Big Four (ocean liners)

The Big Four were a quartet of 20,000 tons ocean liners built by Harland & Wolff shipyard for the White Star Line in the early 20th century.

History

In 1899, White Star Line commissioned RMS "Oceanic", which exceed the SS "Great Eastern" in length, although not tonnage. After Thomas Ismay’s death the order of "Oceanic"’s sister-ship, "Olympic" was cancelled. Instead, resources were transferred to the company’s new project; to build the grandest fleet of ships that had ever sailed the seas, the 'Big Four'.

In 1901, White Star Line ordered a series of four ships that were to be larger that the "Great Eastern", terming these ships 'the Big Four'. The four ships were designed to have a tonnage in excess of 20,000 tons and rather than being built or speed and to compete for the Blue Riband, were designed to be more luxurious than their rivals. The first of the four vessels was named "Celtic", and was ordered by Thomas Ismay before his death. The "Celtic" was launched on 4 April, 1901 and made her maiden voyage on 26 July. She was shorter than the "Oceanic" but was still longer than the "Great Eastern". After "Celtic" was completed, she was the biggest ship in the world at 21,035 gross tons. The project was followed by the "Cedric", which was launched on 21 August, 1902 and made her maiden voyage on 11 February, 1903. At the time she was launched she was the biggest moving object ever built at 21,073 gross tons.

The project was followed by the "Baltic", which was launched in November 21, 1903 and made her maiden voyage in June 29, 1904. She was the largest ship in the world at 23,876 gross tons until 1905, when the HAPAG's 24,581 gross ton "Kaiserin Auguste Victoria" surpassed her in tonnage. The popularity of White Star's Big Four was eventually overtaken by Cunard's "Lusitania" and "Mauretania", both of which were larger than the "Adriatic", at 24,541 gross tons the largest and also the fastest of the Big Four, but which was superseded in size before her launch by the "Lusitania".

Reference

* [http://www.greatoceanliners.net/celtic2.html The Great Ocean Liners: Celtic (II)]
* [http://www.greatoceanliners.net/cedric.html The Great Ocean Liners: Cedric]