamship building, sails were left on ships making long voyages. Sailors did not yet fully trust the power of steam: there was a great risk that steam engine breaks down in the middle of the ocean or there is not enough fuel to reach the destination port.

Steamboat "Savannah"

Steamboat "Sirius"

They risked abandoning the use of sails only 19 years after Savannah's transatlantic voyage. The Sirius paddle steamer left the English port of Cork on April 4, 1838 with 40 passengers and reached New York 18 days and 10 hours later. Sirius was the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean without hoisting sails, only with the help of a steam engine. This ship opened a permanent commercial steamship line across the Atlantic. "Sirius" moved at a speed of 15 km / h and spent monstrously a large number of fuel - 1 ton per hour. The ship was overloaded with coal - 450 tons. But even this stock was not enough for the flight. "Sirius" with a sin in half got to New York. In order for the ship to continue moving, ship gear, masts, wooden decking for bridges, handrails, and even furniture had to be thrown into the firebox.

Steamboat "Sirius"

Steamboat "Archimedes"

One of the first propeller-driven steamships was built by the English inventor Francis Smith. The Englishman decided to use the discovery of the ancient Greek scientist Archimedes, which had been known for a thousand years, but was used only to supply water for irrigation - the screw. Smith had the idea to use it to propel the ship. The first steamship called the Archimedes was built in 1838. It was propelled by a propeller with a diameter of 2.1 m, which was powered by two steam engines with a capacity of 45 horsepower each. The ship had a carrying capacity of 237 tons. "Archimedes" developed a maximum speed of about 18 km / h. Archimedes did not make long-distance flights. After passing successful trials on the Thames, the ship continued to operate on domestic coastal lines.

The first screw steamer "Stockton" to cross the Atlantic

Steamboat "Stockton"

The Stockton became the first screw steamer to sail across the Atlantic Ocean from Great Britain to America. The history of its inventor, the Swede John Erickson, is very dramatic. He decided to use the propeller for the movement of a steam ship at the same time as the Englishman Smith. Erickson decided to sell his invention to the British Navy, for which he built a screw steamer with his own money. The military department did not appreciate the innovations of the Swede, Erickson ended up in prison for debts. The inventor was saved by the Americans, who were very interested in a maneuverable steam ship, in which the propulsion mechanism was hidden below the waterline, and the pipe could be lowered. That was the 70-horsepower steamship Stockton that Erickson built for the Americans and named after his new friend, a naval officer. On his ship in 1838, Erickson left for America forever, where he gained fame as a great engineer and became rich.

Steamship "Amazon"

In 1951, the Amazon was described by newspapers as the largest wooden steamship ever built in Britain. This luxury passenger transport could carry more than 2,000 tons and was equipped with an 80 horsepower steam engine. Although steamships made of metal had been leaving the shipyards for 10 years, the British built their giant from wood, because the conservative British Admiralty was prejudiced against innovations. On January 2, 1852, the Amazon, with a crew of 110 of the best British sailors, sailed for the West Indies, taking on board 50 passengers (including the Lord of the Admiralty). At the beginning of the journey, the ship was attacked by a strong and prolonged storm, in order to continue moving on, it was necessary to start the steam engine at full power. The machine with overheated bearings worked without stopping for 36 hours. And on January 4, the officer on duty saw flames escaping from the hatch of the engine room. Within 10 minutes, the fire engulfed the deck. It was not possible to put out the fire in a stormy wind. The Amazon continued to move through the waves at a speed of 24 km / h, and it was not possible to launch lifeboats. Passengers rushed about the deck in a panic. It was only when the steam boiler had exhausted all the water that people were put into lifeboats. After some time, those who sailed in lifeboats heard explosions - it was the gunpowder stored in the holds of the Amazon that exploded, and the ship sank along with the captain and part of the crew. Of the 162 people who set sail, only 58 escaped. Of these, seven died on the shore, and 11 people went crazy from the experience. The sinking of the Amazon was a cruel lesson for the Lords of the Admiralty, who did not want to admit the danger of combining the ship's wooden hull with a steam engine.

