Sea Fever
A Flapper's Interpretation of Masefield
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky
And all I ask is the Belgenland, and a star to steer her by,
And a Ritz café, and a Roman bath, and bar on the upper deck,
And a quiet place near the wheelhouse where the boys and I can neck.
Oh, all I want is a game of bridge, and a book, and a cup of tea,
And a rowdy game of shuffleboard in a white skirt flowing free,
And a dance in the main companionway, with the ocean flat as glass,
In the arms of a group of college boys, travelling second class.
Oh, a hot tub in the morning, and the Ocean Times to read;
And some bouillon in my steamer chair, whenever I feel the need;
A porpoise or two to look at, an affair with a fellow-rover,
And a boat-train waiting at Cherbourg when the six-day trip is over!
Life
Adapting to changing times, Belgenland was also the world's first truly dual purpose large liner from the beginning of her career. A stranger to "WNA" (Winter North Atlantic), she instead circumnavigated the world seven times on some of the most celebrated cruises of her era. In doing so, she became the largest ship yet to visit almost all of her ports of call, the biggest on the Pacific Ocean and to transit the Panama and Suez canals. With 650 crew to look after them, her 450 passengers enjoyed standards of service and cuisine that made, for some, "the cruise of a lifetime," an oft repeated indulgence.
Like many great ships, Belgenland's career was relatively short and meteoric, and she instantly came to symbolise an age, sharing with Aquitania and Paris the status of celebrity that the Roaring 'Twenties invented: they were "it" ships of their era. Numbering among her passengers Rudolf Valentino, Hal Roach, Eleanor Roosevelt, "Legs" Diamond, Douglas Fairbanks and, most famously, Albert Einstein, Belgenland is one of greatest of all interwar liners to have, astonishingly, largely escaped the attention of contemporary ship historians and "enthusiasts."
So, in the Centenary year of her entering service in 1923 under the historic red star emblazoned white burgee of the equally overlooked Red Star Line, discover one of the "It" ships of her age, the beautiful
s.s. BELGENLAND
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| Belgenland at Antwerp by Albert Dohmen, 1922. Credit: MAS. |
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| The magnificent looking Belgenland sails from New York. Credit: Mariners' Museum, Eldredge Collection. |
Fifty years of service between American Atlantic Ports and the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, is a record of which any ocean steamship line might well be proud. Commissioning of the giant liner Belgenland seems a fitting climax to the achievement of the past as well as an earnest of that of the future.
American Shipping, May 1923
It is one of the remarkable coincidences of late 19th century steamship line development that arising from the desire to make Philadelphia a major trans-Atlantic passenger terminus to rival New York, something it would never achieve, would instead spur the creation of not one but two new lines that would quickly shift from rivals to partners and in doing so, quite revolutionise the international shipping business, quickly forgetting making the Delaware River a gateway to America.
The business history of American Line and Red Star Line is sufficiently complex and remote from the story of Belgenland, the last new ship to be built for the latter, to be merely summarised as a preamble. The American Line, founded in 1872 by Clement A. Griscom and financed by the Pennsylvania Railroad began an American-flag service between Liverpool and Philadelphia in May 1873. In 1872, another group of Philadelphia businessmen, aiming to profit off a surging emigrant market in Central Europe, financed an Antwerp-based line called the Société Anonymé de Navigation Belge-Américaine, a name so ponderous as to cry out for something snappier which came from the red star device with adorned the buff funnel of their steamers, starting with Vaderland (2,748-grt, 320 ft. x 38 ft.) which began the Antwerp-Philadelphia service of what was now called The Red Star Line in January 1873 and within three years was trading to New York.
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| A very early (c. 1876) poster for Red Star's new service from Antwerp to New York which would quickly replace Philadelphia as the U.S. terminus. Credit: Red Star Museum, Antwerpen. |
The real owner of this "Red Star Line" was the Philadelphia Steam Navigation Co. which was quickly renamed the International Navigation Company. And international it was, too for this was truly the first example of foreign, in this case American, capital owning and operating, under foreign flags and with foreign-built and manned ships, overseas services under different names. In 1884 INN acquired American Line by which time New York not Philadelphia was the principal terminus of both American and Red Star In 1886, the INN purchased the legendary but bankrupt Inman Line, and the organisation restyled themselves as the Inman and International Steamship Co. In exchange for a U.S. mail contract, Inman's City of New York and City of Paris went to American Line under the U.S. flag.
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| By 1893, Red Star had adopted, as did American Line, the Inman Line funnel colours. Credit: Flickr. |
The combine now had American, British and Belgian flag companies to do their bidding and began, to the confusion and dismay of ensuing generations of steamship historians, shift ships at will between all of them, a practice facilitated by the adoption of the Inman funnel colours of black with a white band for all their ships. What were once ships of states and a business imbued with nationalism as much as the love of ships and sea, was now largely run by bankers and financiers who viewed vessels as so many railway wagons that could be shunted at will as tools of profit rather than national purpose or objects of patriotism.
Out of this often bewildering co-mingling of lines, ships, routes, nationalities and purposes, came profit although at a time when unregulated immigrant traffic and largely free trade it was hard not to make money in the shipping trade. Out of the successful business model of the INN, that ultimate international financier, J.P. Morgan, saw an opportunity create a monopoly, a "trust," to effectively control much of the lucrative trans-Atlantic shipping trade as he had done in so many industries.
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| IMM brochure, c. 1903. Credit: National Museums NI. |
Concurant with Red Star Line adding the final pair of new ships, the American-built Kroonland (12,760-grt, 560 ft. x 60 ft.) and Finland of 1902 to the British-built Vaderland (1900) and Zeeland (1901), INN began negotiations with Morgan, the result being his using the combine to effect his epic scheme. Now renamed the International Mercantile Marine Co. and refinanced from £3 mn. to an extraordinary £24 mn, in February 1902, the combine soon purchased Leyland, Dominion, Atlantic Transport and, the ultimate prize, White Star Line in quick succession. Having paid far too much for all of them, White Star in particular, during the absolute high water mark for shipping profits, the whole scheme was doomed from the onset. White Star assumed such primacy, too, that the IMM would consign much of what it bought-- Dominon and Leyland in particular-- to obscurity and a slow death while ironically all that American capital did absolutely nothing to further American Line.
Except for White Star, Red Star as by rights as the progenitor of the whole IMM scheme, benefited the most from the new enterprise. The new Vaderland, Zeeland, Kroonland and Finland prospered on the Antwerp-New York run and as a whole, Red Star ships carried 47,000 Third Class passengers westbound in 1902 and by 1905, it was 59,000 and the line came to dominate the Central European and especially Jewish immigrant trade to America which only grew in the wake of the pogroms against Jewry in the Russian Empire. Antwerp became the great gateway on the voyage to freedom from religious persecution that had as its destination New York and yes, even Philadelphia, as the line had not completely forgotten their roots.
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| No other line had as distinctive a style in their image as imparted by posters, postcards and other promotional material as did Red Star Line thanks to their long commissioned artist, Belgian Henri Cassiers. Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen. |
Red Star, despite their American ownership, managed a distinctive Belgian if not Continental style all their own. Much of the line's image was derived from the unique art nouveau artwork for posters, brochures and menu covers by Belgian artist Henri Cassiers (1858-1944) while the cuisine and service aboard was in the best Continental manner, giving credence to the old bromide that if one desires the best in French cooking, one must dine in Belgium. Antwerp, the great Flemish port, was part of the Red Star ethos, the company artwork contrasting the spires of the Gothic Cathedral of our Lady with the towers of business in Manhattan. But Red Star ships came to be registered in Britain more than Belgium and their crews were the first truly international staff in the liner trade, the stewards being Belgian, British, Swiss or German. And their officers from just as many nationalities. During her entire career, Belgenland never had a Belgian captain but ones born in the United States, Canada and Britain, and as events proved, never flew the Belgian ensign.
The IMM considerably stengthened Red Star's management in Antwerp. This had a distinct German character, reflecting the more than 20,000 business and shipping men of German nationality or birth who dominated much of the city's commerce. Carl Eduard Strasser (b.1853) who settled in Antwerp from Munich in 1873, already was known as "Tssar of the Port of Antwerp" and owned a coffee company and was a shareholder in many companies, was appointed Director in 1902, and Assistant Director was German-born Von der Becke who was an oil importer and active in shipping as well.
Strasser, more than any Red Star Director, remade the company in the years before the Great War, both improving conditions and facilities for the carriage of the company's main trade, emigrants, rationalising the fleet, and determined that Red Star compete for the First and Second Class trade with their great rival, Holland America Line. The fact that NASM were, in fact, majority owned by the IMM until 1915, did not in the least diminish the traditional rivalry between Rotterdam and Antwerp. Now flush with IMM capital, both lines embarked on newbuilding programmes that would completely change the character and the quality of their ships which, as with all IMM projects, were Belfast-built, by Harland & Wolff, itself a shareholder in IMM.
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| An icon of The Edwardian Ocean Liner, the splendid Lapland (1909-1934), doubtless the most successful Red Star liner of them all. Credit: Antwerp Port Authority Photo Archives via shippinghistory.com |
Following Holland America's introduction of the 16,967-grt, 603 ft. x 68.9 ft Nieuw Amsterdam in April 1906 and the 24,149-grt, 650 ft. x 77 ft. Rotterdam in June 1908, Red Star finally replied with the 17,540-grt, 605 ft. x 70 ft. Lapland, "The exemplification of the Western Ocean liner, with all its elegance, " (Laurence Dunn, Famous Liners of the Past, Belfast Built), the largest liner ever registered in Belgium and the most successful of all Red Star liners, in April 1909. Accommodating 450 First, 400 Second and 1,500 Third Class passengers, Lapland was an instant success and her superb accommodation found her being in demand for winter cruise charters. She showed the way forward for Red Star and Strasser was determined to match Holland America ship by ship thereafter.
He soon got the opportunity as, with the introduction of the Olympic in June 1911, the one great triumph of the IMM, the Edwardian Ocean Liner Era reached its zenith and she would spur slightly reduced versions for Holland America Line and Red Star Line within the year. Both were constrained in size not just by their market and route but by the restrictions of their homeports of Rotterdam and Antwerp respectively, the latter being especially challenging with a 45-mile meandering, shoal and river traffic infested transit of the River Scheldt from the sea to the port.
Considering NASM and Red Star at the time were close corporate cousins who shared the same builder, their ship designs and criteria behind them was hardly a secret from each other. Within months in early 1912, both were finalising plans with Harland & Wolff for, by far, the largest liners yet conceived for them.
Planning of a new and much larger consort for Lapland was, as often, inspired by good business, and when decided upon, occurred when traffic fell off, albeit temporarily. Reporting on figures released for the past year for Red Star Line, the Liverpool Journal of Commerce of 16 January 1912 reported "a considerable decrease in the volume of its passenger traffic. Particularly remarkable is this decrease in the third class, where 56,919 persons travelled by the company's boats against 69,518 in 1910-- a diminution of 13,000. The first class passenger business was also on the decline-- 6,808 against 8,476. Second class travellers numbered 19,212, against 20,269 in 1910. The total number of miles run by the various boats of the company's fleet was 789,175, against 792,184 in 1910." It presaged the challenge the new ship would always have in attracting satisfactory passenger carryings on the Atlantic Run. Yet, in 1913, the line went on to carry a record 117,000 passengers.
The most important contract announced during the week was for a new Red Star liner a vessel of some 30,000 tons gross, and capable of accommodating about 3,000 passengers. This went, of course, to Messrs. Harland and Wolff, Limited, Belfast, who build all the ships for the International Mercantile Marine Company. Queen's Island must now be fuller of leviathan liners than ever it has been since shall we say?-its reclamation.
Syren & Shipping, 13 March 1912.
Not deterred, IMM proceeded with a major order for Red Star in early March 1912, which saw the combine at its very height with the new Olympic the wonder of the world and her sister almost complete. It was nothing less than a Golden Age for the Ocean Liner which in engineering, style and ship of state confidence summed up the Edwardian Age. Ironically, the Red Star liner would be the only one of an exceptional group of liners ordered in 1912 that would actually see service with her originally intended owners when the Edwardian Age seemed but a distant memory in the wake of the first global war.
First reported by the Neptune in Antwerp the previous day, the Liverpool Journal of Commerce followed up on 7 March 1912 that Red Star Line had placed an order with Harland & Wolff for a new ship for the Antwerp-New York service, "which is to be 665 feet long," and carry about 3,000 passengers. It was added that "contrary to the usual Red Star type, the new vessel will have three funnels and three screws, and her speed will be superior to any of the company's steamers." The Victoria Daily Times reported more details on the 25th, the new vessel to be 670 ft. in length (overall) with a beam of 77 ft. and with a tonnage "greater than that of any steamer of the International Mercantile Marine Co.'s lines, except for Olympic and Titanic."
Between the placing of the order and laying the keel of the new Red Star liner, the world, shipping industry, the fortunes and fate of IMM and much of the unbounded confidence of The Age, were shaken to their core by the appalling tragedy of Titanic on her maiden voyage in April 1912. IMM President and White Star Chairman, J. Bruce Ismay, who survived the sinking and vilified in the press, would resign from both positions the following June. Another founding figure in the combine, Clement A. Griscom, died, aged 71, on 10 November 1912. IMM would never really recover from the disaster and the ensuing world war.
Holland America placed an order with Harland & Wolff on 11 June 1912 for what was and remains the largest foreign-flag passenger ship ever ordered from a British yard, the 32,234-grt, 740 ft. x 86 ft. Statendam. This was laid down in advance of the Red Star liner, on 11 July, as no. 436.
The Red Star newbuilding was assigned no. 391 and as so often with Harland & Wolff, this assumed the number originally designated for another vessel, in this case HAPAG's 44,500-grt Europa which had been ordered in September 1906 but cancelled the following year following the American stock market crash. Even more confusingly, no. 391 was briefly assigned to the initially considered 80,000-grt replacement for Titanic, to be named Ceric.
The keel of the new Red Star liner was laid on 16 March 1913 at Harland & Wolff, Slipway no. 1, Belfast. She joined no. 433 (Britannic) laid down on 30 November 1911 on no. 2 slipway, and no. 436 (Statendam) which had been underway on no. 3 slipway from 11 July 1912: a truly remarkable and indeed unprecedented trio of big liners under construction side by side at Belfast. Titanic notwithstanding, Harland & Wolff were enjoying a true Golden Age.
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| It's 24 May 1913 and Belgenland's tank tops are well underway on Slip no. 1, Harland & Wolff, Belfast. Note the White Star's Ceramic near the end of her fitting out. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Another early construction photo c. May 1913. Credit: National Museums NI. |
On 2 April 1914 it was reported that she would be named Belgenland, taking the name of the famous first ship so-named which served from 1879 to 1904.
Indicative of better times, the IMM annual report for the 1913 fiscal year ending 31 December and released on 22 June 1914 showed a surplus for the year that was double that of 1912 or $5,716,959. This compared with $3,787,911 in 1912 and $4,509,269 in 1911. This paid out a 6% dividend to shareholders. The report confirmed the order of two ships for White Star Line; the 33,600-grt, 19-knot Germanic (an improved Adriatic) to enter service in 1916, and the passenger-cargo Vedic of 8,850 grt for delivery in late 1915.
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| A 1914 Red Star sailing list featured the new flagship. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
The IMM annual report stated: "It has been decided to name the Red Star Line steamer now under construction at Belfast, the Belgenland. This passenger and cargo steamer, as stated in last year's report, is of the Lapland type, and will be of about 26,500 tons. It is expected she will be completed in time to take her place in the service between New York and Antwerp in April, 1915. Your directors are so well satisfied with the result of operating the Lapland and are so sanguine regarding the earning capacity of the new Belgenland that the construction of a third steamer of this type for the Red Star Line has been decided upon which it is hope can be delivered in time to enter the New York-Antwerp service in 1916, materially strenghening this important branch of the company's business." (San Francisco Journal and Daily Journal of Commerce, 22 June 1914).
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| Framing the hull. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Hull frames ready for installation. Credit: National Museums NI. |
The sister ship to Belgenland, to be named Nederland (720 ft. x 83 ft), was laid down at Belfast as Yard No. 469 on 5 March 1914. The reader is recommended to the below extensive blog on Nederland:
https://hajosnep.blog.hu/2022/01/01/nederland_1914_the_unfinished_giant_steamer_of_the_red_star_line
A glorious new era for Red Star Line was cut short within months with the outbreak of The Great War that August. Not only was Belgium the first country directly effected by the war, but its evolving global character put increasing pressure on Britain's shipping and shipbuilding. The keel structure of Nederland was the first sacrificed, removed in November to make room for the Royal Navy monitors Abercrombie and Havelock which were laid down on 12 December 1914. Work on Belgenland had temporarily ceased, but was resumed towards the end of the year so as to launch her and clear the slipway for war related construction.
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| Belgenland on the ways just prior to her launching. Credit: Mariners' Museum, Eldredge Collection. |
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| Final work being done on her stern prior to launching. Credit: Shipbuilding & Shipping Record. |
On 3 December 1914, it was announced that Belgenland would be launched on the 17th, but "owing to unforeseen circumstances," this was postponed to "later in the month."
The launch of this fine, large passenger steamer by Messrs. Harland & Wolff, Ltd., at Belfast on the 31st December, is a significent indication of the faith of the managers of the line in the restoration of Antwerp to its former position in the commerce between Europe and America. The retention of the name Belgenland for the steamer and Antwerp as the port of registry, notwithstanding the present position of affairs, may be regarded as the prophetic and even defiant answer of commercial enterprise and knowledge to the unwarranted act of aggression that has temporarily closed the commerce of one of the great ports of the world. In due time we venture to believe the Belgenland will take her place in the Antwerp-New York service under the Belgian flag and it will be very appropriate that the Red Star sailings from Antwerp should be resumed, after the redemption of Belgium, by a larger steamer than any hitherto sailing to that port-an augury of future greatness and prosperity worthy of a nation of heroes. We look forward confidently to the time when the Belgenland, one of the largest and most efficient instruments of commerce, shall enter Antwerp as the harbinger of peace and coming prosperity.
The Marine Engineer and Naval Architect, February 1915
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| Proudly bearing the name of her intended port of registry-- Antwerpen-- Belgenland just before launching on 31 December 1914. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Belgenland "takes the water." Credit: Pacific Marine Review, January 1915. |
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| Belgenland safely afloat. |
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| Belgenland being warped alongside the fitting-out berth. Credit: Mariners' Museum, Eldredge Collection. |
With even less ceremony than afforded most Harland & Wolff launchings, Belgenland was sent down the ways on the last day of 1914. Newspaper coverage was still fulsome for wartime if only on account of her name and registry, Belgium assuming the strategic and emotional heart of the Great War and Antwerpen having only recently fallen to the Germans after a 12-day seige. That name, proudly emblazoned on Belgenland's stern, defiantly retained as her port of registry, ensured the launch of a vessel without a homeport to go to or a service to operate, was, like everything else, caught up in the war.
Reporting on the launch, the Liverpool Echo (1 January 1915) stated the ship would accommodate 660 First Class, 350 Second Class and over 2,000 Third Class, "the first class accommodation including a number of cabines de luxe on the bridge deck."
Belgenland's launch capped a notable year for Harland & Wolff which Page's Engineering Weekly of 1 January 1915 called "a truly remarkable record of production, unique in the history of any individual shipyard in the country. The firm has constructed II passenger and cargo steamers aggregating 182,759 tons, figures that have not been approached by a good many thousands of tons by any shipbuilding yard in the past." In addition to Belgenland, Britannic and Statendam, the Belfast yard had launched Orbito, Almanzora, Apapa and Euripides among others.
This magnificent vessel was constructed during the war, and had to be fitted out temporarily as a cargo carrier, owing to the great need which then existed for tonnage. Five years of constant service as one of the world's largest cargo carriers had not added to her beauty, nor yet impaired her usefulness, but from the very beginning she had been destined for higher things than a freight ship. Only the stern necessities of war compelled her temporary completion in 1917 as the Belgic of the White Star fleet.
American Shipping, May 1923.
It was said that the main aim of the IMM was to ensure that every single vessel belonging to their component lines wind up wearing White Star colours at some point. The Great War as it morphed in the World War, ensured that would be the case for Red Star's war interrupted flagship, although the colours were the dazzle camouflage of a transport ship and her duties ensued only after a long idleness that seemed at odds with the chaos and activity of war that surrounded her idle hull.
1915
The Belgenland is finely equipped both from the passenger carrying and the engineering point of view, and it is to be hoped that at the completion of the construction the position of international affairs will be such as to give this new vessel her proper place in the important fleet which plies between the old world and the new.
International Marine Engineering, August 1915
This would be the beginning of the "long war" as the Western Front stagnated into static trench defensives, the Eastern Front offered massive battles with no immediate strategic results and there was a steady attrition of British merchant tonnage owing to the one truly effective weapon of the war, the submarine.
The massive hull of Belgenland would spend all of 1915 collecting rust and bird droppings tied up in a backwater of an otherwise bustling Harland & Wolff. The Red Star fleet, its Antwerp homeport in German hands, was re-registered in Britain and scattered among other IMM lines in war service. The war brought enormous profits to IMM's neutral (American and Dutch) flagged lines and that, and the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, prompted the creation of a spin-off of American Line, the Panama Pacific Line, to operate a trans-coastal service via the canal with the U.S. flagged Kroonland and Finland in 1915 until the canal was temporarily closed by mudsides and the pair went on American Line's New York-Liverpool run, netting large profits.
Against all this upheaval, the already tottering IMM went into receivership in April 1915. Appointed received, P.A.S. Franklin (1871-1939) assisted by banker F.W. Scott performed a minor miracle to refinance the combine into solvency but with no capital to rebuild it after the war and with a determination to transform it into an American-flag operation and sell off the foreign flag holdings as the occasion arose.
Forlorn and nearly forgotten, the glory that was to be Belgenland seemed a distant and increasingly unlikely reality.
1916
Ever mounting losses to British merchantmen would not see Belgenland remain incomplete and idle forever in a war that now seemed determined to last that long and in 1916, the first stirrings to find a role for the ship began. It was reported (Star Weekly) on 15 January 1916 that Belgenland would be completed for White Star Line and, renamed Homeric, enter the Liverpool-New York service with "her first trip early in the spring." This just added more confusion surrounding no. 470 at Belfast, originally to be named Germanic and changed, for obvious reasons to Homeric. The keel, laid down on 9 July 1914, was like Nederland's, removed to clear the slipway, although astonishingly relaid in May 1916 and after several starts and stops, dismantled for good in August 1917. In any event, nothing came of the report and Belgenland continued to languish in Belfast but not for much longer.
By order signed on 17 March 1916 in Federal District Court in New York, Belgenland's ownership was transferred from the Société Anonymé de Navigation Belge-Americaine to the International Navigation Company Ltd, of Great Britain, as had all the line's Belgian-registered ships following the fall of Antwerp. Work was immediately resumed on the vessel, but initially more to clear Harland & Wolff's fitting out basin. On 21 April it was reported that "Belfast shipbuilding are working at highest pressure finishing the 36,000-ton vessel, the Statendam, built for the Holland-American line, and Belgenland, the 27,000-ton ship, launched for the Red Star line. The former will be ready about Easter, but the latter will not be finished before the end of the summer."
1917
A new reason for the sudden urgency to complete Statendam and Belgenland was reported in the American press on 24 February 1917. To break the German submarine blockade of England, British officials were said to be considering establishing an express trans-Atlantic cargo service between New York and Liverpool using the biggest and fastest liners-- Aquitania, Olympic, France, Statendam, Mauretania and Belgenland-- reckoned to be able to outrun any submarine.
Statendam was duly completed as Justicia on 9 April 1917, her name reflecting her Cunard management under British operation.
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| Austerity cargo ship nothwithstanding, Belgic had a rakish quality that even her spectacular dazzle paint could not disguise. Credit: National Museums Liverpool |
With as many as 2,000 men working on her, Belgenland, unlike Statendam, was completed as an austerity cargo ship and handed over on 21 June 1917, renamed Belgic (IV) under White Star management. If her name was a pleasing reworking (and the only time a name had been used by no fewer than four White Star liners), so, too, was her profile. Unlike most of the wartime emergency completion of various liners started just before the way, she and Union SS's Aotearoa (completed in 1915 as the Armed Merchant Cruiser Avenger) were the most handsome, being fitted with their originally intended funnels, in Belgic's case, her two working funnels, but without superstructure and a temporary bridge structure and three masts. She rather resembled an enormous turn of the century torpedo boat, totally belying her 24,547 grt and her astonishing deadweight of 22,025 tons, making her the largest cargo carrier in the world and not matched until Minnewaska and Minnetonka after the war.
By the time Belgic entered service, the United States had entered the war and the entire nature of allied shipping was reoriented to the transport and supply of the American forces over the coming months but for the remainder of 1917, Belgic plied her intended cargo only service. She completed voyages from Liverpool to New York 21 June-23 July 1917 and 9 August-15 September. On the latter she was unsuccessfully attacked by U-155 off the southern coast of Ireland. In a report submitted by Vice Admiral Sims, commending the actions of Ensign H.N. Fallon, it was stated:
On September 14, 1917, while escorting the Belgic in a fog, what appeared to be a submarine in awash condition was discovered approximately 800 yards on the starboard bow of the Belgic. The O'Brien was at that time 400 yards from the Belgic. The fog lay in banks and for a short time obscured the submarine. The O'Brien was promptly headed for the submarine at full speed, and every effort was made to bring the guns to bear upon the rapidly submerging submarine before she submerged. This was impossible, due to the fog. About a minute after she disappeared we arrived on the slick, which was quite noticeable, and let go a depth charge. There was no apparent damage to the submarine by the depth charge, but I am confident that the prompt action of Ensign Fallon, the officer of the watch, saved the Belgic from being torpedoed.
Annual Report of the Secretary of the Navy, 1918.
Belgic made another cargo voyage 9 October-15 November 1917.
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| Belgic outbound in New York in 1918, plain grey replacing the dazzle camouflage. Credit: Wikipedia. |
1918
In 1918, Belgic was converted in the United States to carry as many as 3,200 troops or the equal of three battalions. She made arrivals at Liverpool from New York on 31 May and 13 September. With the Armistice, newspaper resumed their sailing lists and she left New York on 3 December and arrived at Liverpool on the 13th. She was repainted, interestingly enough, in full Red Star Line livery despite her White Star management and "-ic" name.
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| American Red Cross volunteers on the pier head welcoming Belgic. Credit: U.S. National Archives. |
1919
On 2 January 1919 IMM announced that Red Star Line would resume passenger service "late this month" and the company "is awaiting only the release of its vessels Lapland, Finland, Zeeland and Kroonland by the British and United States governments. Meanwhile chartered ships will take care of the freight traffic." Instead, it would be full year before this occurred with Lapland running on the White Star Liverpool to New York service and the other ships still trooping, including Belgic. Indeed she would be invaluable in coming months in the repatriation of thousands of American and Canadian soldiers from Europe.
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| Wonderful close-up view of Belgic docking at New York giving an indication of her true size. Credit: U.S. National Archives. |
The liner Belgic, largest transport that has reached this port in the past two weeks, passed the Statue of Liberty this morning with 3,000 singing soldiers and docked at Pier 58, North River.
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 16 January 1919.
If Belgic's outward voyages the previous year carrying American troops to the European battle front were accomplished in the usual wartime obscurity, her reverse duty enjoyed considerable newspaper and public attention. On 10 January 1919 the War Department announced that she was due at New York on the 13th from Brest with the First and Second Battalions, 40th Infantry, totalling some 36 officers and 2,436 men plus various other detachments, bringing the total aboard to 3,276. She was met off Quarantine at 10:00 a.m. by the police boat Patrol and "the Street Cleaning Department Band played old familiar tunes for the boys who were overflowing rails and shrouds, ventilators, and all lofty perches on the steamer." (Evening World). Belgic sailed, along with Mauretania, on 13 March for Liverpool.
Belgic departed instead on the 16 April 1919 in such "boisterous weather" that she could not put alongside the Landing Stage and embarked her 3,237 returning Canadian personnel, including the Dalhousie Hospital Unit and Canadian Light Horse, in Canada Dock. She arrived at Halifax on the 23rd and her Vancouver and Victoria boys made a record trip all the way from Liverpool in just 12½ days. Sailing from New York on 3 May for Liverpool, Belgic had among her cargo a large shipment of fresh meat.
The International Mercantile Marine Co., which had been pulled out of receivership in 1915 by P.A.S. Franklin, looked for a buyer for its foreign flag lines, eager to concentrate on what had made it the only real profits during the war: their American-flagged vessels. The only foreign flag line not mentioned for eventual disposal was Red Star. Now, Franklin took steps to strengthen the line's management in a still war devastated Antwerp at a time when German or German born businessmen in the port were being forced out.
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| P.V.G. Mitchell, Resident Director of Red Star Line, Antwerp, 1919-1926. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
At a special meeting of Red Star Line in Antwerp in May 1919, the resignation of the Managing Director, Mr. Carl Edouard Strasser, was accepted and Mr. P.V.G. Mitchell, formerly of New York and now residing in Antwerp, was elected his successor. Mitchell had been for some years IMM's Assistant General Manager in Montreal. Mr. Antoine Franck was elected a director, replacing Mr. Antoine Zittling, a German. Sadly, Strasser who had been the one most responsible for Lapland and Belgenland and laying the foundations of new Red Star Line, would not see his ambitions realised at the head of the line he had largely remade. However, P.V.G. Mitchell, who moved to Antwerp, would prove an equal champion of Red Star and oversee both the resumption of their passenger service at the beginning of 1920 but also work tirelessly to regain Belgic from government control and complete her as Belgenland.
Shipbuilding and Shipping Record of 1 May 1919 reported :In the Canada and Huskisson Docks, Liverpool, recently, were nine steamers of the associated White Star, Dominion and American Lines, aggregating 131,390 tons gross, ranging from the Belgic, 24,547 tons, to the Dominion, 7,037 tons, the value representing about £4,000,000 sterling. It is questionable whether a single organisation has ever had such vast tonnage in port at one time.
Belgic was to have sailed from Liverpool for New York on 12 June 1919 but owing to a strike by stewards over overtime pay which had started aboard the CPOS liner Scotian, stewards belonging to the Dominion liner Canada, Belgic and Baltic walked out in sympathy and their sailings cancelled. Then, a strike among flatmen in Liverpool made coaling impossible and White Star had to indefinitely cancel Belgic, Baltic and Vedic's sailings. The strike was not settled until the 23rd and Belgic (Capt. R.O. Jones) was finally able to be on her way that day for Halifax with 3,290 men, mostly from Eastern Ontario units. She arrived on 1 July at midnight and docked at 5:00 a.m. at Pier 3 and the first of three special trains, carrying 500 men, left at 7:35 a.m. for Ottawa. She made the passage in fine weather and clocked a steaming time of 6 days 3½ hours despite taking the southern route. In addition to her soldiers, she had 1,700 parcels of mail. She proceeded to New York whence she departed for Liverpool on the 12th, arriving on the 21st.
With 64 officers and 2,703 other ranks, Belgic sailed from Liverpool on 16 August 1919 for Halifax and New York. She arrived, together with Saxonia (with 1,800 troops aboard) on the 23rd. Belgic reported an "uneventful voyage of seven days" across. She sailed from New York for Liverpool on 4 September.
With Canadian troops and mail, Belgic left from Liverpool on 4 October 1919 for Halifax and New York. A British railway strike meant quick work by the Canadians to organise road transport to take their 600 men from Manchester and London to Liverpool by road transport. Belgic reached Halifax on the morning of the 12th and proceeded to New York where she docked on the 14th. Aboard were Capt. G. E. Butler among about 160 P&O officers and crew who come over to take the U. S. transport Mobile (the former HAPAG liner Cleveland) to England. Due to a rather remarkable oversight, these men, including Goan stewards, had not been manifested properly as crew but as passengers who were subject to U.S. immigration regulations. Without visas, there were not allowed to land and interned at Ellis Island until the State Dept. determined their status. In the end, they languished for over a month.
On her homeward passage, Belgic arrived at Liverpool on 28 November 1919, "carrying a huge cargo"… this steamer which rendered great service during the war, not only as a troopship, but as a conveyance for foodstuffs in vast quantities at a critical juncture, is continuing to carry huge cargos of a miscelaneous character associated with United States exports." (Evening Express, 29 November 1919).
Belgic left Liverpool 17 December 1919 and put into Le Havre to embark 3,200 Chinese coolies for repatriation via Canada and onwards on Canadian Pacific. They had been employed as labourers for the allied forces in France. Arriving at Halifax on Christmas Day, her passengers were not landed until the following day and entrained for Vancouver. Belgic sailed on the 28th for Boston
On Christmas Eve, Red Star's New York-Antwerp passenger service was finally reopened with the sailing of Lapland (which had kept her Red Star colours through her White Star sailings that year). Also retained was her British registry under IMM's International Navigation Co. Ltd, Liverpool, and this would apply to all formerly Belgian-registered ships as they returned to commercial service.
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| Passenger list May 1920 for Lapland. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
1920
Belgic would not be yet joining Lapland on the New York-Antwerp run. Indeed, she ended her troop carrying and instead operated as a cargo carrier and as such, transport capacity of loads of U.S. War Relief supplies to Britain.
In February, Belgic came to the aid of the U.S. Shipping Board steamer Hilton (2,234 grt), which departed Rotterdam on 9 February for Boston and encountered very heavy weather and ran out of coal. Belgic (which left Liverpool on the 4th) went to her aid and transferred eight tons of coal at sea, 150 miles off Siasconset, Mass, on the 29th. This was accomplished at considerable effort by sacks of coal taken out by the ship's boats in a very heavy swell.
A strike by wireless operators delayed Belgic's scheduled departure from Liverpool on 19 June 1920 when seamen and firemen refused to sail without them. She eventually departed on the 23rd.
Whilst at New York, Belgic was the scene of a remarkable "shoot out" between White Star Line detectives and men of the West 20th St. Police Station, with members of the ship's crew, the evening of 2 July 1920. Whilst detectives were investigating the disappearance of "$60,000 in dry goods" among the cargo from Belgic, firemen and greasers begin carrying "bundles" down the gangplank at 2 a.m. When approached by the detectives, a thirty-shot gunfight ensued and one of the suspects lept overboard and drowned, whilst his compatriots threw their goods overboard and fled back aboard. Twelve firemen are arrested, four for theft and eight for disorderly conduct. During the ensuing trial, it was disclosed that between $3-5 mn. in goods had been stolen from IMM ships in the past year by organised thieves.
On her return passage, Belgic reverted briefly to a troop transport, calling at Halifax on 14 July 1920 to embark, along with Minnekahda, 6,500 Slovak soldiers who were transhipping from Siberia via Vancouver, home.
Red Star's operations resumed a weekly frequency with the return to service of Kroonland in March, Finland the next month and finally Zeeland in August and in all, 38,219 westbound and 25,673 eastbound passengers were carried on 30 voyages. The company began a new emigrant service from Libau, Danzig and Hamburg and Red Star were back in the thick of their traditional immigrant business. What was missing was their erstwhile flagship.
P.A.S. Franklin, President of IMM, returning in Celtic on 20 July 1920, stated that Belgic and Minnekahda would be reconditioned for passenger service. Before sailing from New York in Zeeland on 4 September 1920, White Star's Engineering Superintendent W.J. Willett Bruce told a reporter that Harland & Wolff would not be able to accommodate the rebuilding of Belgic into Belgenland until the following March. Occasioned by material and labour shortages, strikes and unrest in Northern Ireland, Harland & Wolff simply could not take on so large a project and so long was the delay that Belgic ran out of work as a cargo ship and would wind up laid up awaiting her turn at Belfast.
Berthed at Pier 61, North River, New York, recently was the world's largest freighter, the Belgic, of the International Mercantile Marine Company's fleets. The Belgic's deadweight capacity is something more than 22,000 tons. She is 670 feet long and 78 feet beam. Her registered tonnage is 24,547 gross and she burns oil. Designed as a combination passenger and freight carrier of the Red Star Line's service between New York and Antwerp, and built at Belfast, the Belgic was finished up hastily in 1918 and rushed into service as a trooper. Since the close of the war she has been operated under the White Star flag.
It is stated that she will soon be taken in hand for completion as originally designed, by the addition of two decks to embody the latest features in passenger carrying equipment, and that as the Belgenland (her original name) she will be put into the Red Star Line service when the work is completed. She will be the largest ship to ply to a Belgian port.
Marine Engineering, November 1920
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| Early rendering of Belgenland at Antwerp. Credit: Vrienden van de Red Star Line vzw |
1921
The New Year would finally see some real expectation that Belgic could soon begin her rebuilding into Belgenland and a flurry of reports to the effect, as well as other improvements institigated by a busy P.V.G. Mitchell settling into his new role as Resident Director, Antwerp:
P. V. G. Mitchell, European manager for the Red Star Line, with headquarters at Antwerp, has been in New York the past week for conferences with P. A. S. Franklin, president, and other officials of the International Mercantile Marine Company, which owns the Red Star. The line has its own office building in Antwerp, and when the work of enlargement is completed, in the spring, will have the finest booking offices in any Continental port.
Facilities for handling the Red Star Line's third-class traffic out of Antwerp are also being enlarged. Plans are in hand for a large debarkation station, which will contain extensive medical examination rooms, baths, disinfecting plant and waiting rooms. It is expected that the station will be ready for use before the end of 1921.
In a few weeks work will begin on the completion of the 26,000-ton steamship Belgenland, formerly the Belgic, as a first, second and third class carrier of the line, and it will be the largest and most elegantly fitted vessel to enter the port of Antwerp.
Three other ships of the Red Star fleet that will play an important part in travel from Continental Europe in the future are the Gothland, now in the Danzig-New York trade, the Samland, now being outfitted at Antwerp, and the Poland, on which reconditioning work is nearing completion at Rotterdam. All three are for third class passengers only, and are exceptionally well equipped. The Gothland was formerly the Gothic, of the White Star Line, and the Poland formerly the Manitou, of the Atlantic Transport Line.
The Marine Journal, 8 January 1921
Belgic sailed from New York on 30 March 1921 for Liverpool where she arrived on 10 April. Among her cargo was 4,270 sheep carcasses, 1,288 carcasses of port and 1,442 boxes of meat. Although initially scheduled to depart on the 26th, her White Star career as a cargo carrier was over. She was laid up at No. 1 Branch, Canada Dock. As events proved and continued lack of shipyard space ensured, she would languish for almost another year.
The somewhat weary looking Belgic laying in Canada Dock in 1921-22, was an unique survivor. Of that remarkable generation of big Harland & Wolff liners she was built alongside of-- Britannic, Statendam, Germanic/Homeric and Nederland-- Belgic was the only one left. The war had changed the character of The Atlantic Ferry and Belgic, once finally restored to her originally intended appearance, name and place at the head of the Red Star fleet as Belgenland, would emerge as an icon of The Roaring Twenties, as different an age as the Edwardian Era she was conceived in as can be imagined.
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| Early rendering of Belgenland by Charles Dixon RI. Credit: Vrienden van de Red Star Line vzw |
1922
The White Star liner Belgic (24,500 tons) is coming to Belfast next month to be completed as a passenger ship for the North Atlantic service. This is one of the largest reconditioning orders sent to the port and will find employment for many joiners who during the slump have been very full of work. This vessel was launched on December 31, 1914, by Harland & Wolff as the Belgenland for the Red Star Line, of Antwerp. The war being on, she was tied up till 1917, when the British Government gave orders for her completion as an cargo-carrier, and since that time she has run under the White Star flag, her name being altered to Belgic to synchronise with the fleet's nomenclature. As the Belgic will have accommodation for 3,000 passengers the work will occupy a considerable period.
Shipbuilding and Shipping Record, 16 February 1922
A good deal of work will be provided for Belfast shipyard workers, and especially for joiners and carpenters, by the reconditioning of the White Star liner Belgic which arrived in the harbour yesterday. The work is to be done by Messrs. Harland & Wolff.
Belfast News-Letter, 4 March 1922.
Finally, Belgic came home to Belfast on 3 March 1922, arriving at Harland & Wolff's yard at 11:00 a.m. to be taken in hand by many of the men who built her and would now labour to complete her as intended, a handsome and proud flagship of a great trans-Atlantic line and exemplar of Belfast Built.
