A New Leviathan

The new Atlantic liner which Messrs Harland and Wolff Limited are building for the White Star Line will eclipse in size and tonnage the Olympic and the ill-fated Titanic. The new vessel will be called the Britannic in order to revive the name of one of the most distinguished vessels in the service of the company. So far as the general features are concerned, the new vessel will be similar to the Olympic, except that the tonnage will be almost 50,000 instead of 45,000 tons as in the case of its two predecessors. There will also be various improvements introduced into the new vessel, resulting from the experienced gained in the Olympic and in consequence of the Titanic disaster. The most important of these new features is the introduction of a complete inner hull, extending to a considerable height above the load line throughout the most vulnerable portions of the vessel. There will also be an increase in the number of water tight bulkheads, to make the ship safe against any conceivable contingency. The Olympic, which lost a propeller a few days ago, will also visit Belfast soon in order to undergo extensive alterations, including the construction of an inner hull similar to that which will be embodied in the construction of the new liner. Hitherto it was considered sufficient if a vessel could float with any two water-tight compartments pierced, but the Olympic and Britannic, besides having extra protection against serious damage, will be able to float with any six compartments flooded, and it is not considered possible that so many compartments could get into this condition. Therefore, the new liner and the Olympic will be made as safe as it is possible for human ingenuity to make them.

(Weekly Irish Times, September 21, 1912. p. 6)

Picture shows launch of the Britannic in February 1914.