Olympic-class ocean liner

Belfast, Northern Ireland, 6 March 1912: Titanic (right) moved out of the drydock to allow her sister Olympic to replace a damaged propeller blade.

## Class overview

### Builders:

Harland and Wolff, Belfast, Northern Ireland

## General characteristics

### Type:

Ocean linerTitanic's dimensions used as all three vessels' dimensions were slightly different

### Height:

175 ft (53 m) from keel to top of funnels

### Depth:

app. 64 ft 9 in (20 m) from keel to side of C-deck

### Installed power:

24 double-ended and 5 single-ended 15 bar Scotch marine boilers, tested to 30 bar. Two 4-cylinder reciprocating engines for the two outboard wing propellers. One low-pressure turbine for center propeller. Together 50,000 HP nominal, 59,000 max.

### Propulsion:

consisting of Two bronze 3-blade wing propellers. One bronze 4-blade centre propeller.

### Speed:

21 kn (38.9 km/h; 24.2 mph); 24.2 kn (44.8 km/h; 27.8 mph) max.

### Notes:

Approximate cost 7.5 million (USD) (approx. $199,385,678.65 in 2016 prices)

The ***Olympic*-class ocean liners** were a trio of British ocean liners built by the Harland & Wolff shipyard for the White Star Line during the early 20th century. They were *Olympic* (1911), *Titanic* (1912), and *Britannic* (1914). All three were designed to be the largest and most luxurious passenger ships in the world, designed to give White Star an advantage in the transatlantic passenger trade. Two were lost early in their careers: *Titanic* sank in 1912 on its maiden voyage, after hitting an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean, and *Britannic* in 1916, after hitting a mine laid by the minelayer submarine *U-73* in a barrier off Kea in the Aegean Sea during World War I. *Olympic*, the lead vessel, had a career spanning 24 years and was retired in 1934 and sold for scrapping in 1935.

Although the two younger vessels did not have successful careers, they are among the most famous ocean liners ever built. Both *Olympic* and *Titanic* briefly enjoyed the distinction of being the largest ships in the world; *Olympic* would be the largest British-built ship in the world for over 20 years until the launch of RMS *Queen Mary* in 1936. *Titanic*'s story has been adapted into many books and films. *Britannic* has also inspired a film of the same name.

## Origin and construction

The *Olympic* class had its origins in the intense competition between the United Kingdom and Germany in the construction of the liners. The Norddeutscher Lloyd and HAPAG, the two largest German companies, were indeed involved in the race for speed and size in the late 19th century. The first in service for the Norddeutscher Lloyd was SS *Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse*, which won the Blue Riband in 1897[6] before being beaten by *Deutschland* of HAPAG in 1900.[7] Then followed the three vessels of the *Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse*: SS *Kronprinz Wilhelm*, SS *Kaiser Wilhelm II* and SS *Kronprinzessin Cecilie* all of whom were part of a "Kaiser class". In response to this, the Cunard Line of the UK ordered two vessels whose speed earned them the nickname "greyhounds of the seas:" *Lusitania* and *Mauretania*.[8] *Mauretania* kept the Blue Riband for more than twenty years, from 1909 to 1929.[9][10]

The White Star Line knew that their Big Four, a quartet of ships built for size and luxury[11]were no match for the Cunard's new liners in terms of speed. In 1907, J. Bruce Ismay, president of White Star and William J. Pirrie, director of the shipyard Harland & Wolff decided to build three vessels. And so, the *Olympic*-class ships were built to surpass rival Cunard's largest ships, *Lusitania* and *Mauretania*, in size and luxury. *Olympic*, along with *Titanic* and the soon to be built *Britannic*,[12] were intended to be the largest and most luxurious ships to operate on the North Atlantic, but not the fastest, as the White Star Line had already switched from high speed to size and luxury. The three vessels were designed by Thomas Andrews and Alexander Carlisle.[9]

Construction of *Olympic* started in December 1908 and *Titanic* in March 1909. The two ships were built side by side.[13] The construction of *Britannic* began in 1911 after the commissioning of *Olympic* and *Titanic*'s launch. Following the sinking of *Titanic*, the two remaining vessels underwent many changes in their safety provisions.

