The fourth White Star Line ship, the Republic, was so named as she was launched on U.S.. Independence Day, July 4th, 1871, and she sailed from Liverpool on February 1st 1872, on her maiden voyage to New York.

Orders were also placed for two 3,850tons ships, Adriatic and Celtic, and these two ships were 17ft. (5.18m.) longer than the first four.

The Adriatic left Liverpool on April 11th, 1872, on her maiden voyage to New York, and the Celtic sailed from Liverpool on October 24th of the same year, on her maiden voyage to New York. The Celtic had undergone a change of name while fitting out.

She had been launched on June 8th 1872 as the Arctic, another Collins Line ship and a sister Ship to the ill-fated Pacific.

On September 27th 1854 The record-breaking paddle steamer Arctic had been in a collision in fog with the French steamship Vesta off Cape Race, while bound from

Liverpool to New York. The Arctic sank with the loss of 322 lives.

In May, 1872, the Adriatic became the first White Star Line passenger ship to win the coveted Blue Riband for the fastest westbound crossing of the Atlantic when she made the passage between Queenstown and Sandy Hook in seven Days, 23 hours and 17 minutes, at an average speed of 14.53 knots taking the title off the Scotia, of the Cunard S.S. Co. Which had held it since 1863.

In August 1896 the North Atlantic crossing was made in 6 days, 21 hours and 3 minutes but there was no attempt by the White Star Line to build for speed until the 20 knot vessels Teutonic and the Majestic entered service in 1889 which, incidentally, were the first ships to operate without sails.

1872

Ill-fated Joint Service

Thomas Henry Ismay was particularly well-known for his involvement in trade with the west coast of South America and in October, 1872, the White Star Line began a service from Liverpool to Chile and Peru, running in competition with the Pacific Steam Navigation Co. But the venture was not a success and the service ended in December 1873.

1872

The Blue Riband

The prize on the North Atlantic coveted by passenger shipping lines was the Blue Riband. The prize was for the fastest crossing eastbound from Sandy Hook in America to Queenstown in Ireland and westbound Queenstown to Sandy Hook.

Since 1863 the westbound title had been held by Scotia of Cunard S.S.Co

In January 1872 the Baltic took the Blue Riband for the fastest eastbound crossing, sailing between Sandy Hook and Queenstown in seven days, 20 hours nine minutes at an average speed of 15.09 knots. The eastbound title had been held since 1869 by the Inman Line’s City of Brussels.

In May 1872, the first White Star Line passenger ship to hold the coveted Blue Riband for the fastest westbound crossing of the Atlantic was the Adriatic. She made the passage between Queenstown and Sandy Hook in seven days, 23 hours and 17 minutes at an average speed of 14.53 knots. Taking the title from the Scotia.

The White Star Line held the title for the following years.

Westbound

1872 ~ Adriatic ~ 1875 ~ Germanic ~ 1876 ~ Britannic

1877 ~ Germanic ~ 1891 ~ Majestic ~ 1891 ~ Teutonic

Eastbound

1876 ~ Germanic ~ 1876 ~ Britannic

During these years the title was also held by ships of Cunard, the Inman Line and the Guion Line. The Teutonic and her sister ship Majestic were the first North Atlantic passenger liners to be built to Admiralty specification for use as armed merchant cruisers during time of war.

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