The work of reconditioning the Belgic is now on hand, and has made good the gap created by the completion of the Regina. The ship will receive two additional decks, which will give employment to steel workers, but the bulk of the work will go to the joiners, and even yet the firm has not sufficient men of that trade for the work on hand. When the Royal Holland liner Orania left Workman, Clark & Co.'s last month 100 joiners who were paid off were immediately taken on by Harland & Wolff. The Belgic will be in port for the greater part of the year. In such a case the harbour dues will be heavy, and it would be good for the port if the Commissioners could reduce this charge. If the Belgic had been sent to one of the private fitting-out basins on the Clyde these dues would not be payable, so that it is in the interest of Belfast to have its charges as low as possible.
Shipbuilding and Shipping Record, 16 March 1922
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| Credit: Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 30 May 1922. |
One of the more symbolic aspects of Belgic's transformation into Belgenland was the change of her name on the British register which was officially requested on 29 May 1922, and the ship was to remain under British registry.
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| Belgenland alongside at Belfast in October 1922 with her two promenade decks erected. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Quitting time, 7 October 1922: the men working on Belgenland going home. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Capt. John Bradshaw. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
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| Belgenland's dummy funnel emerges from the erecting shop, 8 August 1922. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Fitting of the dummy funnel. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Alongside Thompson dry dock, Belgenland's middle funnel is installed. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Another view of the shipping of the centre funnel. Credit: National Museums NI. |
In an era when the Ocean Liner Funnel assumed almost mystical power when it came to imparting pretence of power and pleasing portion, a big event in Belgic's transformation into Belgenland was the refitting of her original pair of working funnels on the completed superstructure as well as the building and fitting of her third "dummy" funnel. The latter came out of the shop on 8 August 1922 on one of the yard's big railway flatcars. The dummy third funnel on the 25th, the middle working funnel shortly thereafter and finally completing her perfect profile, the forward funnel.
On 25 December 1922 it was announced that Belgenland would start her maiden voyage from Antwerp on 14 April 1923.
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| Establishing her Red Star heritage, the new flagship would be afforded her share of classic artwork by the renown Belgian artist Henri Cassiers (1858-1944). Credit: Red Star Museum Antwerpen. |
She is a beautiful and attractive liner, representing a subtle combine of British, American and Belgian interests.
The whole ship has an attractive Continental flavour about her, which, combined with the efficiency of American organisation, makes her unusually fascinating as an ocean giant.
Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 22 March 1923
With the well known Red Star liner Lapland as a companion in service between Antwerp and New York, the Belgenland caters to the most exacting tastes in ocean travel de luxe. She has capacity for 2,700 passengers. Her public rooms are notable for their size and elegance, comparing favorably in each respect with those on the largest and finest ships in existence. They represent the highest quality of decorations and fittings of a shipbuilding firm internationally famous for fine work -Harland & Wolff, Ltd., Belfast, Ireland. In the arrangements of her decks, and also in her living quarters for passengers in all three classes, the new ship presents a number of striking features. Her staterooms and private suites in first class reflect the summit of achievement in modern steamship construction to meet the demands of a fashionable and luxury loving travelling public, while her rooms in second class and third class set a standard that is not excelled.
American Shipping, May 1923
Pleasing in proportion, proud in purpose and enduring in engineering, The Edwardian Ocean Liner was an icon of its Age, exuding the boundless confidence and ceaseless progress that characterised the era. Belgenland was the very last true Edwardian liner to enter service both in her pre-war origins and her embodiment of the hallmarks of an era that seemed far more distant in mood and manner than in years after the Great War. That she became, in the parlance of the age, an "it" ship of the Roaring Twenties was all the more remarkable and no other liner of her time exceeded her in reputation. That this ultimate Edwardian Liner also proved to be the first large "dual purpose" vessel and more famous as a cruise ship than an Atlantic Ferry is even more unlikely and a testament to her qualities. She remains enduringly one of the most splendid looking passenger ships ever to grace the ocean highway and one of the finest examples of "Belfast Built."
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| Truly a splendid looking ship: Belgenland outbound in the Scheldt. Credit: Louis Claes photograph, MAS. |
Belfast-Built indeed and despite Belgenland's individual character and near legendary status among her contemporaries, she was but one of that astonishing and never to be matched generation of passenger liners born and bred on the shore of the Lagan in the last five years of the 19th and first fifteen of the 20th centuries. Harland & Wolff can claim to have invented the modern passenger liner during this period from the "big ship" combi passenger cargo liners starting with Cymric and culminating with the successive largest ships in the world, Celtic and Olympic and their sisters.
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| Edward H. Wilding (1875-1939). Credit: https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/ |
Alexander Carlisle (b. 1854), who designed them all, remarkably was succeeded by naval architects of equal ability and vision: Thomas Andrews (from 1910-1912) and Edward H. Wilding (from 1913-1926). Born in 1875, Wilding after five years as a naval cadet, studied naval architecture at the Royal Naval College, graduating in 1898, and first employed by Harland & Wolff as a draughtsman. By the time the Olympic was being designed, he was an assistant to Thomas Andrews. He was aboard Titanic on her delivery voyage from Belfast to Southampton along with Andrews who, of course, would perish just days later. Materially assisting in the inquiries into the disaster, Wilding made the improvement of passenger liner safely a mission and he engineered the massive rebuilding of Olympic as well as the redesign of Britannic to incorporate the latest techniques and standards of compartmentalisation and stability.
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| Initial rendering of Belgenland with a counter stern. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Belgenland's cruiser stern and the stern anchor it enabled. Credit: The Mariners' Museum, Edwin Levick collection. |
Statendam (II) and Belgenland were Wilding's first from scratch new designs. The Red Star liner, although initially rendered with the conventional counter stern, was completely reworked before laying down with the new cruiser stern and was the first Harland & Wolff ship with the feature which had been introduced on the Pacific in 1913 by the Canadian Pacific liners Empress of Russia and Empress of Asia, and on the Atlantic the following year by the Allan liners Alsatian and Calgarian and the CPR's Missanabie and Metagama. Belgenland/Belgic was the first New York route ship so-fitted.
Here, the cruiser stern was adopted not as an aesthetic but for practical reasons, mainly to permit the provision of a stern anchor, something of enormous utility in the narrow and twisting confines of the channel in the Scheldt on approach to Antwerp as her length exceeded the wide of the waterway in many places making it impractical to use just a bow anchor if needed. The cruiser stern also gave a longer waterline length which enhanced the flow of the hull through the water, gave greater buoyancy aft and provided more protection to the screws. It also facilitated the fitting of a far more efficient balanced rudder than hitherto used on Harland & Wolff liners. The cruiser stern quickly became a hallmark of the builder's ships and Belgenland started the trend.
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| Belgenland sailing past Cowes. Note the recessed open deck area under the bridge. Credit: Beken & Sons photograph, The Mariners' Museum, Eldredge Collection. |
Other innovations by Wilding included setting the forward superstructure back under the bridge to provide a forward observation and deck chair area. Harland & Wolff introduced the glass-enclosed promenade with their Rotterdam of 1908, now this was improved in Belgenland by fitting much deeper, closer spaced windows permitting a clear view of the sea from deck chair loungers and walkers as well as afford more light and air. The superstructure featured prominent expansion joints. Wilding happily resisted the emulation of Britannic and the Regina-class in the fitting of the unsightly and massive gantry davits which marred the appearance of those ships and, instead, Belgenland, was fitted with conventional Welin quadrant davits and an adequate but unobtrusive quantity of lifeboats for all.
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| Belgenland on departure from Southampton, passing Cowes. Credit: Bekin & Sons photograph, The Mariners' Museum. |
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| Belgenland in the Scheldt. Credit: Antwerp Port Authority Archives, via shippinghistory.com member threebs. |
More than anything else, Wilding produced a vessel of peerless proportion, rakish but imposing lines and harmonious blending of hull, structure and funnels that remains unsurpassed. Belganland was a splendid looking ship and from all angles and aspects. In an era that raised the Ocean Liner Aesthetic to the highest level of industrial art, Belgenland was surely one of greatest creations.
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| In full Red Star livery despite her White Star name and management, Belgic was a uniquely rakish and handsome wartime "economy" vessel. |
Indeed, she managed to be superb looking even as in her wartime economy conversion into a cargo and troop transport. Writing of Belgic in Sea Breezes, December 1971, J.H. Isherwood, said she was a "really splendid looking ship; in fact she was good looking in this rig as when finally completed, long low and rakish."
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| Magnificent cutaway model of Belgenland. LEFT CLICK for larger image. Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen. |
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| Cutaway illustration of Belgenland. LEFT CLICK for larger image. Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen. |
Rated as the eight largest liner in the world on completion, Belgenland had principal dimensions of 696.6 ft. (length o.a.), 670.4 ft. (length b.p.), 78.4 ft. (breadth), draught (36 ft. 3 ins.), 22,025 tons (deadweight), 15,440 tons (net) and 27,126 tons (gross). Eleven watertight bulkheads, extending up to the Awning Deck, divided the hull into twelve watertight compartments, and a full double bottom, arranged to carry water ballast. She had seven holds (three forward), two boiler rooms, engine room and two peaks.
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| A marvelous view of Belgenland in drydock at Antwerp in 1930 gives some indication of her size and presence. Credit: delcampe.net. |
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| Credit: Marine Engineer and Naval Architect. |
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| Layout of Belgenland's tried and true "combination" reciprocating/exhaust steam turbine triple-screw engine spaces. Credit: Marine Engineer and Naval Architect. |
There was nothing revolutionary about Belgenland's machinery, being powered by the tried and true "combination" machinery arrangement of twin outboard screw driven by reciprocating steam engines and a centre screw powered by a low-pressure turbine fed by exhaust steam from the main engines Introduced by New Zealand Shipping Co.'s Otaki in 1908, Belgenland was the first Red Star liner so powered. Given the teething (literally) problems experienced with the new geared turbine powered liners of the early 'twenties, Belgenland was well served by the tried and true combination machinery and never experienced a single mechanical mishap or failure during her world girding career.
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| Credit: Marine Engineer and Naval Architect. |
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| Credit: Marine Engineer and Naval Architect. |
Belgenland's outboard screws were driven by two, four-cylinder triple-expansion engines, balanced on the Yarrow, Schlick & Tweedy system, the cylinders being 35 1/2, 56 and 2-64 in. diam., with a stroke of 60 in., developing 12,000 i.h.p. The centre shaft was powered by a direct-coupled low-pressure Parsons' turbine, of 6,500 s.h.p.. At 18,500 i.h.p., a service speed of 17 knots was obtained but was good for a sustained 18 knots.
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| Credit: Marine Engineer and Naval Architect. |
Steam was supplied by 10 double-ended boilers, 13 ft. 9 ins. dia. and 20 ft. long each with six furnaces. at a pressure of 215 lb. per square inch. The boilers were originally coal-fired. but during reconditioning they were adapted to burn oil fuel on the White low-pressure system; a Foamite fire-extinguishing apparatus for dealing specially with oil fires was installed in the stokehold.
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| Credit: Marine Engineer and Naval Architect. |
Electrically the Belgenland has every device of the times used on ships. Her dynamos furnish current to operate 300 fans and 4,500 electric lights. Her elevators for passengers and much of her deck machinery are electrically operated. In her kitchens are many electric devices for the use of the cooks, including baking ovens, dough mixer, bread slicer, meat cutter and even an egg whisker, that function on the turning of a switch.
American Shipping, May 1923
The electrical installation consisted of four main steam-driven engines and dynamos, having a combined output of 1,200 kilowatts and one 75 kilowatt auxiliary Diesel oil-driven set for use in emergencies.
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| Aspects of Belgenland's upper decks and superstructure taken on her 1924 Mediterranean cruise by a crew member. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
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| The classic H&W clinker-built boats and collapsibles at Welin quadrant davits. Credit: National Museums NI. |
Belgenland's boatage comprised two 26' emergency boats, two 30' motor lifeboats, 12 30' lifeboats double decked forward, four 30' lifeboats and four 30' collapsibles on the Boat Deck and atop the aft deckhouse, four double deck 30' boats and another two 30' boats on the poop deck house.
S.S. BELGIC
Rigging Plan
credit: https://www.whitestarlines.co.uk
(LEFT CLICK on image to view full size scan)
S.S. BELGENLAND
General Arrangement Plans & Profile
credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen
(LEFT CLICK on image to view full size scan)
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| Side elevation. |
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| House Tops |
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| Boat Deck |
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| Upper Promenade Deck. |
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| Lower Promenade Deck. |
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| Bridge "C" Deck. |
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| Awning "D" Deck. |
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| Upper "E" Deck. |
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| Main "F" Deck. |
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| Lower "G" Deck. |
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| Orlop Deck. |
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| Tank Top |
Tourist Third Class Plan (public rooms) c. 1933
credit: eBay auction photos
(LEFT CLICK on image to view full size scan)
Cruise Plan c. 1933
credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen
(LEFT CLICK on image to view full size scan)
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| The cover of Belganland's first interior brochure set the tone for her elegant, sophisticated yet convivial surroundings which were documented in an entirely new manner. Credit: Vrienden van de Red Star Line vzw. |
Reflecting the vastly reduced immigrant traffic to the United States after restrictive "quota" acts were passed in 1920, Belgenland's passenger capacity was substantially altered. Whereas she had been originally intended to carry 660 First, 350 Second and 2,000 Third Class passengers, she was completed with berths for 465 First, 640 Second and 1,500 Third Class. Within two years of service, the figures were revised to 453, 638 and 970 respectively.
Like all Harland & Wolff liners of the period, Belgenland's interiors were by Heaton Tabb and whilst the general arrangement of rooms was likewise similar to her compatriots, Belgenland, like Statendam, were afforded a more overtly luxurious and elegant quality than others. Belgenland elaborated considerably on the immensely successful Lapland in her interior fittings and furnishings and completed to her original 1914 specification. She was at once new but also reassuringly familiar in her sensibilities and her style hardly dated when the first contemporarily decorated trans-Atlantic liners would not be seen for another four years. In First Class, Belgenland offered classic continental Grand Hotel at Sea elegance, at once luxurious but "at ease" in that continental manner that IMM ships were known for, whilst Second and Third Class were above the prevailing standards of the time.
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| "At home on the Belgenland": ladies in the lounge and gents in the smoking room. Credit:Winfield M. Thompson photograph/MAS. |
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| Morning tea served in First Class (left) and Second Class (right). Credit: Winfield M. Thompson photographs/MAS. |
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| Whilst a steward makes up their bunks in Third Class, these gents use the washroom (including the shower (!). Credit: Winfield M. Thompson photograph/MAS. |
Contributing to the original image and style of Belgenland was her early publicity material and interior photographs. These broke new ground for the genre by IMM's new photographer Winfield M. Thompson who eschewed the conventional "record photos" of empty architectural spaces for more evocative "life aboard" depictions employing models in natural poses and settings, many of which were of a surprising intimate and immediate character quite unlike anything in ocean liner publicity material.
TO THE EDITOR OF SHIPBUILDING AND SHIPPING RECORD.
Your reference in a recent number to the new style of steamship photography, and your kindly credit to myself as the originator of that style, suggests to me the thought that your readers may care to know something of the methods employed to secure the new-type photographs, which you state are intended to convey something of the spirit of social life aboard passenger liners.
While one of the objects of these pictures is to show social life, by the employment of living models of both sexes, there is another, which you do not mention. It is to convey in a single picture the feeling if such a term may be used-of a public room or other architectural feature of the ship, by the presentation, in a photographic study, of a single corner, or other structural detail. In other words, we seek to present in one picture the keynote of the designer's theme. By way of illustration we may cite a series of pictures, recently made under my direction at New York, on the new Red Star liner Belgenland, in which the smoking room is shown in a single study, representing a group of good fellows seated around the fireplace.
Anyone who has been in this smoking room knows that its dominant feature, its character, in fact, lies in the treatment of the walls in panelling of ripely-tinted cedar, with carvings on limewood, after the style of Grinling Gibbons. Both panels and carvings are shown to a nicety in the details about the mantel of the fireplace nook. For this reason we posed the group with these details as a background. The result was not alone a pleasing representation of social life in the smoking room, and an expression of the good cheer to be had there-God save the mark in these days of wild-eyed forcible reform in these United States-but also a complete expression, in limited space, of the beauty of this really commanding apartment. For your information I enclose a print from this negative.
Now let us compare this negative with the good old hard-and-fast "general view" of a smoking room. We all know it-a fine collection of distorted chairs and cubist tables in the foreground, diminishing in lines of drunken triangles and disrupted squares, to a background seemingly anywhere from 100 to 300 ft.. distant, every line in the composition suggesting a collection of geometrical diagrams on a spree. To my mind such a picture is not merely a mistake; it is an artistic crime. It does not express what the photographer, or the steamship manager who hired him, fondly hoped to express. It assaults the eye, and insults the reason of the unhappy traveller who seeks to glean from its lines, lights and shadows-if there be any such to answer faithfully such terms-some trustworthy information as to the character of the ship interiors.
Knowing the faults of the existing school of ship photography, it was my duty on assuming charge of the publicity of the associated lines within the International Mercantile Marine Company, to seek a higher plane of photographic art for the company's literature. I was not a photographer, but I had long been a publicity man, and in the back of my head had certain ideas as to what steamship literature might be made, with a bit of luck, some vision and a lot of patience.
Winfield M. Thompson
Shipbuilding and Shipping Record, 21 June 1923
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| The Boat Deck looking aft from the first funnel. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| View of the Boat Deck taken during Belgenland's maiden arrival at Antwerp. Credit: MAS. |
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| A striking perspective looking aft from the forward funnel, also taken during the maiden call; note Zeeland dressed overall just astern. Credit: MAS. |
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| First Class children's playroom. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
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| First Class gymnasium. |
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| First Class gymnasium. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
On the boat deck is situated the gymnasium, fitted with every modern device for healthful indoor exercise. Here also is an open space for outdoor sports, including deck tennis. and deck sports. The gymnasium and sports deck are duplicated in second class.
The Boat Deck had officers' accommodation forward and the bridge, the First Class children's playroom (port) and gymnasium (starboard), wireless room and engineers smoke room amidships and open decks for sports flanking the lifeboats and a deck tennis court aft.
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| First Class promenade deck. The placement of the deck chairs rather defeats the innovation of having full length seaview windows! Fortunately this was not the case when real deck stewards took matters to hand. Credit: MAS. |
In the ship's deck arrangement are found two unusual features. One is an observation promenade forward of the main deckhouses, across the promenade deck, as on a private yacht, with space for chairs of passengers who may wish to take a sun bath, or to observe the course of the ship ahead while in a reclining position. Another is a glass enclosure of the main promenade deck with bulwarks sufficiently low to enable the passenger to look out upon the sea with unobstructed view while still reclining in a deck chair.
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| Upper Promenade Deck First Class public rooms and deck. Note the individually numbered deck chairs. |
The Upper Promenade ("A") Deck had the principal First Class public rooms traditionally arranged in separate deck houses with the forward one containing the drawing room and entrance and, accessed by a single corridor on the starboard side, the lounge amidships in its own house. A passageway on the port side accessed the smoking room, the aft staircase and the verandah café aft. A promenade deck, exceptionally deep in some sections (with enough room for four rows of deck chairs) and glass enclosed for half its length, encircled these rooms.
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| First Class drawing room. Credit: Mariners' Museum, Eldredge collection. |
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| "Fireside Chat" in the drawing room. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
Forward on a promenade deck there is a drawing room, for restful quiet, fitted with wide-armed easy chairs and having an open hearth. This room is decorated in the manner made famous by the Adam Brothers, with panels and pilasters of lustreless white, the only color in the decoration being delicately stenciled floral designs, appearing under the covered ceiling. Carved mahogany doors, marble chimney-piece above the fireplace, and casement windows hung with delicately draperies of silk give this room something of the aspect of a charming home salon. This furniture is done in figured fabrics of soft tones of buff and rose.
Red Star press release.
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| First Class lounge showing the impressive oak fireplace mantel with signed, framed photographs of the King and Queen of Belgium on either side. Credit: MAS |
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| First Class lounge. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
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| Writing alcove in the lounge. Credit: MAS |
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| Shipboard conviviality in one of the large bay window alcoves in the lounge. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
The First Class lounge was just that and not used for dancing or teas for which the palm court ballroom was utilised, but rather for socialising, card playing, reading and letter writing for which there was a library and writing desks. Two deep bay windows on each side formed convivial conversational areas, set off by stained glass windows and a large carved oak fireplace mantel formed the centerpiece of the room.
Next in the suite-- to follow out the figure of speech-- is the lounge. Situated near the centre of the ship, this is a finely proportioned room, the striking features of which are the double bay windows on either side commanding a view across the promenade deck, and containing medallions in stained glass which give views of famous Belgian scenes. The light from these windows is reflected from walls of beautifully carved and panelled carved and panelled oak. There is a carved oaken fireplace, with curved seats flanking it, inviting one to repose by the evening lamp; bookcases with a well selected library, and, in retired recesses, writing desks well stocked with correspondence paper bearing the crest of the Red Star Line and the name of the ship.
Red Star press release.
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| It's the 1920s and the ladies have made themselves at home and the centre of attention in the smoking room. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
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| Another of Thompson's photographs. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
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| A more traditional depiction of the smoking room showing one of two paintings by the Belgian artist Cassiers. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
A few steps beyond the lounge is the first class smoking room. Like the other apartment described, it is a hall in size, and of a strong individuality. The walls are panelled in ripely tinted cedar, reminiscent of one of the famous rooms of Hampton Court palace, near London, the King William III gallery. There is an old fashioned fireplace with dogs of fretted brass. Carved lime wood ornaments, above the mantel, flanking a view of Antwerp by the Belgian artist Cassiers, and on the opposite wall framing a picture of Bruges by the same artist, give the interior a certain opulence of detail suggestive of the leisured days when Grinling Gibbons made his flowerings in wood for King Charles II. The rich colouring of the wood panelling in this room is an admirable background for lighting sconces of old silver that ornament the walls. Suspended from the barrel ceiling in the centre of the room is a large and harmonious chandelier. Careful attention to securing maximum comfort is evidenced in the pliant leather upholstery of chairs and benches in the smoking. The colouring is soft green or brown. The floor covering is art linoleum of special pattern.
Red Star press release.
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| First Class verandah café. Credit: Vrienden van de Red Star Line vzw |
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| First Class verandah café. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
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| First Class verandah café. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
Revolving quadrant doors, that exclude draughts, lead from the smoking room to a well-furnished verandah, an airy through sheltered room with green latticed walls, where passengers may smoke and drink coffee in the open.
Red Star press release.
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| Detail from "D" Deck showing the First Class dining saloon and palm court ballroom. |
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| First Class dining saloon showing its original all white decoration. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
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| First Class dining saloon following redecoration in autumn 1923 with added painted trim, wall light fixtures and Gainsborough painting. Credit: Mariners' Museum, Eldredge collection. |
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| Corner of the First Class dining saloon as originally decorated in plain white. Note the extra large portholes. Credit: MAS |
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| First Class dining saloon looking forward as originally decorated. Credit: MAS |
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| First Class dining saloon looking forward towards the reception room beyond the glass screen and as redecorated. Credit: MAS |
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| First Class dining saloon after redecoration showing the added wall mouldings and the light fixtures modelled after those intended for Britannic. Note the private dining room aft. Credit: MAS. |
Small table predominate in the Belgenland's ultra modern dining saloon. Out of a total of 342 seats in the main dining hall 180 are at two-seat tables. The remainder are at four-seated and six-seated tables.
In decorations the dining saloon lightness and harmonious colouring are outstanding features. The walls and ceilings are white. There are casement windows, concealing large ports, which admit abundant daylight. Indirect artificial lighting is from the rays of many electric bulbs artfully concealed in ceiling and wall fixtures. Over the centre of the room is a dome-like ceiling, and at one end is a music gallery for the orchestra.
Connected with the main saloon are private dining rooms for families or passengers who may desire to entertain or may wish more privacy than the main dining hall affords.
The dining room floors are covered with softly coloured linoleum of harmonious patterns that deadens sound and adds a warm note of colour to the interior.
Red Star press release.
One of the more imposing shipboard rooms of the era was Belgenland's First Class dining saloon. Unlike the Olympic-class' single but lofty deck height, this featured a two-deck high central dome with a musicians' balcony, although the substantial armchairs were identical to those on the White Star liner and her sister. A feature were the extra large 44½" x 16¼" sidelights which had beautiful stained glass screens set in bronze which gave the room a light, airy feeling enhanced the prevailing white colour scheme. When delivered, the room was finished to the original c. 1914 specification which was in keeping with the prevailing favouring of the clean, almost spartan late Georgian aesthetic with plain white enamelling throughout and the only colour imparted by the flooring and upholstery. This was soon changed as described as below in the Liverpool Journal of Commerce:
When the Belgenland first came out as a crack passenger liner, her dining saloon, one of the most magnificent public rooms ever put into a ship, was painted dead white as an experiment, although it thought at the time that modifications might be subsequently introduced. The appearance was excellent, but the unrelieveds white was not quite to everybody's taste, and the company has been experimenting consistently with pictures and small models with the idea of finding out where it could he bettered. Finally, they have decided upon what they consider to be an improvement, and accordingly the whole of the dining saloon has re-decorated by the moulding round the panels being carefully picked out in suitable colour, and in the centre a magnificent copy of Galnsborough's "Blue Boy" in an elaborate frame. The result is excellent in every way, but it has not been easy to decide upon the details, for the beautiful glass and copper doors which lead into the lounge, and make the two rooms one huge ballroom, make it very difficult to find other features that will be in artistic keeping. At the same time a new lighting system has been introduced, and a number of extra electroliers installed, similar in pattern to those that were designed for the Britannic. With the colour of the shades very carefully selected, these give an excellent effect, and make the room one of the finest to be seen afloat to-day. The money spent on the alteration is only another example of the infinite thought that is required designing the decorations of a modern liner, where such a high standard is demanded. and at the same time the dimensions of the compartment make a pleasing effect very difficult to obtain. In the Belgenland they have succeeded excellently, and the result is delightfully cheerful and pleasing to the eye, very different to the garish gilt in which the Germans used to indulge.
Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 28 November 1923
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| The unique heated serving stations in the First Class dining saloon. Credit: MAS. |
One outstanding novelty on the Belgenland which distinguishes the ship from all other liners is the character of the service in the first-class dining saloon. The table d'hote has been abolished. In its place is a full Continental restaurant service, with meals a la carte and cooked to order-and with Continental waiters in attendance. One may dine when one wishes. No extra charge is made for meals. Under this system each meal is individually created, to the order of the passenger.
Red Star press release.
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| First Class palm court ballroom. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
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| First Class palm court ballroom looking aft to the dining saloon through the splendid glass and bronze screen. Credit: MAS. |
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| First Class palm court ballroom showing a detail of the fire resistant glass and bronze screen. Credit: MAS. |
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| First Class palm court ballroom during the day. Credit: MAS. |
Immediately forward of the dining room is the reception hall or palm court of full ship beam and of generous length. This apartment is designed to be the social centre of the ship for those who love conversation, a cigarette, a concert or dancing after dinner. Here coffee is taken, the orchestra plays-with a superb grand piano as one of its instruments-and the atmosphere is one of a fashionable club at a Continental pleasure resort. The palm court is admirably adapted to dancing, as it is in the centre of the ship, where there is a minimum of motion. The floor, of fine oak parquetry, was designed specially as a dancing surface. The furniture, of light wicker, graceful in design and appropriately upholstered in light fabrics, carries out the idea of what furnishings should be in a palm garden. Electric elevators ply between the palm court and the decks above.
Red Star press release.
That hallmark of the Edwardian Belfast-built liner-- the reception room adjoining the dining saloon, was referred to variously in Belgenland as the palm court or ballroom. Occupying the full width of the vessel and with the high overhead shared with the dining saloon, it was the ship's largest public room and had a parquet dance floor, wicker seating and flooded with light during the day through the same large sideports as the saloon.
Unique to Belgenland was the magnificent and innovative fireproof glass and bronze screen which divided yet visually connected it with the dining saloon, offering an unterrupted vista of some 200 feet. "A feature of this room is the glass fireproof screen, an innovation, we believe, on any passenger liner and a product of The British Luxfer Prism Syndicate Ltd., London. This screen is a decided advantage and adds considerably to the appearance and lighting of the room." (Shipbuilding & Shipping Record). "In order to construct such a screen, it was necessary to find a kind of glass that would stand a severe fire test. The material finally selected is made of quart, and not of sand, like ordinary glass. It is set in many small panes in a light frame of hardened copper. The materials employed withstood a test of two hours under fierce flames before receiving the approval of the fire underwriters." (The Marine Journal, 21 April 1923.)
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| The swimming bath as depicted in the original brochure. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
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| Dating from the early 1930s, this photo of the swimming pool shows the fans added and rather more updated swimming costumes! Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
The swimming bath was found forward on Lower or "G" Deck. This was similar to those fitted on Olympic and her sisters and decidely not of the grand "pompeiian" style of the German liners being of modest dimensions and simply tiled. Situated on the other side of the bulkhead of the forward boiler room, it must have been taken on Turkish bath qualities and fans were soon added.
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| A detail of the Lower Promenade Deck First Class accommodation showing the unique interconnection of no fewer than 12 various rooms to form any combination of bedrooms, sitting rooms and bathrooms. |
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| A view showing the extent of the interconnecting rooms in just one section. |
This ship differs from others in her first cabin accommodation in respect to the large number of rooms that have private sitting rooms; the large number that have private baths, and the large number that are connected with other rooms. Indeed, it may be said without fear of contradiction, that practically all the staterooms on B deck, which is devoted chiefly to private accommodation, are intercommunicating. It is possible to connect ten or a dozen rooms and several baths, if necessary, to meet the demands of a family or a party, and it is equally possible to cut off any room or any suite from all others.
Luxury and privacy go hand in hand in the arrangement of the Belgenland's rooms. All first class rooms are fitted with brass beds. B deck apartments overlook the promenade, and rectangular window (not ports) which stained-class sliding screens shield the occupant from observation from without. Of the rooms on B Deck alone there are no less than 32 with private baths, and eight with private sitting rooms as well. Of the total suites on the ship, 11 have private sitting rooms. Various combination of suites with private sitting room, private dining room and bath can be arranged. There are also several suites that have combination, or convertible, sitting-rooms and bedrooms.
Every bedroom in first class, whether connected with a bathroom or not, also every bedroom in second class has a permanent supply of running hot and cold fresh water.
In the bedrooms are numerous novelties in the way of fittings, such as davenports that become beds. buffets that may be converted into washstands, Pullman upper berths for children, clothes closets with innovation fittings, including rod on which a large number of garments can be hung in a limited space, combination washstands and dressing tables fitted with adjustable triple mirrors, heated towel racks, always insuring a supply of warm, dry towels, angle showers in which a bath may be taken without wetting the hair, indirect ventilation regulated by thermostats, which cut off or turn on the heat at a given point, electric fans, and walls specially constructed to deaden sound.
As may be supposed, the Belgenland is also equipped with the last word in mechanical devices. In the service department will be found a new and most interesting signalling device for securing that perfection of service for which the Red Star Line is famous. This may be termed a combination of visual and audible signalling. In the staterooms, for example, the call button for the steward is red, and for the stewardess green. This aids in avoidance of mistakes in calling for service. When your button is pressed a bell is rung, and a series of red lights appear automatically in the corridors of your particular deck, so that your steward may see them in any part of his area and respond without loss of time. Your call also displays a red light at your door, and another in the chief steward's department, which continue to burn until your steward has answered the call. The steward is the only person who can cause these lights to disappear, and he can do so only by pushing a button outside your door, where he must be in response to your call. Delay in answering calls is known to the chief steward through the red lights in his office.
Red Star press release.
Belgenland's First Class accommodation for 500 passengers, was of a very high quality indeed although perhaps not as de luxe as that of her immediate contemporaries Homeric and Columbus. All had hot and cold running water and 44 in all had full private bathrooms. A high proportion were outside and those on Lower Promenade Deck had windows and not ports. One unique feature was the provision on Lower Promenade Deck was an exceptional range of interconnecting rooms: bedrooms, sitting rooms, inside rooms for servants or children to configure as desire. Heated towel racks, soundproofing and electric fans were fitted and the whole of the accommodation was both extremely well fitted up and of a spacious quality. It was this that would ensure her great success as a world cruise ship as well as rank her well on the Atlantic Ferry.
The Lower Promenade ("B") Deck was devoted to First Class accommodation with a block of cabins forward, the large entrance hall with two lifts and amidships the best accommodation including a multitude of interconnecting cabins and sitting rooms, private baths and adjoining inside cabins. The outside cabins and sitting rooms all had large windows and 32 had private bathrooms.
More First Class accommodation was found on Bridge ("C") Deck with some exceptionally spacious staterooms (two with private bath) forward of the First Class entrance and block amidships of which eight had private bath.
A final block of First Class accommodation, ten cabins with 26 berths was on "D" Deck forward of the palm court ballroom. Four of these cabins had full private bath.
There were 24 convertible cabins on Upper ("E") Deck that could be let as First Class with 60 berths or 84 as Second. These were on the Bibby pattern.
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| First Class suite B24. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| First Class suite B26. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| First Class suite B24-26. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| First Class suite C20. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| First Class suite C26. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| First Class cabin B28 as a single. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| First Class cabin B28 as double. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| First Class cabin C11. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| First Class cabin C15. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| First Class cabin C15. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| First Class cabin C17. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| First Class cabin C60 as a single. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| First Class cabin C60 as a double. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| First/Second Class cabin E20. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| First/Second Class cabin E20. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| First Class cabin E22. Credit: National Museums NI. |
The Belgenland's second cabin has broad deck space, a very large verandah café, a handsome smoking room, a children's playroom, a gymnasium, a dining room fitted like that in first cabin, with small table (seating capacity 310 persons); a library and a large lounge, the two latter looking out on the promenade deck and having bay windows like those in a spacious house.
The Second Class accommodations are among the most attractive we have seen on any ship entering this poirt, and the same consideration for privacy and comfort is a feature of the service offered at the reduced rate. The public rooms are beautifully furnished and everything possible has been done to create an atmosphere of coziness.
The Marine Journal, 21 April 1923
Originally designed for 350, Belgenland's Second Class accommodation was considerably expanded to 638 berths upon her post-war completion. Still designed along classic Edwardian lines in being almost self contained in a separate stern deckhouse and its dining saloon traditionally sited aft of that for First, it was, however, of a very high standard indeed and a proportion of the cabin accommodation of a sufficient quality to be interchangeable with First.
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| Second Class library/lounge and promenade space aft on Upper Promenade Deck. |
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| Second Class lounge. Credit: MAS. |
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| Second Class lounge. Credit: MAS. |
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| Second Class entrance "D" Deck. Credit: MAS |
The Second Class lounge (also referred to as the library) was in its house aft on Upper Promenade Deck, with the main staircase and passenger lift. This had both banquet sitting along the portside and easy chairs and tables elsewhere, large casement windows and surrounded on three sides by wide covered promenade deep enough for one row of deck chairs. Additional open deck space was found atop the poop deckhouse.
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| Second Class smoking room, gymnasium, children's room and verandah aft on Lower Promenade Deck. |
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| Second Class smoking room. Credit: MAS |
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| Second Class smoking room. Credit: MAS. |
The large Second Class smoking room occupied the Lower Promenade Deck portion of the aft deckhouse, direct below the lounge. This was handsome lined in oak panelling with a patterned tile floor and leather banquet sitting along the sides.
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| Second Class gymnasium. |
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| Second Class children's playroom. |
Aft, in its own house, between nos. 5 and 6 hatches, was the gymnasium (port) and children's playroom (starboard).
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| Second Class verandah. Credit: MAS. |
In the poop deckhouse was the verandah with sliding doors out to the stern. The considerable expanse of open deck space surrounding all of this was for Second Class and that in way of the smoking room was covered and with provision for deck chairs.
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| Second Class dining saloon. Credit: MAS |
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| Second Class dining saloon. Credit: MAS. |
The large dining saloon, seating 310 at each sitting, at small tables for two, four, five, six or eight with freestanding chairs, was aft on "D" Deck. This was finished in the same plain white scheme as originally employed in that for First Class but had regular size portholes not the larger ones in the forward saloon.
The staterooms in second class are large and handsomely equipped, with running hot and cold water, ample light and ventilations, electric light and fine fittings through. Some rooms contain two berths, others four.
Second Class accommodation occupied most of "C" Deck portside from just forward of amidships to aft. On "D" Deck, just aft of the dining saloon, were 25 cabins with a total of 76 berths.
On "E" Deck, there were 17 cabins with 58 berths, on the portside aft, 14 cabins with 56 berths amidships and a block of 24 cabins amidships portside that were interchangeable with First Class, having 60 berths if sold as that Class or or 80 if sold as Second. Forward on this deck portside were a further 24 cabins that were interchangeable: sold as First Class with 60 berths total or 84 if Second.
On "F" Deck amidships were 44 Second Class cabins with 135 berths. Aft of this was a large block of cabins interchangeable with Third Class, one section of 35 rooms with 112 berths, one of 32 cabins with 102 berths and another of 26 rooms with 92 berths.
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| Second Class cabin E96. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Second Class cabin E98. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Second Class cabin E123. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Second/Third Class interchangeable cabin F125. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Second/Third Class interchangeable cabin E123. Credit: National Museums NI. |
Nothing illustrated the radically changed North Atlantic passenger market, specifically the drastically diminished westbound immigrant trade that had always been Red Star's bread and butter, from the time of Belgenland's launch at the end of 1914 to nine years later at her final entry into service, than her Third Class accommodation. Originally designed for as many as 2,000, completed with 1,500 beds, and quickly reduced further to 950 berths, it seldom was booked by than a few hundred and, often, fewer.
Given the original intended capacity, Third Class had extensive public room, promenade and deck space for the era and as was typical was divided into two main accommodation blocks: forward and aft, each with its own dining and public rooms. This would facilitate the introduction of a fourth class, Tourist Third, in the mid 1920s.
In third class there are a total of five pubic rooms, as follows: two dining-rooms, seating 303 and 253 passengers respectively,; a lounge the full width of the ship and 100 feet fore and aft, very attractively finished in white enamel with teak wood trimmings; upholstered seats, small tables and movable. This room will be available for concerts, etc., and is provided with a mechanical piano and large gramophone. Adjoining is a smoking room for men, and aft on the same deck is a second room for men, and aft on the same deck is a second smoking room for men and sitting room for women. There is also an enclosed verandah, a third-class novelty.
Red Star press release.
Aft on "C" Deck was an open deck for Third Class and, uniquely for the class at that time, their own verandah facing aft while more open deck space was found forward around the no. 2 hatch.
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| Third Class general room aft on "D" Deck. |
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| Third Class general room on "D" Deck. Credit: Mariners' Museum, Eldredge collection. |
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| Third Class general room on "D" Deck. Credit: MAS. |
A Third Class "general room" was found far aft on "D" Deck. This was simply panelled and painted in white with attractive brass mullioned and curtained casement windows and had an upright piano. The decoration consisted of large framed paintings of IMM steamers including Charles Dixon's of Megantic.
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| Third Class lounge forward on "D" Deck. |
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| Third Class "D" Deck lounge, post 1929. Credit: MAS. |
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| Third Class "D" Deck smoking room, post 1929. Credit: MAS. |
A Third Class "general room" was found far aft on "D" Deck and a much larger, even expansive lounge and a separate smoking room was forward on the same deck. This was 100 ft. long and occupied the full width of the vessel although its breadth constrained by being so far forward.
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| Permanent Third Class cabins and the aft dining saloon aft on "F" Deck. |
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| Portable Third Class cabins and the forward dining saloon on "F" Deck. |
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| One of two Third Class dining saloons. Credit: Mariners' Museum, Eldredge collection. |
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| Third Class dining saloon. Credit: MAS |
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| Third Class dining saloon. Credit: MAS |
There were two large Third Class dining saloons on F Deck, one seating 303 forward and the other, for 253, aft, which like the lounge was finished in off white with polished teak trim.
Third Class sleeping accommodation is all permanent, enclosed and private, with a washstand in every room, cork linoleum floor mats, enamel-iron beds with thick mattresses and wire springs, white walls, good ventilation, electric light and steam heat.
Red Star press release.
