SS Florida (1905)

Florida was launched for Lloyd Italiano of Genoa, Italy at the Società Esercizio Bacini shipyard in Riva Trigoso, near Genoa, on 22 June 1905, and completed in September of that year. The ship was 116.1 metres (380 ft 11 in) long and had a beam of 14.3 metres (46 ft 11 in). She was assessed at 5,018 GRT and had a pair of triple expansion engines driving twin screw propellers. The ship could reach a maximum speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) and had two masts and two funnels. As built, she had the capacity to carry 25 1st-class and 1,600 steerage passengers.^[2] She had a sister ship, Virginia.

For her maiden voyage she sailed from Genoa on 18 September 1905, calling also at Naples, en route to Buenos Aires. Florida's next voyage was to inaugurate Lloyd Italiano's Genoa–Palermo–New York route, which she served until 1911.^[3]

In January 1909, Florida was on her usual route from Genoa and Palermo to New York, carrying 13 first class and 826 steerage passengers alongside her crew, under the command of 29-year-old Captain Angelo Ruspini. On the morning of 23 January, Florida entered a thick fog bank while 50 miles (80 km) off the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and consequently reduced her speed. At 5.47 am the British outbound RMS Republic of White Star Line suddenly emerged from the fog, in the path of Florida. Both ships took evasive action, but collision could not be averted. Florida's bow struck Republic amidships on her port side at about a right angle, level with her engine room.^[1] Florida's bow was crushed in at least 10 metres (32 ft 10 in), back to her collision bulkhead, killing three of her crew. Two of Republic's passengers were killed by the impact, and two more died later from their injuries.^[1][4]

The ships separated and, due to her forward collision bulkhead being intact, Florida was in no danger of sinking and remained controllable. The ship stayed alongside the damaged Republic, which sent out a CQD distress signal with her newly installed Marconi wireless telegraph system, one of the first to do so. Together with the first rescue ship to arrive, United States revenue cutter Gresham, Florida took on nearly all of Republic's passengers, becoming dangerously overloaded. That evening the White Star liner Baltic arrived, having responded to the radio distress signal. All the surviving passengers, from both ships, were transferred to Baltic, while the crew of Florida covered the damaged bow with a sail and followed Baltic to New York.^[2] Republic, on the other hand, could not be saved, and sank on 24 January without further loss of life. Florida was eventually assisted by two tugboats and arrived in New York on the morning of 26 January. Repairs were completed in just 24 days.^[5]