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Message |
    
Gabriel Gerard Scotto
Member
Username: rms_atlantic
Post Number: 23
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Friday, April 6, 2007 - 4:35 am: | 
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Lets just say for a minute it's 1916, you are the director of White star(Sanderson perhaps). You have just received news that in addition to "Arabic's" Sinking, your flagship "Britannic" has just sunk. Great. Two ships lost, and still no replacement for Titanic. What would you do? Here's what I'd do:
I'd attempt to ask (beg) the government to fund the construction of two new Olympic Class Liners, which would be controlled by the government until the end of the war(remember, you don't know the war is going to end in two years). One could be used as a second large troopship, the other for a hospital ship(to replace "Britannic"). The names of The Ships would be RMS "Patriotic(I)" and "Arabic(III)."
So what would you do? |
Timothy Trower
Member
Username: tjtrower
Post Number: 187
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Friday, April 6, 2007 - 5:00 am: |
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Which government? Not the British -- they were tied up with Cunard, and not likely to help an American steam ship company (which is what the White Star Line really was at that point). Not the American government either; I can't see Dishrag Wilson wanting to help what was viewed not only as a failed monopoly (the IMM) but a British steamship company -- which is what the rest of the world viewed White Star as!
Tim Trower
www.titanicbranson.com
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Michael H. Standart
Moderator
Username: mstandart
Post Number: 12382
Registered: 12-2000
| | Posted on Friday, April 6, 2007 - 5:58 am: |
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Even if wholly British owned, it's not likely the government would go for such a scheme. In 1916, quite a few ships were laid up waiting for use so there would be no need to fund construction for two ships that wouldn't be ready for service for at least three years.
White Star ultimately recieved compensation by way of war reparations after the end of hostilities, so there was no need to fund any further construction of any large vessels. The desire was there but market conditions ended up making short work of the line's ambitions.
Cordially,
Michael H. Standart
Equal Opportunity Curmudgeon
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Gabriel Gerard Scotto
Member
Username: rms_atlantic
Post Number: 24
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Friday, April 6, 2007 - 3:35 pm: |
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Sorry about this topic. |
Michael H. Standart
Moderator
Username: mstandart
Post Number: 12384
Registered: 12-2000
| | Posted on Friday, April 6, 2007 - 4:23 pm: |
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No need to apologize. It's a perfectly valid question and it gives us all an opportunity to discuss the history.
The funny thing is that White Star may well have considered some of what you proposed here. The Olympic's were always intended to be a trio with an eye towards maintaining a weekly service. The Titanic's loss threw the monkey wrench into those works, and world events that followed made sure that any hopes they had to fix the damage were never realized.
Cordially,
Michael H. Standart
Equal Opportunity Curmudgeon
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Brent Holt
Member
Username: brent_holt
Post Number: 185
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, April 22, 2007 - 12:12 am: |
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The Titanic was insured and White Star was compensated for the loss of Britannic. If I recall correctly, WS purchased Bismarck/Majestic for less than what the government gave them for Britannic.
The Columbus/Homeric was not the greatest choice for the express service because she was a little too slow, but WS could have re-engined her.
Nonetheless, WS was very competitive with Cunard in the 20s.
Brent |