The reference above to all "permanent" Third Class accommodation is telling for that was certainly not to have originally been the case and her plans, even dated as late as March 1923, show almost half of her cabins as being of the "portable" variety and situated forward on "F" and "G" Decks. When the United States further restricted immigration that year, carryings reduced to the point that it was hard enough to fill the permanent berths and much of this "portable" accommodation was never used. As it was, much of the permanent accommodation was interchangeable between Third and Second, although the biggest different between the two was that Third Class cabins did not have running water.
Aft on "E" Deck were two sections of permanent cabins, 30 cabins with 132 berths, and one of 13 cabins with 50 berths.
Permanent Third Class cabins, comprising two sections of 20 cabins with 62 berths an 36 cabins with 128 berths, were found aft of the dining saloon on "F" Deck and three sections of interchangeable Third/Second Class cabins, one of 26 cabins with 92 berths, one of 32 cabins with 102 berths and 35 cabins with 112 berths. Forward was the second dining saloon and ahead of that was two large blocks of intended portable accommodation, one of 43 cabins with 180 berths and the other with 33 rooms and 134 berths.
Curiously, the only permanent Third Class cabins (5 cabins with 32 berths) on "G" Deck were right after, over the screws, and the rest was all portable: 23 cabins with 102, 28 cabins with 124 and 37 cabins with 154 berths.
The severe restrictions on immigration to the U.S. which coincided with Belgenland's entrance into service rendered most of her Third Class accommodation superfluous. Indeed, it is likely some cabins were never used. With a few years, the cabins aft on "D"' and "E" decks were closed off and those on "D" starboard amidships turned over to steward accommodation. This left Third Class with cabins amidships on "E" deck and amidships on the port side of "D" deck.
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| Third Class cabin E329. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Third Class cabin E325. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Third Class cabin E335. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Third Class "portable" four-berth cabin. Credit: National Museums NI. |
In 1929, all of what had been Second Class together with the aft Third Class public rooms were assigned to Tourist Third Cabin. The Third Class public rooms forward were redecorated and improved at the same time.
On her round the world cruises, the Second Class lounge was used as a cruise office and extra space for hairdressers while the Second Class dining saloon was redecorated as the Japanese Tea Room with murals, Japanese style lanterns and other effects.
Belgenland's ensuing brief and astonishingly unsuccessful career in 1935 as Panama Pacific's Columbia was preceded by a hasty but expensive $100,000 refit. Most the features of her Showboat Cruises in 1934, including the sand covered lido deck, were made permanent. By removing the deck house aft on "A" Deck (containing the former Tourist Class playroom and gymnasium) which had separated the two temporary pools, one large permanent one was fitted in the no. 5 hatch and smaller one with a 3-ft. depth was installed in no. 6 hatch.
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| Columbia's enlarged lido deck with the removal of the deckhouse at the base of the mainmast and two permanent swimming pools, one for children, and surrounded by real sand as on the Showboat Cruises. Credit: Mariners' Museum, Eldredge collection. |
All of the former Tourist Class public rooms were redecorated and repurposed for cruising, with their dark woodwork painted out in light or white enamel and new flooring and some new furnishings installed.
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| Left: the Club Nikko, former Tourist Class dining saloon and now the nightclub and, right: former Tourist Class smoking room, now the American bar. |
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| Left: Crow's Nest, former Tourist (and Third) lounge and, right: redecorated former Tourist veranda. |
The Tourist Class dining saloon which had been temporarily transformed into the Japanese Tea Room on her Red Star cruises, was now permanently converted into the similiarly themed Club Nikko: "The Club Nikko, the center of night life the Columbia, is fitted on C deck. has a colour scheme of sealing-wax red, silver, and black. The dance floor looks like black glass, and red and black topped tables surround it. Japanese panels decorate the walls." The Tourist Class smoking room became the American Bar with painted out woodwork and repainted chairs from the former dining saloon, the Tourist Class lounge became a game room with ping pong tables etc. and the aft Tourist (formerly Third) lounge was restyled as the Crow's Nest with with directors style chairs upholstered in waterproof fabric and a soda fountain.
The former First Class dining saloon retained its dignity and would have two-sittings. In addition to being redecorated, with "grey green walls embellished with bas-relief, columns and beams white, and here and there a touch of gold leaf," all of the heavy leather upholstered armchairs were removed to Leviathan and replaced by 425 of her satin-covered rosewood framed chairs. These chairs were swapped back after Columbia was laid up.
Belgenland had 425 in the steward's staff, 103 engineers and 73 seamen. The galley staff had 33 cooks under a French chef, ten bakers, two confectioners, eight butchers and six storekeepers and over 100 stewards in the dining saloon. In addition, on her world cruises, two doctors and a dentists, two nurses, dispensary attendant, masseuses, masseur, manicurists, chiropodist, three barbers and a gymnasium attendant as well as 30 employed in laundry that was set up in the Third Class smoking room forward.
So it was with this splendid vessel that Red Star would have as their latest and last flagship and Antwerp would homeport its largest and finest ever ship. IMM, too, would be realising a full decade more later the fruits of an expansion programme that truly seemed of another era. Now, it was finally Belgenland's time to get down to work, coursing from Scheldt to Hudson and as events proved, to the farthest reaches of The Ocean Highway.
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| Belgenland by Charles Dixon. |
Although they are principally an industrial people, the Belgians realise the value of shipping as well as anybody, and, as the biggest ship which has yet attempted to navigate the Scheldt, the Belgenland has already attracted great popular attention. Whether such a magnificent ship can thrive on the Antwerp run has, of course, still be seen, but if careful publicity and attention to the desires of their clients can do anything her owners are certainly on the right road to success.
Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 29 March 1923
If the Liverpool Journal of Commerce struck a slight note of uncertainty as to the giant new Belgenland being able to "thrive on the Antwerp run," it was not without reason. This splendid, magnificent ship-- conceived at the apex of emigrant-driven trans-Atlantic traffic a decade earlier-- was finally entering service in very different and uncertain times. Nothing illustrated the fundamentally and forever altered North Atlantic passenger trade in the wake of American restrictions on immigration than the number of transatlantic US immigrants which went from 805,000 in 1920 to 309,000 in 1921-2 to 165,000 in 1923-4. Belgenland was the flagship, too, of a line that perhaps more than other was defined by the emigrant trade. So it was that she came to thrive and be defined outside the North Atlantic and became instead, cruising's first superliner whose world cruises also swept her up in the celebrity crazed Roaring Twenties.
Belgenland, finally finished off in fine style on the shores of the Lagan, was ready carry the burgee of the Red Star Line not just on the Atlantic Ferry but soon right around the world.
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| Art by Henri Cassiers. Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen. |
1923
Red Star announced on 8 January 1923 the beginning of a new "one-cabin service" between New York and Antwerp using Zeeland and St. Paul commencing in April as the services were reorganised in anticipation of Belgenland which would sail from New York on her maiden eastbound crossing on 14 April to Plymouth, Cherbourg and Antwerp. In another change, the line's ships would, effective 25 April, depart New York at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesdays instead of noon on Saturday. On 6 February Belgenland's departure from New York was changed to 18 April when she would inaugurate the new sailing pattern and thereafter hold down the First, Second and Third-class service on a fortnghtly basis with Lapland. Rates for the new ship were announced on the 12th with the minimum rate to British ports set at $221 and $126.35 Second Class and $131 to Cherbourg and Antwerp.
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| Belgenland may have been eight years delayed in entering Red Star Line service, but her advent nicely occured during the line's 50th anniversary year. Here, she graces the cover of a commenorative booklet. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
Amid plans to introduce the latest Red Star ship, on 24 January 1923 the company marked the 50th anniversary of the first, the 2,773-ton Vaderland, but real celebration of the occasion would occur in connection with Belgenland's maiden arrival in Antwerp later in the year.
In a major departure from ocean liner dining, Red Star announced in February 1923 that the traditional table d'hote dining room service would be entirely replaced in First Class by an a la carte arrangement like that offered previously on the biggest steamers in a small, extra cost grill. Unless desired there would be no set table or dining times. "This will be under the direction of a chef who has had many years of experience in one of the largest hotels at Biarritz." This was Paul Germaine, former chef at the Hotel Continental, Paris, and Savoy, London.
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| Belgenland nearing the completion of her fitting out. Credit: National Museums NI. |
Although an average of 5,185 men had been employed completing Belgenland over the last 12 months, in February 1923 rumours began that the ship's completion would be pushed back to early May. This was refuted on the 13th when Red Star set her departure from Antwerp on 5 April and Southampton the next day. What was worrying was an ongoing series of strikes, including in two critical trades-- painters and upholsters-- that threatened to delay the final fitting out of the vessel. It was mooted that she, like so many British liners of the period, have to be finished overseas. The painters strike was settled 15 March, too late to really matter, but the Liverpool Journal of Commerce reported "there is now a prospect of the liner Belgenland being completed in Belfast, and not in Antwerp as was feared."
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| Belgenland underway 3 March 1923. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Belgenland entering Thompson dry dock on 5 March 1923 for hull cleaning and painting prior to her trials and delivery. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| High and dry. Credit: National Museums NI. |
Belgenland was shifted to Thompson dry dock on 5 March 1923 for the cleaning and painting of her underwater hull. The ongoing painters strike appears to have been only concerning interior and finishing painting trades for she emerged looking quite spruce.
Some of her principle officers were announced including Chief Engineer J.R. Mackay, Surgeon Dr. F. Baseco, Purser J. Caporin, Asst. Purser M.S. Howell and Chief Steward W. Wilson.
On 7 March 1923 it was announced that Belgenland would leave Belfast on the 17th, St. Patrick's Day, for her trials and delivery voyage to Antwerp via Plymouth. It would be a seemingly impossible task to get the ship equipped, stored and in some semblance of order by then. Only on the 14th did the crates from Antwerp containing all of the catering, kitchen and steward's stores come aboard: crockery, glassware, silver, linens etc. It took more than just shipyard workers to get Belgenland "done and dusted," as recounted in the IMM house organ The Ocean Ferry, April 1923:
When Mr. Mitchell and his guests had come aboard at Belfast, the interior of the ship was in confusion. Furniture was piled up in the rooms. Bedding had not distributed. The floors and staircases were soiled by the passing of many workmen. Paint was barely dry. Goods of many kinds had been received aboard at the last moment, and were piled about. To the novice it seemed that order could not be brought out of such confusions within a week.
But the novice could be expected to foresee the miracle that can be worked by an organization like that of the Red Star Line. Every employee on the ship's papers was picked man, and knew his job. Stewards worked with a pride that glowed in their faces. It was fine demonstration of good will, as well as of efficiency. Before the ship had been two hours of Belfast Loch order begin to appear. A seven p.m. a perfect dinner was served in the first-class dining saloon to nearly 100 people. The guests of the management spent that evening in perfectly ordered public rooms. That night they slept in staterooms made up to the last detail of appointments.
Working long hours, the stewards that night washed floors, laid rugs, arranged furniture, placed potted palms and flowers in various corners of the public corners of the public rooms, and chairs just where they belonged.
Sunday morning at one o'clock saw the miracle performed. Said Second Steward Palmer, when the thing had been done:
'That make forty hours straight for me.' There were others who, like him, had caught barely a wink in that many hours.
On 17 March 1923 a party of VIPs embarked for the trials and delivery voyage as well as two with work to do: P.V.G. Mitchell, Manager of Red Star Line, and famed maritime painter Charles Dixon, RI, who had been commissioned to draw the ship's arrival at Antwerp and who, additionally, completed a drawing of Minneswaska, the first of two big new cargo-passenger liners for IMM's Atlantic Transport Line, on the ways next to Belgenland. It being St. Patricks Day, sprigs of shamrock were offered for sale along the quayside and a quantity put aboard as table decorations for the first meal served aboard. In addition to her guests and crew, there also embarked 200 joiners and a crew of riggers who would rush to complete their work before being taken off by tender in Belfast Lough following the trial.
Among the distinguished guests aboard for the trials were Messrs. P. V. G. Mitchell, T. A. Morgan, Millikin Gallow, Wheat. Captains Bradshaw and Wadsworth (marine sperintendent), and Dr. G. Van Daele (Red Star Line); Commodore Bartlett, CB, CBE, and Messrs. Kidd, Willett Bruce, Blake, Bell, P. Griffiths, Tuftill, and Winfield Thompson (White Star Line); Messrs. and Pierce and Captain Rickord (Atlantic Transport Co.); Mr. Scott and Captain Fry (Leyland Line); Captain and Mr. Nichol (Aberdeen Line), Geo. Thompson Co.); Messrs. Wilding, Dunlop, and A. T. Marshall (Messrs. Harland & Wolff, Ltd.); and Mr. W. A. White (White Patent Oil Fuel Co.). Following the trials the ship would proceed to Plymouth to embark the main party of journalists, guests and dignitaries for the trip to Antwerp.
A TRIUMPH OF BELFAST SHIPBUILDING. LINER BELGENLAND. DEPARTURE FOR ANTWERP. A FAIRYLIKE TRANSFORMATION.
This morning, radiant in all the glory of her new creation, the magnificent and beautifully outlined Red Star liner Belgenland, which for months past—during the period of her re-conditioning—has formed one of the outstanding features of the Belfast harbour, left for for Antwerp, from which port she will in the very near future sail on her maiden voyage as a passenger liner for New York.
Representatives of Messrs. Harland and Wolff, of the Red Star Line, and other officials were included in the company on board when the Belgenland was slowly towed out from her berth at the Victoria Wharf at nine o'clock. As she swung out into the river workmen indulged in loud cheering, and there were many other indications of the tremendous interest evinced in the proceedings. After adjusting compasses the vessel proceeded to Plymouth where tomorrow afternoon she will embark a distinguished company, thence journeying on to Antwerp.
Belfast Telegraph, 17 March 1923
Right on schedule, Belgenland eased off her berth at 9:00 a.m. 17 March 1923, drawn off by tugs. As she passed out of the dock, she passed Minnewaska on the ways almost ready for launching and at the adjacent slip was Minnetonka, and finally the just completing Doric.
Very slowly at first the big ship gathered way, for there were but a few inches of water between her keel and the bottom; but gradually, as the channel widened and deepened, she mended her pace, until finally she was speeding along between the bouys that marked the way as easily as a new auto down a boulevard.
Off the light at the end of the dredged channel, were the Loch opens up into a broad arm of the sea, hedged by distant blue hills, the ship slowed down and the riggers boarded a tub that was to take them back to Belfast.
By this time the sun, which in the morning had been hidden in the smoke and cloud, came out gloriously, and the waters of the Loch, stirred by a brisk and rather chilly wind, sparkled in a million points. The snug towns along the shores, the cultivated uplands rising in checkerboards to the tops of the hills, and the whole scene of land and water, was one of beauty.
For the three hours the Belgenland steamed about in the broader part of the Lock, adjusting compasses, and going through turning tests. Her commander, Captain John Bradshaw, found his new ship a remarkably handy vessel at turning, making the complete 360 degrees of the compass as neatly as a motor-boat. 'She's as handy as the Lapland,' said the skipper with a chuckle; and that was praise enough, for the captain had been ten years in command of the Lapland, which was all that while the apple of his eye.
The Ocean Ferry, April 1923.
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| Belgenland sails out from Belfast Lough on her trials and delivery voyage. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| As if on cue, the sun broke out just as Belgenland sailed out of Belfast Lough to illuminate a truly splendid looking ship. Credit: National Museums NI. |
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| Looking quite magnificent, Belgenland steams out into Belfast Lough. Credit: National Museums NI. |
Belgenland returned to the channel light by 3:00 p.m. to disembark her workmen and fitters on the tug Hercules. And in the gathering dusk of early evening, Belgenland left Belfast for good by 5:00 p.m., steaming past Bangor and then down through the Irish Sea, past the Isle of Man and Scilly Isles towards Plymouth.
On the following day, Sunday, 18 March 1924, Chief Engineer J.R. Mackay reported the ship was making an average 17 knots, "the vessel handled beautifully, and a smile overspread the bronzed features of Captain Bradshaw as the sun came out on Sunday forenoon on a dancing, deep blue season." (Ocean Ferry).
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| Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
Good luck was attending the trial, and every sailor has enough superstition in his soul to make of that a good omen for the ship's career.
The Ocean Ferry, April 1923
That evening in a celebratory banquet in the dining saloon, Mr. Edward H. Wilding, Managing Director of Harland & Wolff and Belgenland's designer, remarked "that Belgenland was an interesting ship from many points of view. She was the first ship launched after the outbreak of war in 1914, and she eventually became the greatest cargo carrier, and such rendered great service. Now she had been restored her original design, and it was fine testimony the prevision her designers that after so long lapse of time the builders had not depart in any very great respect from the details of construction originally drawn up. The Belgenland was the largest passenger to be commissioned since the outbreak of the war, all concerned in the construction had reason to be proud of the fact that it embodied all the improvements in first class passenger ships evolved daring the past eleven years." Belgenland was hardly perfect or finished inside with much painting still to be done, steward bells yet to be connected and a lot of furnishings that needed final upholstering. Still, there was no hestitation in joining the toast, "The health to the builders."
P.V.G. Mitchell was notable for his including in his remarks, "We are now going over the plans of another ship of this type, to be built in the same yards, those of Harland & Wolff, Ltd., Belfast, Ireland. We hope to place the order for this in the next few months." It was added that "the second Belgenland should be ready for service between New York, the Channel ports, and Antwerp, in 1925."
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| Credit: Western Morning News, 23 March 1923. |
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| Belgenland at Plymouth. Credit: eBay auction photo. |
Belgenland arrived at Plymouth 18 March 1923 at 3:40 p.m., where "the weather was bright, a brisk wind was blowing, and the rolling hills of Devon were clothed in pale green," (The Ocean Ferry). The tender Sir Francis Drake came out a good clip with 65 invited guests from shipping, shipbuilding, journalism and government for the passage to Antwerp. Among them was George S. Messersmith, the U.S. Consul at Antwerp and Harold A. Sanderson, Chairman of White Star Line. In all, there were 150 guests aboard for the short voyage. Wasting no time, Belgenland sailed for Antwerp at 4:15 p.m.
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| Some of the guests, all prominent figures within IMM and Harland & Wolff, including Edward Wilding (right insert), designer of Belgenland, on her trials and delivery trip. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
The guests were genuinely impressed with the ship and W.L. Warden, of London's Daily Mail, was so taken with the fireplace in one of the suite sitting rooms, that he had the Red Star cameraman take a photo of "two men beside the fire, feeling entirely at home," F.S. Reynolds, joint manager of the Red Star Paris office and J.T. Wheat, consenting to be the "models" and this proved one of the most famous of all shipboard publicity photos.
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| Aboard Belgenland: "Two Men Beside the Fire, Feeling Entirely at Home." Credit: MAS. |
During a dinner held aboard that evening, P.V.G. Mitchell assured all that when Belgenland sailed for New York on 4 April, "she would be complete in every detail. "The builders had many difficulties to contend with during the latter weeks of the completing stage, not the least of which was the strike on the part of the painters which in turn reacted on other trades engaged during the last week in the most difficult work of preparation for delivery. He was happy to say, however, that the trade mentioned recognised the unfairness of their attitude and went back to work only on Thursday morning, and as a consequence the ship was presented to them as they now saw it. 'And we are not ashamed of her,' commented the speaker amid applause. 'We feel we need not aplogise in the least for what we have provided.' (Belfast Telegraph, 22 March 1923).
In brilliant weather, it was midday on 19 March 1923 when Belgenland approached Flushing and perfectly timed with the rising tide, slowed down to make her entry into Scheldt by 1:30 p.m.
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| Belgenland's experienced pilots who brought her into Antwerp for the first time. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
Entrusted with bringing Belgenland into and up the Scheldt the 45 miles from Flushing into Antwerp, a winding twisting channel and in some places, narrowier than New York's East River, were Sea Pilot Benjamin V. Maes (a pilot since 1899) and River Pilot Henri Zimmerman whose experience on the job dated to 1895. Whilst the dykes that lined the channel were black with spectators, the giant liner was conned skillfully through the "S" curve above Antwerp as the flood tide carried Belgenland and a fair breeze animated her array of signal flags that "dressed ship" for her arrival. Another sharp turn and suddenly the great port city came into view with its spires and waters crowded with craft of every description. Belgenland approached her quay with the customary Red Star Line procedure:
This maneuver consists of allowing the ship to run its bow against the shelving farther bank of the steam at the bend, while still going at considerable speed. The flood tide then catches the stern of the ship, and swings it rapidly up stream, towards Antwerp. When the maneuver is completed the ship heads down river instead of upstream, and in this position she gently eased by tugs into her berth alongside the Quai du Rhin.
The Ocean Ferry
Every inch a lady, Belgenland behaved no differently from her much smaller sister, Lapland, and performed the harbour ballet perfectly and was alongside the Quai du Rhin with its new bollards set in concrete to take her special steel mooring hawsers in a quarter of an hour. The Eight Largest Liner in the World was home… in Antwerpen.
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| Aboard for the delivery trip, artist Charles Dixon sketched Belgenland's triumphant arrival at Antwerp. Credit: The Ocean Ocean Ferry. |
On Monday afternoon last Antwerp was en fete, and thousands of people lined the quays to give a welcome to the Red Star liner Belgenland, which was that day being delivered to her owners. It wasn, indeed. on epoch making event in this old world pork with its miles of quays and palatial shipping offices, representative of marine services in all parts of the world. From some distance outside the harbour proper the banks of the tortuous and winding Scheldt were hero and there dotted wits smell groups of country people, who by their display of enthusiasm, furnished some indication of the grand climax which was witnessed by those on board, as the magnificently proportioned vessel swung gratefully round and was slowly dragged to her her by small, but powerful, tugs. The latter looked like toy boats when viewed from the upper decks of the leviathan. The Belgenland, whose upper structures towered far above the roofs of sheds and buildings. is the largest ship yet to enter the Scheldt. Deep and vociferous cheers were raised and maintained for quite a long time, and these were responded to by Belgian representatives, of whom there were many on the ship, they baring joined her at Plymouth in company with many prominent personages in shipping circles. Instantly the ship was made fast, and the gangways thrown out Government officials and leading Belgians trooped aboard, and exchanged hearty greetings, and paid the highest of compliments, not alone to the Red Star directors aboard, but to the representitives of Messrs. Harland and Wolff, who have achieved a veritable engineering and shipbuilding triumph.
Belfast Telegraph, 22 March 1923
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| Belgenland's arrival at Antwerp. Credit: The Mariners' Museum, Eldredge Collection. |
The scene as the ship came alongside the quai was one long to be remembered in Antwerp. Half the population of the city seemed to be out to greet her. Boats of every kind were on the river, carrying parties. Crowds sought every vantage point near the docks. Those who could not leave their affairs at home discussed the coming of the ship. Little else was talked of in the cafes where Antwerp took its afternoon beer. The newspapers issued Belgenland specials. The mayor sent a city official in high hat and black frock coat to be the first up the gangway with congratations from the free and ancient berg to Manager Mitchell for having 'set a white strone along the path of progress for the port of Antwerp,' as the official messengers put it.
The Ocean Ferry
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| Credit: The Ocean Ferry, April 1923. |
It is seldom that the arrival of a new ship at a terminal port is hailed as an historical event. It is also seldom that a ship is greeted by an entire nation as the symbol of a new era in that nation's commerce.
Yet each of these two things befell the new steamship Belgenland of the Red Star Line on her arrival at Antwerp from her trial trip. Every Belgian, from King to common dock laborer, is proud of the Belgenland-- proud of her size, proud of her name, and especially proud that has moved forward by some 9,000 tons the size of ships to navigated the River Scheldt to Antwerp, chief port of Belgium and of Continental Europe
The Ocean Ferry
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| Belgenland and Zeeland dressed overall alongside the Quai du Rhin, Antwerpen. Credit: The Mariners' Museum, Eldredge Collection. |
"She's a lady by the paint upon her face." —Kipling.
And the Belgenland, the great new Red Star liner is not only a very grande dame, she is also exceedingly modest in her tastes, states Arthur David, in a message to the "Daily I Express" from Antwerp.
Antwerp made holiday to receive the Belgenland when she arrived from the fitters' hands to start on her Transatlantic service. She is the largest liner that has ever been so far up the Scheldt, and her coming was a great event in the history of the ancient port. And right well did the Belgenland realise it. As soon as she got wind of the fact that all the good citizens were lining the river she began to prepare. She dressed overall with the gayest of bunting, she gave her stern a shake, and made sure that her dummy funnel was at the proper rakish angle. Then slowly. majestically towering over all the other shipping in the river, and dwarfing the quayside warehouses, she glided gently to her dock, graceful as a mannequin in Bond Street studio. Oh, the liner, she is a lady, right enough—the Belgenland more so than any.
Belfast Telegraph, 21 March 1923
The arrival of the Belgenland, the largest ship that has ever entered the Scheldt River, caused a tremendous sensation as she threaded her way up the stream.
The river shores for miles below the city were lined with eager crowds, and as the new ship entered Antwerp the docks, windows and roofs of the city were black with people.
The Boston Globe, 23 March 1923
When pomp and ceremony over, 200 painters, uphosterers, furniture fitters, carpenters and plumbers swarmed up the gangway to finish what the strike plagued shipyard had been prevented from doing so. Between them and the hard working ship's crew, they had her shipshape in Belfast fashion in time for her maiden sailing.
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| Beautiful menu for Red Star's 50th anniversary dinner served aboard Belgenland on 27 March 1923. Credit: Red Star Museum Antwerpen. |
During Belgenland's layover in Antwerp, she was the setting on 27 March 1923 for a lavish dinner for invited guests celebrating the 50th anniversary of Red Star Line. On another day she was thrown open to public inspection to benefit charity with tickets costing a considerable five francs ($1 each) yet still more than 10,000 visited her.
Belgenland was blessed by Antwerp's beloved Cardinial Mercier, Primate of Belgium, who was much respected for his heroism during the German occupation, on Eastern Monday 2 April 1923 in the presence of six church dignitaries and a choir of 16.
One of the most interesting ceremonies ever witnessed on shipboard is described in a cable received April 2 by the Red Stare Line at New York from its office in Antwerp, describing the blessing by Cardinal Mercier, Primate of Belgium, of the new 27,000 ton Red Star Liner Belgenland, which was to have sailed on her first voyage from Antwerp to New York April 4. The. message follows:
'The blessing of the Belgenland by Cardinal Mercier, a solemn and colorful ceremony, took place under a cloudless sky today, the presence of holiday thousands, who lined the long quay at which the liner lay, ready for her first departure for New York.
Cardinal Mercier, attired in robes of scarlet and gold, arrived at the ship at noon. Ship and piers were decorated in the Belgian and American colors for his reception. The Cardinal ascended the gangway to the ship, preceded by thirty seminarians in black and twenty choristers in scarlet, and attended by a number of Church dignitaries, including Canon Dessain, Abbe Croegaert and the deans of Antwerp Cathedral.
On entering the ship's reception room, the Cardinal was met by P.V.G. Mitchell, manager of the Red Star Line, and cordially acknowledged Mr. Mitchell's formal greeting.
The Cardinal then blessed the interior of the ship. A solemn cortege was then formed, and proceeded to the bow of the ship. Standing at the prow, in clear sunshine, in which the River Scheldt sparkled like silver; and while, all sounds of shipping in the port were hushed, the Cardinal faced the bridge and pronounced a solemn benediction on the big liner, and a blessing on her. voyages. With the color of many flags, of the brilliant vestment of the Cardinal and his entourage of the red-roofed houses of old Antwerp, and of many boats "on the bright waters of the river, the picture was one of brilliancy rarely witnessed even in the land of pageants.
"The cortege next passed along the upper deck of the ship, toward the stern. This afforded the crowds on the quay an excellent view of the famous Cardinal. The ship was again blessed at the stern. After each benediction the boy choristers sang ritual Ave Marias.
Following the solemn ceremony, luncheon was served, in the course of which Manager Mitchell proposed the health of Cardinal Mercier and expressed to him the good will that is felt toward him by Americans. "The Cardinal responded with the toast to the prosperity of the Red Star Line, and presented the ship with his autographed portrait.
The ceremony was filmed by representatives of the principal motion picture concerns in Europe.'
The Catholic Tribune, 7 April 1923
Belgian newsreel footage of the blessing of Belgenland by Cardinal Mercier, her maiden sailing from Antwerp and some of her interiors and cabins:
Later that day, the vessel hosted a luncheon for the American colony in Antwerp and there was talk of King Albert visiting Belgenland before her departure for New York. During his visit to the ship, King Albert created P.V.G. Mitchell as an Officer of the Order of Leopold in "recognition of Mr. Mitchell's services in the re-establishment of commerce between the United States and Belgium since the war, and to signalise the arrival at Antwerp on her trial trip of the new 27,000 ton Red Star liner Belgenland, the largest ship by 9,000 tons to enter that port."
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| Belgenland maiden sailing from Antwerp. Credit: Vrienden van de Red Star Line vzw |
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| Outbound in the Scheldt. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
All Flanders lined the dikes along the picturesque River Scheldt today when the new 27,000-ton Red Star liner Belgenland passed down the stream on her maiden trip to New York. As the ship, gaily bedecked with flags, pulled away from her moorings the cheers of the multitude blended with the whistles of the river craft.
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 5 April 1923.
Favoured yet again by brilliant weather, Belgenland sailed from Antwerp at 3:00 p.m. 4 April 1923, and arrived at Southampton the following day after a brief call at Cherbourg. When she left Southampton, she had 87 First, 94 Second and 70 Third Class passengers aboard, the largest party aboard was Mrs. G.L. Warner, of Birmingham, England, and her 10 children, ranging in age from four months to 22 years old and including two sets of triplets, travelling in Second Class, en route to join her husband in Philadelphia.
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| The Belgenland's orchestra was acclaimed as one of the finest afloat and became a cherished part of a voyage in the liner. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
In a golden age for orchestras, large and small (the "silent" motion picture industry employing some 60,000 musicians in the United States alone), those aboard the crack North Atlantic liners were integral to the pleasure and prestige of the voyage and the ship, and none had a finer orchestra than Belgenland which was appreciated from the maiden voyage onwards.
The orchestra of the new Red Star liner, Belgenland, which left Southampton yesterday on route from Antwerp to New York, was chosen in a novel manner, in order that the best of musicians should be found. Twelve orchestras from Brussels and Antwerp sat in competition before committee of half-a-dozen musicians, who assisted from the Red Star Line at Antwerp to make their choice. Each orchestra played half an hour, the whole competition lasting six hours—from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The orchestra chosen comprises a Mon. A. Eliaerts, recently first violinist of the Flemish Opera, Antwerp, and six musicians. Mon. Jean Douliez, the cellist, composed a march during the steamer's recent maiden voyage. it has been called " Belgenland March," and has been dedicated to Mr. P. V. O. Mitchell, manager of the Red Star Line.
Hampshire Independent, 4 May 1923
An original recording (HMV no. F115), by the Belgenland Orchestra of The Belgenland March:
For the maiden voyage, Jean Douliez composed the ship's signature tune, The Belgenland March which unusually for such things, was not only released in contemporary recordings but remains part of the Belgian march music repertroire today.
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| The Belgenland Orchestra playing in the reception room. Credit: MAS |
An unusual concert of opera music at sea, on board the new Red Star liner Belgenland, in which the seven players were members of the Royal Conservatory of Music at Antwerp, was described In a radio message received yesterday by the Red Star Line from P. V. G. Mitchell, manager of the line, who is on board the new ship for her maiden voyage to New York, where she is due Saturday. "Experienced travelers declared they had never before heard such a concert on shipboard." ran the message.
"The solos by violin, celIo and flute were especially striking. "The orchestra was organized for service on the Belgenland from among members of the two royal orchestras Antwerp and is the best ship's orchestra in the world, in my opinion We shall be glad, on arrival, to have it compete with any orchestra of similar size in New York." The Belgenland's orchestra is to play at dinners to be given on board at Pier 61. North River,. New York, on Saturday and Monday nights and at a luncheon on Monday to representatives of the passenger agents, exporters and the press, respectively, including a large delegation from Boston.
The Boston Globe, 12 April 1923
Belgenland had a fine maiden crossing, and her machinery already well run and freshly overhauled, performed splendidly and what had been an incomplete vessel in "rather a state" upon departure from Belfast was sparking inside and out and her passengers had nothing but praise for the ship, her cuisine and service.
"Amid a vociferous welcome from whistles of ocean liners and the shrieks of the myraid tugs and smaller fleet that escorted the steamer up the bay to her pier, " (Pittsburgh Post), Belgenland made her maiden arrival at New York on 14 April 1923, docking at Pier 60, North River. Capt. Bradshaw told reporters that "the big liner rides the waves like a cork," and referred to her as a "jewel box among big ships," whilst P.V.G. Mitchell, making the roundtrip, sounded slightly press release-ish: "The Belgenland, to my mine, is the finest ship that ever touched at Antwerp. The steamer is the last word in elegance and comfort and is an ideal ship for passengers who wish to reach the continent via Antwerp quickly," but there was nothing to argue about there.
The weather was unseasonably cold when the ship came into port, and continued for during her stay. It was indeed a winter-like morning when she steamed up the Hudson to her berth, with lowering clouds and a high wind. But the day of her departure the sun shone, and shipping in the harbor paid the ship a tribute of salutes with their whistles.
Unfavorable weather did not chill the enthusiasm for the ship expressed by those who visited her. All agreed she was a luxury liner in the true sense, and one with individuality, which was sure to win for her a great and lasting popularity.
The Ocean Ferry
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| Credit: The Marine Journal. |
That evening (14 April), the ship hosted a dinner for several hundred steamship agents from the U.S. and Canada who were addressed by R.H. Farley, IMM Passenger Traffic Manager, P.A.S. Franklin, IMM President, and P.V.G. Mitchell. Also attending was Baron de Cartier de Marchienne, Belgian Ambassador to the United States. Another function on the 16th attracted 1,500 exporters and importers for an inspection and lunch. That evening 300 editors, publishers and other representatives of the press had dinner aboard.
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| Credit: The Evening Star, 12 April 1923. |
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| Belgenland swung out into the North River as she sails for Antwerp. Credit: Daily News, 19 April 1923. |
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| Belgenland sailing from New York on her maiden eastbound crossing, 18 April 1923. Credit: eBay auction photo. |
On April 14 there arrived in New York harbor on her maiden voyage from Antwerp the big Red Star liner Belgenland, a notable product of the shipbuilders craft-embodiment in quite subtle manner in a multiplicity of directions the triple nationality-British, Belgian and American responsible for her being. Following a regular round of social functions staged practically every day of the vessel's brief sojourn in port, she set out on the return trip to Antwerp on April 18, with a goodly complement of passengers and general cargo amid the greetings of all manner of harbor craft and with the good wishes of the many hundreds who were privileged to enjoy the hospitality of her owners and get a peep at the wonderful provision made for the comfort and care of passengers aboard this new Queen of the Red Star Line fleet.
American Shipping, May 1923
Belgenland departed on her first eastbound crossing on 18 April 1923, with 164 First Class (including her designer Edward Wilding and P.V.G. Mitchell), 105 Second and 99 Third Class passengers aboard.
Having crossed "at an average speed of over 18 knots," Belgenland arrived at Plymouth on at 5:55 a.m. 26 April 1923, her exact average speed being 18.2 knots and the weather "moderately fine" for the crossing. She landed 60 passengers and mails there and when she sailed at 7:20 a.m. for Cherbourg and Antwerp had 68 passengers for the French port and 248 for Antwerp as well as 102 bags of mail. Additionally, she embarked 90 guests of the line, mostly agents, for a familiarisation trip to Antwerp and return via Ostend.
Mr. Wilding, naturally enough, was very reticient in talking of the ship, which in large measure its existence to his genius, but he told the Herald representative that the had never known a ship that had come up to expectations as the Belgenland had done. 'Her machinery has worked splendidly,' he said, 'and although not pressed, the new ship has proved that she has a very satisfactory turn of speed. 'She will do better when she settles down,' was his prediction. Mr. Wilding added that be naturally he was glad to hear of the general expression of approval that came from the passengers, but he insisted that the credit belonged to his colleagues as much as himself. 'We know,' he remarked, ' that she is a wonderful sea boat, as we had the weather to try her. She is so steady that you would not know you were at sea ' was the declaration of another prominent traveller, with very many Atlantic crossings to his credit. ' Why not billiard tables at sea?', he asked, 'when on a ship like the Belgenland concerts and dances go on, despite gales of wind and high seas.'
Passengers, whilst enthusiastic about the Belgenland, were equally delighted with the arrangements made for their comfort and pleasure. The orchestra came in for general appreciation, among especially admired items being a march composed in honour of the general manager of the line, Mr. P.V.G. Mitchell, a concert number for Capt. J. Bradshaw and a serenade for 'Joe' Caporin, the popular purser.
Western Evening Herald, 26 April 1923
When Belgenland returned to Antwerp on 27 April 1923, the ship's orchestra played the La Brabançonne and God Save the King as she came alongside the Quai du Rhin and the Mayor of Antwerp was there to greet her.
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| Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
In connection with the statement in one of the London papers that the Red Star Line proposed order of a sister ship the recently completed Belgenland inquiries at Queen’s Island elicited the information that no intimation of any order from the Red Star Line had been received there. The matter might have been discussed London with Lord Pirrie, but the Belfast officials had no knowledge on the subject.
Northern Whig, 30 April 1923
Considering Belgenland, with a total capacity of 2,000 passengers, carried 250 on her maiden westbound voyage and 358 on the return, it seems remarkable that the possibility of a sister ship would be even mooted, but it continued to at least occupy the shipping journals that spring.
A SISTER TO THE BELGENLAND TO BE BUILT.
Mr. P. V. Mitchell, of the Red Star Line, has definitely stated in New York, that a sister ship to the Belgenland will be built in the immediate future, as soon as it is possible to get out the plans for the minor alterations in design which have been suggested by her maiden voyage in her completed state. The hull and passenger fittings being considered perfect, it seems that there can be but little work to be done in that direction, but it will be a lucky thing if the plans are reatly inside several months, and she is not expected to be ready for service until tbe 1923 season, when she will join her consort on the run between Antwerp and New Vork.
The total of nearly 12 years in the completion of the Belgenland is unfortunate for the owners, but it is very interesting in other ways, for it shows just where progress has been made. In the hull there has been absolutely none, and the Belgenland behaves and handles as well as any ship afloat, while her lines are infinitely more pleasing to look at than most of her following. The fittings and furnishing of the passengers' quarters have gone ahead to a certain extent. but, in spite of the fact that she is so beautifully fitted now, there is not a tremendous lot of difference between her as she finally left and as the White Star and Harland and Wolff people intended that she should be in 1912.
In the engine-room, however, it is different, for it bas not been possible to bring her abreast of the march of progress there, and progress during and since the war has been considerable. The conversion of her boilers from coal to oil fuel has made a lot of difference, but not enough for the purposes of her owners, and it is in the engine -room that the new ship will differ from the Belgenland more radically than in any other particular. When she her on the 'combination' principle were a considerable improvement on the direct-coupled turbine, in which either the engine or the screw—or almost both—are forced to run at an uneconomical speed, but geared turbines have gone ahead wonderfully since then, and as the service can never have any great aspiration to very high speed there is ample room on board foe single-reduction gearing drat will do all that it is asked, but at the same time is absolutely reliable. On the other hand it must not be fo gotten that both Harland and Wolff and the International Mercantile Marine have a wonderful reputation being in the from rank of any new development—or perhaps a little ahead al it—and it is not by any means impossible that the new ship may appear with Diesel engines. At least four liners of between 16,000 and 20,000 tons are now definitely projected with Diesel engines, and there have been few to suggest that their designers have bitten off rather more than they can chew. That being so, it does not seem so impossible to put forward a ship of 27,000 tons with similar machinery, and the comparatively slow, steady service between New York and Antwerp seems ideal for the experiment.
The sporting venture of the company in putting such a ship as the Belgenland on a service that hitherto has been forced to be content with smaller tonnage has made everybody but the bitterest commercial rivals hope for its success, and for this to be assured it is certainly necessary to at least two ships of approximately the same characteristics.
Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 27 April 1923
Belgenland was unique for the era in being the first major trans-Atlantic liner, or indeed of any ocean, that was from the very start of her career, truly "dual purpose" and she would never ply her liner route in the winter. Instead, Belgenland would enjoy one of the most intensive, groundbreaking and memorable careers as the most famous cruise ship of her era. This was the heyday of the great travel companies… American Express, Thos. Cook, Frank C. Clark, Raymond & Whitcomb, James Boring etc… chartering liners for winter cruises when the lines had neither the experience or indeed the interest in operating their own cruises. Red Star were in fact, the very first major line to charter a ship for the purpose when Friesland was used by Frank C. Clark for a nine-week cruise from the New York to the Mediterranean and Holyland in February 1895. The same firm pioneered Big Ship cruising when they chartered Celtic for another long Mediterranean cruise in February 1902 and IMM eagerly chartered their steamers for the purpose going forward and pioneered running their own cruises with Arabic beginning in 1909 at which time the new Red Star Lapland also began winter cruises.
Belgenland would write herself a whole new chapter in the fast developing cruise trade, beginning with the report on 9 May 1923 that she had been chartered to Thos. Cook & Son for a "cruise de luxe to the Mediterranean" from New York on 19 January 1924 and returning 26 March after "calling at all points of interest in and around the Mediterranan." It was a doubtless a huge coup for Cooks to get the newest and arguably most luxurious ship in the world for a cruise and indeed Belgenland would be the largest vessel yet to make a cruise since Celtic 24 years earlier.
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| Credit: The Holyoke Daily Transcript, 25 May 1923 |
Cruising seemed to offer more promise than trans-Atlantic crossings and Belgenland came on the scene right when traffic to Europe, normally at the height of the season, was off by some 30 per cent owing to unsettled conditions owing to the French occupation of the Ruhr and persistent rumours of a slump in the United States and general inflation in Europe making travel more expensive. Tourists were fairly taxed to death and Germany imposed levies that amount to 102 per cent in many localities. All of which translated into pretty dismal carryings from New York on the big steamers at the end of May into the summer. Berengaria left New York with only 360 First Class, Olympic a similar number and Belgenland on 16 May with only 230 First, 223 Second and 130 Third Class. Worse, the consequences of the American restrictions on immigration, drastically reducing the number of new arrivals and establishing a "quota" system for designated countries, were just beginning to be felt in 1923. Remarkably, IMM had introduced three new ships in 1923: Doric, Belgenland and Minnewaska just as the bottom fell out of the trans-Atlantic market.
On her second call at Plymouth on 24 May 1923, Belgenland landed 95 there and 750 bags of mail at 8:30 a.m., reporting fine weather across, and sailing at 10:15 a.m. with 97 passengers for Cherbourg and 394 for Antwerp.
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| Credit: Atlanta Constitution, 1 June 1923. |
Writing a new chapter in cruising, IMM, in connection with the American Express Co., first announced on 1 June 1923 that Belgenland would undertake a cruise around the world, commencing from New York on 4 December 1924. Not only would the first time a vessel anything like the size of Belgenland be employed on a world cruise but for the very time, it would be operated by Red Star/IMM directly with American Express Co. in charge of the on board entertainment and shore excursion programme. She would take a westabout route to reach the tropics at the right time, calling at Havana, Colon, Balboa, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Hilo, Honolulu, Honolulu, Yokohama, Kobe, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Manila, Batavia, Singapore, Calcutta, Bombay, Port Sudan, Alexandria, Naples, Monaco, Gibraltar and back to New York.
P.A.S. Franklin, President of IMM, was among the passengers aboard Belgenland when she called at Plymouth on 21 June from New York (departing on the 13th), reporting fine weather all the way across. In all, she landed 149 passengers there and sailed with 149 for Cherbourg and 378 for Antwerp.
There were 110 children among Belgenland's total of 1,094 passengers when she called at Southampton, en route from Antwerp to New York, on 28 June 1923. She embarked more at Cherbourg later that day. The ship's passenger list of 600 was swelled by one on her next westbound crossing when a passenger, one of a group of Polish immigrants, gave birth aboard, on 4 July, to a baby girl who was named Juliana Belgenland Trickofsky. The Belgian Ambassador to the United States, Baron de Cartier de Machinenne, and his wife, were among those departing New York on 11 July.
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| Belgenland sailing from New York. Credit: Mariners' Musem, Eldredge Collection. |
Another peak summer sailing saw Belgenland come into Plymouth on 19 July 1923 with 94 passengers for that port, 77 for Cherbourg and 335 for Antwerp. Arriving at New York on 4 August, "a day late, having been delayed on the other side by engine trouble," passengers landing told reporters of the reaction after news reached the ship at 12:30 p.m. on 3 August and Vice President Calvin Coolidge was sworn in as President. A memorial service was conducted at sea. Her passengers included 200 Jewish immigrants and 140 from Switzerland. In all, she landed 174 First, 597 Second and 407 Third Class.
If her passenger loads that first season were disappointing, there was no doubting Belgenland as a fair weather ship and she reported another crossing made in ideal conditions when arriving at Plymouth on 16 August, landing 54 passengers and 1,119 bags of mail and sailing at noon with 67 for Cherbourg and 201 for Antwerp.
As the U.S. immigration quota for 1923 was nearly filled, there was a final rush in early September by those anxious to fill it and when Belgenland arrived at New York on 1 September , she had her best list to date: 2,041 of which 1,150 were immigrants. With no room to process them at Ellis Island and Belgenland sailing on the 5th for Antwerp, it was arranged to transfer them to Celtic at the adjacent pier where they would be quartered until they could be processed.
The weather was good for the crossing but when Belgenland came into Plymouth on 13 September 1923, she had only 26 passengers and 30 bags of mail to land there. When she docked at New York on the 29th, she landed 348 First, 422 Second and only 211 Third. During her turnaround, the ship's orchestra presented two concerts for radio station WJZ on 1 October.
With the U.S. immigration quota already filled by the end of September, lines looked to the Canadian immigrant trade. On 27 October 1923 it was announced that Red Star would begin westbound calls at Halifax beginning with Lapland's 29 December sailing from Southampton and then Belgenland on 5 January 1924
En route from Antwerp to New York, Belgenland answered an SOS on 30 October 1923 from the Dutch steamer Ary but on arrival found the British steamer Athelstane standing by and she resumed her passage to New York where she landed 136 First, 617 Second and 1,257 Third Class passengers on 3 November including, again, the Belgian Ambassador to the United States, Baron de Cartier de Marchienne, and his wife. The U.S. immigration situation remained unsettled and Belgenland brought in a party of 350 mostly Russian immigrants who were not processed until the 10th and 225 excluded as being over the quota and awaiting appeal, had to quartered aboard Manchuria lying at the pier adjacent to Belgenland. His opposite number, U.S. Ambassador George Messersmith was among those sailing for Antwerp on the return crossing 9 November and enjoyed a nearly deserted vessel, with but 16 passengers landing at Plymouth on the 15th, 10 for Cherbourg and 159 for Antwerp.
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| Belgenland sails from Antwerp for drydocking at Southampton in December 1923. Credit: MAS |
Belgenland underwent her first seasonal drydocking at Southampton's Trafalgar Dry Dock, arriving on 10 December 1923 and sailing for Antwerp on the 23rd.
In 1923, Belgenland completed eight westbound crossings carrying 8,358 passengers and eight eastbound crossings carrying 3,006 passengers for a total of 11,354 passengers.
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| Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen. |
1924
In a year that would see Belgenland make myriad maiden calls, one of two as a trans-Atlantic liner was Halifax on 13 January 1924 when she arrived from Antwerp (4th) via Southampton (5th) and Cherbourg 95th). It was her first visit there so named, having called previously as Belgic. Belgenland was the largest ship to visit the Nova Scotian port since Olympic in 1919 when repatriating Canadian soldiers. No once much cared for records, though, for among her passengers was Rudolph Valentino, "idol of movie fans," and his wife, "the former Miss Winnifred Hudnut," who was kept busy with reporters during the call. Belgenland landed two First, 13 Second and 14 Third Class passengers before proceeding to New York where she docked the next day with 64 First, 132 Second and 74 Third Class.
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| Cover of the Thos. Cook Mediterranean cruise for winter 1924. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
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| The itinerary was the classic one that originated with Frank C. Clark in 1895 and the one and only such voyage Belgenland would make. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
This crossing was more of a positioning voyage to get Belgenland, all fresh from her drydocking, to New York to embark her passengers on her first cruise, to the Mediterranean, for Thos. Cook, on 19 January 1924. Cook's would also dispatch Samaria on a world cruise on the 26th. Belgenland would be the largest vessel to yet make a cruise and the biggest to call at many of her ports en route. Belgenland was among 13 liners sailing that day including Resolute round the world for Raymond and Whitcomb, Orca to the West Indies, Western World for South America and Fort St. George for Bermuda.
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| Wonderful (weren't they all?) Daily News photograph of Belgenland sailing on her first cruise from New York. Credit: Daily News, 20 January 1924. |
Belgenland had 419 passengers aboard, representing 31 states and 91 cities, for the 67-day, 14,000-mile voyage. During her overhaul in Southampton, she was fitted with an "up-to-date laundry with electrically-driven machinery" and employing 30 girls, "supervised by a manager and manageress, who are husband and wife," capabable of dealing with 5,000 pieces of linen a day in addition to passengers' garments. Among those aboard was actress Hope Hamilton, and her millionaire husband Jules Brulatour, on their honeymoon. She also carried 35 Third Class passengers for Mediterranean ports.
The classic 67-day itinerary took Belgenland to Madeira (26-27 January 1924), Cadiz (29-30), Gibraltar (31 January-1 February), Algiers (3), Tunis (5-6), Athens (Phaleron Bay) (9-10), Constantinople (12-14), Alexandria (16), Haifa (17) back to Alexandria and departing there 2 March, Naples (5-7), Monaco (8-9), Gibraltar (12), Southampton (15-19) and returning to New York on the 26th.
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| Belgenland at Alexandria on her first cruise. Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen. |
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| Belgenland at Monte Carlo. Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen. |
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| Belgenland at Monaco. Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen. |
As was customary with long Mediterranean cruises in those days, Belgenland's terminated in Southampton on 15 March 1924, permitting passengers to have a few days in London before rejoining the ship for her first regular crossing of the season on the 19th to New York or returning on any IMM liner on a later date of their choosing. When Belgenland left Southampton on the 19th, she had 5,500 bags of mail and two spaniels valued at £350 and gold valued at £882,053 ($4.4 mn.). One of the new embarks for the crossing, Mr. G. Adams, Vice President of Products of American Industry, aged 28, was making his 44th Atlantic crossing. Belgenland arrived at New York, via Cherbourg on the 28th with 354 First, 227 Second and 197 Third Class passengers.
The first official announcement that Belgenland would undertake a world cruise was made by IMM on 19 April 1924 with the ship to depart New York early in December and proceed westabout via Panama, Hawaii, Japan, China and return via Suez and the Mediterranean. This was followed by an announcement by their West Coast office on the 29th heralding that Belgenland would, upon her calls at Los Angeles and San Francisco, be the largest vessel yet seen in those ports or on the Pacific Coast. It is worth remembering that the then largest trans-Pacific liner, Empress of Canada was 21,517 grt, compared to the 27,132-grt Belgenland. On 11 May more details were released including the itinerary for the 133-day, 28,310-mile ,60 city and 14 country voyage: West Indies, Panama, San Francisco, Honolulu, Yokohama, Kobe, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Manila, Java, Singapore, Rangoon, Calcutta, Colombo, Bombay, Port Said, Alexandria, Naples, Monaco etc . being some of the principal stops.
It was one thing to boldly sail the eighth largest ship in the world around it, but quite another to safely navigate her the 45 miles up to the Scheldt River, beset with sandbars and mud deposits, to her homeport of Antwerp. According to Lloyd's List, collisions, strandings etc. in the Scheldt numbered 178 between 1 October 1922-7 March 1923 but from October 1923 to March 1924, the number was 280. Conditions deteriorated the winter of 1923-24 with the channel shoaling as much as two feet in five days and on 13 April 1924 Belgenland terminated her voyage from New York (sailing on the 5th) at Southampton and turned around there, departing on her next westbound crossing on the 26th. What would be an eventful Atlantic season for Belgenland started off on a boisterous, tardy note when heavy weather encountered en route saw her arriving at Halifax from Southampton and Cherbourg a full day late on 3 May 1924 where landed nine First, 56 Second and 65 Third Class passengers before proceeding to New York after a three-hour call, disembarking and landing 136 First, 78 Second and 84 Third Class at New York on the 5th.
On 20 April 1924 Red Star announced that Belgenland and Lapland would turnaround at London until the channel could be adequately dredged and team up with the new Minnewaska and Minnetonka of Atlantic Transport Line to give London's its finest trans-Atlantic service to date. The Red Star ships would call westbound at Cherbourg and eastbound at Plymouth and Cherbourg. The service was expected to last until July.
P. A. S. Franklin, president of the International Mercantile Marine, has come to Antwerp from America to find out for himself what is wrong with the Scheldt, which endless cables from his representatives in Antwerp had painted in the darkest colors. In an interview he did not mince his words about the incomprehensible negligence of the Belgian authorities which not only threatens with ruin the finest port of Northern Europe, but causes untold loss to international shipping interests.
Blow To Red Star. 'As far as we are concerned,' said Franklin, 'this state of affairs is a terrible blow to the Red Star Line. For 50 years we have been working here in Antwerp to improve the relations between this port and America. Starting with ships of 6,000 to 8,000 tons we have gradually arrived at such sea giants as the Lapland and the Belgenland. And the effort of so many years is being destroyed by Antwerp within a few months.It is discouraging." Mr. Franklin indignantly denied the insinuation that he did not want the Belgenland and the Lapland to go back to Antwerp. The suggestion is not only monstrous but ridiculous, he said. These ships were constructed for the special needs of the port of Antwerp, and the fact of their being obliged now to seek harbor In Cherbourg and Southampton is costing the Red Star Line heaps of money. They will come back as soon as the condition of the Scheldt permits it or the Belgian Government is prepared to shoulder the risk run by navigation under present circumstances.
The Red Star Line has had to cancel contracts for the carriage of passengers and goods. They had a magnificent season in view and now all hopes are lost. Mr. Franklin warned the Antwerp people that it is much easier for a port to lose a reputation than to recover it once it is lost, and that American shipping may yet be forced to Rotterdam in spite of the inferior geographical situation and facilities that port offers as compared with Antwerp. The only way to. avoid a catastrophe is for the Belgian authorities to commence dredging operations immediately on a much more gigantic scale than anything that has hitherto been attemped.
If that were done, Mr. Franklin is convinced that the Scheldt estuary could be cleared and made absolutely safe for traffic within a very short time..
Baltimore Sun, 18 May 1924
When the White Star Line brought out the Ceramic shortly before the war there were many who thought that it was madness to take a ship of eighteen thousand tom into the Thames, and that such risks were bound to lead to disaster. One wonders what they will say when the Red Star liner Belgenland, of 27,000 tons, comes up the Thames to-day (Saturday), and not only that, but as far up stream as the King George V Dock, while the chances of any sort of trouble are regarded as nil. One does not want to suggest that such a big ship will be easy to navigate up the river, but she is remarkably handy with her triple screws, while the stern anchor that is provided should prevent any trouble if things have to he done in a hurry. The Atlantic Transport Minnewaska and Minnetonka have done it time and again with perfect safety, and although, of coarse, Belgenland is bigger than they, it is very doubtful whether she is any more difficult to handle. Unfortunately, she is not quite of the type to run to the Thames continuosly in the ruling circumsences without very considerable modification of her accommodation, but while the Continental authorities are content to drive away their best ships by allowing the Scheldt to get its present reputation we are quite willing to take charge of the extra trade. A ship the sine of the Belgenland running on the Transatlantic trade means an income to the tradeimien and chandlers of this port to which she trades, and London will appreciate the benefit. The Red Star authorities, however, are more concerned with the fact that they have built up their organisation at Antwerp, and that being driven out of it in this way means a very, heavy expense. To take only one item there is the question of the stewards who are all Belgians, and trained to the unusual 'a la carte' arrangement of her rooms. They naturally strongly object to this sudden transfer from their home port, but the company met their objections by promising to refund half of their return fare to their Belgian homes and back to London. Being experienced shipowners, with a realisation of possibilities of desertion, they agree to pay this fare on the gangway of their ship when men returned to resume their duties-- probably a very wise precaution of their part. It is a great pity that the Belgenland and Lapland will have to back to Antwerp again soon, but iin the meantime they are exceedingly welcome in the Thames.
Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 11 May 1924
Belgenland sailed from New York on 8 May 1924 with 133 First, 182 Second and 110 Third Class for Plymouth and.... London, becoming the largest liner yet to have the Capital as her destination and London proper, too, not Tilbury and berthing in the new King George V Dock as did the Atlantic Transport Line ships.
Calling at Plymouth on 16 May 1924, where she landed 34 passengers and 1,394 bags of mails, and Cherbourg the following day, Belgenland arrived at London at 2:00 p.m., coming into King George V Dock safely but with little margin for error, with 250 passengers aboard and a crew of 300. The Belgium-bound passengers proceeded by special train to Harwich and then steamer to Antwerp.
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| Belgenland turning in the Thames at the entrance to King George V Dock. Credit: The Mariners' Museum, Eldredge Collection. |
The docking of the Belgenland proved a ticklish business, and experts on Thames-side describe it as the finest achievement the history of the port. The vessel is 700 feet long, and the King George V. Dock, about 800 feet, and when the berthing was accomplished it was found that there was margin of not more than eight feet on either side. It was necessary wait until the tide was just on the turn, and it runs faster on the Kent side than the Essex side the Belgenland had to describe complete circle at the dock mouth before she could enter.
Belfast News-Letter, 21 May 1924
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| Belgenland in King George V Dock. Credit: shipenthusiast.com |
The work to dredge the Scheldt was considerable, and to make it navigable for Belgenland and Lapland, more than six feet of silt would have to be removed and even with five dredgers in operation, it was reckoned to take many months. Red Star continued to advertise Belgenland to sail from Antwerp on 23 July 1924. Moreover, it was even suggested that the ship herself had caused the problem by her tremendous wash breaking silt away and washing down banks etc.
Possibly owing to not originating in Antwerp, the summer season started slowly and when Belgenland docked at New York on 2 June 1924 from London and Cherbourg, she had only 115 First, 52 Second and 63 Third Class to land there. "For the convenience of persons interested in plans for the 133-day world cruise," tours by appointment of Belgenland were conducted during her turnaround 4-5th at Pier 61, and representatives of Red Star and American Express Co. on hand to answer questions.
It was busier eastbound and IMM could claim a record for the season when Majestic, Adriatic and Belgenland sailed from New York on 7 June 1924 with a total of 3,300 passengers between them with the Red Star flagship taking 262 First, 232 Second and 78 Third. Belgenland, George Washington and Rotterdam cleared New York within an hour or two of one another and keeping station across the Atlantic, all three arrived "in procession" at Plymouth on the 15th, carrying altogether 3,500 passengers, the Red Star flagship had 68 passengers for the port, 194 for Cherbourg and 312 for London.
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| Builder's model of Belgenland. Credit: National Museums NI. |
Having not yet seen the real thing in their port, Bostonians settled for the huge seven-foot, three-feet high and one-and-a-feet wide builders model of Belgenland which went on display in the window of the IMM office in State Street in mid June 1924. Costing $50,000 to make, it was making the tour of the combine's offices that summer to promote the world cruise.
Meanwhile progress continued apace on the dredging of the Scheldt as well as the blasting of the wreck of a sunken steamer near the channel. The project, complicated by the worst segment being on the border with Belgium and the Netherlands and involving a joint commission and other red tape, had severely impacted Antwerp as well as Red Star whose services there were restricted to Zeeland, but on 10 July 1924 it was announced that Belgenland and Lapland would be able to resume sailing to the port with Belgenland's departure from New York on 7 August.
It was reported on 15 July 1924 that 356 registered letters aboard Belgenland destined for Germany had been opened, and in all 328 had their contents, cash sent by American relatives, stolen and another 28 stolen outrights. Investigators were certain that the work was done in cooperation with members of the crew and in May, two of the ship's lookouts had been caught rifling registered post.
On her third and final New York arrival from London, Belgenland landed 119 First, 86 Second and 18 Third Class there on 28 July 1924.
Sailing from New York 7 August 1924 with 67 First, 86 Second and 81 Third Class passengers, Belgenland was once again Antwerp-bound, and after another fair weather voyage if one "marked by variable changes of temperature," arrived at Plymouth on the 15th at 2:30 a.m., and landed later that morning 23 passengers before proceeding to Cherbourg (31 passengers) and finally, Antwerp with 182.
BELGENLAND AT ANTWERP AGAIN. CHANNEL IN SCHELDT CLEARED.
Great satisfaction was expressed in shipping circles on Saturday [16 August] when the Red Star Line's giant steamer Belgenland once more returned to port, and placed Antwerp, again in the position of a first-class European port, for the large Atlantic liner trade.
It will be remembered that early this year, large liners like the Lapland and the Belgenland had to abandon Antwerp as a port of call owing to the silting up of those channels in the Scheldt known as the Valkenrise and the Rilland. This was a serious blow to Antwerp shipping, and the Red Star Line was obliged to use the large new docks in the Thames, and put London instead of Antwerp on their sailing lists.
Successful pressure has been brought to bear on the Belgian authorities, and efficient dredging has been in operation for several months, with the result that large liners can once again use the port. The silting up of the riverI earlier in the year appears to have been due to inefficient dredging and the " red tape" : complications (mowing one authority overlapping another.
Near by the Belgenland, when she moved alongside the Quai du Rhin, lay the Lapland. Both had made a comfortable journey up the difficult river and the necessary " turn round" at the quay was made successfully and quickly by means of tugs.
As the Belgian authorities have now promised to maintain the channels in a properly dredged condition, it is to be hoped that the Red Star Line will be able to schedule the sailings of its fine new Atlantic liners regularly from the Belgian port.
Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 19 August 1924.
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| Back in her home port, Belgenland at the Quai du Rhin as seen from St. Annastrand. Credit: MAS Antwerpen. |
Le Neptune, an Antwerp shipping daily, interviewed Commodore Bradshaw, about the conditions in the Scheldt which was reprinted in the Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 21 August 1924:
The Belgenland negotiated the Rilland and Valkenisse Channels without serious difficulty, he stated, 'as there was no wind to speak of, and more important still, no vessels in position to interfere nitlo our progress. But I do not think that we shall always be able to come up so easily. In fact, I think that the entrance to the Rilland Pass is so narrow as to be a very grave danger to all large steamers seeking entry to the port of Antwerp. Once actually in the Channel, however, there is very little danger. '
In order to enter the pass, the mouth of which is less than two hundred metres wide, we have to make a sharp curve. You will appreciate that to do this with a vessel more than 240 metres long is really very dangerous. Currents and winds have an effect on the navigation of large steamers, and the slightest error in judgment might lead to a catastrophe.
"My chief concern is not with these matters, however, as the Belgenland 'a comparatively easy to handle; what I fear is to meet another vessel in the pass. as there is not room enough for two. To widen the channel, therefore, is essential, and in saying I speak not only for the Belgenland, but for all I know there will always be very grave danger of an accident, if two vessels attempt to pass each other in the Rutland channel.
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| Anoher superb Daily News photograph taken from the inbound Reliance passing the outbound Belgenland in the North River, 9 October 1924. |
When Belgenland cleared New York on 9 October 1924, Antwerp-bound, she had only 55 First, 70 Second and 57 Third Class aboard, but she just binding her time before her much anticipated world cruise for which IMM's relentless publicity campaign reached fever pitch. When she arrived at Plymouth on the 17th, "for the last time in many months," the Western Evening Herald used the occasion to published another IMM press release: Christmas would be celebrated en route from Los Angeles to Honolulu, "Joe" Caporin, "the genial purser," and Chief Steward W. Wilson, would look after the 500 guests, the later responsible for a larder that would include 100,000 lbs. of beef, 50,000 lbs. lamb, 24,000 lbs. of bacon and ham, 18,000 head of poultry, 78,000 eggs, 10,000 lbs. butter, 4,000 lbs. cheese, 8,000 lbs. coffee and 2,000 bottles of pickles.
On 18 October 1924 Belgenland arrived at Antwerp at 5:30 p.m. after reporting she had touched ground in the Valkenisse Channel. On the 24th, she sailed for Southampton where she the next morning There, she was put into the huge 60,000-ton floating drydock which drawing 27 ft. 9 inches with 30 ft. of water over the keel blocks. Coming in at 9:00 a.m., she was high and dry just before noon. There, her hull would be inspected, cleaned and painted and undergo a machinery overhaul by Messrs. Harland & Wolff. In addition, elaborate redecoration and cruise oriented refinements were installed just for the world cruise:
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| For the first and succeeding world cruises, the entire Second Class dining room was converted and elaborately redecorated and furnished as a Japanese tea garden and popular dance venue to the special jazz band engaged on these trips. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
The latest feature on the ship is a Japanese tea garden. The second-class dining-room has been decorated in true Japanese style. The walls are coloured in various shades, ranging from delicate: pink to deep red, and hung with Japanese fans and pictures. All furniture will be of Japanese wickerwork. Two swimming baths on deck, the largest ever installed on an ocean liner. awnings from stem to stern on the exposed decks, cinema entertainments, a symphony orchestra of eleven skilled performers, and pigeon-trap shooting are among the amenities provided for the passengers. The Belgenland will have a daily wireless news service.
Belfast Telegraph, 24 November 1924
Belgenland sailed from Antwerp on at 6:00 a.m. 20 November 1924-- destination: New York and Around the World. Then she went around in fog in the Scheldt, near Hansweert. She was pulled free by ten tugs and with no apparent damage or leaking, continued to Southampton.
There, she would once again make use of the floating dry dock to ascertain any damage from her grounding and, uniquely, would be docked with her 300 passengers still aboard. Belgenland arrived at Southampton at 5:00 p.m. and by 7:00 p.m. when the dinner gong rang, she entered the dry dock and as passengers were dining:
...the ship and the dock together began their 40 feet climb towards the stars. When dinner was over they were still climbing. The band was still playing in the lounge, and most of the people danced merrily until after midnight. The ship was high and dry about 11.30, but the dancers heard nothing of the clang and clatter down at the bottom of the dock, where gangs of workmen and experts with clusters of lights were busy examining the hull of the ship under water to see that all was safe. The dancers went to bed long before the workmen. It was 4.30 a.m. before the dock began to submerge, and when the dancers went on deck before breakfast, the ship was afloat and alongside the berth again. It was a remarkable experience to start trip around the world by climbing above it.
Shields Daily News, 24 November 1924
Belgenland sailed from Southampton the afternoon of 22 November 1924 for New York where she arrived on the 30th with 94 First, 181 Second and 124 Third Class passengers.
The Red Star flagship would be but the first of four big liners cruising around the world that winter, followed by Empress of France on 14 January 1925, California on the 20th and Franconia on the 22nd, but she was not only the newest but the largest and most luxurious. A trans-Atlantic liner that by circumstances had yet to find her way, would in winter 1924-25 effortlessly and definitively become the most celebrated of all cruise ships in a nascent industry that was enjoying an early heyday.
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| World cruise brochure cover featuring striking artwork. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerp. |
Despite the hour of departure, midnight, the pier was crowded with friends and relatives of the tourists.
The Standard Union, 5 December 1924
Two years previously Cunard's 19,680-grt Laconia, chartered to American Express Co., had pioneered the round-the-world cruise and was the largest ship to circumnavigate the globe, transit the Panama and Suez Canals and broke records for size in many of the ports she visited. Now, following basically the same route, the honours would be claimed by the 27,132-grt Belgenland and not be broken until CPR's 42,348-grt Empress of Britain made the first of six world cruise in 1932.
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| Rolland Jenkins (left), IMM Cruise Manager, and A.L. Maas, American Express Cruise Manager. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
Second only to Canadian Pacific, Red Star were the first major line to operate their own long distance cruises (CPR having been the first with Empress of Scotland to the Mediterranean in January 1924). American Express Co. were contracted to conduct the extensive range of shore tours and overland extensions and their large staff was headed by A.L. Maas, whilst Rolland Jenkins was the IMM cruise manager.
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| The route of Belgenland's first world cruise took her westabout and would be followed on all her succeeding six circumnavigations. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
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| The itinerary was derived from American Express' pioneering first world cruise in Laconia in 1922. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
Belgenland's 28,168-mile itinerary would take Belgenland to Havana (8 December), Panama Canal (12), Los Angeles (20), San Francisco (22-23), Hilo (28-29), Honolulu (30-31), Yokohama (11-18 January 1925), Kobe (19-23), Shanghai (27-28), Hong Kong (31 January-2 February), Manila (4-5), Diamond Harbour (for Calcutta) (21-26), Colombo (1-4 March), Bombay (7-12), Port Sudan (19), Port Tewfik (21), Alexandria (22-27), Naples (30 March-2 April), Monaco (3), Gibraltar (6) and New York on 16 April.
Today, when giant mass market cruise ships are barely tolerated in many places if not outright banned and largely disdained, it is difficult to appreciate the almost universal awe and wonder a ship like Belgenland and her "millionaire" American passengers aroused in many places she called. They were afforded official state welcome in many places. In India, the overland tour party was received by the Maharajah of Jaipur and the Maharajah of Baroda; in Japan, Imperial permission to visit the sacred island of Miyajima and the ship visited by the governor of the province, and in Manila, the Governor General, received passengers at the governor's palace. Thousands of ordinary people thronged quaysides around the world to witness her arrival and departures. And in Naples, even the King and Queen of Great Britain saw Belgenland berth right next to the Royal Yacht.
Belgenland's capacity was limited to 470 which was considered optimal for shore arrangements especially in the ports where she could not go alongside and facilitated a single sitting in her First Class dining room. It was said that IMM pocketed $1.5 mn. gross in fares on the voyage with rates ranging from $2,000 to $37,500 per person. No detail was overlooked and "each stateroom has been equipped with moth-proof garment bags for storing winter clothing, while the ship is in the tropics. A well lighted space in the hold has been set aside for a special baggage room where large trunks may be kept in accessible positions. Deck sports have been provided on a generous scale, including trapshooting, deck golf and deck tennis. An outdoor swimming pool has been design for erection on deck to supplement the plunge pool below decks. All three veranda cafes have been fitted for outdoor dancing. Special electric cables have been strung along deck ceilings and awning supports for parti-colored lights to be use in deck carnivals. The ship's orchestra has been augmented by several jazz artists of repute." (The Times Leader, 4 December 1924).
American Express Co. organised a comprehensive programme of shore excursions and quite elaborate overland extensions to Korea, China, India and Egypt. As with most long cruises of the day, Belgenland's offered the facility of disembarking at Naples or Monaco to facilitate individual independent stays on the Continent with the option of returning in Belgenland from Antwerp or Cherbourg on her first westbound crossing of the season or take any later IMM steamer.
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| Short on celebrities, the newspapers had to make do with a DuPont of Delaware heiress (centre) and her mother and three-year-old William C. Johnson (right) making (with his parents) his second world cruise. |
Embarkation for the much anticipated world cruise began the evening of 4 December up 'til midnight to facilitate Belgenland getting underway in the wee hours of the following day. Some 385 would board at New York and another 65 expected to join in San Francisco. There was not a surfeit of celebrities aboard, but Mrs. B.G. Dupont and daughter from Wilmington, Delaware; Lt. Col. Warwick Wright, DSO, a New York Supreme Court justice and "three-year-old globetrotter Christopher W. Johnson, Jr., making his second world cruise, with his parents.
Nipping and eager airs were sweeping across the Hudson, and through the drafty, echoing sheds of the Chelsea piers, when the Belgenland, sounding her siren stridently, backed out of her berth 59, at midnight of December 4-5, 1924, and started on her first cruise around the world.
She sailed westward from Pier 60, North River, on the night of December 4-5, had steamed 28,767 miles, and in her entire absence on this long trip had experienced but two days of bad weather. At no time was a storm encountered of sufficient important to disturb the steady progress of the ship, whose voyage was made practically in continuous sunshine-- an unusual circumstance.
The Ocean Ferry
Before Belgenland had even reached the first port of the 1924-25 World Cruise, American Express and IMM announced on 6 December 1924 that she would be making a second for 1925-26 and this attracted a flurry of advance bookings.
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| Belgenland and Gothland together at Havana. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
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| Too big to dock alongside in Havana, Belgenland's passengers were landed by a large steam tender. Credit: MAS. |
Havana, the first port, on 8 December 1924, was no stranger to big cruise ships, but Belgenland aroused the interest of even the most jaded and casual of locals on her arrival which she shared with Panama Pacific's Finland and Red Star fleetmate Gothland (then employed on a service from Spanish ports to Cuba, West Indies and Mexico). Far too big even for the Cuban capital's fine piers, Belgenland anchored off and a large steamer tender took off the entire compliment of 372 passengers who had 72 automobiles awaiting them on the quay to take them on excursions.
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| Belgenland in Gatun Locks. Credit: Vrienden van de Red Star Line vzw |
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| Looking every inch the largest commercial vessel yet to transit the Panama Canal, Belgenland in the Gaillard Cut, 12 December 1924. Credit: U.S. National Archives. |
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| Belgenland in Pedro Miguel Lock, 12 December 1924. Credit: U.S. National Archives |
An early highlight, of course, was the transit of the Panama Canal, Belgenland being the largest commercial ship to pass through the waterway (H.M.S. Hood the largest to date by displacement tonnage) and Red Star had the $16,412 transit toll to pay to prove it.
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| Photos of Belgenland's first Panama Canal transit. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
Nowhere was Belgenland more welcomed than during her calls at California and Hawaii, being the largest vessel by far seen in the Pacific.
The U.S. Pacific Fleet was anchored in the roadstead off Long Beach and "as the liner passed the flagship of the Pacific fleet, the Delaware, she was accorded the usual honor of a salute from that vessel, at the forepeak of which flew the blue-starred flag of the commander-in-chief of Pacific fleet, Admiral Samuel S. Robison. As the Stars and Stripes were slowly lowered and raised on the battleship's stern staff, the red ensign of the Belgenland was dipped in acknowledgment." (The Ocean Ferry).
Belgenland's arrival at Los Angeles on 20 December 1924 at 6:00 a.m., with 440 passengers, was followed two hours later by that of Finland (Panama Pacific Line) two hours later from New York with 463 aboard, constituting a record of arrivals at a West Coast port from New York. Belgenland docked at Berth 60, Outer Harbor, Wilmington. Capt. John Bradshaw, heralded as "the only American master aboard a ship of British registry and flying the British flag," was greeted by a delegation of local dignitaries (including the Mayor of Los Angeles), port officials and shipping men who were later treated to luncheon aboard. Ninety automobiles stretching a quarter of a mile from the gangway to accommodate tourists off to the see the new mecca of Hollywood. Before Belgenland sailed at 7:00 p.m. on the 21st her passenger list was augmented by sixty embarks, one of whom paid $25,000 for his suite and arrived at the pier with a string of cars for his visitors and a band of Hawaiian musicians.
"… the Belgenland attracted much attention as she steamed into the bay through the driving wind."
San Francisco Examiner, 22 December 1924.
Her perfect weather record was blotted on approach to San Francisco which offered fog and torrential rain on arrival. Belgenland passed through the Golden Gate late afternoon on 21 December 1924 and tied up at Pier 32 (which IMM had dredged just before her arrival) by early evening. The following day most of her passengers were taken on an automobile tour of city including lunch at the St. Francis Hotel. In anticipation of Christmas, to be celebrated en route to Hilo, a large supply of Christmas greens was taken aboard. Forty more passengers also embarked adding to a list that included "98 unattached women on board, that 67 of these are widows, most of them wealthy." (San Francisco Examiner).
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| Credit: Rutland Daily Herald, 8 December 1925. |
Christmas Day was enjoyed at sea and especially the stewards who were presented with a $1,000 tip by a passenger, Mrs. Anita Baldwin, Los Angeles.
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| Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
Under azure skies, with a veil of clouds clustering about snow-capped Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, the Red Star liner Belgenland, largest passenger vessel that has visited Hawaiian waters and the largest yet to circle the world, arrived off port here at 4 o'clock this after noon. As the huge ship swung from the sea into the harbor channel her stern barely missed a fishing sampan. the anchor of which was carried away by the suction from the Belgenland's propeller.
No damage, however, was done to either ship. The liner was two hours in docking at Kuhio wharf, while thousands of Hilo folk watched. Lei girls and singers met the shin off port but did not board. They sang, played and danced on the wharf.
Honolulu Star Bulletin, 29 December 1924
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| Belgenland off Diamond Head. Credit: The Mariner's Museum, Eldredge Collection. |
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| Belgenland coming alongside the Aloha Tower and Pier 7, Honolulu, taken from the U.S. Army Air Corps flyover of the ship on arrival. Credit: U.S. National Archivies. |
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| Belgenland sailing from Honolulu. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
At 11:00 a.m. on 30 December 1924 Belgenland was off Diamond Head and alongside Pier 7 by noon, assisted by the tug Mikioi. She was the largest passenger ship yet to enter the harbour and second only to H.M.S. Hood as the largest vessel of any description to call at Honololu. Passengers enjoyed two very full days there and Belgenland sailed at sunset on New Years Eve.
In 1924, Belgenland completed seven westbound crossings carrying 4,032 passengers and eight eastbound crossings carrying 3,164 passengers for a total of 7,196 passengers, and one Mediterranean cruise carrying 419 passengers.
1925
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| A "Fete Chinoise" in mid Pacific. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
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| Belgenland alongside the only standing pier in Yokohama following the 1922 earthquake. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
The Fair Weather Ship might have been tested crossing the Pacific Ocean in January, but taking the extreme southern route, she was favoured with "continuous sunny weather" all the way to Yokohama where she arrived on 18 January 1925. She tied up at one of the few undamaged piers in a port still ruined in many parts from the devastating earthquake of September 1923. Japan was the first destination where passengers could avail themselves of longer overland tours, in this case of 10 days, rejoining the ship at Kobe or join the day excursions included in the fare. Sailing from Yokohama on the 18th, Belgenland arrived at Kobe on the 19th, remaining there until the 23rd. A highlight was the passage through the Inland Sea and a rare, specially arranged visit to the sacred island of Miyajima.
China in 1925 was in the midst of a civil war, but nothing would prevent Shanghai from being included on the itinerary and despite conditions, visited as per the programme. Belgenland arrived at Woosung on 27 January. The Chinese fort there had been periodically firing at British shipping on the Huangpu River and American Admiral Charles B. McVay Jr. detailed the destroyer USS Borie to escort her safely in and out of port. When Belgenland and the destroyer anchored in the river, the commander of Woosung fort ordered them to move out of his line of fire and they went about a mile up the river and anchored in company with British light cruiser. Passengers went up to Shanghai by large tender with luncheon at the Majestic with dancing to the ship's jazz band.
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| "The source of unflagging interest to high and low alike in the city's population," Belgenland at Hong Kong. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
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| Belgenland at Hong Kong. Credit: Vrienden van de Red Star Line vzw |
Departing Shanghai on the later afternoon of 28 January 1925, Belgenland made fast work of the 820-mile run south to Hong Kong where she arrived on the 31st. Their arrival at Manila (4-5 February) heralded by a 65-man brass band on the pier, each passenger later was received by the Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, Governor General of the Philippines.
On 7 February 1925, the day before Belgenland actually crossed the Equator in the South China Sea, off the coast of Borneo, the traditional Crossing the Line ceremony was conducted "on a perfect day, with a cool breeze and brilliant sunshine, a sea smooth as the surface of a mountain lake, and the blue mountains of Borneo showing clear to port." (The Ocean Ferry).
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| As famous as Belgenland's orchestra, the ship's jazz band, the 'Belgenland Collegians" played ashore in Shanghai, Singapore and other ports of call at dinner dances organised for passengers. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
After calling at Batavia, (10-12 February 1925), Belgenland arrived at Singapore on the 14th and the activities included a dinner dance at Raffles to the music of the Belgenland Collegians, the ship's jazz band, which attracted many locals.
Leaving Singapore on 15 February 1925, Belgenland steamed through the Malacca Straits, her passengers enjoying the traditional shipboard pleasures in "delightfully balmy weather," for six days before arriving at Diamond Harbour on the 21st, the deep water port for Calcutta, about 40 miles up the Hooghly River and reached by large river steamer. India would be one of the major destinations of the cruise and American Express offered a comprehensive 17-day overland tour, rejoining the ship at Bombay and a myriad of shorter excursions.