## Specification

All three of the *Olympic*-class ships had nine decks, seven of which were for passenger use. From top to bottom, the decks were:

* **The Boat Deck** was the topmost deck of the ship, where the deck housing, lifeboats, and funnels were installed. The bridge and wheelhouse were at the forward end, in front of the captain's and officers' quarters. The bridge was flanked by two observations platforms on the Starboard and Port sides so that the ship could be maneuvered more delicately while docking. The wheelhouse stood within the Bridge. The entrance to the First Class Grand Staircase and Gymnasium were located midships along with the raised roof of the First Class Lounge, while at the rear of the deck were the roof of the First Class smoke room, a deck house for the ship's engineers, and a relatively modest Second Class entrance. The wood-covered deck was divided into four segregated promenades: for officers, First Class passengers, engineers and Second Class passengers respectively. Lifeboats lined the side of the deck on both sides except in the First Class area, where there was a gap so that the view would not be blocked.
* **The Boat Deck** was the topmost deck of the ship, where the deck housing, lifeboats, and funnels were installed. The bridge and wheelhouse were at the forward end, in front of the captain's and officers' quarters. The bridge was flanked by two observations platforms on the Starboard and Port sides so that the ship could be maneuvered more delicately while docking. The wheelhouse stood within the Bridge. The entrance to the First Class Grand Staircase and Gymnasium were located midships along with the raised roof of the First Class Lounge, while at the rear of the deck were the roof of the First Class smoke room, a deck house for the ship's engineers, and a relatively modest Second Class entrance. The wood-covered deck was divided into four segregated promenades: for officers, First Class passengers, engineers and Second Class passengers respectively. Lifeboats lined the side of the deck on both sides except in the First Class area, where there was a gap so that the view would not be blocked.

* B **Deck**, also known as the **Bridge Deck**, was almost entirely devoted to First-Class staterooms. The finest suites could be found on this deck, particularly the two "Deluxe" Parlour Suites with their own private 50 ft (15 m) long promenades. All three ships had À la Carte Restaurants positioned aft on B-Deck, as well as the Second-Class Smoking Rooms and Entrances. *Olympic* was built with an encircling First-Class promenade which soon proved to be redundant given the ample promenade space on A-Deck. *Titanic* added enlarged additional staterooms to occupy the space and a *Café Parisien* built as an annex to an enlarged Restaurant. This arrangement proved so popular that *Olympic* would adopt the same additions during its' 1913 refit. On the exterior of each ship, B-Deck is defined by rectangular sliding windows.
* **C Deck**, the **Shelter Deck**, was the uppermost deck to run uninterrupted from the ships' bow to stern. It included the two well decks, both of which served as the Third Class promenade spaces. Each well deck also contained large cranes for loading cargo into the interior holds. Crew cabins were located under the forecastle and Third Class public rooms were situated under the Poop Deck. The superstructure of C Deck between the bow and stern contained mostly First Class accommodation, but the Second Class Library was also placed further aft, directly below the Second Class Smoking Room.[18][19] This was the first deck to feature portholes.
* **D Deck**, the **Saloon Deck**, was dominated by three large public rooms – the First Class Reception Room, the First Class Dining Saloon and the Second Class Dining Saloon. An open space was provided for Third Class passengers underneath in the bow. First, Second and Third Class passengers had cabins on this deck, with berths for firemen located in the bow. It was the highest deck reached by the ships' watertight bulkheads (though only by eight of the fifteen bulkheads).[18][20]
* **E Deck**, the **Upper Deck**, was predominantly a passenger accommodation for all three classes as well as berths for cooks, seamen, stewards and trimmers. Along its length ran a long passageway nicknamed Scotland Road by the crew, in reference to a famous street in Liverpool.[18][21]
* **F Deck**, the **Middle Deck**, was the last complete deck and predominantly accommodated Third Class passengers. There were also some Second Class cabins and crew accommodation. The Third Class dining saloon was located here, as were the swimming pool and Turkish baths, the only section for First-Class passengers.[18][21]
* **G Deck**, the **Lower Deck**, was the lowest complete deck to accommodate passengers, and had the lowest portholes, protruding above the waterline. The squash court was located here along with the travelling post office where mail clerks sorted letters and parcels so that they would be ready for delivery when the ship docked. Food was also stored here. The deck was interrupted at several points by orlop (partial) decks over the boiler, engine and turbine rooms.[18][22]
* The **Orlop decks** and the **Tank Top** were at the lowest level of the ship, below the waterline. The orlop decks were used as cargo space, while the Tank Top – the inner bottom of the ship's hull – provided the platform on which the ship's boilers, engines, turbines and electrical generators were housed. This part of the ship was dominated by the engine and boiler rooms, areas which were generally never seen by passengers. They were connected with higher levels of the ship by flights of stairs; twin spiral stairways near the bow gave access up to D Deck.[18][22]