Steamer "Amazon"

Steamboat "Great East"

The ship "Great East" - the predecessor of the "Titanic". This steel giant, launched in 1860, was 210 meters long and for forty years was considered the largest ship in the world. The Great East was equipped with both paddle wheels and propellers. The ship was the last masterpiece of one of the famous engineers of the XIX century, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The huge ship was built to carry passengers from England to distant India and Australia without entering ports for refueling. Brunel conceived his offspring as the safest ship in the world - the "Great East" had a double hull that protected it from flooding. When at one time the ship received a hole larger than the Titanic, it not only remained afloat, but was able to continue the voyage. The technology for building such large ships at that time had not yet been worked out, and the construction of the "Great East" was overshadowed by the many deaths of workers who worked at the dock. The floating colossus was launched for two whole months - winches broke, several workers were injured. The catastrophe also occurred when the engine was started - the steam boiler exploded, scalding several people with boiling water. Engineer Brunel died upon learning of this. Infamous before her launch, the 4,000-person "Great East" set off on its maiden voyage on June 17, 1860, with just 43 passengers and 418 crew members on board. And in the future, there were few who wanted to sail across the ocean on an "unlucky" ship. In 1888, it was decided to dismantle the ship for scrap.

Steamboat "Great East"

Steamboat "Great Britain"

The first screw steamer with a metal hull "Great Britain" left the stocks on July 19, 1943. Its designer, Izombard Brunel, was the first to combine the latest achievements on one big ship. Brunel set out to turn long and dangerous transatlantic passenger travel into fast and luxurious sea travel. The huge steam engines of the steamer "Great Britain" consumed 70 tons of coal per hour, produced 686 horsepower and occupied three decks. Immediately after its launch, the steamship became the largest propeller-driven iron ship in the world, ushering in the era of steam liners. But even on this metal giant, just in case, there were sails. On July 26, 1845, the steamship Great Britain set off on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic with 60 passengers on board and 600 tons of cargo. The steamer moved at a speed of about 17 km / h and after 14 days and 21 hours entered the port of New York. After three years of successful flights, "Great Britain" failed. On September 22, 1846, the steamer, crossing the Irish Sea, was dangerously close to the coast, and the rising tide brought the ship to land. The disaster did not happen - when the tide came, the passengers were lowered from the side to the ground and carried in carriages. A year later, "Great Britain" was rescued from captivity by breaking through the canal, and the ship was back on the water.

Huge transatlantic steam liner "Titanic" that claimed the lives of more than a thousand passengers

Steamer "Titanic"

The infamous Titanic was the largest passenger liner in the world at the time of its construction. This city-steamer weighed 46,000 tons and was 880 feet long. In addition to cabins, the superliner had gyms, swimming pools, oriental baths and cafes. The Titanic, which set sail from the English coast on April 12, could accommodate up to 3,000 passengers and about 800 crew members and traveled at a maximum speed of 42 km / h. On the fateful night of April 14-15, a collision with an iceberg, the Titanic was traveling at exactly that speed - the captain was trying to break the world record for ocean steamers. There were 1,309 passengers and 898 crew members on board at the time of the shipwreck. Only 712 people were saved, 1495 died. There were not enough lifeboats for everyone, most of the passengers remained on the ship with no hope of rescue. April 15 at 2:20 a.m. giant passenger ship, making its first voyage, sank. The survivors were picked up by the ship "Carpathia". But even on it, not all the rescued were delivered to New York safe and sound - some of the passengers of the Titanic died on the way, some lost their minds.

More than a century ago, the fastest and most elegant passenger ships were created to sail in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and it was here that the fierce struggle for the Blue Riband was born and developed - at first a symbolic prize, and later a silver cup awarded to the one who won the marathon distances between Europe and North America. In this uncompromising struggle, the liners collided with other ships, landed on rocks, and crashed against icebergs, because in the fierce race the captains could not slow down or bypass the dangerous area. Therefore, the history of the Blue Ribbon is a mournful list of people who found their death in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean.

To start telling your tale of fate steamer « Britannia"Perhaps it would be correct to mention the name of its creator Samuel Cunard.