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| Belgenland share Colombo harbour with a P&O mailship, believed to be Chitral, providing a striking comparison in size and presence. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
Belgenland, minus quite a few of her passengers on the overland route, left Diamond Harbour on the 26th and reached her next port, Colombo, on 1 March 1925. Anchored off, she was join by P&O's new Chitral, on the Far East Service, and the two provided a striking comparison of the relative sizes of one of the largest colonial mailships and one of the bigger Atlantic liners and, once, again the largest yet to call at the port.
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| Belgenland at Bombay. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
Taking leave of Colombo on 4 March 1925, Belgenland made Bombay in three days 10 hours, where she stayed for five days whence two groups went to Agra and Delhi by rail and her overland group re-embarked.
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| Photos of Belgenland's record setting transit of the Suez Canal. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
The cruise was now reaching its final stages and upon departure from Bombay on 12 March 1925, Belgenland ventured across the Arabian Sea and into the Red Sea in remarkably comfortable weather. Calling at Port Sudan on the 19th to land a group touring Khartoum and then heading north into Egypt, Belgenland stopped at Port Tewfik on the 21st. There, her passengers were landed and took special trains direct to Cairo and accommodated at the best hotels. In additions to the wonders of the Pyramids, special groups entrained for Luxor and Sakkara as well as the recently discovered tomb of Tut-ankh-Amen. Entraining for Alexandria, they rejoined Belgenland which had made history without them, having been the largest merchant ship yet to transit the Suez Canal. "When we came aboard the ship we felt that we were back home. The gangway was draped with the British and American flags, over the motto 'Welcome Home.' We felt that we were homeward bound.'
Sailing from Alexandria on 27 March 1925, Belgenland was indeed homeward bound and as most passengers would be disembarking at her subsequent Mediterranean ports, the farewell dinner was held aboard on the 28th.
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| Photos of the call at Naples where Belgenland and Adriatic (on a Mediterranean cruise) were moored next to the Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
After yet more splendid weather, Belgenland arrived at Naples on 30 March 1925 and in a final highlight of a remarkable voyage, her visit coincided with that of HM King George V and Queen Mary aboard the Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert and she anchored next to the yacht and shared the harbour, too, with Adriatic on a Mediterranean cruise. It was said that the King took a special interest in Belgenland and watched her departure on 2 April for Monaco, reached the following day. After a brief call at Gibraltar on the 6th, it was nonstop to New York where Belgenland arrived on the evening of the 14th where she landed 235 passengers, the others opting to return on a later sailing.
Throughout the passage of the Atlantic the Belgenland sustained her character of a lucky ship. Balmy weather followed her, and when she came to anchor off Staten Island, in the quarantine anchorage, on the evening of April 14, it was with a record of 129 sunshiny days to her credit, out of the 131 days of her voyage.
'Belgenland luck,' said the passengers next morning, when, after a misty night, the sun rose resplendant, bathing the harbor, the fairy skyline of New York, and waters of the Hudson, in the warmth of spring.
As the ship entered her berth at Pier 58, North River, she presented a charming sight. Long, multicolored streamers flowed from her side to the pier, and were caught by laughing, cheering friends of the passengers, while the other end, in many cases, was held by an excited world traveler thrilled with thus establishing contact, under the happiest conditions, with 'Home Sweet Home.'
The Ocean Ferry
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| Credit: Baltimore Sun, 8 April 1925. |
For Belgenland, once the streamers were cleaned up (the deck swimming pools and the Japanese tea garden having been dismantled at Southampton), it was back to the comparative mundane routine of the Atlantic Ferry. That season Red Star added Pittsburgh, the 16,322 grt sister to Regina and Doric, that had been intended for American Line and never sailed for the now defunct line, to their fleet and partnered with Zeeland to hold down the cabin service leaving the Belgenland and Lapland on the first class express run. Pittsburgh and Zeeland called at Halifax westbound whilst Belgenland and Lapland did not.
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| Antwerp in the mid 1920s: Belgenland alongside the Quai du Rhin and Pittsburgh sailing. Credit: Antwerp Port Authority Archives, courtesy threebs, shippinghistory.com |
On 22 April 1925, Belgenland sailed from New York with Mme. Paul Lessinoff, wife of the charge d'affaires of the Bulgarian legation in Washington, concert singer Mme. Pauline Emrich, Mrs. Helen Peck, "among the most beautiful women in New York and Spring, Mass. society, and Edouard Horemans, billiard champion of Europe," among the 110 First Class passengers, and another 76 Second and 67 Third Class. On her arrival at Plymouth on the 29th at 4:15 p.m., 100 of Belgenland's crew were paid off for a well-deserved spot of leave. She landed 32 passengers there and had 70 for Cherbourg and 151 for Antwerp.
Having cruised 30,000 miles around the world in perfect safety, Belgenland's homeport continued to bedevil her. On 12 May 1925 the Norwegian steamer Sado collided with the Red Star flagship at Antwerp alongside the Quai du Rhin. The Norwegian vessel was able to proceed on her way but the liner had several plated dented on the portside above the water line. The damage did not prevent Belgenland from sailing, on schedule on the 15th, for New York where she docked on the 23rd with 101 First, 160 Second and 80 Third Class passengers.
Donald Mitchell, son of Red Star Manager P.V.G. Mitchell, and a student in a preparatory school in New York, managed to miss the sailing of Belgenland on 25 June 1925. Despite his family connections, line officials on the pier refused to convey him out to the liner by tugs. As it was, the liner took out her best Europe-bound list to date 413 First, 411 Second and… for the first time, Tourist Third Cabin instead of Third Class, well-booked with 622 passengers. As with early experiments with Tourist Third, this utilised Third Class with capacity restricted and enhanced menu and meals. The 1,477 passenger was the most she had taken out of New York to date. Of these, 420 landed at Plymouth on 1 July.
Westbound carryings remained light and when Belgenland arrived at New York from Southampton and Antwerp on 18 July 1925 she had but 115 First Class (including H.H. Raymond, President of the Clyde and Mallory Steamship Companies), 119 Second and 61 Third aboard.
The traditional end of season westbound crossing saw Belgenland dock at New York on 12 September 1925 with 397 First, 532 Second and for the first time (and only that year) 397 Tourist Third Cabin passengers. She was especially well-booked as she left amid rumours of an impending seaman's strike.
In September 1925, P.V.G. Mitchell was promoted to Vice President of Passenger Traffic for IMM New York and replaced as Manager of the Red Star office in Antwerp by S.J. Jackson.
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| With a record number of ships undertaking world cruises in 1925-26, Red Star Line made sure prospective globe girdlers knew which was superior to them all. Credit: Los Angeles Times, 23 October 1925. |
As the 'twenties travel boom hit its stride, the number of world cruises reached a peak with Carinthia (10 October, 151 days), Resolute (24 October, 103 days), Belgenland (25 November, 133 days), Empress of Scotland (3 December, 129 days), Franconia (14 January 1926, 131 days), Laconia (20 January, 128 days) and Resolute (9 February, 104 days).
Gale force winds hit New York Harbor on 10 October 1925 and the inbound Belgenland, arriving from Southampton and Antwerp with 279 First, 258 Second and 117 Third Class, had great difficulty getting into Pier 59, "it was about three-quarters of an hour before six tugs, straining to the utmost could wrap her into the dock." (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 11 October 1925) and she blocked Minnewaska from sailing until she got in.
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| Credit: Daily Mirror, 6 November 1925. |
Making her last eastbound crossing of the year and for quite a number of months thereafter, Belgenland sailed from New York on 14 October 1925 with 53 First, 63 Second and 68 Third Class passengers. In early November she sailed from Antwerp back to Southampton for her annual drydocking and overhaul at the floating dry dock there. While a new port tail shaft was being installed on the 4th, it accidentally was dropped 15 ft. to the deck of the dock, punching a 3-4 ft. wide hole in bottom plates. Fortunately, the gang of workers saw the shaft just begin to fall and jumped aside just in time as the 25-ft. long, 4½-ft. dia., 20-ton shaft crashed down.
Belgenland sailed from Antwerp on 10 November 1925 and Southampton the next day for New York where she docked on the 19th with 216 First, 203 Second and 237 Third Class passengers. Among her First Class were the Earl and Countess of Craven, Lady E.M.R. Baker and once again, Baron E. de Cartier de Machienne, Belgian Ambassador to the United States. The Ambassador was an honourary Captain of the U.S. Army 106th Infantry and met by Col. Thomas Fairservis and a delegation of the regiment and a band aboard the official Port of New York yacht Macom as Belgenland arrived off Quarantine and greeted with the playing of the Belgian national anthem. Boarding Macom, the Ambassador was landed at the Battery and then taken in a motorcade to his hotel.
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| Cover of the leaflet (not even the main brochure!) for Belgenland's second world cruise. Credit: Red Star Museum Antwerpen. |
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| The itinerary for the 1925-26 world cruise was identical to the first. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
The itinerary for the 1925-26 world cruise was identical to that of the first, reflecting both its success, the oversubscription of the inaugural voyage and immediate bookings for the second as a duplicate and the practical logistics. Indeed, Belgenland's world cruises were not entirely different in routing and ports from American Express Co's pioneering first circumnavigation in Laconia in 1922. From New York on 25 November 1925, she would call at Havana (29-30), Panama Canal (3 December), Los Angeles (11), San Francisco (12-14), Hilo (19), Honolulu (20-22), Yokohama (1-7 January 1926), Kobe (8-12), Inland Sea (12), Shanghai (15-18), Hong Kong (21-25), Manila (27-28), Java (1-4 February), Singapore (6-7), Diamond Harbour (Calcutta) (12-17), Colombo (21-23), Bombay (26 February-4 March), Port Sudan (11), Port Tewfik (13), Alexandria (19), Naples (22-25), Monaco (26), Gibraltar (29) and returning to New York on 6 April.
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| There seemed no end to the number and variety of artwork by Charles Dixon for Belgenland and this was featureed in The Ocean Ferry in December 1925. |
With hundreds of friends shouting and waving their farewells and the traditional 'Bon Voyage!' the Red Star liner Belgenland slipped away from pier 61, New York, a minutes after midnight Wednesday for her annual cruise around the world… According to the American Express Co., which is managing the trip, so many applications were received that could not be accommodated that 58 reservations have already been made for the repetition of the cruise next year.
The Pittsburgh Press, 29 November 1925
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| Belgenland ready to sail from new York on her second world cruise. Credit: Honolulu Star Bulletin. |
Belgenland sailed from New York at midnight on 25 November 1925 on her second world cruise with 350 passengers and another 118 to embark on the west coast, representing 35 states and 12 foreign countries.
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| Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
Leading the cruise organisation aboard was again A.L. Maas for American Express Co. but the Red Star representative was now William C. Lancsweert who directed Lapland's long Mediterranean cruise and whose career with the line dated to 1902.
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| Credit: Miami Herald, 29 November 1925. |
On 28 November 1925, Capt. Bradshaw brought Belgenland right off Miami Beach at 4:00 p.m. and saluted the city with three long whistle blasts. This had been prearranged with the Miami authorities and port officials as promotion of the ongoing plans to develop the Port of Miami to take cruise ships.
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| Belgenland at Havana, 30 November 1925. Credit: Vila Fotograf, Eldredge Collection, Mariners Museum. |
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| Belgenland sails from Havana, 30 November 1925. Credit: Vila Fotograf, Eldredge Collection, Mariners Museum. |
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| Two aerial photos of Belgenland's 1925 transit of the Panama Canal: top: in the Gaillard Cut and bottom, in the Gatun Lake. Credit: eBay auction photos. |
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| Aerial view of Belgenland at Berth 60 San Pedro. Credit: www.reddit.com/r/Oceanlinerporn |
With her full compliment of 414 passengers, Belgenland docked at San Francisco's Pier 32 on 12 December 1925. The same day former fleetmate and now Panama Pacific Line's Finland sailed at noon for New York.
Eastward the sky was suffused with the first rosy streaks of dawn, that soon became banners of radiant light, reaching toward the zenith from behind the deep blue of the Sierras, as the Belgenland, her siren rumbling and waking echoes far and wide, back out of her dock at San Francisco, on December 14, 1925, and shaped her course for the Golden Gate, on her second cruise around the world.
The Ocean Ferry, June 1926
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| Belgenland arriving at Honolulu in 1925. Credit: honolulumagazine.com |
Belgenland Weather prevailed on the five-day run to Hilo, but the island's famed volcano took the day off and it rained once there. A huge welcome awaited the ship and her passengers on arrival at Honolulu the next day (20 December 1925) where they enjoyed a two-day stay.
It is worth noting that with Prohibition, Belgenland was a "dry ship" from arrival at Hilo and her departure from Honolulu, the Star Bulletin telling its perhaps envious readers that "while at Havana the Belgenland took on a large amount of alcoholic beverages, although most of the liquor was obtained in Antwerp, where the International Mercantile Marine Co. maintains a number of vineyards in order that the passengers on its ships may have the finest products the markets produce." It also noted that cost of drinks aboard "is below the current bootlegger prices in Honolulu."
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| Tops in 'Twenties Transport together in Honolulu in December 1925. Credit: Honolulu Advertiser, 27 December 1925. |
The Belgenland is on her way.
With literally tons of bright colored paper streamers clinging to her sides, the mammoth Red Star liner dropped her gangplank promptly at 5 o'clock yesterday evening and in tow of several tugs pulled away from piers 10 and 11, headed out through the harbor and dropped over the horizon bound for Yokohama.
The Honolulu Advertiser, 23 December 1925.
Belgenland sailed from Honolulu on 22 December 1925 at 5:00 p.m., after "the longest stay in Hawaii of any world cruise ship," for Yokohama. Before sailing, she augmented her larder with 500 fresh Hawaiian pineapples, papaias and alligator pears as well as 250,000 gallons of water. A strong Kona breeze and squally rain dampened the festive departure and promised a lively first days of her long trans-Pacific crossing. Christmas was celebrated at sea with two Christmas trees aboard, a big one for the crew and one for the passengers in the reception room. Crossing in 11 days or rather 10, having crossed the international date line, Belgenland arrived in Yokohama on New Year's Day.
In 1925, Belgenland completed six westbound crossings carrying 3,535 passengers and six eastbound carrying 2,948 passengers for a total of 6,483 passengers, and one world cruise carrying 480 passengers.
1926
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| Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
As in the previous world cruise, Japan would be a major call with six days in Yokohama, then four days in Kobe, and the Inland Sea, again including a rare visit to Miyajima. In an alarming incident, however, the Nikko Hotel burned down on 5 January 1926 and had many guests from Belgenland on tour staying there but there were no injuries.
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| Belgenland anchored off Woosung (for Shanghai) in January 1926. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
On 15 January 1926 Belgenland arrived at Shanghai for a three-day stay. It was on to Hong Kong reached on the 21st, where she visited by H.R.H. Prince George, who was attached to H.M.S. Hawkins as Sub-Lt., "his Royal Highness expressed himself in terms of admiration over the size of Belgenland, her appearance of neatness and cleanliness, and her luxurious appointments." (The Ocean Ferry).
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| Captain Bradshaw (far right) and his officers taking a noon position during the 1925-26 world cruise. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
As in the 1924-25 cruise, Manila (27-28 January 1926) offered a welcome "surpassed in no other city visited," with the Filipino Constabulary band on the pier playing American airs and a huge "Welcome" arch of flowers over the pier gangway.
The call at Singapore (6-7 February 1926) begin with Belgenland arriving, dressed overall as were other vessels in the harbour, in honour of Foundation Day (6 February 1819) when Sir Stamford Raffles signed the treaty giving Britain Singapore which, 107 years, was one of the jewels in the Imperial Crown and one of the Empire's greatest ports and, of course, Belgenland, the largest commercial vessel ever to call there.
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| Belgenland in the Suez Canal. Credit: eBay auction photo. |
After calling at Diamond Harbour for Calcutta (12-16 February 1926), Colombo (21-23) and Bombay (26 February-4 March), Belgenland made the long voyage across the Arabian Sea and Red Sea to Egypt, calling briefly at Port Sudan and then arriving at Port Tewfik, the southern entrance to the Suez Canal, on the 13th, where all her passengers disembarked for the extensive overland Egypt tour whilst Belgenland transited the canal and her hardworking crew had it easy for a few days. It was all aboard at Alexandria and she sailed on the 19th for Naples, Monte Carlo and after a short call at Gibraltar on the 29th, Belgenland with but 230 passengers left aboard (the others having landed at Naples or Monte Carlo for independent time before sailing home on any IMM steamer) crossed the Atlantic.
On Wednesday morning, April 7, we docked at Pier 59, to the music of the Troubadors playing 'Auld Land Syne' and the cheers of friends and relatives gathered on the pier. The gangplank was lowered-- and we were home again!
The Ocean Ferry, May 1926.
Belgenland returned to New York on 7 April 1926. The press recorded that there were three deaths during the voyage, a Mrs. Edward W. Bradley, who died of heart failure on 15 January in Shanghai, William Risharcs who passed away at sea on 7 March and S.B. Turnbull who had a fatal heart attack in Naples. There was one marriage aboard the ship when Lt. Cmdr. James Finnegan, USN, who embarked in Manila for home, met Ruth M. Parker of Boston aboard and wed before the ship reached Naples. There was also one engagement, Miss Florence Edrington of New York to George B. Ismay of Liverpool, grandson of the founder of White Star Line and they were married in June. Six honeymoon couples made the voyage as well.
In April 1926 Red Star Line announced that all Belgian and Dutch nationals travelling Third Class in the line's steamers would be examined in Antwerp prior to embarkation and would not pass through Ellis Island on arrival at New York but land directly. These were the first European countries afforded this considerable improvements after it was introduced previously for British and Irish Free State nationals. Also that season the former Pittsburgh was renamed Pennland to bring her into line with Red Star naming convention.
Belgenland returned to the Atlantic Run upon her 10 April 1926 sailing from New York at 11:30 a.m. with 168 First Class passengers (including IMM President P.A.S. Franklin and Mrs. Franklin), 118 Second and 130 Third Class passengers. The purpose of Mr. Franklin's visit was to finalise the sale of IMM to British interests. "After a stormy passage," Belgenland arrived at Plymouth on the 18th and landed 89 passengers there, including Mr. Franklin before proceeding to Cherbourg and Antwerp.
This would be Commodore John Bradshaw's last voyage as he retired at its conclusion, bringing to a close a remarkable half a century at sea. Capt. Thomas Howells, of Roseneath, Dinas Cross, Pembrokeshire, assumed command of Belgenland effective with her first westbound crossing of the season, from Antwerp 14 May 1926. Capt. Howell had been previously in command of Lapland and especially well-regarded by those taking her long Mediterranean cruises. Replacing him was Capt. A.J. Thomas, formerly of Zeeland, which would, in turn, now be commanded by Capt. Henry Harvey, ex-Executive Officer of Belgenland.
Also new to Belgenland's crew was an Atlantic legend, stewardess Violet Jessop who had uniquely survived the sinkings of both Titanic in 1912 and Britannic in 1916.
Amidst the schedule upheaval caused by the General Strike in Britain in April-May 1926, it was arranged to have Belgenland make an extraordinary call at Queenstown on the 16th en route to New York. When she came into New York Harbor on the 23rd, the Morgan yacht Corsair was there to meet Belgenland and take off Julius Spencer Morgan and his entourage and convey them to J.P. Morgan Jr's estate at Glen Cove, Long Island. In all, she landed 142 First, 273 Second and 363 Third Class.
Belgenland's fair weather fortunes deserted her a number of times that season. Sailing from New York on 29 May 1926, with 274 First, 178 Second and 313 Tourist Third Cabin (one of her two eastbound crossings that season carrying that class), she encountered a succession of northeast to northwest gales with very high seas in mid ocean with the worst experienced for 36 hours between 1-3rd June. Late by a few hours, Belgenland came into Plymouth at 10:00 a.m. on the 6th, landing 263 passengers and with 154 for Cherbourg and 348 for Antwerp, left at 11:10 a.m.
Among the 389 First, 221 Second and 488 Tourist Third Cabin passengers sailing in Belgenland from New York on 26 June 1926 were 24 English delegates to the recently concluded Eucharistic Congress, headed by Archbishop Frederick William Keating, second ranking primate of Britain. When Belgenland arrived at Plymouth on 6 July, it was reported that an American passenger, Mrs. J.G. Lancaster, had her cabin robbed whilst she was attending the farewell ball aboard and $1,800 in jewels stolen.
The News-Pilot of San Pedro, California, reported on 6 July 1926 that the last world cruise season had generated $69,427.50 in Panama Canal tolls for Belgenland, Resolute, Empress of Scotland, Franconia and Laconia. For 1926-27, Belgenland and Laconia would be the first world cruise ships to transit the waterway three times.
Coming into Boulogne early on 14 August 1926, en route to Southampton and New York, Belgenland collided with the anchored French steamer Ville de Caen (391 grt), damaging a plate on the port bow of the liner, but above the waterline, as considerably damaging the French vessel's stern. Belgenland was able to proceed and having wirelessed Southampton immediately, a squad from Harland & Wolff met the liner on arrival and patched the plate, allowing her to sail for New York just after 4:00 p.m. with 490 passengers.
Belgenland, Caronia, Antonia and American Shipper all reported severe weather on the beginning of the their respective crossings when they arrived at Plymouth on 26 September 1926 with the American liner getting worst of it.
More rough weather was encountered on her eastbound crossing from New York on 16 October 1926 and when Belgenland arrived at Plymouth, late, on the 24th, she reported "boisterous weather" for much of the voyage and she crossed in tandem with Rotterdam which left New York the same day. There were few aboard the Red Star flagship to endure it, however, and she came in with only 43 First, 30 Second and 56 Third Class, landing but nine there.
On 2 November 1926 the Liverpool of Commerce rather surprisingly reported that "after being under construction practically ever since the war, the 30,000 ton Holland America liner Statendam has been transferred to the allied Red Star Line, and will run on their express service between Antwerp and New York. " It was added that tenders for her decoration had been asked from Continental and British firms but with the value of the franc, the French were favoured to be awarded the work. It was said that the move would give Belgenland an essential running mate and that the ship "cannot maintain an Atlantic service single-handed, any more than could the City of Rome and the National liner America in the old days." However, upon arriving at Southampton aboard Homeric on the 13th from New York, P.A.S. Franklin, IMM President, declined any statement about the reported transfer of Statendam to Red Star.
George Bruce Ismay, grandson of the founder of White Star Line married Miss Florence Edrington of New York 10 June 1926. Met aboard Belgenland in November when she sailed for Europe
Belgenland left Antwerp on 26 November 1926 and Cherbourg and Southampton the following day for New York on her final Atlantic crossing for quite some time. Her 99 First, 122 Second and 123 Third Class passengers disembarked at New York on 6 December.
One of the passengers on the upcoming world cruise, Samuel Untermyer, a New York lawyer, not content with reserving the best and largest suite on the ship, no. 27-31, had it stripped entirely of its furniture and fittings, and replaced with furnishing from his house including bed, tables, chairs, bookcase, lamps, rugs and curtains. His cruise, too, was a working vacation being the chief consul overseeing the planned consolidation of the New York subway system and had among his luggage, eight wooden cases containing 12,000 pages of manuscript testimony. Also aboard was W.G. Stauber, president of the Eastman Kodak Co. and Henry Rogers Winthrop, New York capitalist.
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| Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
In addition to a new Captain, Belgenland had a new purser, John Lock, replacing Joseph Caporin who had retired. Russell H. Sutcliff was the Red Star cruise manager with Alfred L. Maas again the same function for American Express Co.. For the first time on a world cruise, the entertainment would include motion pictures, "first-run films furnished by Will Hays, national head of the film industry in the United States."
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| Cover of the 1926-27 world cruise deck place. Credit: eBay auction photo. |
The itinerary, once again, repeated that of her first two cruises, but the departure from New York being two weeks later permitted those who wishing to spend Christmas at home to join the ship in California whilst those who did not, enjoying Christmas at sea between Balboa and San Francisco and New Years by the Bay.
Sailing from New York on 14 December 1926, Belgenland was scheduled to call at Havana (18-19), Panama Canal transit (22), Los Angeles (30), San Francisco (31 December-2 January 1927), Hilo (7-8), Honolulu (9-10), Yokohama (20-25), Kobe (27-28), Inland Sea (31 January-1 February), Shanghai (3-6), Hong Kong (9-11), Manila (15), Batavia (20-21), Singapore (25-26), Diamond Harbour (Calcutta) (12 March), Colombo (12), Bombay (17), Port Tewfik (31), Naples (9 April), Monaco (13), Gibraltar (16) and return to New York on the 24th.
With 385 passengers, Belgenland sailed from New York at midnight 14 December 1926. She had a fine passage south to Havana where she arrived at 7:00 a.m. on the 18th and stayed until noon the following day. "The run from Havana to Colon was made through brisk winds, and a tumbling sea that might have rocked a smaller ship, but did not disturb the steady Belgenland," (Ocean Ferry) and she made a quick seven-hour passage (an hour shorter than the previous transits) through the Panama Canal on the 22nd. The passage from Balboa to Los Angeles was quick (seven days, eight hours) and judging from the account in The Ocean Ferry, delightful: "Schools of young porpoises were sighted from time to time and swift moving dolphins leaped out of the clear blue water at intervals in pursuit of their prey-- elusive flying fish. Turtles were seen sleeping on the surface of the calm blue sea. When awakened by the Belgenland, they promply dived."
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| Belgenland alongside San Pedro, 30 December 1926, taking on bunkers. Credit: California Historical Society. |
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| Another wonderful photo of Belgenland at San Pedro on her world cruise. Credit: California Historical Society. |
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| In the warm California sun, a painting gang gets to work on freshing up her forward funnel. Credit: California Historical Society. |
If the U.S. Army of 1926 with its 150,000 men ranked smaller than Romania's, the U.S. Navy's Pacific Battle Fleet was still something to be proud of and Belgenland steamed into San Pedro Harbor at 6:15 a.m. on 30 December 1926 right through the main battleship squadron of nine dreadnaughts. Whilst her passengers motored off in the usual array of 70-odd cars to see "the Southland," Belgenland took aboard 17,732 barrels of oil and 7,000 barrels of water. Forty additional passengers also embarked.
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| Red Star wishing to top up her passenger list, advertised last minute one-way passages from San Francisco to Yokohama, Kobe, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Manila on the largest ship on the Pacific Ocean. Credit: San Francisco Examiner, 31 December 1926. |
In 1926, Belgenland completed six westbound crossings carrying 3,690 passengers and six eastbound crossing carrying 2,787 passengers for a total of 6,427 passengers, and one world cruise carrying 468 passengers.
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| Belgenland transiting the Suez Canal by Charles Dixon. Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen. |
1927
Belgenland sailed from Los Angeles on 30 December 1926 at dusk and hustled up the coast at an average 18.5 knots to reach San Francisco midafternoon on New Year's Eve. Joining the ship's lavish New Years Day dinner was a party of invited railroad officials and editors, hosted by Leo E. Archer, IMM Pacific Coast manager, followed by dancing. Counting the embarks at Los Angeles and San Francisco, there were 394 passengers and 601 crew aboard Belgenland when she sailed on 2 January 1927.
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| Tempting if not tormenting its Prohibition weary readers, the Honolulu Star Bulletin published part of Belgenland's extensive wine and spirit price list. All her spirits were locked under seal on arrival at Hilo and not opened until she had cleared the 12-mile limit on departure from Honolulu. |
It was a rough passage south and "for four days the big ship pitched violently and most of the passengers were laid low by seasickness," (Honolulu Star Bulletin) but she same paper reported "A brilliant rainbow against the background of a gray sky greeted the giant Red Star liner Belgenland, which came offshore at dawn today, reported the Honololu Star Bulletin on 7 January 1927 as Belgenland arrived at Hilo for a day call there. She arrived at Honolulu at 6:30 a.m. the following day. Before she sailed at 4:00 p.m. on the 10th, three passengers disembarked there and Red Star fined $600 by U.S. Customs for violating the Jones-White Act prohibiting foreign flag liners from carrying passengers between American ports. As they were landed on account of illness, the fine was eventually waived. It was estimated that Belgenland passengers spent $10,000 in port and the ship purchased $20,000 in supplies including fruit and 1,200 tons of oil.
The endless civil war and unrest in China flared up that winter and on 31 January 1927, acting on the recommendations of the municipal council and the British and American consulates there, American Express wired Belgenland and cancelled the upcoming call at Shanghai on 2 February. It was considered unwise to have such a large number of foreigners in the city during the celebration of Chinese New Year amid much anti-foreigner agitation.
Belgenland, already en route to Shanghai from Kobe, was diverted to Hong Kong where she arrived on 4 February. The following day it was announced that after Hong Kong, Belgenland would call at Bangkok as a replacement call. She departed Kong Kong on the 8th for Manila, arriving there on the 10th and then proceeded to Bangkok for a 12-hour call and then resume her original itinerary with Batavia and Singapore, etc.
Belgenland arrived at Hong Kong at 3:00 p.m. on 4 February 1927 instead of the 9th, departing for Manila at 5:00 p.m. on the 8th. An extended programme of shore trips for extended stay in Hong Kong included the New Territories, Repulse Bay and Macao.
Finding a river even more challenging than the Scheldt, Belgenland on arrival off the mouth of the Bangkok River encountered a sandbar preventing her from getting closer than 10 miles from the city. Not to be deterred, a 1,100-on coaster bound for Singapore was hailed, turned about and pressed into a tender to convey her passengers to Bangkok. It was worth the effort and passengers "unanimously voted Siam one of the 'highlights' of the cruise.'
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| For winter 1927-28, Red Star and American Express offered a 133-day round the world cruise in Belgenland and a 101-day South America and Africa itinerary in Lapland. Credit: The Evening Star, 22 May 1927. |
On 9 March 1927 Red Star surprised no one with their announcement that Belgenland would undertake her fourth world cruise in winter 1927-28, departing New York on 14 December and encompassing 133 days. What was new were three additional ports: Keelung (Formosa), Bangkok and Athens. Bangkok, of course, have already been unexpectedly and popularly visited on the just completed cruise.
The Virginian-Pilot of 14 March 1927 had a feature on Belgenland that mentioned that was referred to as the "Blessed Ship" because of her having been blessed by the late Cardinal Mercier of Antwerp and the fact she had, to date, steamed 90,000 miles and "has never had an accident," (sic). It was also mentioned that a life-size painting of Cardiner Mercier was hung in the main stairway leading to the reception room. Cardinal Mercier had passed away on 23 January 1926.
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| Credit: Daily News, 27 April 1927. |
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| A 9-ft.-long, 100-year-old lizard from Ceylon was one of the more exotic acquistions made by Belgenland's passengers during the world cruise. Credit: Illustrated London News, 15 May 1927. |
On 25 April 1927 Capt. Howell brought Belgenland back to New York on schedule after 132 days and 23 ports and an 800-mile detour to one not originally planned. She had 227 passengers aboard and as usual, many had opted to say on in Europe before returning. In addition to the usual souvenirs, one passenger, C.M. Bistany of the New York Zoological Gardens had made the cruise a procuring trip and brought back four baby camels, six gibbon monkeys, a black cockatoo, birds of paradise, leopards, cheetahs and what was believed to be the largest lizard in captivity, and one of the oldest, reckoned to be 100 years old and found under a sacred bobo tree at the temple of Anaderaphura in Ceylon.
But the biggest news of the whole voyage, reported upon Belgenland's return occurred in Manila on 10 February 1927, concerned a passenger, Mrs. Jean Nawn, aged 34 and widow from Pomona, California, who had boarded the ship in Los Angeles, and said to have an income of 20,000 a year from her late husband taxi business, married a "good looking" wine steward, Alfred Pierce, aged 27. The two had started talking at dinner on the long passage from San Francisco to Hilo and, unknown to the captain, gone ashore together in Honolulu, driven to Waikiki Beach and had dinner at the Moana Hotel. The two were married by a magistrate in Manila during her call there, but only on 9 March between Calcutta and Colombo, when the captain noticed Pierce "conversing with Mrs. Nawn and leaning over her chair," did the secret come out. Pierce was demoted to assistant linen keeper and it was agreed the couple would disembark at Naples.
For the remainder of the voyage, Mrs. Nawn walked about the decks like a will-o'-the-wisp and sent notes to her husband working in the depths below. She became known as the Blue Bride because of the colour of her dress, and there was a good deal of sympathy for her among the passengers. She insisted on making their marriage known after Pierce had been transferred from the saloon. Pierce is an intelligent Englishman with a agreeable personality. After visiting the United States to settle up his bride's affairs he will start his business in London, he said before leaving Naples for Paris.
Daily Mirror, 23 April 1927.
It was not the only romance of the voyage and on 18 May 1927 the engagement of Miss Nancy Waterbury, daughter of Lawrence Waterbury, famous polo player, to Henry Carter Milholland, Jr. of Pittsburgh, was announced, the two having met aboard the cruise.
New for 1927, Belgenland would cater to four classes of passengers: First, Second, Tourist Third Cabin and Third. Tourist Third Cabin was created out of minimum Second and the best Third Class accommodation and the former Third Class dining aft was assigned to it.
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| Belgenland outbound in New York Harbor. Credit: The Mariners' Museum, Eldredge Collection. |
Belgenland sailed from New York at 11:30 a.m. on 30 April 1927 for Plymouth, Cherbourg and Antwerp with 125 First, 103 Second, 63 Tourist Third Cabin and 72 Third Class. Two days before reaching Plymouth, Miss Matilda Pillot, "a wealthy New York woman," discovered a bag missing from her cabin containing a passport, jewels and paper money worth £2,400. Police embarked on the liner at Plymouth but were unable to trace the valuables or culprit. The unfortunate woman, destined for Rome, instead remained on the liner to Antwerp where she would have await the issuance of a new passport. At Plymouth, Belgenland landed 49 passengers and about 80 of her crew paid off there before she proceeded at 7:45 a.m. for Cherbourg and Antwerp.
Departing New York on 26 May 1927 with 240 First, 208 Second, 219 Tourist Third and 61 Third Class, Belgenland was delayed by fog and arrived at Plymouth at 6:45 a.m. on 3 June, in company with Caronia, where she landed 138 passengers and by 7:45 a.m. was off for Cherbourg (115 passengers) and Antwerp where her remaining 476 passengers disembarked on 4 June. They were the first to avail themselves of a new direct boat train service begun from Quai du Rhin direct to Brussels, reached in less than 40 minutes with direct connections to Paris, the Rhine Valley, Switzerland and Italy with Paris four hours distant.
On a peak summer season sailing, Belgenland left New York on 25 June 1927 with 390 First, 294 Second, 471 Tourist Third and 95 Third and after a fine weather passage she arrived at Plymouth on 3 July, landing 458 there and had another 376 for Cherbourg and 419 for Antwerp.
Any doubt that 1927 was one of the great years of The Atlantic Ferry might be dispelled by the events of 1 August when at midnight Aquitania, Olympic, Leviathan and France all sailed from New York at the same time, the first three all destined for Southampton first, and joining them in the exodus were Belgenland and Franconia.
Retiring at age 61 after 46 years at sea and 28 as a captain, Capt. Thomas Howell relinquished command of Belgenland upon arrival at Antwerp on 10 August 1927. His first command was Dominion Line's Ottoman in 1899 and upon the line's absorption into the IMM, Howell went on to command 22 of the group's ships over his career.
Embarking at Plymouth as a passenger, Capt. William A. Moorehouse, a native of Sandy Cove, Digby, Nova Scotia, was appointed commander of Belgenland. Beginning his seafaring career in sail out of St. John's and later on the New York-China trade, changed to steamships in 1897, joining American Line and from 1902 with Red Star Line.
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| Some of the contemporary American artwork displayed aboard Belgenland in the drawing room (above) and reception room. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
During the 1927 season, Belgenland acted as a seagoing gallery of contemporary American artists, arranged by Grand Central Art Galleries, and featuring portraitures, landscapes and still life, and hung in the ship's drawing room and reception room.
Perhaps anticipating what was very rough crossing, there were only 277 passengers for Belgenland's 27 August 1927 sailing from New York, and 85 of these landed on arrival at Plymouth on 4 September.
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| Credit: Buffalo Evening News, 18 October 1927. |
Prince Albert de Ligne, newly appointed Belgian ambassador to the United States, and cousin of King Albert, and travelling with Princess de Ligne and Princess Elizabeth, were among the 233 First Class passengers (together with 169 Second, 168 Tourist Third and 205 Third) arriving at New York aboard Belgenland on 16 October 1927. Also landing were 150 specimens of rare mammals for the Field Museum in Chicago, collected by explorer Capt. Harold A. White, from Somaliland and Abyssinia.
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| Photo taken by a passenger of the terrific seas encountered on Belgenland's last crossing of 1927. Credit: Daily News, 13 December 1927. |
Belgenland sailed from Antwerp on 2 December 1927 and Southampton and Cherbourg the following day, arriving at New York on the 12th with 153 First, 118 Second, 50 Tourist Third and 179 Third Class. She had her roughest crossing to date, and after bucking heavy seas and a near gale for five days, she came in a full 24 hours late. The 500-pound forecastle bell and a vent to the crew's galley were swept overboard, but Capt. W.H. Morehouse told reporters that "despite the fact waves and spray swept over into the bridge, the ship stood up well. Among her passengers was Charles MacArthur, author of the play "Lulu Belle," and coming over to watch rehearsals of his latest play, "Salvation." Waiting for him was Miss Helen Hayes who told reporters they would be married in June.
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| The cover for the 1927-28 world cruise brochure. Credit: MAS |
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| The itinerary for the 1927-28 differed from previous ones with the addition of Bangkok and Keelung. |
Representing the first real change in her annual itinerary, Belgenland's fourth world cruise had her programmed to depart New York on 14 December 1927 and call at Havana (17-18), Panama Canal (21), Los Angeles (29), San Francisco (30 December-1 January 1928), Hilo (6), Yokohama (19-25), Kobe (26-30), Inland Sea (30-31), Shanghai (2-5 February), Keelung (7), Hong Kong (9-13), Manila (15-16), Bangkok (20-21), Batavia (24-27), Singapore (29 February-1 March), Diamond Harbour (Calcutta) (5-10), Colombo (14-16), Bombay (19-24), Port Sudan (31), Port Tewfik (2 April), Alexandria (8), Athens (10), Naples (12-14), Monaco (15) and Gibraltar (18) before returning to New York on 26 April.
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| Credit: Honolulu Advertiser, 9 January 1928. |
The Red Star cruise director for the voyage was W.T. Wall, of the New York passenger office, whilst Walter C. Rundle of American Express Co. managed the shore excursions. As always, Purser John Lock, arranged the on-board entertainments, contests and tournaments, "the popularity of which more witness to his ability to keep his large family contented and happy on shipboard."
The hardest part of the 133-day cruise was beginning it for New York Harbor was blanketed with a heavy fog the evening of 14 December 1927, thick enough that Belgenland, timed to depart at midnight, stayed tied to her pier for the night and got away at 9:00 a.m. the following morning. This occasioned an amusing incident as recounted in The Ocean Ferry:
At 3 a.m. a passenger rang for the stewardess to say that she would have to leave the ship at Havana, owing to the rough seas. She could never, she said, survived the remainder of the trip. When the almost giggling stewardess informed her that the boat had not yet left the wharf, a much abashed lady hid under the covers. Strangely enough, the same-same lady had been one of the most active of those on board, and not once has she complained of the slightest effects of the sea.
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| The cameras were out in force for Belgenland's 21 December 1927 transit of the Panama Canal producing some splendid views of a truly magnificent looking vessel. Here, she is in the Miraflores Lock. Credit: Mariners' Museum, Eldredge Collection. |
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| Underway in the Gaillard Cut. Credit: Mariners' Museum, Eldredge Collection. |
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| A corking good photo of Belgenland in the San Pedro Miguel Lock. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
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| Reflection of Perfection: Belgenland during her transit of the Panama Canal. Credit: Mariners' Museum, Eldredge Collection. |
In 1927, Belgenland completed seven westbound crossings carrying 4,634 passengers and six eastbound crossings carrying 3,525 passengers for a total of 8,159 passengers, and one world cruise carrying 394 passengers.  |
| Passenger list cover for Tourist Third Cabin which would be offered on all sailings of Belgenland beginning with the 1927 trans-Atlantic season. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
1928
After embarking 50 additional passengers, Belgenland sailed from San Francisco's Pier 22 at 6:00 a.m. on 2 January 1928, "with all her passengers accounted for, which is quite unusual for a passenger liner departing this port on a New Year Day, according to veteran passenger managers." (San Francisco Examiner, 2 January 1928).