Propulsion was achieved through three propellers: two outboard or wing propellers had three blades, while the central propeller had four. The two lateral propellers were powered by reciprocating steam triple expansion, while the central shaft was driven by a steam turbine.[23] All power on board was derived from a total of 29 coal-fired steam boilers in six compartments. However, *Olympic*'s boilers were adapted for firing by oil at the end of the First World War,[24] which reduced the number of engine crew required from 350 to 60.[25]

The *Olympic*-class ships were 269.13 metres (883.0 ft) long, displacing 52,310 long tons (53,150 t) normally (their draft at this displacement being 34 ft 7 in (10.5 m)), and their tonnage was around 45-46,000 GRT.[26] *Olympic* became the largest ship in the world when it was completed in May, 1911 before losing the title to its' sister *Titanic* when she was completed in April, 1912. After the loss of *Titanic* the third sister ship *Britannic* claimed the title of largest British-built ship until her own sinking in November 1916. After this *Olympic* would enjoy the title for 20 years until the commissioning of RMS *Queen Mary* in 1936.[27]All three vessels sported four funnels, with the fourth being a dummy which was used for ventilation purposes. Smoke from the galleys and Smoking Room fireplaces was exhausted through a chimney up the forward portion of this funnel. On the one hand it was a decoration to establish a symmetry in the ships' profile, on the other hand, acting as a huge ventilation shaft, it prevented the large amount of ventilation cowls on deck as on Cunard's *Lusitania* and *Mauretania*.

## Safety features

The trio of ships incorporated advanced safety precautions into their designs, intended to mitigate the risk of flooding and all but eliminate the chances of foundering. Each ship featured an inner skin, a second layer of 1.25 in (31.8 mm) thick steel above the keel which created a watertight box along the bottom of the hull known as a "double bottom." 15 transverse steel bulkheads reaching 45 ft (13.7 m) up to E Deck (D Deck in the case of the two forward most bulkheads) divided the hulls of each ship into 16 watertight compartments, each equipped with an electric pump to remove floodwater. The compartments could be sealed by automatic doors from the bridge in the event of a collision, preventing water from spreading to other parts of the ship. *Olympic* and *Titanic* were so designed that either could stay afloat with four compartments breached.[29] The *Olympic*-class liners also eliminated converse bulkheads, such as those on *Lusitania* and *Mauretania*, which separated the coal bunkers along either side of the hull from the engine rooms and boiler rooms in the center. Such an arrangement was believed to increase the risk of a ship capsizing by trapping water lengthwise along the ship and increasing her list to one side.[30]

The sinking of *Titanic* revealed serious faults in the design of the *Olympic*-class liners, necessitating a major refit for *Olympic* in late 1912 and major changes to *Britannic*, still in the early phases of construction.[31] *Titanic* had sunk because her six forward compartments had been breached, above the keel but below the waterline, bypassing the double-bottom completely. The low height of the bulkheads had also failed the ship, allowing for uncontrolled flooding once the water in the breached compartments had reached E Deck. The refit on *Olympic* raised the middle five bulkheads to B Deck, the others to D Deck and also extended the double-bottom along the hull up to G Deck. These improvements were incorporated into *Britannic*, along with two additional bulkheads.[32] Such improvements meant that both *Olympic* and *Britannic* could survive the scenario that had caused their sister ship to founder.

