Four funnel liner

A four funnel liner, four funneled liner or four stacker is an ocean liner with four funnels. The SS "Great Eastern", launched on the 31st of January 1858 became the first and only ocean liner to ever sport five funnels, as one funnel was later removed the Great Eastern also by de facto become the first ocean liner to sport four funnels. The SS "Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse", christened May 4 1897, was the next ocean liner to sport four funnels and was one of the first of the golden era of ocean liners that become prominent in the early 20th century. . [cite web|url=http://www.greatoceanliners.net/kwdg.html|title=Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse|last=Ljungström|first=Henrik|publisher=The Great Ocean Liners|accessdate=2008-09-08] Perhaps the best known four funnel liners are the RMS "Titanic" which sunk after striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage and the "RMS Lusitania" which was torpedoed during World War One.

In all, fifteen four funnel liners were ever built, the Great Eastern in 1858 and the remaining fourteen all between 1897 and 1922. Four of these sunk during World War I, and apart from the "Titanic", the remaining were scrapped. [cite web|url=http://www.maritimequest.com/misc_pages/four_funnel_liners.htm|title=The Four Funnel Liners|last=Pocock|first=Michael|accessdate=2008-09-08] RMS "Mauretania" was the fastest of all four funnel liners. The last four funnel liner ever built was the SS "Windsor Castle" but her two funnels were removed (either SS "Arundel Castle" and SS "Deutschland"), making RMS "Aquitania" the last four funnel liner in service, which she the only one to survive both World Wars and the biggest of all four funnel liners.

List of four funnel liners

* RMS "Aquitania"
* SS "Arundel Castle"
* HMHS "Britannic"
* SS "Deutschland"
* SS "France"
* SS" Great Eastern"
* SS "Kaiser Wilhelm II"
* SS "Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse"
* SS "Kronprinz Wilhelm"
* SS "Kronprinzessin Cecilie"
* RMS "Lusitania"
* RMS "Mauretania"
* RMS "Olympic"
* RMS "Titanic"
* SS "Windsor Castle"

Note

*The "Britannic" was originally called "Gigantic" but she was renamed after the "Titanic"'s tragedy.
*The last funnels on the White Star trio were dummies.

List of five funnel liners

* SS" Great Eastern" (One funnel later removed)

Other four funnel passenger ships

Isle of Man Steam Packet Company

*"Ben-my-Chree" (2) (1875) - a four funnel paddle liner owned by Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. [http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/IOMSP1.html]

City of Dublin Steam Packet Company

This four sister ship were unusual in having four funnels owned by City of Dublin Steam Packet Company, like the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company paddle steamer "Ben-my-Chree" (2) (1875). [http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/CityofDublin.html]

*"Connaught" (1) (1860) - named after one of the four provinces of Ireland, "Connaught".
*"Leinster" (1) (1860) - named after one of the four provinces of Ireland, "Leinster"
*"Munster" (1) (1860) - named after one of the four provinces of Ireland, "Munster".
*"Ulster" (1) (1860) - named after one of the four provinces of Ireland, "Ulster".

References