Some five hundred residents were on hand to see Belgenland dock at Hilo on 6 January 1928, appearing off the breakwater at 6:00 a.m. and alongside by 8:15 a.m. and greeted by lei girls and "swimming boys, clad only in trunks," who dived for coins tossed into the sea in their general direction.
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| As usual, the Honolulu papers afforded Belgenland's visit full coverage. Surrounding a photo of her docking at Pier 11, are Capt. W.A. Morehouse, Paul Germain, the ship's renown chef; the cruise staff (Walter Rundell of AmexCo, Purser John Lock, W.C. Wall of Red Star) and passenger George Bistany of New York. Credit: Honolulu Star Bulletin, 7 January 1928. |
When Belgenland arrived at Honololu at 7:30 a.m. on 7 January 1928, she had 324 passengers aboard so fewer than her previous trips and indicative of "the trip of a lifetime" becoming almost commonplace as well as increasing competition for those still irresistibly drawn to it. Among her passengers was Hal Roach, the famous American film producer and director and film producer Edwin Thanhouser. Capt. Morehouse characterised the voyage from New York as "pleasant and uneventful." During the ship's stay, the Belgenland's football team was trounced 8-0 by that of Schoefield Barracks.
Capt. Morehouse, making his first world cruise (as opposed to Mr. and Mrs. John T. Sullivan of Waterbury, Connecticut, making their third consecutive one in Belgenland), proved immensely popular for his courtesies and kindnesses. When he learned that a passenger was bedridden with an acute attack of sciatica just before arriving at Yokohama, and unable to see Mount Fuji from his porthole being on the wrong side of the ship, he turned Belgenland around to enable him see it, just as it emerged from the morning mists.
Hong Kong welcomed two world cruise ships on 10 February 1928: Belgenland and Empress of Australia and two landed over 600 tourists.
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| Belgenland alongside at Batavia as a ship ahead of her embarked Javanese pilgrims starting for Mecca. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
In an age of make do entertainment on shipboard, that on Belgenland was elevated considerably by the talents of some her passengers. During the five-day passage between Singapore and Diamond Harbour, a three-act mystery play, written by Mrs. Edwin Thanhouser and Lloyd Lonergin, former city editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and performed by the Belgenland Dramatic Club, and directed by Mr. Thanhouser, the pioneer movie producer credit with giving Charlie Chaplin his first chance in films, was highlight and presented three times.
Belgenland returned to New York on 26 April 1928 with 244 of her original world travellers, the others staying on in Europe before returning on a later boat. Of these, 138 were among her original passengers and another 120 had embarked in Mediterranean ports "chiefly from other cruises by Red Star and White Star liners." "Officers of the ship reported a quiet cruise. There were no romances, they said, and not a single marriage or engagement." (Gazette, 27 April 1928).
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| For the 1928 season, IMM ran a new series of beautfiully illustrated advertisements highlghting eac ship's special rooms or settings, in this case Belgenland's smoking room. Credit: The Boston Globe, 3 April 1928. |
"Back to work," on the Atlantic Run, Belgenland sailed from New York on 3 May 1928 with 95 First, 106 Second, 122 Tourist Third and 88 Third Class passengers. She paused in midstream after departure to permit a passenger, "a busy lawyer," who had rushed ashore at the last minute to answer an important phone call and had missed the ship. It was "Belgenland Weather" all the way across and she put in a fine passage, coming into Plymouth at 4:30 a.m. on the 11th where she landed 63 passengers and paid off 100 of her crew before being off on her way by 7:00 a.m. for Cherbourg (31 passengers) and Antwerp, the destination for the remaining 318 aboard.
Late season ice and heavy fog off the Newfoundland banks had Belgenland at dead slow navigating through icebergs and growlers and she was 12 hours late, arriving at New York the evening of 4 June 1928. Capt. Morehouse told reporters that he had to proceed slowly through 18 hours of fog and had received repeated warnings from the ice patrol of bergs and growlers which were farther south this late in the season than he had ever experienced in his career at sea.
After four circumnavigations and a fifth in the offing, Belgenland's world cruise "fraternity" was considerable and Red Star arranged a reunion for past world travellers with a tea dance aboard Belgenland at New York on 5 June 1928. Invitations were sent to all past passengers and no fewer than 400 accepted, some traveling more than 1,000 miles for the chance to rekindle old memories and meet up with shipboard acquaintances. Most had to "have a look" at their former cabin, and many brought friends along and, according to plan, became the best salesmen possible for the ship upcoming world cruise beginning 17 December. "After inspecting the ship and renewing acquaintances everyone gravitated to C Deck where tea was served in the dining saloon, from four to seven, and Payne's Orchestra, which is now appearing on Broadway in 'Excess Baggage,' furnished music for dancing in the reception room adjoining." (The Ocean Ferry).
Departing New York on 5 July 1928 with 351 First, 181 Second, 288 Tourist Third and 116 Third, Belgenland arrived at Plymouth on the 12th, landing 230 there and had 194 for Cherbourg and 514 for Antwerp where she arrived just in time for a round of dock strikes. When replacements were hired to complete unloading her cargo of grain and not dismissed when the strike was settled, 160 quit working again on the 19th. Seamen threatened to walk out as well and the strikes said to be caused by Communists trying to fomenting a General Strike in the port. On the 21st Belgenland sailed without unloading her remaining inbound cargo or taking any for America, a day before 10,000 dockers joined the strike.
Modern conditions demand that business men reach their destinations without loss of time, and with this in mind, many big men in the industrial and commercial fields make arrangement to be in a certain city overseas at a fixed time on a definite date.
To help business men in this, the White Star and Red Star Lines have arranged for airplanes to meet their steamers at French points to carry passengers to important cities in Europe.
The latest announcement from the Red Star Line shows that a new service is available for passengers on the Belgenland, Pennland, Arabic and Lapland, which enables them to fly from Antwerp to Paris, London, Amsterdam, Cologne, Ostend, Brussels and Rotterdam.
The Gazette, 26 July 1928
As in previous years, Red Star arranged an open house aboard Belgenland at New York 30-31 August 1928 for prospective world cruise passengers.
On 23 September 1928, Belgenland was the first of an armada of arriving liners at New York landing some 6,000 passengers, a record for a Sunday in the port. The Red Star flagship came in with 371 First, 251 Second, 231 Tourist Third and 140 Third Class and she was followed by Cleveland (HAPAG), Dresden (NDL), Caronia (Cunard), Alfonso XIII (Spanish Line)), Calamares (United Fruit) and Mexico (Ward).
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| Another superb and evocative Daily News photo of a typical sailing in the 1920s. Credit: Daily News, 9 September 1928. |
It was another rough late September crossing for Belgenland and other liners and when she, Caronia, Ascania, America and American Banker arrived at Plymouth on 7 October 1928 they all reported "terrific storms" in mid-Atlantic with Caronia and America getting the worst of it and with a number of injured passengers. Belgenland, which left New York on 29 September with 55 First, 23 Second, 104 Tourist Third and 25 Third Class passengers, landed 83 there and had only nine for Cherbourg and 122 for Antwerp.
On her final eastbound crossing of the year, Belgenland cleared New York on 27 October 1928 with a very light list indeed of 23 First, 24 Second, 28 Tourist Third and 43 Third which her surfeit of classes seem all the more un-necessary. It also seemed hardly the worth the bother to call at Plymouth on 4 November where all of three passengers were landed, and it was on to Cherbourg with 15 disembarking and the remaining destined for Antwerp.
Belgenland arrived at Southampton on 22 November 1928 for her annual drydocking and returned to Antwerp on the 29th.
Departing Antwerp on 5 December 1928 and Southampton and Cherbourg the following day, Belgenland arrived at New York on the 14th with 100 First, 78 Second and 96 Tourist (no Third Class being carried). There, U.S. Customs officials discovered a cache of undeclared diamonds worth $50,000 which led to the arrest of Albet Lahye, a petty officer, and Leo Ginsberg, a local jeweller, amid suspicions the two were part of a wider smuggling operation.
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| Cover for the 1928-29 world cruise. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
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| Route map of the voyage following Magellan's westabout course. |
"Sailing Westward-- Following the Sun," Belgenland's 1928-29 world cruise was the only one of the season so-routed, the others taking an easterly course. Dropping Keelung, Chingwantao was added with a three-day overland excursion by train to Peking included.
Departing New York on 17 December 1928, Belgenland was programmed to call at Havana (21-22), Panama Canal (25), Los Angeles (2 January 1929), San Francisco (3), Hilo (10), Honolulu (11-12), Yokohama (22-29), Kobe (29 January-1 February), Inland Sea (1-2), Chingwangtao (Peking) (5-9), Shanghai (11-12), Hong Kong (15-17), Manila (19-20), Paknam (Bangkok) (24-25), Batavia (28 February-3 March), Singapore (5-6), Diamond Harbour (Calcutta) (11-15), Colombo (19-21), Bombay (24-29), Port Sudan (5 April), Port Tewfik (7), Alexandria (13), Phaleron Bay (Athens) (15), Naples (17-19), Monaco (20), Gibraltar (23) and return to New York on 1 May after 30,738 miles.
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| Route map of the optional cruise excursion from Manila to Batavia by the new KPM liner Op Ten Noort, through the East Indian Archipelago. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
Red Star continued, in the face of ever increasing competition in the world cruise trade, to tweak and improve on the itinerary. That for the fifth world cruise originally planned to sail Belgenland on a special 12-day cruise through the East Indian Archipelago between Manila and Java, but when surveys showed it was not feasible for a vessel of her size and draught to navigate the narrow straits, a separate charter cruise was organised. This would employ the new KPM liner Op Ten Noort which would depart Manila when Belgenland sailed for Bangkok and proceed to Zamboanga (Philippines), Menade (Celebes), Amboina, and south and westwards to Kalabahi, Flores, Lombak, Bali and finally arriving in Batavia to rejoin Belgenland there.
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| Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
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| Credit: Honolulu Advertiser, 12 January 1929. |
The Red Star cruise manager on this voyage was George W. Howard, passenger manager of the Boston office, assisted by four other line agents from various U.S. offices whilst the American Express Co. manager was Ardean Burns with a staff of 16.
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| Among those aboard were (left to to right): Miss Mary C. Campbell, who won the cruise "as the most popular girl in Columbus, Ohio;" two-year-old Master Richard Lothrop Forstall, travelling with his parents and four brothers and sisters; and Miss Peggy Blake, "late of Mr. Ziegfield's glorified follies." Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
Belgenland sailed from New York at midnight on 17 December 1928 on her fifth world cruise, establishing a record for such voyages for one vessel and upon completion, she would have logged 150,000 miles on her five trips. She left with 327 passengers, representing 38 states and a number of Canadian provinces and 10 foreign cities, and by the time she cleared San Francisco on 5 January 1929 with 475, the most ever embarked from the west coast on a cruising liner. Among those aboard were George Ade, humourist; Chicago financier Cyrus W. McCormick and Mrs. McCormick; Harold A. Sanderson, former chairman of White Star Line; George Bistany, big game hunter, making his third world cruise in the ship; and on their fourth, Mr. & Mrs. John T. Sullivan of Waterbury, Connecticut.
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| The 52 lucky (and rich!) college boys enrolled in the "College World Tour" and taking classes aboad taught by seven faculty members. |
Fifty-two college age passengers were enrolled in the "University Afloat," a post graduate study course offered on board with eight faculty members headed by Prof. Elmer W. Smith, of Colgate University.Colleges represented by the students included Yale, Columbia, Lafayette, Lehigh, Colgate, Hobart, Dartmouth, Washington and Lee, Williams, Notre Dame, Syracuse, MIT, McGill, Oregon, Colorado, University of California and Southern Methodist. He told reporters that the programme would not be "co-ed" as that would "prove to be too much of a distraction." Apparently, there were distractions enough as it was: "The boys... monopolized the attention of the young women passengers to such an extent that some of the girls had as many as half a dozen swains at one time, with resulting awkward situation. As the ship came up with the coast the hope was expressed by the older men on board that the California girls joining the ship at Los Angeles and San Francisco would 'balance things up a little.' (Daily Chronicle, 25 February 1929.)
When the fifth consecutive annual world cruise of the Red Star liner Belgenland started at New York at midnight at New York on December 17, a dull and cheerless day had given place to one of those clear, snappy nights peculiar to the North American states in winter.
Next morning the great liner was zooming along in a shaggy sea, with a westerly wind roaring at her, and the racked with cloud. Yet toward night the sun appeared, and on the second morning the sea was smooth and the weather perceptibly warmer. On the third day out the ship passed the Florida shore resorts of Palm Beach and Miami on an ocean indigo blue, sparkling under a brilliant sun and cloudless sky.
Nature's mood had changed again next morning when the Belgenland arrived off Havana harbor, and dark clouds, presaging rain, were gathering in the north as she steamed slowly past Morro Castle and proceeded to the anchorage.
The electric liner California, of the Panama Pacific Line, en route from San Francisco and Los Angeles to New York, was at anchor in the harbor, and the two big ships seemed to fill the inner port as the Belgenland ranged past her and let go both anchors with a roar of chains.
As they swung to the anchors side by side, the great vessels, totaling nearly 50,000 gross tons, were a new advertisement for the International Mercantile Marine Company, such as no port but New York had beheld. The largest American-built steamship until she yielded the palm to her sister the Virginia, a month before, the California was meeting in a foreign harbor for the first time the largest steamer ever to circumnavigate the globe. The fact that their stack markings were the same-- white bands on black-- emphasized the fact of their common ownership.
The Ocean Ferry, February 1929
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| Undated photograph of Belgenland in the Panama Canal. Credit: The Mariners' Museum. |
Upon arrival off the entrance to the Panama Canal on Christmas Day, Belgenland was afforded a bit of maritime courtesy:
The Belgenland found five steamers scheduled to enter to enter Gatun locks ahead of her. It would be a long wait, but she was prepared to take her turn. Then came the fine gesture from the five ships, whose masters agreed to defer their passage so that the largest vessel to transit the Canal each year could have the right of way.
Captain Morehouse was informed of the courtesy and the big liner and her 500 passengers moved towards Gatun signalling thanks for the great honor, to the five gallant gentlemen who aside to let a lady pass.
The Ocean Ferry, February 1929
In 1928, Belgenland completed seven westbound crossings carrying 3,486 passengers and six eastbound crossings carrying 2.997 passengers for a total of 6,483 passengers, and one world cruise carrying 324 passengers.
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| One of the striking covers for the equally superb deck plan booklets introduced for the IMM lines in 1929, for Belgenland's new expanded Tourist Third Cabin which replaced Second Class in the 1929 seas. Credit: Friends of Red Star Line. |
1929
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| During the call at Los Angeles, Hot Shot, Belgenland's widely travelled ship's cat enjoying the sun, a cuddle and basking in Hollywoodland publicity. |
Belgenland arrived at Los Angeles (San Pedro) on 1 January 1929, with 327 aboard docking at Pier 60. Capt. Morehouse "reported a pleasant and uneventful voyage with no day on which the sun did not appear. The weather was so warm on December 29 that masque ball scheduled for that evening had to be postponed on account of heat. It was held on New Year's Eve." (News-Pilot, 2 January 1929). She took on 30,000 barrels of oil (enough to get her to the Suez Canal) and 5,000 barrels of fresh water before sailing at 5:50 p.m. on the 2nd.
First sighted from the marine station at Point Lobos, 20 miles off the Golden Gate, at 1:15 p.m. on 3 January 1929, Belgenland was alongside Pier 22 two hours later. She sailed from San Francisco at 6:00 p.m. the next day, having embarked 98 additional passengers.
Hilo, reached on 9 January 1929, was an early highlight offering rare dry weather and a spectacular series of avalanches around the Kilauea volcano just as the excursion arrived. Sailing from Hilo at 4:00 p.m. on the 10th, Belgenland reached Honolulu the next day at dawn in more perfect weather.
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| Credit: Los Angeles Times, 28 January 1929. |
During the call at Honolulu, Belgenland's chef Paul Germain met his twin brother Peter Germain who head chef at the Moana Hotel, Waikaki, and had previously served in Lapland.
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| Credit: Honolulu Advertiser, 13 January 1929 |
One of the students, William Melish Harris, of Champaign, Illinois, Boston Univerity, Class of '29, had among his baggage his own 15-ft. motor speedboat which he made good use of throughout the cruise.
Belgenland's departure from Honolulu on 12 January 1929 occasioned considerable drama as reported in remarkable detail by the Honolulu Star Bulletin, 14 January:
A crowd of several thousand persons gathered on Pier 2 Saturday at 4 p. m. to watch the departure for Japan of the Red Star liner Belgenland, was thrown into a near panic when the vessel refused to answer her helm and sheered around in the channel with her stern toward Sand Island and her nose facing the pier. Those on the dock scattered for safety as the bow of the great ship moved toward the dock. No damage was done to the pier, according to officials of the harbormaster's department.
Capt. E. H. Parker, harbor pilot, who was on the bridge of the Belgenland, declared today that the vessel's nose was placed against the pier in order to aid in maneuvering her into position. With the aid of a tug the ship was finally headed out of the channel and into the open sea.
In explaining the near accident Captain Parker declared that the Belgenland was drawing 33 feet two astern, so that she was nearly three feet by the head. The narrow passage, in the opinion of Captain Parker, coupled with the great size of the steamer, made her hard to handle in the narrow passage be tween Pier 2 and Sand Island. Captain Parker pointed out that the harbor is but 35 deep in depth, which did not allow sufficient clearance for maneuvering the ship. 'The Belgenland is a ship of tons displacement and in drawing 33 feet of water forward she was precariously near the bottom,' Captain Parker said. The pilot denied that the Belgenland was stuck in the mud at any time.
"We backed away from Pier 10 but as we began to make the turn her stern began to swing toward Sand Island. The agitation of the shallow water and her unusual displacement forward created a situation in which it was impossible to bring her nose around. When I saw what was happening I headed her toward Pier 2 to keep her propellers and rudder off the rocks near Sand island. She sheered twice before we could get her in position," Captain Parker stated. Captain Parker pointed out that the narrow escape from disaster on the part of the Belgenland emphasized the need for a deeper harbor.
"In handling these heavy ships we should have at least five or six feet of clearance under the bottom. This means that the harbor should be dredged to at least 40 feet. "The channel should also be widened by taking a slice off the end of Sand island. The corner is too narrow to allow for safe handling of huge ships such as the Belgenland," he said. Captain Parker pointed out that the USS California suffered a similar plight last July when she swung broadside in the channel in making the turn around Sand island to head for sea.
The Belgenland was delayed for an hour while she maneuvered into position and headed out past Sand island. The departure of the liner from Pier 10 was colorful, thousands of paper streamers being thrown from the deck of the ship to the crowd on the dock. Although badly frightened when the Belgenland headed for Pier 2 the crowd soon became calm when it was learned that the ship was not going to crash into the dock. No one was hurt when the mob rushed from the pier's edge.
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| Tony's Melody Makers, the American jazz band on the 1928-29 world cruise. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
During the ship's long call at Yokohama, Belgenland's jazz band, Tony's Melody Makers, recorded six records for Columbia records. One, Sonny Boy, with Japanese vocals can be heard below:
Cold in Tokyo and snow in Nikko gave way to frigid in China with some of the worst ice conditions experienced in many years in the coastal ports and the river to Tientsin iced up and ice fields extending far into the sea, in some spots 10 miles out. With the imminent arrival of Belgenland at Chinwangtao on her maiden arrival there on 5 February 1929, port authorities there enlisted the assistance of the KMA steamer Kaiping (Capt. A. Watson) to act as an icebreaker and tender for the liner as recounted in the Dundee Evening Telegraph (3 April), the master hailing from the city:
When Captain Watson left Chinwangtao a few days ago, the cold was petting more intense, and it took him hours to cut his way through the ice to the open sea, a distance of about 30 miles.
Captain Watson and the Kaiping was instrumental in assisting the Red Star liner Belgenland, the world cruise vessel, to make port in order to land passengers for their trip to Peking.
This was an unusual piece of work, owing to the thick ice.
Before the Belgenland arrived at Chingwangtao, Captain Watson was asked to stand by with the and act as icebreaker for the giant liner.
The Belgenland got stuck in the ice about 30 miles from the shore, and Captain Watson went her assistance. During the whole of the night prior to the arrival of the Belgenland had been cutting figure eights and circles in the ice, but it froze together again almost soon as the bow of his ship smashed through it.
The Belgenland was sighted at dawn, and the Kailing Mining Administration told the Captain to spare no pains to help the liner. The point of view of the Administration was that every hour the ice was increasing thickness, and those aboard the Belgenland did not know local condi tions, whereas Captain Watson did.
Responsible for the port, the Administration were taking no risks with a vessel of such magnitude as the Belgenland, and, after churning up the ice all night, the Kaiping smashed her way out to the Belgenland, and while that vessel headed for port, the Kaiping, a diminutive vessel in comparison, circled the liner and churned up the ice. allowing the larger ship to proceed without harm at about two knots an hour.
Even so, the Belgenland could get no nearer to port than a few miles There is no actual figure as to the distance, but finding a soft spot in the ice. the Kaiping got through to Chinwangtao with the passengers the Belgenland in 55 minutes; and it estimated that with the engines revolving at about 12 knots the ship did seven or eight.
Landing the passengers, the Kaiping was ordered to proceed on her way to Shanghai.
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| From a photo album by a crew member on the 1928-29 world cruise showing a tender, mostly likely the steamer Kaiping in the ice off Chingwantao. Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen |
During the call at Shanghai, the American college students were honoured at dinner on 13 February 1929 under the auspices of the Chinese Students' Federations and 37 allied organisations and hosted by ex-Premier Tong Chuo Ki.
George Ade at Sea. On the Belgenland two of the active passengers are George Ade, the famous humorist, and his partner and room mate, Ray Rice, a Chicago newspaper man, both extremely popular. They occupy a suite on "C" deck and after leaving Peking their rooms blossomed forth as a dream in Chinese decoration. This writer has not sufficient imagination to portray in mere words this artistic home at sea. Panels of Chinese design are suspended on the walls, wonderful four sided Oriental lanterns are illuminated by electric globes, unique bronzes and bric a brac of ornate character are placed here and there and amid this Chinese splendor one may visualize Ade the, 'Sultan of Sulu,' his funniest creation, parked in the atmosphere of the Orient, emitting humorous epigrams and the rare Ade philosophy.
Harrisburg Telegraph, 22 March 1929
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| Belgenland gets her hull painted anchored off Hong Kong, February 1929. Credit: eBay auction photo. |
When Belgenland arrived at Hong Kong on 15 February 1929, some of the now 483 passengers aboard opted for a steamer excursion to Canton whilst the other enjoyed the shopping and sights of the Colony, in weather "gracefully mild" compared to Japan and Peking and Shanghai. She joined Empress of Australia in port, also on a world cruise, and giving Hong Kong a record 800 tourists in one day.
At Manila (19 February 1929), 40 passengers joined the Bali cruise excursion whilst the others spent $25,000 on souvenirs, the entire length of pier lined with tables and booths filled with table linen, snakeskin purses and embroidery. "It was a beautiful sight as the Belgenland moved off with paper ribbons of all colors floating from every opening on every deck, down the side of the ship and across the pier." (The Register, 30 March 1929).
Belgenland's second call at Bangkok on 24 February 1929 benefited from the experience with the first and she anchored safely off Paknam in the Gulf of Siam. Two large steam lighters fitted the chairs, cushions and awnings conveyed the passengers to the Menam riverside landing at Pagnam, a considerable voyage of some two hours that was still of great interest, and then a chartered train journey of 40 minutes to Bangkok. Sightseeing was broken up by luncheon and afternoon tea on the lawn of the Phya Thai Palace Hotel. As one participant wrote at the end of the day" "Out of the Menam in red and gold sunset, and across the warm sea in showers, the tenders gradually brought the glowing lights of the Belgenland alongside as scheduled and before nine o'clock the world tourists were again seated at the accustomed places at table, partaking of an excellent dinner and exchanging notes on their experiences in Bangkok." (Shawnee News-Star, 14 April 1929).
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| Credit: Times Colonist, 6 March 1929. |
En route to Singapore on 3 March 1929 one of the students, John Livers, 18, of Charlottesville, Va., was stricken with acute appendicitis whilst swimming in the ship's pool. He was immediately operated on in the hospital and made a quick recovery. When Belgenland arrived at Singapore on the 6th, it was announced he would remain on board and continue the voyage.
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| Belgenland at Bombay in 1929. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
Amidst the pleasures and success of Belgenland's fifth world cruise came the sad news on 24 March 1929 that her commander for the first two, Capt. John Bradshaw, had died of heart disease at his home in New York, aged only 62.
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| Credit: Evening Star, 1 May 1929. |
With her arrival at New York 1 May from her fifth consecutive annual cruise around the world, the Red Star Belgenland had achieved a performance without parallel in cruising.
In her five circumnavigations of the globe she had steamed more than 150,000 miles without mishap or delay, holding the while the outstanding distinction of being the largest steamship ever to girdle the globe, the largest ever to enter the ports of the Orient.
On her fifth trip she entered each of her 25 ports of call exactly on time. Incidentally, she had encountered no bad weather that could be called a storm, and of the 134 days of the cruise, but three had been sunless.
The Ocean Ferry, June-July 1929
The rest of Belgenland's world cruise, certainly among her most evenful and publicised, passed without incident, and she returned to New York on 1 May 1929 with 272 of her original passengers. United States Customs inspectors relished the arrival of Belgenland but their extensive search aboard for liquor or other contraband was rewarded by finding six cheap Japanese tea sets and two imitation Satsuma vases in a store room. Since they were not claimed, they were seized.
Customs men were none too popular, too, with Belgenland's crew when they confiscated all of the acquired souvenirs collected during the voyage as they were not listed on any manifest or declaration, and changing their minds, dumped all the goods on the pier just hours before she sailed for Europe. Most were just left and it "was a glum crew" that took her out on her first voyage home in many months with nothing to show their families for it, either.
Among the news items of the day is one illustrating the discourteous and brutal means and ways of our customs department as it operates on docks and around ships... Sailors don't weep over this, but they swore a plenty, and they carried with them a remembrance of the smash-'em-and-break-'em policy of this Government that will be hard to eradicate in any system of explanation. For stony-hearted cussedness commend us to the custom officials of New York. This instance is but one of many.
It is inexcusable and it is, in such cases as this, impolitic and unwise. It does not promote anything but hatred and contempt. The land of the free seems also the home of the thug, masquerading in the uniform of the customs.
Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 10 May 1929
Almost forgotten during the hoopla surrounding Belgenland's world cruise was the announcement back in January that for the coming trans-Atlantic season, Second Class would be merged with Tourist Third Class, giving a 600-berth capacity and far superior facilities, deck space and public rooms. Staterooms would have hot and cold running water and there would be gymnasium, children's playroom, lift and veranda café. Henceforth, the ship would carry First, Tourist Third and Third Class. Essentially Second Class for 500 was converted to Tourist Class for 600.
Belgenland sailed on 4 May 1929 with 97 First, 237 Tourist Third and 53 Third Class and had a fine passage except for fog the last 24 hours before arrival at Plymouth on the 12th at 6:45 a.m., landing 44 passengers there (as well well paying off about 100 of her crew) before sailing an hour later for Cherbourg (41 passengers) and finally returning to her homeport of Antwerp where the remaining 302 passengers disembarked.
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| Belgenland outbound in Southampton Water. Credit: Beken of Cowes photograph, Mariners' Museum collection. |
On her first westbound crossing of the season, Belgenland sailed from Antwerp on 17 May 1929 and Southampton and Cherbourg the following day. She had 62 First, 56 Tourist Third and 73 Third Class passengers disembarking at New York on the 26th.
As the summer season began, passenger traffic picked up at least eastbound and Belgenland's new Tourist Third Class had 461 fares (as well as 169 First and 91 Third), the second most carried that year by a Red Star liner, when she cleared New York on 1 June 1929. Belgenland Weather prevailed yet again and after a fair weather passage, arrived at Plymouth on the 9th at 3:00 a.m. and waiting to land her 119 passengers at civilised hour later that morning, was off at 7:00 a.m. with 165 for Cherbourg and 444 for Antwerp.
Westbound, Belgenland (with only 62 First, 56 Tourist Third and 43 Third), Rotterdam and Caledonia were delayed by heavy fog in the lower bay and Quarantine on arrival at New York on 23 June 1929 and were a few hours late berthing.
Carrying one of her largest compliment of passengers yet, Belgenland left New York on 29 June 1929 with 370 First, 598 Tourist Third (the most carried by Red Star that year on a single sailing) and 137 Third and after another crossing enjoyed in good weather, she landed 321 at Plymouth on 7 July with 352 remaining aboard for Cherbourg and 433 for Antwerp.
"Intensely hot weather prevailed at the onset of the voyage, with calm seas. On the last day there was a great deal of rain, with rough seas, so the Western Morning News described Belgenland's crossing from New York beginning 27 July 1929 upon her arrival at Plymouth on 4 August with 176 First, 302 Tourist Third and 21 Third Class where she landed 89.
Belgenland Weather was missing on her 24 August 1929 crossing from New York with only 256 aboard with rough seas and high winds which delayed her arrival at Plymouth by some hours, not arriving there until 11:30 a.m. on 1 September.
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| Eleanor Roosevelt and her two sons on arrival at New York aboard Belgenland on 15 September 1929. Credit: Dziennik Dla Wszystkich, 20 September 1929. |
Among the 378 First Class passengers arriving at New York on 15 September 1929 in Belgenland were Eleanor Roosevelt and her sons, John and Franklin D., Jr. as well her frequent travelling companions Miss Nancy Cook and Miss Marion Dickerman, returning from a motor tour of Europe. Governor Roosevelt met them at the pier with a motorcycle escort, Mrs. Roosevelt going to their home at Hyde Park and her sons to Peekskill to review a National Guard regiment at Camp Smith. Belgenland also landed 549 Tourist Third (the best westbound list that year) and 291 Third Class.
So far, what was arguably the most famous cruise ship in the world had made only six of them, one to the Mediterranean and five round the world. But with the evolving development of cruising and expansion of its market, Red Star would emulate White Star in offering shorter itineraries closer to home. Of course, one of the big draws of cruising from the U.S. at the time was to escape the increasing tedious rigours of Prohibition.
On 23 October 1929 it was announced that Belgenland would under two cruises from New York to Quebec via Halifax and Murray Bay which would be sold to both the American and Canadian markets. The first would depart New York on 26 July 1930 or Quebec on 1 August, and the second from New York on 9 August and from Quebec on the 15th. Of course, Belgenland would bring an extra note distinction to what would come to be known as "booze cruises" on account of her world cruise bona fides and, as on most of her cruises, she would be the largest ship yet seen in the St. Lawrence, the largest being CPR's 25,160-grt Empress of Scotland.
There were few takers for Belgenland's sailing from New York (her last for the season) on 19 October 1929 and the 39 First (among them was Tito Schipa, Metropolitan Opera star), 98 Tourist and 27 Third Class passengers got three days of gales for their trouble. She landed 25 at Plymouth on the 27th with 17 for Cherbourg and 122 destined for Antwerp where she arrived on the 29th.
Before Belgenland reached Antwerp, Black Monday, 28 October 1929, witnessed the great American stock market "crash" and in less than two weeks, shares had lost almost half their value. The effects of what would evolve into the Great Depression would be felt to vary degrees throughout the world and shipping, in all its aspects, as severely impacted as any industry. For Belgenland, Red Star and IMM, the Depression would be devastating.
Red Star announced on 13 November 1929 that they would reduce fares on Pennland and Belgenland in Tourist Third Class, beginning a general price cutting throughout the steamship industry as advance trans-Atlantic bookings began to feel the impact of the crash.
The evolving economic crisis certainly did not impact bookings for Belgenland's world cruise and on 15 November 1929, Leo E. Archer, Pacific Coast manager for IMM, reported that of the more than 400 booked for the cruise to date, 100 or more were Californians.
For Belgenland, too, it was the familiar end of season routine. She left Antwerp on 17 November 1929 for Southampton for overhaul in the giant floating dry dock there. Heavy fog on the 19th, however, kept her, Carnarvon Castle and Njassa anchored off the Isle of Wight for some hours delaying their arrival. She was undocked on the 27th with the new NDL flyer and Blue Riband holder Bremen arriving to take her place in dock. This completed a remarkable assemblage of liners in the Hampshire port: Majestic, Leviathan, Aquitania, Carnarvon Castle, Empress of Scotland in addition to Bremen and Belgenland. The Red Star flagship returned to Antwerp the following day.
Belgenland bid her homeport farewell for many months when she cleared Antwerp on 4 December 1929 and Southampton and Cherbourg the following day, attracting 75 First, 128 Tourist Third and 136 Third Class fares for the crossing to New York. Her list was swelled by 21 passengers who had rushed from Plymouth to Southampton when a gale prevented France from taking them on there. France and Kungsholm both wound up carrying their English pilots to New York as they could not be landed. The gale conditions persisted right across the Atlantic and Belgenland was an extraordinary two days late in arriving in New York, not coming in until the 15th.
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| Striking cover art for Red Star Line's World Cruise 1929-30. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
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| Itinerary for the 1929-30 World Cruise. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
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| Route Map for the 1929-30 World Cruise. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
Belgenland's 1929-30 world cruise, her sixth, would cover 30,738 miles and call at 28 ports. Once again, she would be the only ship taking the westward route, by now a tried and true combination of climates, calls and customer satisfaction especially given the ship herself was a principal draw. However, whilst she was still the largest ship to sail on a round the world cruise in 1929, she lost the honour within weeks upon the departure of NDL's 32,581-grt Columbus from New York on 21 January 1930, chartered to Raymond & Whitcomb.
Sailing from New York on 20 December 1929, Belgenland would call at Havana (24-25), Panama Canal (28), Los Angeles (San Pedro) (5-6 January 1930), San Francisco (7-8), Hilo (13), Honolulu (11-13), Yokohama (25-31), Kobe (1-4 February), Inland Sea (4-5), Chinwangtao (Peking) (8-12), Woosung (Shanghai) (14-15), Hong Kong (18-20), Manila (23-23), Paknam (Bangkok) (27-28), Tandjong Priok (Batavia) (3-6 March), Singapore (8-9), Diamond Harbour (11-13), Colombo (22-23), Bombay (26-31), Port Sudan (6 April), Port Tewfik (8), Alexandria (14), Phaleron Bay (Athens) (16), Naples (18-19), Monaco (20), Gibraltar (23) and return to New York on 1 May.
As on the 1928-29 trip, a cruise through the East Indian archipelago by KPM steamer was offered from Manila to Batavia. New to the itinerary was the longer two-day call at San Pedro for Los Angeles.
On this voyage, Winfield M. Thomas, field agent of IMM, was the Red Star cruise manager. To relieve Capt. Morehouse of his additional duties as navigator and contact captain with passengers, she now had a Staff Captain, Capt. J.H. Doughty. Familiar faces like Chief Engineer J. Russell Mackay and Purser J.A. Lock remained.
Before the sailed, Belgenland was fitted one of the first public address and broadcasting systems at sea
Improvements for the comfort and pleasure of travelers never cease. The Red Star Line has stepped a length ahead with new innovations
'-- and on your, fellow passengers, is the Rock of Gibralatar.'
High up on the bridge of the Belgenland, the queen of the Red Star fleet, a single announcer may point out to voyagers in all parts of the huge vessel the interesting details encountered on its world cruise.
With the aid of its microphones and amplifiers a Western Electric public address system will aid the world tourists by making public announcements and providing other entertainment. There are three main installations of loud-speaker horns on the boat. One pair is located on the main deck. This deck is glass enclosed and may be used with comfort in all kinds of weather. It is particularly popular for moonlight dances. Another pair of horns is located in the lounge, with a third is situated in the Japanese tea garden."
Credit: Indianapolis Star, 23 March 1930.
The system was also used for transmitting live concerts by the ship's orchestra to other parts of the vessel and for paging officers and passengers.
Departing New York at midnight on 20 December 1929, Belgenland begin her unprecidented sixth world cruise, all the remarkable for having followed the same basic route on the all of them and making these epic circumnavigations seem more ordinary than they were, either for the ship's officers and crew or passengers.
Owing the ship's unique westward routing, Belgenland was the only world cruise ship sailing from California ports so that nearly 35 per cent of her passengers embarked there. Arriving at Los Angeles with 261 aboard, she embarked 70 at Los Angeles and another 50 at San Francisco so that when when she sailed from that port, Belgenland had 381 passengers, a cruise staff of 24 and a crew of 632, making a total of 1,037 aboard, the San Francisco Examiner adding that of the passengers, 50 were widows whilst the Hilo Tribune Herald reckoned the number at 72 along with 10 widowers and 95 batchelors, from 116 cities and towns in the United States.
Christmas was celebrated at Havana. Belgenland accomplished her sixth transit of the Panama Canal on 28 December 1929 in record time, making the passage from Balboa to Colon in six hours 59 minutes when the average time was eight to nine hours.
In 1929, Belgenland completed seven westbound crossings carrying 3,829 passengers and seven eastbound crossings carrying 3,345 passengers for a total of 6,174 passengers, and one world cruise carrying 425 passengers.
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| Portrait of Belgenland from the 1929-30 world cruise brochure. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
1930
New Years Day, ushering in a new decade, was rung in off the coast of Central America as Belgenland steamed up from Balboa to Los Angeles. It was raining when she arrived on 5 January 1930, berthing at Pier 60 at San Pedro, to the delight of locals and disappointment with passengers with two days there to tour "the Southland."She had 393 board when she sailed on the 6th for San Francisco, making the passage north in southeast gales and heavy seas but her reserve speed had her docking at Pier 22 on schedule at 8:30 a.m. on the 7th, the San Francisco Examiner shipping correspondent, Ed A. Charlton, remarking, "She's a lovely ship, this Belgenland, roomy and elegant."
After what passengers called a "rough trip," with strong following winds and a moderate to rough seas but a dramatic rainbow the afternoon before arriving in Hawaii, Belgenland arrived at Hilo on 13 January 1930, to a "warm and sincere" welcome, her passengers quickly trundled off in 102 cars for a full day's sightseeing. A sunny day ended stormy to the extent that her departure was delayed until 8:30 p.m. and she was two and a half hours late arriving at Honolulu the next day at 9:30 a.m., docking at Pier 8 and greeted by the Royal Hawaiian Band. Once again, Belgenland's football squad lost in its traditional local match, this time against the Honolulu Amateurs, 6-0. During the call, the ship's orchestra broadcast a concert over the local radio on the 15th. Belgenland Weather seems to have missed the boat so far and exceptionally rough seas off the Honolulu bar delayed the incoming Niagara by many hours and Belgenland, scheduled to leave at 4:00 p.m. did not get away until 5:30 p.m. on the 15th.
After a cloudy crossing of the Pacific, "unvarying good weather," was enjoyed and "Japan delighted us with unbroken sunshine for 11 days on end, with one rainy evening of the cruise thrown in at Yokohama." (The Ocean Ferry). Unlike the previous year, the winter in both Japan and China was mild.
At Yokohama, the Governor of Kanagawa Province, which includes the port city, Mr. Jiro Yamagata, and Mayor Ariyoshi of Yokahama, and other officials were guests of Red Star Line for a dinner board, followed by a special geisha performance in the lounge, arranged by the mayor's office, which was attended by 350 of the passengers. During the ensuing call at the sacred island of Miyajima in the Inland Sea, the governor and his family visited Belgenland as guests of Capt. Morehouse. Sadly, one of the passengers, Ferguson Kinsella of New York, suffered a heart attack in Kyoto on 2 February and died in hospital.
There was no ice to contend this time with when, 50 days into her cruise, Belgenland arrived at Chinwangtao on 8 February 1930. On arrival at Bangkok on 2 March, passengers were "sharply warned that none who were stockingless or wore plus fours would be admitted to the temples or the famous stables of the Sacred Elephants in the Royal Palace grounds."
Belgenland was the only world cruise ship to regularly call at Calcutta which, correctly, was seen as a "must" on any tour of India. It helped dictate, too, the westerly course of her world cruise so as to coincide with the spring tides, short in duration, which allowed a vessel of her size to cross the bar and thread the shoals of the storied Hooghly River, its swift yellow flow which emptied the Ganges into the sea. Diamond Harbour was as close to Calcutta as Belgenland could navigate with large tenders on hand to take her passengers into the great city that rose on the distant low-lying Delta.