## Lifeboats

Each ship could accommodate a maximum of sixty-four lifeboats.[33] However, only 20 boats were installed on *Olympic* and *Titanic* during construction to avoid cluttering the deck and provide more space for passengers. Shipbuilders of the era envisaged the ocean liner itself as the ultimate lifeboat and therefore imagined that a lifeboat's purpose was that of a ferry between a foundering liner and a rescue ship. Despite the low number of lifeboats, both *Olympic* and *Titanic* exceeded Board of Trade regulations of the time.[34] Following the sinking of *Titanic*, more lifeboats were added to *Olympic* (some lifeboats might even have been from the foundered *Titanic*[33]). *Britannic*, meanwhile, was equipped with seven huge gantry davits, five along the Boat Deck and two on the Poop Deck at the stern. Each contained six lifeboats and were individually powered by electric motors with their own night time illumination. In the event that the ship should develop a list and make the lowering of lifeboats impossible along one side, the davits could be maneuvered to pick up lifeboats from the other side of the deck.

## Interiors

The three vessels had several levels of passenger accommodation, with slight variations between the ships. However, no class was neglected. The First Class passengers enjoyed luxurious cabins and many were equipped with private bathrooms, a novelty at the time. The two most luxurious suites included a private promenade deck, sitting room, two walk-in wardrobes, two bedrooms, a private bath and lavatory.[a] Each class had its' own large dining saloon, while First Class also featured a lavish Grand Staircase[36] descending in seven levels through the ship, a Georgian-style smoking room, a Veranda Cafe decorated with palm trees,[37] a swimming pool, Turkish bath,[38] gymnasium,[39] and several other places for meals and entertainment. The *Olympic*-class liners were the first British ships to contain separate restaurants independent of the dining saloons. These were in imitation of the precedent set on the German Hamburg-Amerika liner Amerika (1905), which had included a restaurant serving French *haute cuisine* run by the famous hotelier César Ritz.[40]*Olympic* and *Titanic* had À la Carte Restaurants aft on B-Deck run by the London restaurateur Luigi Gatti and his staff, all of whom died in the sinking of *Titanic*.

The second class also included a smoking room, a library, a spacious dining room, and an elevator. *Britannic*'s second class also featured a gymnasium.[41]

Finally, the third-class passengers enjoyed reasonable accommodation compared to other ships, if not up to the second and first classes. Instead of large dormitories offered by most ships of the time, the third-class passengers of the *Olympic* class lived in cabins containing two to ten bunks. The class also had a smoking room, a common area, and a dining room. *Britannic* provided third-class passengers more comfort than its two sister ships.

## Career

### ***Olympic***

First of the *Olympic*-class liners, *Olympic* was launched on 20 October 1910[43] and commissioned on 14 June 1911.[44] She made her maiden voyage on 14 June 1911, to great fanfare and acclaim. On 20 September of the same year, under the command of Captain Edward J. Smith, she collided with the cruiser HMS *Hawke* in the port of Southampton, leading to her repair back at Harland and Wolff and delaying the launch of her sister *Titanic*.[45] When RMS *Titanic* sank, *Olympic* was on her way across the Atlantic just in the opposite direction. She was able to receive a distress call from *Titanic* but she was too far away to reach her sister before she sank.[46] After the sinking of *Titanic*, *Olympic* was returned to dry dock in the autumn of 1912, where she underwent a number of refinements to improve her safety. She then resumed her commercial service.

During the First World War, the ship served as a troop transport. On 12 May 1918, she rammed and sank the German submarine *U-103*.[47] Once she was returned to commercial service in 1920, she crossed the Atlantic as one of a trio of grand White Star liners. The other two were seized as war reparations from Germany: *Majestic* and *Homeric*.[27] During the 1920s *Olympic* would enjoy great popularity on the transatlantic route, earning the nickname 'Old Reliable'. Passengers included such luminaries as Charlie Chaplin and the then Prince of Wales Edward VIII. In 1934 she inadvertently collided with and sank Nantucket Lightship LV-117, leading to the death of seven of her eleven crewmembers.[48]

Despite a major refit later in her career, *Olympic* struggled to compete with her newer competitors. Following the merger of White Star Line and Cunard Line in 1934, *Olympic* was taken out of service in 1935, and scrapped between 1935 and 1937.