In the city of Halifax North America Samuel Cunard was born in a poor hut by the sea in 1787. To earn a living, he early years sold coffee, spices, and delivered mail. After saving some money, Cunard bought his first sailing schooner « Waite Auk”And since 1808 he began to make coastal flights on it. Things went smoothly and by 1812 Samuel already owned a whole fleet of 40 sailboats.

Samuel Cunard

With a fair amount of capital, Samuel Cunard began to invest in any enterprise that promised to bring profit: in forestry, coal mining, brick production, etc. fruit. By the age of fifty, Samuel Cunard was a multimillionaire, the happy father of seven daughters and two sons. It seemed that everyone could retire and enjoy life without tempting fate with unnecessary risks. But then he wouldn't be Samuel Cunard. His seething energy urgently demanded an outlet, and he began to look for a new big deal.

In 1831, during the launching of the next steamer Samuel Cunard uttered the words that became his motto, or rather the slogan of his company: “ Steam-powered ships, well built and well-crewed, could leave and arrive with as much precision as land-based trains.". And now, eight years later, having reached the heights in his business, Samuel Cunard boards a steamer and goes to Europe, to London, to convince the Lords of the Admiralty that he is Samuel Cunard, he can organize regular mail from Europe to America and back.

In London, in Piccadilly Circus, this inflexible man, who was called the "Napoleon of Business", rented an office and offered to build ocean-going ones with a power machine capacity of at least 300 hp. s., to transport mail from England to Halifax twice a month, the first of which will be built on May 1, 1840. Samuel Cunard also offered to participate the best specialist of that time for the manufacture of steam engines Robert Napier. His machines were of excellent quality and the most reliable in the world.

Two steam navigation enthusiasts easily found a common language and achieved a complete understanding. Robert Napier undertook to supply Samuel Cunard with steam engines for three passenger ships at a price of £32,000 per car. But with all the wealth of Samuel Cunard and the pliancy of Robert Napier, the new venture needed additional capital. Their friends George Burns and David MacIvera were involved in the case. The total investment was £325,000. In 1839, the newly created company entered into a contract with the government of England to transport mail across the Atlantic Ocean, for which the Admiralty undertook to pay the company 60,000 pounds a year.

Samuel Cunard thought he would need all three steamships to make two voyages a month, but the Admiralty insisted on building four ships, increasing the company's annual subsidy to £80,000.

February 5, 1840 at the shipyard " Robert Duncan & Company» in Scotland, a solemn launching of the first-born postal company took place - steamer, named " Britannia". This was followed by the construction of similar steamships « Acadia», « Caledonia" And " Columbia". Steamboats of the company ” were intended to sail from Liverpool to Boston with a stop at Halifax, delivering passengers and Her Majesty’s mail. Thus, on July 4, 1840, a significant event took place - the first Transatlantic steamship line was born, which to this day is celebrated annually on both sides of the Atlantic.

And the name of Samuel Cunard is forever inscribed in maritime history - the man who believed in the steamship and made it an obedient means for regular communication between Europe and America. In 1859, for outstanding service to the development transatlantic shipping Samuel Cunard received a knighthood, and after his death in 1865 the company became known as " Cunard Line” and under this name it exists today.

Owner of company " British & North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company"Radically changed the atmosphere on their own. On steamships « Britannia», « Acadia», « Caledonia" And " Columbia»Captains were categorically forbidden to use corporal punishment. They were staffed by highly disciplined and highly trained sailors. Navigators had to navigate their ships at high speed, but with maximum precautions.

steamer « Britannia' was small. However, in all of Liverpool there was no suitable berth for mooring the ship, and passengers had to be boarded in the roadstead, from a boat.

In the tradition of sailing packet boats steamer « Britannia» was two-deck. On the upper deck were the officers' quarters, a galley, a bakery, a tiny smoking room and... a cow stall. Passenger cabins were located on the main deck: in the stern - first class, spacious, well ventilated; in the bow - second class, as well as two dining salons. A third of the ship's length was occupied by a steam engine and boilers.

So, July 4, 1840 at 2:00 pm on a windy overcast day steamer « Britannia"left Liverpool along the Mersey River on its maiden voyage, heading for the open sea. On board, in addition to the mail cargo, there were 63 passengers. Among them was Samuel Cunard himself with his daughter Anna. It was a subtle move - a wise businessman showed by personal example that swimming on steamboat « Britannia» is so safe that the life of the owner and his beloved daughter is entrusted to the ship.