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| The Hooghly Pilot cutter appoaching Belgenland and one of the big paddle steamers which served as tenders. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
Winifred M. Thompson, Field Agent for IMM, contributed to The Ocean Ferry, January 1930, a wonderful account of the imperial progress that was the arrival of the Hooghly River Pilot to meet Belgenland:
Out of the haze over this flood emerges a pilot steamer, and from her comes a heavy cutter, with eight rowers, bringing the pilot. No other pilot, in all the ports of the East of West, attaches such importance to his task as the pilot of the Hooghly. He comes in state, making the boarding of the ship a ceremony, a rite, worthy of the occasion.
There are eight dark-skinned rowers in his boat, each wearing a white turban and a black robe. A No. 1 man stands at the bow. In the stern are two natives in white, evidently servants. There is a coffee-brown cockswain in European clothes, and besides the pilot in an assistant, and arrayed like the pilot himself, in spotless white, and impressive with helmet.
The boat is brought is smartly alongside, and the pilot and his associate climb the rope ladder. Next a rope is sent down to the boat, and in succession there come up two trunks, three sacks, and a native cooking brazier. The servants follow, and take possession of these articles, which are the bedding and cooking outfit of the servants. The pilot being English, can have his meals from the dining saloon, but the servants, being Hindus, must prepare their own food, which they do on the forward deck. Furthermore, they must eat it in privacy, for even the shadow of a white man falling on them as they eat would bring contamination.
So, with the pilot in charge, the delicate task of taking the Belgenland over the bar begins. When it has been accomplished, the passengers become aware of the fact by hearing the chain rattling in the hawse hole when the ship comes to anchor to wait for the next tide.
The muddy stream can be head swishing past the ship's side all night, whispering its story of power and mystery. Next morning the anchor is raised, and the Belgenland steams slowly over the yellow flood, until dim shore lines come into view and take definite shape as the banks of the Hooghly, with a space of flowing tide between some four miles wide.
Anchored off a stone-paved shore, to which is chained a broad float, the Belgenland swings to the tide, at Diamond Harbor. Two broad-beamed river steamers are waiting. Presently one of them drops down the stream, and lets an anchor go, broad off the Belgenland's port side. She is then maneuvered alongside, and passengers are taken aboard. They are landed at the float, and on the high bank board a special train for Calcutta. A second steam brings up another load, and soon the train is ready for a run of an hour and half to the city, 38 miles up the Hooghly.
The call at Naples was on Good Friday where, on the orders of Premier Mussolini, all the flags on ships and builders were flown at half-mast whilst Easter was spent at Nice and Monte Carlo. "The run across the Mediterranean was made in perfect in spring weather. At the Rock, sixty passengers left for a tour of Spain, and to other other continental countries. This was an unusually large number to disembark at the Rock, and indicated Spain's growing popularity with tourists." (The Ocean Ferry).
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| Credit: Baltimore Sun, 1 May 1930. |
When Belgenland returned to New York on 1 May 1930, completing her fifth world cruise, she had chalked up some 185,000 miles in total on these circumnavigations. She had 272 of her original passengers aboard.
Not hanging about, Belgenland left New York on 4 May 1930 on her first crossing of the season with 97 First, 237 Tourist Third and 53 Third Class passengers of whom 31 landed at Plymouth on the 10th, 28 at Cherbourg and 336 at Antwerp.
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| Some of the 700 Belgian-Americans who sailed in Belgenland for the centenary celebrations of Belgium in Antwerp. Credit: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 12 June 1930. |
That year Belgium celebrated its centenary as an independent country with special fairs and expositions staged at Antwerp and Liege. Joining in were Belgian-Americans including a party of 700 sailing in Belgenland on 1 June 1930. In all, she left with 169 First, 461 Tourist Third and 91 Third. With the American and Belgium flags flying and the Hoboken City Club band playing the both countries' national anthems, Belgenland docked at Antwerp on the 9th which was decorated for the occasion and the Mayor Van-Caulwelaert on the pier to welcome the group as part of a delegation that included the American consul general and Red Star management. The celebrations began immediately on departure apparently as the party consumed 600 vats of beer on the crossing.
Another well subscribed eastbound sailing saw Belgenland depart New York on 29 June 1930 with 370 First, 598 Tourist Third (the best list in that class for the year) and 137 Third Class passengers. She laded 343 at Plymouth on the 6th and still had 264 for Cherbourg and 486 for Antwerp.
What was missing that summer were Belgenland's previously announced two cruises from New York to Quebec 26 July and 9 August 1930 and the programme never came about and instead she sailed on 27 July for Antwerp.
No stranger to celebrities among her passenger lists, perhaps the most notorious was one "John Nolan" among the 62 First, 132 Tourist Third and 60 Third sailing from New York on 24 August 1932. John Nolan was, in actuality Jack Diamond (1897-1931) or better known as "Legs" Diamond, one of the more notorious of the hoodlums, gangsters and bootleggers that American Prohibition produced almost overnight. Attempting to flee the country after being convicted for kidnapping but free on appeal, New York Police believed he had sailed in Baltic which left New York the same day as Belgenland but a message with his description was also sent to the Red Star liner and it was immediately confirmed by Capt. Morehouse that a man answering his description was not only aboard but hardly keeping a low profile (and with but so few in First Class, rather pointless to do so), playing poker in the smoking room and autographed menu cards as "Jack P. Diamond."
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| Jack "Legs" Diamond on arrival at Antwerp. Credit: Daily Mirror, 2 September 1930. |
British police were notified and advised not to allow Diamond to land at Plymouth and he made no attempt to do so when Belgenland arrived on 30 August 1930, nor at Cherbourg the following day. He disembarked at Antwerp on 1 September and arrested by police there and immediately deported as "an undesirable alien" to Germany where he was eventually arrested in Aachen and deported to the United States in the HAPAG Hannover. Diamond would be murdered in Albany, New York on 18 December 1931, most likely by gangland rivals.
On her next crossing to New York, arriving 15 September 1930, Belgenland had a good end of summer season list of 378 First, 549 Tourist Third Cabin and 291 Third Class.
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| Belgenland entering the Kruisschanssluis for her only drydocking in Antwerp, 14 November 1930. Credit: MAS |
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| Belgenland in dry dock. Credit: MAS |
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| Belgenland entering the no. 7 dry dock at Antwerp. Credit: shiphistory.com |
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| Belgenland gets her rudder and screws attended to during her drydocking at Antwerp, showing her classic H&W triple-screw "combination" machinery set-up. Credit: FelixArchief, stadsarchief Antwerpen. |
Trans-atlantic traffic fairly collapsed once the summer peak season was over to the point that lines began to cancel sailings for want of business. It was just as well Belgenland was off around the world. On her final roundtrip of the season, she arrived at New York on 12 October 1930 with 122 First, 282 Tourist Third and 86 Third Class and left on the 18th with only 18 First, 64 Tourist Third and 81 Third aboard. She arrived Antwerp on the 27th. Unlike previous years, she was drydocked there for her annual overhaul, entering the no. 7 graving dock, Lefebvredok on 14 November.
If remembered at all today, Belgenland is associated with the travels of Albert Einstein who would make two voyages in her, one of pleasure and the other of necessity. On 12 November 1930 it was reported that Prof. Albert Einstein would be paying a return visit to the United States which he toured in 1921. He would depart Berlin on the 30th for Antwerp, sailing in Belgenland on 2 December and take her as far as San Francisco with his ultimate destination being Pasadena and research at the California Institute of Technology, and be travelling with his wife, a secretary and a mathematician. Planned as a private and quiet pleasure trip followed by a period of concentrated study and research, Dr. Einstein loathed the prospect of press and publicity during any part of the trip and stated he would probably choose to remain aboard Belgenland during her four-day layover in New York between her arrival from Antwerp and sailing on her world cruise.
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| Press photos of the Einsteins embarking Belgenland at Antwerp. Note the large sideports for the dining saloon and reception room/foyer. |
Prof. Einstein left Berlin on 30 November 1930 for Antwerp, embarking in Belgenland which sailed 2 December, and called at Southampton the following day. Prof. Einstein, his wife, Elsa, an assistant and a secretary were given an adjoining suite and cabins on Lower Promenade Deck. The crew were instructed to shield Prof. Einstein from all intrusion but there was no stopping the torrent of 300 wireless messages a day addressed to him and the radio room was overwhelmed. One message sent to the professor read: "Do you believe in God? If so, why?" Others were lucrative offers to lend his name to promote products from breakfast cereal to razor blades. When served codfish cakes in the dining saloon, he shrugged over the size of the portion, Frau Einstein telling the steward, "We Germans are used to bigger meals." He worked during most of the voyage and it was said that stewards had carried away huge waste baskets of scribbled scratch-paper on which he had worked.
Douglas Delgado, the bedroom steward who was assigned solely to the Einstein suite, said he would be happy if on every voyage, he had twenty Einsteins to wait upon.
'The Professor is a man of simple tastes,' said Delgado. 'He barely spoke three words to be throughout the voyage, but the expression of his wonderful face showed that he was pleased. Often I would knock at his door and get no answer. Then, when I entered, I saw the professor wrapped in thought. I attended to my duties in the room as he sat there, but I doubt if Professor Einstein was aware of my presence.'
The Ocean Ferry, January 1931
Einstein especially enjoyed chatting with Paul Eulenberger, his dining saloon steward who was Swiss and had studied science at Zurich were the professor had once taught.
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| Press photos of the Einsteins arrival at New York aboard Belgenland. |
Belgenland arrived at New York on 11 December 1930 with 41 First, 111 Tourist Third and 46 Third Class, but no one cared much for any of them but two. Mobbed by 50 reporters and as many cameramen on arrival, Prof. Einstein was described by the Times Union as "a gray-thatched little man with the bright, peering eyes of a squirrel, he tried at first to swap reparte with reporters and camera men and then have up the job. When last seen on A Deck of the Red Star liner, he was heading through a companionway for his stateroom like a frightened rabbit scurrying for a burrow."
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| The Einsteins at lunch aboard Belgenland on arrival at New York-- the ship proved a refuge for the publicity shy couple who stayed aboard during her New York layover. Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
Dr. Paul Schwartz, the German Consul in New York, and Dr. Karl von Lewinski, the German Consul-General, boarded the ship to welcome the Einsteins who to avoid the feeding frenzy of the media, the Einsteins elected to stay aboard Belgenland during the whole of her five-day New York layover. He was not entirely a hermit, however, making three public speeches, delivered several radio addresses, attended the opera and symphony concert, officially welcomed at City Hall and visited Chinatown. He did ignore 465 telephone calls put into him aboard ship.
Belgenland's seventh world cruise, from New York on 15 December 1930, would feature two new ports: San Diego, en route from Balboa to Los Angeles, and Padang, Sumatra, on 7 March 1931. What was missing was Calcutta and instead the call at Bombay was extended to 10 days.
Departing New York on 15 December 1930, Belgenland would call at Havana (19-20), Panama Canal (23), San Diego (31), San Pedro (Los Angeles) (1-2 January 1931), San Francisco (3-4), Hilo (9), Honolulu (10-11), Yokohama (21-27), Kobe (28-31), Inland Sea (31 January-1 February), Chinwangtao (4-8), Woosung (Shanghai) (10-11), Hong Kong (14-16), Manila (18-19), Pakman (Bangkok) (23), Singapore (26-27), Tandjong Priok (Batavia) (1-5 March), Padang (7), Colombo (11-14), Bombay (17-27), Port Sudan (2 April), Port Tewfik (4), Alexandria (10), Phaleron Bay (Athens) (12), Naples (14-16), Monaco (17) and Gibraltar (20), returning to New York on 28 April.
Given the economic situation for both the line and prospective passengers, Red Star, for the first time, offered the provision of booking Belgenland from New York only as a far as Havana and returning in Panama Pacific's California on her 26 December 1930 sailing from Cuba or, a later sailing, for $140 or, with hotel for a week, $200.
In additional to Capt. William A. Morehouse, the principal officers for the voyage were Chief Engineer John Russell Mackay, Chief Steward William T. Heath and Chief Purser John Lock. Of the crew, there were 353 stewards, 104 in the engineering dept., 78 deck crew, eight pursers, 10 in the medical dept. headed by Dr. Fernand Basecq, an orchestra and a dance band, a bugler, a tailor etc. The cruise staff, numbering 16, was under the direction of Arthur Rood of Red Star whilst the American Express contingent of 12 was led by Arden Burns.
Belgenland (Capt. William A. Morehouse) sailed from Pier 59, North River, at midnight 15 December 1930. She had aboard 300 passengers, representing five foreign countries and 88 American cities. Princess de Braganza, Duchess of Oporto, widow of the heir to the Portuguese throne, Infante Don Alfonso, was among the passengers and would take the cruise as far as Naples. The American born princess, who inherited the fortune of her first husband at age 18, was known as "The Ten Million Dollar Widow." But as long they were aboard, all attention was centered on the Einsteins.
En route to Havana, it was reported on 17 December 1930 that "Once more away from large crowds of admirers, Prof. Albert Einstein is thoroughly enjoying his trip from New York to California. The quiet little German scientist has been relaxing aboard this ship from the strenuous welcoming activities of his visit in America's largest city. When he is not working in stateroom he finds pleasure in strolling bareheaded on deck, his thick hair blowing in the wind. Prof. Einstein has spent several hours going through large stacks of mail and telegrams, put on board the ship in New York, from friend expressing their good wishes." (Times Union, 17 December 1930).
There was no lack of celebrity attending that year's world cruise and on 17 December 1930 it was reported that Douglas Fairbanks, off on "an expedition into India and China to hunt tigers and elephants," would embark in Belgenland at San Francisco on 4 January 1931.
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| A photo of Prof. Einstein in his suite aboard Belgenland. Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen. |
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| Einstein playing the violin in the music room aboard and enjoying the warm, sunny passage up from the Panama Canal to San Diego with his wife on deck. |
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| Capt. William A. Morehouse and Prof. Albert Einstein during Belgenland's transit of the Panama Canal. Credit: Vrienden van de Red Star Line vzw |
Havana afforded Prof. Einstein a warm and official welcome upon arrival on 19 December 1930, with an official delegation meeting them on them on pier followed by a lecture and reception by local scientists. En route to Panama, it was reported that "Professor Einstein is learning about cruises in tropical waters. On the way to Panama from Havana he found his black felt too heavy and borrowed a panama. He had to try several times. The first men asked had heads larger than his." (Star Gazette, 22 December 1930). Something better was in the offing and at Panama on the 24th, the Panama Chamber of Commerce presented him with a new panama hat, the finest available and costing $150 (!) and like all "panamas," made in Ecuador not Panama. During the call Einstein was received by President Arosemena, visited the German legation there and toured the Canal Zone and canal facilities. It was reported that he "wore sandals and no hose on his trip ashore." On Christmas Day Prof. Einstein delivered a special message to the American people by radio telephone from the ship in German and translated into English by his wife Elsa.
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| Belgenland at Broadway Pier, San Diego. Credit: Los Angeles Evening Express, 31 December 1930. |
In a celebrity crazed America, the arrival of Albert Einstein at San Diego aboard Belgenland on the last day of 1930 was a major news story. The Los Angeles Evening Express even hired a special plane to fly film of the arrival to the city for processing in time for the evening edition that day. Thousands crowded the waterfront and "the San Diego High School student body turned out en masse to greet the noted scientist," the girls carrying 300 poinsettias to hand to every passenger and there was a 100-piece band and a mixed chorus of 75 to add to the welcome. The Einsteins would eventually sail for home in March 1931 in HAPAG's Deutschland.
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| Part of the welcome at San Diego was this high school choir. Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
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| Belgenland alongside San Diego's Broadway Pier. Credit: San Diego Historical Society. |
Belgenland, too, was a center of attraction, being the largest passenger ship to dock at the port. It was precisely the media circus that Einstein loathed with reporters and cameramen swarming aboard the ship by launch as soon she came off the harbour entrance at 5:45 a.m., eager to interview the scientist who had not yet dressed it was so early in the morning. A chaotic mass interview of shouted questions ensued in the First Class drawing room. "Finally solicitous friends came the rescue and the interview was over. The battle of the Belgenland had been fought. Locked in his stateroom the visitor found the peace he loved well. 'So this is California." (Los Angeles Evening Post-Record, 31 December 1930).
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| Press photo of the Einsteins on arrival at San Diego. |
The New Year was rung in style with a gala dinner aboard with entertainment by the famous Marimba Band from Agua Caliente followed by a dance and late supper at the El Cortez Hotel in San Diego with the Belgenland's jazz band providing the music. As Belgenland sailed, the New Year was rung in by a dance in the Japanese tea room "which lasted till the dawn of the new year."
In 1930, Belgenland completed seven westbound crossings carrying 3,316 passengers and seven eastbound crossings carrying 3,286 passengers for a total of 6,598 passengers, and one world cruise carrying 393 passengers.
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| Last of the many splendid paintings of Belgenland by Charles Dixon (1872-1934). Credit: Red Star Line Museum Antwerpen. |
1931
On New Years Day 1931 Belgenland docked at San Pedro's pier 60 with almost the entire executive staff of the IMM Pacific Coast division on hand to see her come in, led by Leo E. Archer, Pacific Coast Manager. Landing was San Francisco office field agent Winfield M. Thompson who had been aboard since New York. Whilst her passengers raced off on a fleet of cars on tours, Belgenland took aboard 32,000 barrels of oil and 1,000 boxes of citrus fruit. That evening a dinner for local maritime reporters was given aboard hosted by Winfield Thompson and William Seabrook (the well known cartoon artist who contributed to The Ocean Ferry and the Southampton newspapers with his caricatures of shipboard personalities and captains).
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| Belgenland anchored in Battleship Row, San Pedro photographed from U.S.S. California. Credit: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. |
Scheduled to sail the following morning, a strong ocean surge caused by a southerly wind swept into the harbor just past midnight, strong enough to break nine morning lines and damage the passenger gangway. Passengers and crew rushed aboard using the crew gangway when it was made known she would have to be moved. Capt. Fred Warner, Chief Pilot, moved her out into the outer harbour with the aid of four Wrigley tugs at 12:40 a.m. and anchored her at 1:00 a.m. in Battleship Row, opposite U.S.S. California. Some 30 passengers who were in Los Angeles could not return to the ship and spent the night instead at the Biltmore Hotel and they, plus 70 new embarking passengers, and hundreds of pieces of baggage, were conveyed out to the liner by tenders. Scheduled to sail at 10:00 a.m. on 2 January, Belgenland left an hour late for San Francisco.
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| San Francisco Examiner, 4 January 1931. |
Belgenland arrived at San Francisco on 3 January 1931, greeted by the Municipal Band and Junior Chamber of Commerce officials as she came alongside Pier 22. An aerial welcome was provided "by a convoy of airplanes headed by the Shell plane, piloted by William G. Fletcher and bearing Henry Eickhoff, Jr., vice chairman of the aeronautics committee of the Junior Chamber, dropped floral greetings on the forward deck of the liner and circled in salutation as she warped into her pier.
Belgenland would embark 70 passengers at San Francisco, "bringing the total passengers on the cruise to 330. This is nearly equal to last year's booking, and is declared by her managers as evidence that the business situation is improving." (San Francisco Examiner, 4 January 1931).
Among those embarking was Douglas Fairbanks, accompanied by Victor Fleming, the director; a secretary, a cameraman and a valet. His wife, Mary Pickford, would join him in India in April.
San Franciscans early yesterday watched the departing Red Star liner as she majestically steamed through the Golden Gate bound westward on her sun-chasing trip around the world.
In the face of other notable lines cancelling their world cruises, the International Mercantile Marine Company has received congratulations of the travel agencies throughout the United States for having carried out its program in the face of world depression in money matters, and a possible loss.
The Belgenland left with a big and happy list of travelers.
The San Francisco Examiner, 5 January 1931.
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| Credit: Honolulu Star Bulletin, 10 January 1931. |
After calling at Hilo the previous day, Belgenland arrived at Honolulu on 10 January 1931, docking at Piers 10 and 11 shortly after 8:00 a.m., pilot Capt. George Jennings bringing her in, with the Young Bros. tug Mikimiki assisting. A large crowd was on hand to see her dock or, more specifically, to catch a glimpse of Douglas Fairbanks who was occupied by the local press and cameramen. He told reporters he and his party would leave the ship at Bangkok on 23 February and his main object whilst in Honolulu was to get in a game or two of golf. Among a few passengers landing were Mr. and Mrs. John Sullivan who had made five consecutive world cruises, totally 150,000 miles, in the ship. The other passengers were bundled of in a fleet of 72 automobiles for a full day sightseeing.
Belgenland's orchestras remained unsurpassed on the high seas. During the call at Honolulu, the concert orchestra, under Joseph van Mol, broadcast an hour-long classicoal music concert on radio station KGU on 10 January 1931 followed by a dance and popular music concert by Charles L. Fischer's Globe Trotters. Belgenland's football team lost again, this time against the Honolulu Stars, 2-1.
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| Belgenland on departure from Honolulu. Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen |
The departure of the giant liner, one of the most popular vessels to visit here, was in the nature of a gala affair, for Honolulu outdid itself in making in this Aloha a memorable. Music, leis, streamers, and all the trimmings marked the departure of the Belgenland after its seventh visit to Hawaii.
The Honolulu Advertiser, 12 January 1930.
There was six inches of ice in the harbour when Belgenland dropped anchor at Chinwangtau on 4 February 1931 and it took two hours for the large tender to crunch through it to take off her passengers who then faced a train journey from 10:00 a.m. to 8 p.m. to reach Peking where it was 12 below zero. Belgenland meanwhile pulled out to sea but on return on the 8th to collect her passengers, the ice in the harbour was a full foot thick and she had to use all her engine power to crunch through it to rendezvous with the tender. On the 10th, Belgenland anchored off Woosung for the day call at Shanghai.
Belgenland's new radio telephone installation occasioned press mention on 15 February 1931 when it was reported that en route from Shanghai to Hong Kong, a successful voice conversation was made the previous day to a party in London, some 7,000 miles distant and reckoned to the be the furthest distant phone conversation yet accomplished.
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| Douglas Fairbanks meets the Filipino hero General Emilio Aguinaldo at Cavite during the call at Manila. Credit: Wikipedia Commons. |
Douglas Fairbanks literally stopped the traffic in Manila on 18 February 1931 where, during the call there, everyone in the city it seemed left their work and lined the streets for a parade in his honor. Some 8,000 lined the pier head to see Belgenland dock and traffic in the city was paralyzed for hours. During the call, Fairbanks paid on a call on the Filipino hero General Emilio Aguinaldo at his house in Cavite.
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| Douglas Fairbanks demonstrates his athletic prowess on deck. Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen. |
Approaching Hong Kong at night and in a choppy sea on 20 February 1931, Belgenland rammed and sank a Chinese junk near Cape d'Aguilar, which was said to be carrying no light. The frail craft was broken in two and quickly sank and the nine-man Chinese crew left clinging to the wreckage. Chief Officer Watling ordered full speed astern to stop her and ordered a boat to be lowered which was accomplished in just two minutes and quickly picked up all nine survivors and she was on her way again in just 20 minutes. The passengers raised $200 for the the survivors.
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| Dinner in the Japanese Tea Garden attended by Princess de Braganza (seated right front) with Douglas Fairbanks standing behind. Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen. |
When Belgenland arrived at Singapore on 26 February 1931 she had 331 passengers, the Malaya Tribune noting that "The majority of the passengers, of course, are Americans. The list shows that most of the passengers are of high standing. One reason given for this is that the depression in business at present existing in America precludes any one but people of standing and of substantial wealth from making the trip at all."
Bangkok was reached on 3 March 1931 where Douglas Fairbanks and party landed. Fairbanks and Victor Fleming would produce the documentary Around the World in 80 Minutes with Douglas Fairbanks using the footage shot on the trip and the ensuing overland expedition to India. This was released by United Artists on 12 December 1931.
On this world cruise, Bombay was the only call at India but occupied ten full days, 17-27 March 1931 with overland tours, including New Delhi where the "ugly American" tourist stereotype was reinforced on the 20th:
A large group of American tourists from the steamer Belgenland tonight cheered lustily for Mahatma Gandhi in the midst of his regular open air prayers. Thousands of native Indians, who were kneeling on the earth during the prayers of their 'holy man,' were startled out of their pious mood by the sudden outburst of applause of the Americans at a purely religious gathering. The little nationalist leader, however, maintained his usual composure and only smiled and bowed in acknowledgement of the cheers. Scarcely had the prayers ended when the bolder of the visitors stormed the unperturbed leader for autographs and photographs. 'You might as well ask me for a lock of my hair,' Gandhi replied. 'I haven't any.'
Spokane Chronicle, 21 March 1931.
Whilst at Bombay, the Editor of the Indian Daily Mail used Belgenland's radio telephone to make the first ever call to London from India, talking to his opposite number at the Daily Herald. It was presumably brief as the charge was £1 10s a minute or in 2023 value…. £126.00.
On 24 March 1931 the San Francisco Examiner reported that L.E. Archer, Pacific Coast Manger for IMM had been advised that Belgenland would leave New York on her eighth round the world cruise in mid December, following her accustomed westward route. This was formally announced by IMM on 4 April with additional details including the sailing date: 15 December and the ports after Hong Kong would include Manila, Bangkok, Singapore, Batavia, Padang, Colombo, Bombay, Port Tewfik, Suez Canal, Alexandria, Athens, Naples, Monaco, Gibraltar and finally, New York.
The sudden appearance of the "week-end cruises" is a new and odd phenomenon in the shipping trade though one In which it is not difficult to trace cause and effect. On the day that a first-class North Atlantic liner like the Majestic arrives with what is said to be her smallest passenger list since the war another liner the Belgenland is withdrawn from ths North Atlantic altogether and put into the short cruise service at Halifax. As the chairman of the Cunard dryly informed his stockholders a few days ago revenues from the established services are bad but the company is devising forms of travel which would appeal especially to "millions of Americans who have never been at sea".
New York Herald Tribune
As the Depression bit hard and prospects for the coming trans-Atlantic season were grim, most of the major lines including Cunard and White Star had their big liners offer week-end cruises from New York slotted in between their regular crossings, starting with Mauretania on 24 April 1931. Most of these had "nowhere" as their destination other than the bars aboard. What soon became known as "booze cruises" for what was their major selling feature in a Prohibition weary America took on the quality of a popular fad and were initially hugely popular.
It was a trend that even the renown Belgenland could not escape and announced as she neared the end of her world cruise, highlighted the polar opposites developing in cruise travel of the era. For Belgenland, at least, it would be booze cruising with a destination and new a twist on shipboard entertainment.
The first 'Showboat Cruise,' one of the most extensive and most unique travel and entertainment itinerary ever organized on the American continent, is to make Halifax its port of call during the 1931 season.
Halifax Mail, 15 April 1931
On 14 April 1931 in the Nova Scotia Legislature, Hon. Percy C. Black, Minister of Highways, announced Belgenland had been chartered by Showboat Cruises, Inc., to make weekly six cruises from New York to Halifax where the ship would stay two days, commencing 18 July with the first call at Halifax on the 20th. Showboat Cruises was the creation of the William Morris Agency, the famous entertainment talent agency, which would be in charge of the extensive on-board entertainment offered on the so-called "Showboat Cruises" in cooperation with Paul Tausig & Sons, the oldest theatrical travel agency in the U.S. and Europe.
To distinguish them from the shorter "booze cruises," to "nowhere," Morris and Tausig devised the "Show Boat" theme with the first ever comprehensive shipboard entertainment programme, engaging top Broadway talent offering nightly shows and each cruise featuring different artists and entertainers, ranging from vaudeville turns and concerts to complete plays. Two outdoor pools would be constructed on deck and surrounded by a "beach" with sand from Ostend. The usual deck sports would be augmented by trap shooting from a specially constructed platform at her stern as well a miniature golf course on deck. The minimum rate for the six-day cruises would be $70.
"I believe that this marks one of the most important steps ever taken along the line of making our Province better known as a paradise for tourists, and with the Province's usual cordiality we should extend to them a hearty welcome and full co-operation in displaying the great beauties of our Province," said Hon. Black. William Morris, Jr. and Robert Tausig, "known respectively as Cap'n Bill and Cap'n Bob of Showboat Cruises," arrived in Halifax on the 13th with Col. A.N. Jones of Red Star Line and met with L.W. Fraser, Director of the Provincial Bureau of Information as well as Halifax Mayor His Worship Gastonguay. It was reminded that Capt. W.A. Morehouse of Belgenland was from Digby, N.S.
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| Credit: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 28 April 1931. |
Coming home to a new future amid very uncertain times and with 172 of her remaining world cruise passengers, Belgenland returned to New York on 28 April 1931, docking at 1:30 p.m.. In her seven world cruises, she had chalked up 210,000 miles without accident or schedule delays.
Just two days later, Belgenland was back to trans-Atlantic duties, sailing for Plymouth, Cherbourg and Antwerp on 30 April 1931. Among her passengers (80 First, 129 Tourist and 219 Third) were two of America's ranking tennis stars, George Lott, Jr., and John Van Ryn, who would compete in a number of international tennis meets and be eligible for U.S. Davis Cup Team if they reached the challenge round against France. Belgenland had 51 passengers and 43 crew landing at Plymouth on 8 May and after calling at Cherbourg later that day, finally returned to her homeport of Antwerp on the 9th after an absence of six months.
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| Undated photograph of Belgenland outbound in New York Harbor. Credit: Mariner's Museum, Eldredge Collection. |
On her next arrival at New York on 24 May 1931, Belgenland's 51 First, 53 Tourist and 18 Third Class passengers included a party of returning Methodist missionaries from the Belgian Congo, headed by Rev. Harry Anker of Chicago, who were met on the pier by Bishop James J. Cannon, Jr.
Times were tough but still busy and the IMM piers at New York were thronged on 29 May 1931 with 1,900 passengers sailing for Europe: more than 1,000 in Majestic, 350 in Cedric and some 450 in Belgenland (91 First, 228 Tourist and 139 Third). Belgenland had 81 to land at at Plymouth on 6 June. Arriving at 10:45 a.m., she was off by noon for Cherbourg (77 passengers) and Antwerp where her remaining 300 disembarked on the 7th.
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| The inbound Belgenland and Columbus in New York's Lower Bay on 21 June 1931. There were just 105 passengers aboard the Red Star flagship and 142 on the NDL liner. Credit: pininterest |
Westbound carryings remained dismal and there were just 45 First, 37 Tourist and 23 Third Class aboard when Belgenland docked at New York on 21 June 1931. That week saw the first newspaper advertisements for her upcoming Show Boat Cruises which given the lack of demand for her crossing could not come soon enough. If the inducements of the cruises were not sufficient, the ads proclaimed Belgenland to be of "39,900 tons" using her displacement tonnage. In all, she would make five cruises from New York, departing 18 and 25 July, 1, 8 and 15 August.
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| Pages from the elaborate brochure/deck plan for Belgenland's Showboat Cruises. Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen. |
With a fairly healthy eastbound list of 185 First, 401 Tourist and 140 Third Class, Belgenland cleared New York on 26 June 1931.Coming into Plymouth at 9:00 a.m. on 4 July, 155 passengers disembarked there with 220 remaining for Cherbourg and 354 for Antwerp where she docked on the 5th.
Making her last New York arrival from Antwerp, Southampton and Cherbourg, Belgenland came in on 17 July 1931 with a desultory list of 22 First, 60 Tourist and 20 Third Class passengers. Clearly, she was "surplus to requirements" on the North Atlantic run.
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| Deck Plan of Belgenland as a "Show Boat" showing the Lower Promenade Deck sand beach, the two temporary pools and the repurposed Tourist Class public rooms. |
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| The "beach" complete with sand from Ostend. Credit: Daily News, 19 July 1931. |
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| One of the two canvas pools fitted into her aft holds. Credit: Daily News, 26 July 1931. |
In just 24 hours the Red Star Line flagship was transformed into a "Showboat." At Antwerp, she had taken on some 1,700 tons of white sand, most of which was intended as ballast for the ship whose cargo holds would be bereft of freight, and there was more than enough to spread a foot or so of it on the Tourist Class Upper Promenade Deck, transforming it into a 6,000 sq. ft. "beach." Two canvas swimming pools which were fitted into the nos. 5 and 6 holds in place of their hatch coveres rather like a shallow bag which was supported underneath by wooden framing on deck. As for the world cruises, the Tourist dining saloon was transformed into the Japanese Tea Garden. The Tourist Class smoking room was repurposed as a café, beauty salon and shop and the verandah into a café and American bar serving draught lager beer.
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| Credit: Lansing State Journal, 16 July 1931. |
True to the Showboat Theme and William Morris involvement, Belgenland did indeed offer innovative entertainment including a premiere of a new play, "After Tomorrow," by Hugh Stange and John Golden. The comedy would, after its shipboard performances, would be then move to Broadway. It was also announced that tap dancing classes by a Ned Wayburn Institute expert would also be offer on board. The Havana Yacht Club Orchestra was engaged; "Castro's noted group of 14 musicians has delighted sophisticated travellers from three continents. One of the most thrilling orchestras in the world, engaged to insure the very finest dance music for the Show Boat Cruises." Arthur (Bugs) Baer, humorist; Harry Herschfield, cartoonist; Lester Allen, comedian; and Frances White, musical comedy star were engaged to perform for the maiden cruise.
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| The Mayor of Halifax with Frances White and Claire Windsor on the first "Showboat Cruise". Credit: Owen Sound Daily Sun Times, 23 July 1931. |
When Belgenland sailed on her first Showboat Cruise on 19 July 1931, she had 750 passengers (75 percent of whom were said to be women), including Halifax Mayor George Ritchie and arrived at Halifax early on the 20th, berthing at Pier 20. The Havana Yacht Club Orchestra and some of the other artistes put on show for charity at the Nova Scotian Hotel that evening.
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| Belgenland on her first "Showboat Cruise" call at Halifax, taken from George's Island. Credit: Vernon E. Finch, Nova Scotia Archives 1980-163. |
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| Halifax Mayor George E. Ritchie with Captain William A. Morehouse of Belgenland on her 'Showboat Cruise' from New York, 27 July 1931. Purser Johnny Locke is seen between the Mayor and the Captain. Staff Captain J.N. Doughty is standing behind the Captain. Credit: Vernon E. Finch Nova Scotia Archives 1980-130 |
Did I say the Belgenland was like a floating hotel? It is, only in some, respects much nicer. For instance, there's a miniature Miami beach on the upper deck; swimming pools and sand beaches, with canopy topped. deck chairs of striped awning, and beach tables with accompanying beach -- umbrellas--- huge colorful affairs, just like those at Rainbow Haven. And all about are beach scenes. Not only the bathers In attractive beach pyjamas and gay bathing suits, but the walls are painted to represent ocean scenes and there are imitation sea walls beside. On this same deck is a gymnasium and a club room, and several decks-below is another swimming pool, and beside this, Turkish baths.
There are lounge rooms and library, beautifully furnished, with luxurious upholstered chairs and couches, and softly shaded lamps with parchment shades; bridge rooms and smoking rooms end smaller club rooms, all with softly shaded lights and well appointed writing desks.
There is a magnificent promenade deck where lovers of the terpsichorian art dance in the moonlight to the music of a Cuban or Italian orchestra. There's a stage where cabaret acts are enjoyed, and talking pictures.
Warm ivory and gold form the chief decorative color scheme on the walls of the beautiful dining saloon, where are gorgeous flowers-- gladioli and roses-- and where the table appointments and service leave nothing to be desired.
Halifax Mail, 22 July 1931
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| Credit: Red Star Line Mueum, Antwerpen. |
The second cruise, departing on 25 July 1931, had among its passengers, Gov. Philip F. La Follette of Wisconsin and the professional entertainers included Gloria Grafton, Gus Edwards, Frances Fay, Harry Rose, Abner Silver and Blanche Bow. Belgenland was one of 13 ships sailing that day from New York.The third cruise, departing 1 August, attracted 700 passengers.
The Showboat Cruises were doubtless popular but garnered some unwelcome notoriety at the same time, all magnified in an era of sensational newspaper reporting. There were reports of prostitution aboard the ship and three passengers came down with typhoid after the 1 August trip and a crew member died from the disease.
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| Credit: Daily News, 22 August 1931. |
The most notorious incident occurred on the 8 August 1931 sailing, featuring Mildred Harris, Charlie Chaplin's ex-wife, as one of the entertainers. One of the passengers, Japanese businessman Hisashi Fujimura, then residing in Connecticut, who was travelling with his seven-year-old daughter and his mistress (a former showgirl) who was posing as their child's mistress, went missing the final night of the cruise. An investigation which occupied many acres of newsprint, suspect foul play amid lurid stories of extortion over gambling debts and three "thugs" seen aboard. The case was never solved but the incident ensured that the name Belgenland no longer instantly conjured up glamorous world cruising, Albert Einstein and Douglas Fairbanks.
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| Credit: Pittsburgh Post Gazette, 10 September 1931 |
On 14 August 1931 Red Star Line announced that effective with Belgenland's 2 October westbound sailing and Lapland's from New York the following day, their steamers would use Le Havre not Cherbourg as their French call. This would facilitate docking alongside rather than use tenders. Four days later, it was further announced in England that the min. First Class fare in Belgenland would be reduced by 12.5 per cent, to £38 10 s.
The Halifax Mail reported on 17 August 1931 that William Morris, Jr. and Robert Craig, the originators of the Showboat Cruise concept "are already reported to be making plans for a greatly enlarged scope of operations for 1932." Messrs. Morris and Tausig arrived in Halifax that day aboard Belgenland on her fifth and final Showboat Cruise and hosted a gala ball at the Nova Scotian Hotel to mark the event.
Belgenland resumed trans-Atlantic service upon her sailing from New York on 21 August 1931, just a day after she returned from her fifth and final Showboat Cruise and it must have been "all hands on deck" to restore her Tourist Class public rooms and decks to normal. Instead of 700 or so "showboaters," she left with 48 First, 68 Tourist and 84 Third Class "crossers." She came into Plymouth at 8:10 p.m. on the 29th where she landed 40 passengers and mail before sailing at 9:00 p.m. for Cherbourg and Antwerp.
Sailing from New York on 17 September 1931 with 40 First, 85 Tourist and 124 Third Class aboard, Belgenland encountered very bad weather across with 60 hours of being buffeted by a strong SSE gale which even broke some of her promenade deck windows. Plymouth was reached on the 26th where 50 passengers gratefully landed.
Belgenland's previously announced eighth world cruise was quietly dropped by summer 1931. The market for such voyages having been so diminished amid the worst of the Depression and with the anticipation of Canadian Pacific's wonder ship, Empress of Britain, which would replace the Red Star liner as the largest to circumnavigate the world in January 1932. It was an end of a remarkable era with Belgenland's seven world cruises totalling some 200,000 miles and of the 935 days so engaged, only 22 days were experienced without sun.
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| Credit: Montreal Gazette, 26 October 1931 |
Instead, Belgenland was to figure in IMM's joint "40 Cruises to Everywhere" programme announced on 24 September 1931 employing White Star's Homeric and new Britannic and Red Star's Lapland with Belgenland to make three 16-day and three 10-day West Indies cruises.
There were 155 First, 198 Tourist and 62 Third Class passengers coming down Belgenland's gangways when she docked at New York on 11 October 1931.
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| Credit: Daily News, 9 October 1931. |
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| Belgenland sails from New York on her Columbus Day "booze cruise." Credit: Daily News photograph. |
The liner Belgenland steamed out to sea from New York this morning on the shortest of ocean pleasure cruises beyond the 12-mile limit-- a 14-hour "joy ride" to nowhere.
She sailed at 9 o'clock this morning with 1,647 passengers on board despite the sudden cold snap. She was back tonight about 11 o'clock after a run of 100 or so miles out and back, with reports of much whoopy aboard during the merry bried cruise.
The passenger paid $10 each, with lunch and dinner included in the price of the ticket. The line had announced that the ship's bar would open after the Belgenland was out of territorial waters, and would stay that way until it re-entered the limited zone.
Ths cruise hadn't any special destination or purpose. It was just a jaunt, with the Belgenland turned excursion steamer for Columbus Day. Line officials declared the experiment a decided succeeded.
