SS Parisian
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- 1881: Nathaniel Dunlop
- 1882: J&A Allan
- 1898: Allan Line
 Print of Parisian as built, with two funnels, and her foremast and mainmast square-rigged | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Parisian |
| Owner |
|
| Operator | 1881: J&A Allan |
| Port of registry | Glasgow |
| Route | Liverpool – North America |
| Builder | Robert Napier and Sons, Govan |
| Yard number | 375 |
| Launched | 4 November 1880 |
| Completed | 1881 |
| Maiden voyage | 10 March 1881 |
| Refit | 1899 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Scrapped in Italy, 1914 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | transatlantic ocean liner |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 440.8 ft (134.4 m) |
| Beam | 46.2 ft (14.1 m) |
| Depth |
|
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 1 × screw |
| Sail plan |
|
| Speed | 14 knots (26 km/h) |
| Capacity | Passengers: 150 × 1st class; 100 × 2nd class; 1,000 × 3rd class |
| Crew | 1905: 150 |
| Notes | The first ship to have bilge keels. When new, the largest steel-hulled ship yet built. |
SS Parisian was a transatlantic ocean liner that was launched in Scotland in 1880, and operated by the Allan Line. She was the first ship to be equipped with bilge keels. When new, she was the largest steel-hulled ship yet built. She was Allan Line's largest ship until Castillian and Bavarian were completed in 1899.
Parisian was modernised with a new engine and masts in 1899, and from 1902 she was equipped with wireless telegraphy. A collision in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1905 sank her, but in shallow water in port, and she was raised and repaired. In 1912, she was one of the ships that transmitted warnings of sea ice to RMS Titanic. Parisian was sold for scrap in January 1914, and broken up in Italy.
Robert Napier and Sons of Govan built Parisian as yard number 375. She was launched on 4 November 1880,[1] and completed early in 1881. Her registered length was 440.8 ft (134.4 m), her beam was 46.2 ft (14.1 m), and her depth was 33.2 ft (10.1 m).[2] She had berths for 1,250 passengers: 150 in first class; 100 in second class; and 1,000 in third class.[3] Her tonnages were 5,154 GRT and 3,440 NRT. She had a single screw, driven by a three-cylinder compound engine that was rated at 933 NHP,[4] and gave her a speed of 14 knots (26 km/h). As built, Parisian had twin funnels.[3]
Parisian was registered in Glasgow. Her United Kingdom official number was 84294, and her code letters were VJSD. On 10 March 1881, Parisian left Liverpool on her maiden voyage, which was to Boston via Halifax.[3]
Her original owner was Nathaniel Dunlop,[5] with J&A Allan as her managers.[2] However, by 1882, Lloyd's Register listed J&A Allan as her owners.[6]
Refit and wireless
![](#/media/File:Tug_and_S.S._"Parisian,"_Montreal_harbour,_QC,_about_1870_(7598811244).jpg)
Parisian was refitted in 1899. Her obsolete compound engine was replaced with a three-cylinder triple-expansion engine that was built by Workman, Clark and Company of Belfast and rated at 774 NHP. One of her funnels was removed, and her masts were replaced with plain ones without spars, making her a four-masted schooner.[3]
In 1902, the Marconi Company installed wireless telegraphy aboard Parisian.[3] By 1913, her call sign was MZN.[7]
Albano
On 16 March 1905, Parisian left Liverpool for Canada. The next day she called at Moville in County Donegal, Ireland. She was carrying 748 passengers, 150 crew, 400 sacks of mail, and about 1,100 tons of cargo. Many of her passengers were emigrants, bound for the Northwest Territories. On the evening of 25 March, off Chebucto Head, Nova Scotia, she slowed to 1 to 2 knots (2 to 4 km/h) to await a pilot to take her into Halifax. The Hamburg America Line (HAPAG) steamship Albano, carrying 149 passengers, and bound for Philadelphia, was nearby and also awaiting a pilot. At about 17:00 hrs, Albano's bow struck Parisian's starboard quarter, about 30 feet (9 m) from her stern, just aft of her number 5 cargo hatch, making a hole about 4 feet (1.2 m) wide and 15 feet (4.6 m) deep.[8]
Parisian's Master, Captain J.M. Johnston, ordered her lifeboats to be swung out ready for launching, and ordered passengers to g to their lifeboat stations and don lifejackets. However, he also ordered the engine room to make full speed, for Parisian to try to cover the 15 nautical miles (28 km) to her berth in port as swiftly as possible. Several tugs came alongside to assist Parisian. In about 40 minutes she reached her berth, listing badly, and her sinking stern settled on the harbour bottom as she reached her berth. All of her passengers and most of her mail were disembarked unharmed, but much of her cargo was damaged by water. Albano's bow was twisted and leaking, and she also hurried into port, but her pumps kept pace with the water entering her forepeak.[8] Albano's Master, Captain Kudenhold, alleged that Parisian cut across his bow. HAPAG submitted a claim for $150,000 against J&A Allan in an Admiralty court.[9] However, the Exchequer Court of Canada found Albano to be fully at fault.[10]