### ***Titanic***

Second in line of the *Olympic* class, *Titanic* was launched on 31 May 1911,[49] and her commissioning was slightly delayed due to ongoing repairs of *Olympic*.[50] The ship left the port of Southampton 10 April 1912 for her maiden voyage, narrowly avoiding a collision with SS *New York*, a ship moored in the port pulled by the propellers of *Titanic*. After a stopover at Cherbourg, France and another in Queenstown, Ireland, she sailed into the Atlantic with 2,200 passengers on board (a total capacity of 3,500), under the command of Captain Edward J. Smith headed for New York City. The crossing took place without major incident until Sunday, 14 April at 23:40.[51]

*Titanic* struck an iceberg at 41°46′N 50°14′W[52] while sailing about 400 miles south of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland shortly before midnight. The strike and the resulting shock sheared the rivets, thus opening a leak in the hull below the waterline. This caused the first five compartments to be flooded with flooding in a sixth compartment controlled by the pumps; the ship could only stay afloat with four compartments flooded. *Titanic* sank 2 hours and 40 minutes after the collision. There being not enough lifeboats for all the passengers and the nearest responding ship (RMS *Carpathia*) being too far away,[33] 1,517 of the 2,223 people on board died, making it one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history.

### ***Britannic***

In 1911, *Britannic* supposedly was named *Gigantic* in its early phases, although this was denied by the White Star line. The third, and final liner to the *Olympic*-class trio, *Britannic* was launched on 26 February 1914 at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast and fitting out began.[53] In August 1914, before *Britannic* could commence transatlantic service between New York and Southampton, World War I began. Immediately, all shipyards with Admiralty contracts were given top priority to use available raw materials. All civil contracts (including *Britannic*) were slowed down.

On 13 November 1915, *Britannic* was requisitioned as a hospital ship from her storage location at Belfast. Repainted white with large red crosses and a horizontal green stripe, she was renamed HMHS (His Majesty's Hospital Ship) *Britannic*.

At 08:12 am on 21 November 1916, HMHS *Britannic* struck a mine[b] at 37°42′05″N24°17′02″E,[54] and sank. 1,036 people were saved. Thirty men lost their lives in the disaster. One survivor, nurse Violet Jessop was notable as having also survived the sinking of RMS *Titanic* in 1912, and had also been on board RMS *Olympic*, when it collided with HMS *Hawke* in 1911. *Britannic* was the largest ship lost during World War I, but her sinking did not receive the same attention as the sinking of her sister, *Titanic*, or the sinking of the Cunard superliner RMS *Lusitania*, when she was sunk by a torpedo in the Irish Sea.

## Legacy

### **Wrecks and expeditions**

When *Titanic* sank in 1912 and *Britannic* sank in 1916, their sinkings did not receive the same attention, due to the death toll (1,517 on *Titanic* and 30 on *Britannic*). Because the exact position of the sinking of the *Britannic* is known and the location is shallow, the wreck was discovered relatively easily in 1975.[56] *Titanic*, however, drew everyone's attention in 1912. After several attempts, the wreck was finally located by Jean-Louis Michel of Ifremer and Robert Ballard following a secret mission for the US Navy.[57] The discovery of the wreck occurred on 1 September 1985, at 25 kilometres from the position given of the sinking. The wreck lies about 4,000 metres deep, broken in two. The bow is relatively well preserved, but the stern partially imploded, and to a large extent disintegrated during the descent and impact on the seabed.[c]

The wreck of *Britannic* was discovered in 1975 by Jacques-Yves Cousteau. It has a large tear in the front caused by the bow hitting the ocean floor before the rest of the ship sank (the ship's length is greater than the shallowness of the water). She has been, after the discovery, regularly seen as part of many other expeditions. In contrast to *Titanic*, which lies at the very bottom of the North Atlantic and is being fed on by iron-eating bacteria, the *Britannic* is in remarkably good condition, and is much more accessible than her infamous sister. Many external structural features are still intact, including her propellers, and a great deal of her superstructure and hull.

### **Cultural heritage**

Museums and exhibitions pay tribute to the ships, and the two tragedies have inspired many movies, novels, and even musicals and video games.

When decommissioned, *Olympic* was previously set to be converted into a floating hotel,[59] but the project was cancelled. However, its decorative elements were auctioned. The first class lounge and part of the aft grand staircase, can be found in the White Swan Hotel, in Alnwick, Northumberland, England. The à la carte restaurant of *Olympic* is now restored on the *Celebrity Millennium*.