RMS Carmania (1905)

RMS ''Carmania'' was a Cunard Line transatlantic steam turbine ocean liner. She was launched in 1905 and scrapped in 1932. In World War I she was first an armed merchant cruiser (AMC) and then a troop ship.

''Carmania'' was the sister ship of , although the two ships had different machinery. When new, the pair were the largest ships in the Cunard fleet.

Building

Leonard Peskett designed ''Carmania''. John Brown & Company built her, launching her on 21 February 1905 and completing her that November.

''Carmania'' had three propellers, each driven by a Parsons steam turbine. A high-pressure turbine drove her centre shaft. Exhaust steam from the centre turbine powered a pair of low-pressure turbines that drove her port and starboard shafts.

''Caronia'', which was launched the year before, had twin propellers which were driven by quadruple-expansion engines. The essentially identical ships with the two different sets of engines was an opportunity to compare operations and clarify the advantages and disadvantages of turbine engines.

''Carmania''s sea trials were in November 1905. On the nautical measured mile off Skelmorlie she achieved .

Another feature that differentiated the two liners was that ''Carmania'' had two tall forward deck ventilator cowls, which were absent on ''Caronia''.

As built, ''Carmania'' had berths for 2,650 passengers: 300 first class, 350 second class, 1,000 third class and 1,000 steerage class. Her holds included refrigerated cargo space.

Service

''Carmania'' left Liverpool 2 December 1905 for her maiden voyage to New York arriving 10 December. She completed the voyage in 7 days, 9 hours and 31 minutes, averaging over the route.

''Carmania'' plied between Liverpool and New York from 1905 to 1910. In the spring of 1906 she took H. G. Wells