The captain of the ship, Henry Woodruff, following the will of Samuel Cunard, steered the ship with the utmost care, not daring to start the steam engine at full power. And accordingly, the result of the transition was rather modest 14 days 8 hours, including a seven-hour stop in Halifax. However, in Boston steamer greeted with enthusiasm. There was a festival, a procession of mayors, foreign consuls and politicians, bands thundered. A five-hour banquet was held in honor of the founder of the new transatlantic line.

The company was compared to a pendulum, which invariably worked like a clock, and this was the reason that the company " Cunard Line” turned out to be the only organization that, in the conditions of fierce competition, managed not only to survive, but also to convey its traditions to the present day.

Returning from Boston to Liverpool, the captain and the owner of the ship felt incomparably more confident. steamer « Britannia"Went at a full speed of 10.98 knots and immediately beat all the previous achievements of the courts, covering the distance in 9 days, 21 hours, 44 minutes. This record was broken on May 11, 1842 steamer « Great Western».

first transatlantic liner - steamship Britannia

"Britannia" in the ice

The world was deeply shocked, and the name of Samuel Cunard thundered in Europe and America. In January 1842 on board steamer « Britannia”was visited by a young English journalist and future writer Charles Dickens, who, in his stories about America, described his impressions on a sea vessel: his luggage was squeezed into the cabin, like a giraffe in a flower pot, and he compared the dining room with a hearse with windows.

Just like on transatlantic, meat and milk were taken for steamer « Britannia” in its original form: in roughly knocked together wooden boxes, randomly piled up on the deck. Chickens clucked all over the ship, ducks, geese, turkeys screamed, rabbits darted from corner to corner. Sheep bleated in the paddock and pigs grunted, doomed to be eaten while swimming. Nearby, a cow, a supplier of milk for children and the sick, phlegmatically chewed its cud. During a storm, when the waves were walking on the deck, many representatives of the "ship fauna" choked, and they were sent to the galley out of turn. Fresh vegetables were stored under the overturned boats. Having received a complete impression of the ship, the journalist returned back already on a typical sailing packet boat - one voyage on a steam ship was enough for the future writer for a long time.

in destiny steamer « Britannia” there is a place of one story that happened to him in Boston in the winter of 1844. In that year, winter just broke the brakes. The water area of ​​the port was covered with ice, the thickness of which reached 2 meters. The ice was so thick and strong that cotton and other goods were hauled across the ice in carts.

1st of February steamer « Britannia”was supposed to go on another voyage to the port of Liverpool, but this was out of the question. And then the townspeople came to the rescue steamer. Initially, two furrows 20 cm deep were cut with horse-drawn plows, and then slabs 20 by 30 m in size were cut out with saws. These “icebergs” were hooked with hooks and driven under the ice cover with the help of horses. When there were not enough horses, people harnessed 50 people to one ice floe.

The people of Boston worked like crazy and in two days and two nights cut a canal 7 miles long and 30 meters wide. steamer « Britannia” came out on time, and when a considerable amount of money was offered to the participants in this colossal work, they proudly refused, saying that they did this to maintain the prestige and prosperity of their city.

For the first stage of his marine life" Britannia" made 40 flights across the Atlantic Ocean, after which in March 1849 it was sold to new owners " German Federation Navy". Entitled " barbarossa"And already with nine guns on board in 1852, the ship became part of the Prussian navy, where it served until 1880. ended the fate of the steamer « Britannia"as a floating target for torpedoes, which were then only being developed.

And who knows, maybe thanks to the first steamer « Britannia» companies « Cunard"German torpedoes gained sufficient destructive power and accuracy, which allowed German submarines to sink many peaceful ships during the First World War, including" Lusitania».

Technical data of the steamer "Britannia":
Length - 62 m;
Width - 10 m;
Draft - 6.4 m;
Displacement - 1135 tons;
Power point- one two-cylinder Robert Napier steam engine;
Speed ​​- 9 knots;
Power - 740 l. With.;
Paddle wheel - 2;
Number of masts - 3;
Number of passengers - 115 people;
Crew - 82 people;