Pittsburgh Post Gazette, 13 October 1931
Desperate now to find revenue where it could, IMM dispatched Belgenland on her first classic "booze cruise," during her turnaround at New York with Monday 12 October 1931 being Columbus Day and a day off for most, she sailed on a day cruise outside the 12-mile limit. Sailing at 9:00 a.m. from Pier 59, she loitered off Long Island Sound while her 1,647 passengers literally drank every one of six bars dry. Homeric, once the doyen of luxury cruise ships, joined her in this dismal Prohibition busting exercise and had 1,009 drinkers. It was estimated Belgenland's passengers, who each paid a $10 fare which included lunch and dinner, bought $50,000 in beer and spirits during the cruise.
The Belgenland, 39,000-ton cruising liner of the Red Star Line, yesterday took 1,647 persons out into the Atlantic on a Columbus Day voyage of discovery. When the big ship docked with its happy human cargo at 11:30 o'clock last night, no new continents had been sighted. But an old world had been rediscovered a world brimming with Johnny Walker, Red Label; Dewars, White Label; Canadian Club and White Horse, not to mention Gordon Gin and other long-lost genuine beverages.
Genial one-day vacationists, who filled the six bars to overflowing the moment the twelve-mile limit was passed at noon, discovered that on this British argosy one could get Guinness' Stout, an excellent dark brown liquid, for 15 cents a pint; excellent Scotch and soda for 25 cents a drink; vintage champagne for $2.70 a pint and non-vintage (which was plenty good enough for me) at $2.20.
Most of the workaday citizens -who paid $10 a head for the privilege of a day on an ocean liner appeared to be haunted by one particular line in the company's advertisement, it was: "Don't miss this opportunity. It may never be offered again.'
As a result a couple of dignified ladies fell sound asleep at dinner; a stout gentleman fell from the bridge deck to the deck below (but didn't hurt himself); a small man in an overcoat rode the electric horse in the gym until he nearly dropped from exhaustion; a genial- looking citizen at the last minute refused to leave the good ol' ship, and several artificial trees were knocked down when the crowd surged off after the ship docked at its North River pier. Oh, yes there were other minor catastrophes, but nothing worse than happens at any ordinary evening in a night club.
The rye and the brandy gave out at 3 P. M. Three hundred quarts of Scotch were consumed, 200 of rye, and 1,600 small bottles of Grand Mariner, not to mention terrific onslaughts on beer and ale, with which the ship had been lavishly supplied in Holland.
In addition to the $16,440 taken in by the Red Star Line in flat fees, 800 people paid $3 to $10 apiece for staterooms. It cost only $7,000 to operate the Belgenland on its 64-mile jaunt out into the open sea and back again. Everybody is wondering now why this one-day cruise on a British boat wasn't invented long before in our dozen years of prohibition.
Daily News, 14 October 1931
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| Belgenland at King George V Dock, London, 26 October 1931 unloading her cargo of apples from Halifax. Credit: Fox photos. |
Belgenland sailed from New York on 16 October 1931 with 34 First, 67 Tourist and 106 Third Class passengers and a consignment of gold bullion worth £3 mn. for France and Belgium. She called at Halifax on the 18th to load a capacity cargo of 20,000 barrels of apples. It was a terrible trip across with ferocious gales and 18 hours late, she finally came into Plymouth on at 9:20 a.m. on the 24th. After landing 27 passengers, she proceeded to Le Havre (94 passengers) and, unique to this trip, London to land her apples and 28 passengers on the 26th before proceeding to Antwerp with her remaining 58 fares.
The weather that late autumn remained tempestuous and Belgenland, together with Dresden, Vulcania, American Farmer and Laconia were all a day late arriving at New York on 10 November 1931. The Red Star flagship landed 87 First, 79 Tourist and 36 Third Class passengers.
There were no more "cruises to nowhere" for Belgenland (although Majestic followed with one of her own) and she sailed from New York on 13 November 1931 after a short turnaround numbering 18 First, 40 Tourist and 88 Third Class in her passenger list. Clearly, with these carryings things could not continue indefinitely and in fact, this would prove one of her last trans-Atlantic crossings and the last of anything like a regular North Atlantic season. She came, again, into London Docks, docking at No. 9 King George V Dock, and arrived at Antwerp on 26 November.
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| Credit: Montreal Gazette, 23 November 1931. |
It will be recalled that when her Eighth World Cruise planned for mid December 1931 was cancelled, Belgenland was reprogrammed for a series West Cruises from New York. This would comprise three 15-16-day itineraries including the Panama Canal departing 20 January, 6 and 20 February 1932 and three 10-day cruises to Havana and Nassau or Bermuda, departing 12 and 23 March and 5 April.
To end a year of upheaval and change for Belgenland, IMM announced on 30 December that her entire winter cruise programme would, too, be cancelled. Also scrubbed was a short cruise to Bermuda on 21 January for the Elks which had attacted 100 bookings to date. It was said that "due to bad business conditions, the Red Star Line has decided to cancel all week-end cruises for an indefinite period. The Belgenland is now in drydock in England and will remain there until the winter season is over." IMM also cancelled Britannic's Mediterranean cruise, two in Homeric as well as her planned West Indies cruise. The major lines had planned nearly 150 cruises for winter 1931-32, double the previous year and the American market simply could not produce sufficient bookings for all of them.
In 1931, Belgenland completed six westbound crossings carrying 1,659 passengers and six eastbound crossings carrying 2,412 passengers for a total of 4,071 passengers, one world cruise carrying 330 passengers, five six-day cruises carrying approximately 3,100 passengers and one day cruise carrying 1,647 passengers.
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| Belgenland's last official postcard by Louis Royan. Credit: MAS |
1932
Drastic changes are announced by the Red Star Line, which is based on Antwerp, and the Atlantic Transport Line, whose home is in London.
The Minnetonka and the Minnewaska of the Atlantic Transport Line, will in future operate in conjunction with the Pennland and the Westernland, of the Red Star Line, on a weekly service to New York, calliing at Southampton both outwards and homewards.
The significance of the move is that the new schedule omits the two largest ships of the Red Star Line, the Belgenland and the Lapland.
Out of this arises two possibilities: either that the big Red Star pair will run a new tourist cabin service with the Homeric, or that they will eventually be devoted entirely to pleasure cruising, operating for part of the year from New York to the West Indies and in the winter from England and the Continent to Mediterranean ports.
Daily Herald, 11 April 1932.
Few lines were as dealt a more severe body blow by the Depression than those belonging to the IMM. The great Morgan combine, conceived in the never repeated boom times of trans-Atlantic emigrant traffic before the Great War, merely wound up owning more ships and lines to be effected by the ensuing drastic limitations on immigration that followed it. Red Star Line, which had been built specifically on the emigrant trade, would never recover from the American "quota" acts and their great flagship, Belgenland, never achieved any measure of success as a trans-Atlantic liner as a result. Now, the ensuing Depression killed off the deluxe and round the world trade in which she had found a profitable and popular niche for at least half the year. IMM's post-war policy of a cutting loose their foreign flag lines and concentrating on Panama Pacific Line and acquiring United States Lines, took drastic action by 1932, shutting down American Transport Line and transferring their Minneswaska and Minnetonka to Red Star to, in effect replace, Belgenland and Lapland.
In 1913, Red Star Line had carried 117,000 trans-Atlantic passengers. In 1932, it would carry fewer than 19,000. Overall, in 1930, 1,002,453 passengers crossed the North Atlantic whereas in 1931, the number was 685,248.
Few flagships suffered as rapid and profound decline in circumstance as did Belgenland during these trying times. A year previously, Belgenland was the toast of the passenger ship trade, off on her unprecedented seventh world cruise with Albert Einstein and Douglas Fairbanks. After an ensuing and increasingly humiliating duties first as a "showboat", then a day booze cruiser, even these tawdry trades had run their course. After less than nine years in service, the ertswhile Red Star flagship began the New Year 1932 laid up at her homeport of Antwerp, her future and that of her line very much uncertain.
After a long winter of idleness, came the news on 19 March 1932, that Belgenland would be returned to service out of New York on cruises that summer. She would make a 12-day to the St. Lawrence on 16 July, and three six-day cruises to Halifax and Bermuda on 30 July, 6 August and 13 August. There was even the prospect of a return of the ship to the North Atlantic Ferry with advertisements, oddly only in Polish and German language papers in the United States, showing departures from New York in Belgenland on 15 April and 27 May.
The trans-Atlantic crossings would not take place but Red Star advanced the arrival of Belgenland at New York to enable her to make a four-day cruise to Bermuda over the Independence Day holiday, departing 1 July.
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| Back in business: Belgenland about to cast off for New York on 17 June 1932 from Antwerp as the Belgian training ship L'Avenir passes. Credit: MAS. |
So it was that Red Star dispatched Belgenland, empty and with a skeleton crew, in company with Westernland on a regular crossing with passengers, on a unique tandem crossing together. Both departed Antwerp on 17 June 1932 and keeping sight of one another all the way across, arrived together at New York on the 27th, docking at Pier 60.
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| Credit: Daily News, 24 June 1932. |
At New York, IMM topped off Belgenland's crew with Americans, mostly recruited from their Panama Pacific Line pool and Belgenland sailed as scheduled on 1 July to Bermuda, her first commercial voyage in eight months. These were operated to full Red Star Line standards with entertainment and luncheon for tour participants at the Hamilton Hotel for the one-day call at Bermuda which was on Wednesday, the ship anchoring in Grassy Bay.
The planned cruise to the St. Lawrence, to depart New York on 16 July 1932 did not, in fact, take place and was apparently cancelled for insufficient bookings. It was replaced by additional six-day "triangular" cruises to Halifax and Bermuda departing the 9th, 16th and 23rd and these, too, were cancelled. The $75 min. rate was reduced to $65 and this was sufficient inducement to have Belgenland finally sailing on the 30th, calling at Bermuda on 3 August and she would make subsequent departures on the 13th, 20th and 27th. These left New York on Saturdays at noon, calling at Halifax on Monday, Bermuda on Wednesday and return on Friday morning.
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| Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen. |
When Belgenland called at Bermuda on 10 August 1932, she had 513 passengers aboard which was a goodly number for the times. Aboard was Red Star cruise director Eugene C. Van Wyck who had made some 30 visits to the island and had another connection to Bermuda being of Boer extraction, a relative of his having been a British prisoner on the island during the Anglo-Boer War. Among those aboard when Belgenland stopped at Bermuda on the 17th was Mr. Emil Lederer, called the "Czar of Shipping," by the Royal Gazette, being the director of the Trans-Atlantic Passenger Shipping Conference. Of her 547 passengers, 28 landed for an extended stay on the island.
Halifax positively thronged with cruise ships and their passengers that August, reaching a peak on the 22nd with 2,500 tourists came ashore from "six beflagged ocean liners": Belgenland (570 passengers), Transylvania (824), France (471), Drottingholm (342), Nerissa (114) and Fort St. George (197).
Red Star was certainly not alone in running these "triangular cruises" from New York to Halifax and Bermuda that summer and on the 24th, Belgenland, with 577 aboard, and France, with 462, anchored in Grassy Bay, crowding Hamilton with 1,000 tourists for the day. This same combination was repeated on the 31st with 506 on Belgenland and 388 aboard France. The final peak summer arrivals, over the American Labor Day weekend, saw Belgenland and Georgic anchor together in Grassy Bay on 4 September, the Red Star liner on a special four-day cruise just to the island which attracted a very good list of 850.
Belgenland returned to New York on 6 September 1932. docking at Pier 59. She was effectively out of work and her American crew members were paid off whilst her 340-strong Red Star crew were repatriated back to Britain and Belgium aboard Pennland which left New York on the 9th and arrived at Antwerp on the 9th.
A glimmer of hope arose with the announcement on 25 September 1932 by what was now known as the Roosevelt-IMM Co. of a winter cruise programme for Majestic, Georgic, Britannic and Belgenland. The Red Star liner was to make a 10-day West Indies cruise on 27 December and three 16-day West Indies cruises on 4, 25 February and 15 March 1933.
On 27 November 1932 it was announced that the 25 February West Indies cruise would be chartered by the Frontier Nursing Service, which was a voluntary organisation that maintained a corps of trained public health nurse-midwives in the mountains of eastern Kentucky. The cost of the charter was paid for by socialite Dorothy Clark and all profits from the cruise would go to the organisation.
As in the previous year, IMM was obliged to cancel Belgenland's winter programme, including the 27 December 1932 cruise before the year was out owing to insuffienct demand. Only the Frontier Nursing Service charter remained confirmed. Belgenland remained in the limbo of a lay-up, looked after by a caretaker crew of 21. As the worst of the Depression set in, the prospect of a better 1933 after a dismal 1932 was not looking too likely.
In 1932, Belgenland completed four cruises to Halifax and Bermuda carrying 2,480 passengers.
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| Cover of brochure for Belgenland's charity cruise from New York in February 1933. Credit: Vrienden van de Red Star Line vzw |
1933
There would be some life aboard the long idled Belgenland early in the New Year. Miss Dorothy Clark, not content with chartering the vessel on her behalf of her charity, the Frontier Nursing Service, for the only cruise Belgenland was still committed to, but organised a benefit dance aboard the ship originally planned for 7 January 1933 but changed to the 14th, to promote the Nursing Service and also the 25 February cruise. The 15-day cruise, with rates beginning at $177 would call at La Guayra, Cuaraco, the Panama Canal, Jamaica.
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| Pages from the brochure for Belgenland's West Indies cruise for the Frontier Nursing Service.Credit: Vrienden van de Red Star Line vzw. |
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| Credit: Chicago Tribune, 25 February 1933. |
It was mentioned that "several young Eastern college men, through personal acquaintance, have been booked whose main interest will be to look after the social functions held on board and to assist in managing shore excursions." (Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 February 1933). Mrs. Mary Breckinridge, volunteer director of the Nursing Service, was, according to the Chicago Tribune of 25 February, intent "that there are to be enough college boys on board so that every single girl will have a beau. And a dancing beau, too, for Mrs. Breckinridge insisted that the boys from Harvard, Princeton, and Yale who were invited to go on the cruise not only should be on the deans' lists but they should have sea and dancing legs… Two of those asked to go are Mrs. Breckinridge's own cousins, Bob Breckinridge of Harvard and Brook Alexander of Princeton, and there are no bluer bloods in this country than the Breckinridges, so the girls will be assured of aristocratic dancing partners and not just common 'garden variety' gigolos!"
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| First advertisement for Belgenland and Lapland's 1933 cruises from London. Credit: The Bystander, 15 February 1933. |
On 6 February 1933 Red Star Line announced their intention to sail Belgenland home from New York in March and join Lapland on cruises from London and would be the largest vessel to use to the Port London. Belgenland would make 19-day cruises from Tilbury to Monte Carlo, Civitavecchia, Naples, Malta and Tunis.
The trans-Atlantic service henceforth would be held down by Pennland and Westernland carrying Tourist and Third Class passengers only and by the newly reassigned Minnetonka and Minnewaska carrying Tourist Class only, the Atlantic Transport Line London to New York service being suspended. Belgenland would depart New York on 18 March.
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| Credit: Pittsburgh Post Gazette, 28 February 1933. |
On what would prove to be her last cruise from the United States, Belgenland sailed from New York's Pier 62 North River at noon on 25 February 1933 for the West Indies with the largest list of society debutantes and wealthy families who had taken passage in a single vessel in quite a while. It was a welcome return to the glamour and society page mentions that Belgenland had enjoyed in her recent heyday. She sailed from Cristobal on 6 March and Kingston on the 8th and returned to New York on the 12th, docking at Pier 59.
On 30 January 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany and NDSAP assumed control of the country. Albert Einstein, and his wife Elsa, ended another long sojourn in California on 11 March, entraining for New York, and thence taking passage for Antwerp in Belgenland on her sailing on the 18th. "Under present conditions, we shall not go to Germany," Einstein told reporters. He had already committed to return to the United States in October to take up a new post at a newly founded institute of scientific research.
The Einsteins boarded Belgenland just before 1:00 p.m. on 18 March 1933 and while his wife went to the pursers office to check on their baggage, the professor was besieged by a delegations from the Women's Peace Society and Women's War Resistance League whom he later met with in the lounge. Belgenland left with just 28 First, 16 Tourist and 58 Third Class aboard. In addition to the Einsteins, H. Reeves Smith, the English actor was aboard. She was one of nine ships sailing that day, including Aquitania, Conte di Savoia, Lafayette, California (Panama Pacific), Monarch of Bermuda, American Legion, Drottingholm and Morro Castle.
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| Albert Einstein meets with American peace activists in the lounge of Belgenland before sailing from New York. |
Whilst aboard, Einstein learned that his home in Kaputh, Germany, had been raided by Nazis, and said "The raid on our house by armed crowd, is only a single example of the arbitrary acts of violence happening nowadays in the whole country." On 23 March 1933 the Enabling Act was passed in the Reichstag which effectively gave full dictatorial powers to the regime and clearly, the Einsteins would not be returning home and unlike so many, lucky to be already out of the country. His home was eventually seized and converted into a Hitler Youth camp.
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| Belgenland arriving in Antwerp. Credit; Red Star Line Museum. |
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| Albert Einstein, one of the first and most famous refugees of the Nazi regime on arrival at Antwerp aboard Belgenland. |
Belgenland called at Southampton 26th, but did not dock but anchored off Cowes Roads. Einstein told reporters that he would not return to Germany, "I believe in the right of the individual to freedom of thought and expression and under present circumstances in Germany that sort of thing does not appear to be possible." The liner called at Le Havre the following day and arrived at Antwerp on the 29th. The Einsteins would later go to the German consulate there, renounce their German citizen ship and hand over their passports. The Ensteins would return to New York on 17 October aboard Westernland as political refugees, granted asylum and eventually obtained American citizenship.
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| Credit: The Bystander, 7 June 1933. |
During her ensuing overhaul prior to beginning cruise service, electric fans were installed in all cabins as well as Thermos flasks for water. As during her American cruises, two deck swimming pools would be installed on deck as well as the lido beach and American bar set-up from the Showboat Cruises. Thos Cook would handle all the shore excursions and cruise entertainments.
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| Belgenland at Tilbury Landing Stage. Credit: shipsnostalgia.com, Stan Mayes. |
Making her first cruise from London (Tilbury), Belgenland sailed on 29 July 1933 for Monte Carlo, Civitavecchia, Naples, Valletta and Tunis, besting the record set for the Thames port the previous year by the 25,178-grt Lafayette. As it was she barely was able to sail when the National Union of Seamen called on her seamen to refuse to sign on as the ship had been blacklisted. When Red Star complained, it was admitted that she had been confused for another vessel. Her second 19-day cruise commenced on 19 August. One shorter cruise for Belgenland was added, departing 9 September to Civitavecchia, Naples, Ceuta and Vigo, and two other ports, totalling 4,700 miles at a min. fare of 19 or less than a penny a mile.
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| Belgenland anchored in Valetta, Malta's Grand Harbour on one of her 1933 Mediterranean cruises from London. Credit: eBay auction photo. |
Having "caught the cruising habit," the two sons of King Alphonso of Spain, Prince Gonzalo and Prince Don Jaime, who had only returned from a voyage to Norway, were among those sailing in Belgenland to the Mediterranean on 19 August 1933.
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| Showing off that perfect profile of hers, Belgenland at Tilbury. Credit: shipsnostalgia.com, Tommy Robb. |
Ending her cruising season, Belgenland landed 650 passengers at Tilbury Landing Stage on 23 September 1933. She then entered the Tilbury closed docks and laid up at Sheds 11 and 12 for the winter.
On 13 December 1933, the retirement of Belgenland's Chief Engineer John Russell Mackay was announced. He had been Belgenland's Chief Engineer since her maiden voyage and had put in 40 years service with INN/IMM, starting as Fourth Engineer in Kensington.
In 1933, Belgenland completed one eastbound crossing carrying 102 passengers.
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| Cover of the brochure for Belgenland's 1934 cruises from Tilbury showing her in a grey hull scheme she would, in fact, not adopt until the following year as Columbia. Credit: Vrienden van de Red Star Line vzw |
1934
The initial British cruise season was sufficiently successful that on 6 March 1934 Red Star begin advertising a new programme for summer for Belgenland. The grand old Lapland, after carrying 5,000 passengers on her 1933 cruises, was sold for scrap to Japanese breakers that October but Belgenland was to be reactivated for three high summer cruises from Tilbury.
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| Credit: The Bystander, 13 March 1934. |
The first 13-day cruise, 28 July-10 August 1934, would call at Cadiz (1 August), Gibraltar (2), Tangier (2), Madeira (4) and Lisbon (6) and the second, 11-24 August, to Algiers (16), Palma (17), Barcelona (18), Gibraltar 20) followed by a 20-day itinerary, 25 August-14 September, to Algiers (30), Istanbul (3 September), Athens (5), Messina (7) and Cadiz (10).
At the same time, however, on sailing aboard Majestic from Southampton for New York on 8 March 1934, P.A.S. Franklin, President of the International Mercantile Corporation, was said to have "hinted that they might be prepared to dispose of the Westernland, Pennland and Belgenland, the passenger liners of the Red Star Line, should a sufficiently attractive offer be received." He did add that "Belgenland would be employed cruising throughout the season."
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| Credit: Daily Mirror, 12 July 1934. |
The Tilbury drydock received its largest visitor when the 27,200 tons Red Star line Belgenland entered it in the process of being made spick and span for her cruises this summer. The Belgenland is far the largest vessel ever to call at London, and her gleaming white upperworks and three smartly raked stacks lend grace to her impressive bulk.
Built Belfast Messrs Harland and Wolff, Ltd., she was originally intended for the North Atlantic service, but her steadiness at sea, combined with the luxury of her appointments, made the Belgenland particularly popular as a cruise ship. She was extensively refitted and has since cruised round the world no fewer than seven times. An interesting and unique feature board is the Lido Beach, 6,000 feet real sea sand surrounding the two open-air swimming pools. The Belgenland a triple-screw steamer. 700 feet long, and nearly 80 feet broad. She is the flagship the Red Star Line fleet which owned by Frederick Leyland and Co., Ltd., Liverpool.
Western Daily Press, 12 July 1934
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| Press photo of Tilbury's local "char ladies" giving Belgenland's lifeboats a good scrub during her drydocking prior to returning to service. |
On 11 July 1934 Belgenland was finally moved the short distance from berths 11-12 at Tilbury where she had languished in lay-up since the previous September to dry dock, becoming the largest liner ever to be drydocked in the Port of London. After hull cleaning and painting, she was ondocked on the 16th and moved to 31 Shed, Tilbury. She, however, emerged with her hull still in black and not the light grey as depicted in that year's brochure.
Belgenland (Capt. W.A. Morehouse) left Tilbury on 28 July 1934 on her first cruise. There were 800 passengers aboard for her second departure, on 11 August.
All at Sea. Just occasionally there are moments when I wonder if life is being made, so simple for us that soon we shall lose the ability to fend for ourselves. It was after I had been aboard the S.S. Belgenland that I was struck by this sinister thought. She was just about to start on one of her summer cruises, and she was so incredibly comfortable and so beautifully decorated that one was left agasp. One of the Red Star liners, for seven consecutive seasons she has made a cruise around the world, and she has become known as the fine-weather ship," for she has consistently enjoyed on all her cruises phenomenal climatic conditions. It is a significant fact that she now has what is probably the finest floating shop in the world, and that it is under the management of Peter Robinson, of Oxford Circus, London. Somehow, one always forgets to pack something. That wild last-minute survey can now be done away with, for almost anything that men, women, or children can possibly need may be found on board at the same prices as one pays at Peter Robinson's, in London. Women will appreciate the fact that beauty problems cease to exist, since the Hairdressing Salons and Beauty Parlours, both admirably equipped, are staffed by men and women from Peter Robinson's regular employees. Indeed, the whole of the staff attached to the shops come from the Oxford Street premises. Handsome show-cases are dotted about the ship, displaying the latest cruise fashions, beach wear, swim suits, etc. and those who are ingenious will have lots of fun making their own fancy dresses from the materials and accessories which will allow them to let their imagination run riot.
The Sketch, 29 August 1934
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| Itinerary of Belganland's final commercial voyage. Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen. |
On 14 September 1934 Belgenland arrived at Tilbury Landing Stage from her 20-day Mediterranean cruise and later moved to 3 and 4 Sheds, Tilbury Docks. Her Red Star Line career was over after a little more than 11 years.
Belgenland was briefly mentioned on 28 November 1934 in connection with the scheme being floated by former White Star manager Major Frank Bustard to purchase her together with Pennland and Westernland for a budget "pay as you go" line with the fare excluding the cost of meals. Under the scheme, Pennland, renamed Silver Wing and Westernland (Silver Arrow) would run from Liverpool, Dublin and New York and Belgenland (Silver Falcon) from Southampton, Cherbourg and Queenstown. However, the British Government which had only just provided essential loan guarantees to enable the Cunard and White Star merger and resume construction of the new Cunarder at Clydebank, declined to provide similar and essential financial assistance to the new project.
Meanwhile, Red Star Line were truly on their last legs. Minnetonka and Minnewaska were sold for scrap, barely nine years old and IMM accelerated the final disposition of their final foreign flag tonnage.
The end came when in New York on 11 December 1934 P.A.S. Franklin, President of the International Mercantile Marine, announced that Red Star Line was to liquidated and their remaining ships sold. Westernland would make the last voyage for the line from the New York the following day. It was all a rather sudden if long expected end to a line with 61 years on the North Atlantic to their credit as well as some 20 years in the cruising trade.
As early as 12 December 1934 it was being reported in the Liverpool Echo that Belgenland was to be transferred to the U.S. flag and "intended for short cruises from New York, possibly taking the place of the burnt out Morro Castle."
Travellers who have encircled the globe aboard the Red Star liner Belgenland on one or other of her seven world cruises, or who recall the pleasure ot a transatlantic voyage in this popular steamer, will welcome the news that she is to be employed henceforth in cruise service.
Montreal Gazette, 20 December 1934
On 18 December 1934 P.A.S. Franklin announced in New York that Belgenland would be transferred within the IMM to Panama Pacific Line and operate cruises under the U.S. flag as Columbia, her foreign-build excluding her from U.S. domestic service. Her initial service would begin on 9 February 1935 from New York to Nassau, Bermuda, Miami and Havana on 11 day circuits.
With the laying up of Leviathan, Columbia would become the largest American-flag liner and the largest fulltime cruise ship. She was registered under the old Atlantic Transport Line Corp. of West Virginia. As refitted for cruise service, most of the elements of her world cruise and "Showboat" cruises would be made permanent aboard including installation of two pools in the aft holds with the now famous sand-covered "lido" deck and conversion of the former Tourist Class public rooms to cruise oriented bar and recreation spaces. As Columbia, she would be the third three-funnelled liner so named, preceded by the HAPAG Columbia of 1889 and Anchor Line's Columbia of 1902.
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| Press photos of Belgenland in dry dock at Tilbury in December 1934 for her conversion into Columbia. |
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| Credit: Daily Telegraph, 2 January 1935. |
The work would be done at Tilbury and on 20 December 1934 the Evening Standard reported than 250 men were already at work on her to have her finished in time for a 11 January 1935 departure for New York in her new guise and name.
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| First advertisement for Panama Pacific Line's new Columbia. Credit: The Evening Star, 20 December 1934. |
After the Columbia was transferred to American registry, the Panama Pacific Line was intent upon making her the queen of cruise vessels and to attain that end, expended a quarter of a million dollars in reconditioning her. She undoubtedly has more amenities intended for the delights of the vacationist than any other vessel engaged in pleasure voyages.
Pittsburgh Press, 2 June 1935.
1935
On 6 January 1935 it was reported that a skeleton crew was being organised in London to bring Belgenland to New York and she was expected to arrive around the 20th. However, the date for the inaugural cruise was set back to 16 February, instead of the 9th. Some 300 men had been employed cleaning and repairing the ship after her long idleness which was shifted from dry dock to Sheds 1 and 2, Tilbury Docks on the 7th.
The big liner Belgenland, long the flagship of the Red Star fleet, steamed today from Tilbury docks for New York on her final voyage under the British flag.
Fog permitting, the Belgenland was to nose down the Thames on a trip that will end with the United States flag flying from her main truck. On her arrival in New York, the liner, which had a gross tonnage of 27,000, will become an American ship and be renamed the Columbia.
The Windsor Star, 10 January 1935.
On 10 January 1935, Belgenland (Capt. Morehouse) sailed from Tilbury, under the Red Ensign and flying the Red Star houseflag on the last, but empty, trans-Atlantic crossing of the storied old line. The next day the sale of Westernland and Pennland to the Bernstein Steamship Co., of Hamburg, was finalised. "The closes the last chapter in the history of one of the notable lines concerned in the North Atlantic passenger traffic. The Red Star Line was founded during the closing years of the last century. It offered passages at rates which were favoured by business men and persons of moderate means." (Liverpool Daily Post, 11 January 1935).
Belgenland arrived at New York on 21 January 1935 and docked at Hoboken where she would complete her transformation into Columbia. It was announced that Capt. John Jensen, a 45-year veteran at sea and presently commanding President Roosevelt, had been appointed as master of the new ship. The Danish-born Jensen had 18 years in ships of Red Star, American Line, Baltimore Mail and United States Lines and this would be his first command of a Panama Pacific liner. Additional appointments were Fred A. Dear, formerly of Virginia, as Chief Officer; Patrick J. Quinan, ex-Pennsylvania, as Chief Engineeer; and Charles H. Heidorn of President Roosevelt, as Chief Steward. The purser staff would be headed by P.E. Slawson, formerly of President Roosevelt; and Raymond S. Mechlem as Assistant Purser, coming over from Washington. Columbia was expected to bring employment to 500 officers and men.
The last Red Star crew, Capt. William A. Morehouse and 75 officers and men, embarked in President Roosevelt which sailed from New York at noon on 23 January 1935. After calling at Plymouth on 1 February, President Roosevelt ,which omitted her usual call at Queenstown, proceeded to London via Le Havre to land Belgenland's crew.
The name changing ceremony, broadcast live on CBS on 26 January 1935, featured the rechristening of the ship by Eleanor Roosevelt… not "that" Eleanor Roosevelt but the daughter of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Henry L. Roosevelt, using champagne-- the first American liner so baptised since the end of Prohibition. Admiral Leahy would delivered a speech and music supplied by the U.S. Navy Band.
The addition of an important vessel to the merchant marine of the United States was marked by the raising of the American flag on the 39,935-ton liner Columbia at noon today at Pier 59, North River. The flag raising followed ceremonies in connection with the registration of the former Red Star liner Belgenland under the American flag and the christening of the vessel Columbia, the name she will bear as premier American cruise liner and unit of the Panama Pacific Line fleet. The ceremonies were witnessed by several hundred invited guests of the line, including city and port officials and army and navy officers.
Indianapolis Star, 27 January 1935.
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| Columbia rechristening party: left to right: front Mrs. H.L. Roosevelt, Miss Eleanor Roosevelt, Mrs. P.A.S. Franklin and Mr. P.A.S. Franklin; back row: Admiral Yates Stirling, Commander of Brooklyn Navy Yard, and Rear Admiral William D. Leahy. Credit: Historic Images. |
At noon on 27 January 1935 Miss Eleanor Roosevelt hoisted the Stars & Stripes over the newly rebaptised Columbia's freshly light grey-painted hull while seamen hoisted the Panama Pacific spread eagle houseflag, or as it was called in the fleet, "the blue goose" at which the Fort Jay, Governors Island, played the National Anthem and an honor guard of sailors and marines from the Brooklyn Navy Guard stood at salute. The colors were presented to the ship by the Roosevelt-United States Lines American Legion Post, by its commander, Kermit Roosevelt, Vice President of the Roosevelt IMM Company, and post's color guard. Also struck at the foremast was the ship's name pennant and tarpaulin covers were removed from the stern and bow to reveal her name "Columbia."
Although Belgenland's 1934 U.K. cruise brochure showed her with a light grey hull and red sheer line, she remained in black and the initial advertisements for her as Columbia still showed that scheme. The actual renaming of the vessel and entering her into the U.S. Register of Shipping had been accommplished earlier at the Customs House. Mr. P.A.S. Franklin, President of the IMM, presided over the ceremonies which were attended by 500 invited guests. Among those present were Mrs Henry Latrobe Roosevelt, wife of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy Captain John Jonson, who command the ship, Captain A.B. Randall commodore of the United States Lines fleet and commander of Manhattan, Captain Thomas F. Gates retired commander of the Atlantic Transport Liner Minnetonka; John McKenie Commissioner of Docks representing Mayor LaGuardia Captain Roger Williams vice president of the Newport News Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company, R. E. Towle, president of the American Express Company, Rudolf Reimer, Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization, Morin de Linclays; resident director of the French Line Rinaldo Palanca; resident director of the Italian Line P.V.G. Mitchell and Basil Harris vice president of the Roosevelt-IMM Company, A. J. McCarthy general manager of the company and Charles A. Stone member of the board of directors.
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| Looking utterly magnificent, Columbia is pushed out into the North River by a Messick tug to begin her first voyage as an American liner. Credit: eBay auction photo. |
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| Credit: Star Gazette, 21 February 1935 |
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| Columbia, Gem of the Ocean: on 17 February 1935 she is America's largest passenger ship and surely one of the most splendid looking ever. Credit: Mariners' Museum, Eldredge collection. |
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| IMM publicity went into high gear with Columbia's maiden voyage including this splendid aerial view. Credit: Mariners Museum, Eldredge collection. |
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| America's latest and largest passenger ship passes the Statue of Liberty on her first voyage. Credit: Mariners Museum, Eldredge collection. |
Several thousand Americans turned out to wave goodbye and good luck to the Columbia, largest liner in service under the American flag, when the big cruise vessel sailed from New York recently on her first voyage under the Stars and Stripes. Airplanes zoomed overhead and river boats have her a two minute salute as she left the pier.
Steuben Farmers' Advocate, 29 March 1935
When Columbia sailed on her maiden voyage on 17 February 1935, she had 620 passengers aboard (including P.A.S. Franklin and his wife) and dressed overall and her fresh new livery gleaming in the sun, the beloved old Belgenland seemed to have found a new lease on life.
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| Credit: Miami Herald, 21 February 1935. |
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| Credit: Miami News, 21 February 1935. |
Nowhere was Columbia more enthusiastically welcomed than in Port Everglades where she docked on 21 February 1935, from Nassau, becoming the largest liner to dock at a Florida port and arriving the day after Duchess of Richmond called there with 400 passengers on a cruise from Southampton, the first voyage from Europe to do so. Columbia was met on the quayside by a tribe of Seminole Indians and the Riverside Military Academy band as well some 5,000 spectators, receiving "a tumultous reception from what was conceded to be the largest crowd assembled at any time in Broward county." (Miami Herald, 21 February 1935). A special train of the Florida East Coast Railroad was run shipside to take most of the passengers on a day's excursion to Miami. Officials of Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale were on hand to welcome the ship and "a group of pretty girls from both cities" presented Capt. Jensen with baskets of fruit and flowers.
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| Columbia on her maiden call at Port Everglades looking quite splendid although her new silver grey hull paint is already showing scuffs aplenty. Credit: eBay auction photo. |
It was recalled that Columbia was not the first Panama Pacific ship to call at Florida as Kroonland maintained a call there in winter 1925 with none other than Capt. Jensen in command. And worth recalling when Belgenland would, at the beginning of her world cruises, often close cruise past Miami Beach, eliciting in many Floridians the hope and the determination to attract ships of her size and stature to actually call there. Columbia sailed that evening for Havana. The voyage pattern would see Columbia return to Port Everglades on the 23rd, the double call permitting Floridians to do the full cruise from there henceforth or shorter segments.
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| An advertisement showing the range of cruise segments available from Port Everglades in Columbia. Credit: Miami Herald, 27 February 1935. |
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| Columbia at Havana on her maiden call there. Credit: shipsnostalgia.com |
On her second cruise, Columbia departed New York on 2 March 1935 with nearly 400 passengers, including former New York Mayor John P. O'Brien and his wife; Mrs. Kermit Roosevelt, wife of the president of Roosevelt Steamship Co., and Bugs Baer, news commentator. Expected to dock at Port Everglades on the 5th, instead a 20 mph quartering wind from the southeast that day prevented her from entering the 210-ft. channel into the harbour. Harbour pilot I.G. Shuman advised Columbia's officers not to attempt to bring the ship into the narrow channel. The U.S. Board of Army Engineers had recently approved an $1.34 mn. project to widen the outside channel to 500 ft. beyond the jetties and 300 ft. inside and enlarge the turning basin, but until this work could be completed, ships of Columbia's size could only come in under favourable weather conditions.
Columbia proceeded to Havana and was able to call successfully at Port Everglades on 9 March 1935 with 350 aboard, only to have her departure for Nassau delayed until the following morning owing another quartering wind, this time of 35 mph. She embarked 17 passengers for the run to Nassau/
On a visit to Los Angeles, San Francisco based Leo E. Archer, Pacific Coast manager for Panama Pacific Line, told the News-Pilot (5 March 1935) "that the giant liner Columbia, the former Red Star flagship Belgenland, is making good in the cruise business, so good that it is doubtful that she will be place on an around the world cruise next winter."
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| Elaborate brochure for cruises that Columbia would never make. Credit: eBay auction photos |
Panama Pacific Line announced on 7 March 1935 a new spring schedule for Columbia comprised a 5½-day cruise to Bermuda departing 12 April and a 9-day itinerary to Miami and Havana on 19 April. It was further that "advance bookings for the Eastern sailings indicate that the liner will carry a capacity passenger list for both trips."
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| Advertisement for Columbia's charter voyage to Vera Cruz, Mexico, for the Rotarian convention in Mexico City in June 1935. Credit: The Rotarian, March 1935. |
In March 1935 came two important full ship charters for Columbia which promised to both expand her business and sail her into new waters. Chartered by the Rotarians, Columbia would take delegated to the International Rotary Convention in Mexico City, 17-21 June. Departing New York on 8 June, Columbia would call at Norfolk (9) before proceeding direct to Vera Cruz, arriving on the 16th. Sailing for home on the 22nd, she would call at Havana, Nassau, Norfolk and return to New York on the 29th. On the 9th it was announced that Columbia had been chartered by the Pan-American Medical Association for a convention cruise to South America which was to be under Thos. Cook management. This would have her sailing from New York on 18 July to Havana, Curacao, Rio de Janeiro for a six-day call for the scientific congress there, Santos for a two-day call for a convention held in Sao Paulo, Trinidad, Santo Domingo, Kingston, Havana and returning to New York on 26 August.
Columbia's new service never seemed to catch a break and in early March a revolutionary general strike in Cuba shut down much of the island's economy and tourist business. On 13 March 1935 Panama Pacific Line announced with her sailing from New York on the 16th, Columbia would omit Havana until further notice and sails direct to Kingston, Jamaica for a 36-hour call and then proceed to Nassau and Port Everglades, giving passengers an additional 700 miles of cruising but, of course, at considerable extra expense to the company.
Only a day or so ago this department recorded the words of high optimism that came from two steamship offices regarding the prospects of increased activity for the coming season. Now it becomes necessary to record the arrival of America's largest cruising liner, the newly renovated Columbia, which brings to a close for an indefinite period the cruising career which she began a scant few weeks ago with such high hopes. With her arrival in New York today the former Red Star liner Belgenland will be withdrawn from service by her new owners, the I. M. M., and tied up at Hoboken.
At present, it is said, the cruise outlook for the vessel is so poor that she is being literally forced into retirement. She will not return to service until 'conditions warrant.'
Times Union, 10 April 1935
In a bit of a bombshell, IMM announced that on arrival at New York from her present cruise, Columbia would be withdrawn from service and "laid up until conditions warranted its return to cruise service." Her two just announced Easter cruises would be cancelled.
With only 285 passengers on board, Columbia docked at Port Everglades at 7:00 a.m. on 7 April 1935 from Kingston and Nassau. She sailed at 6:00 p.m. for New York, docking where she docked at Pier 59, North River, at 9:00 a.m. on the 9th. There, she would be laid up after just four completed cruises.
One of the most important announcements made in several months to the shipping world as well as the traveling public at large, was made today by Ralph Dellevie, president of National Tours when he advised the press that he had chartered the Columbia of the Panama Pacific Line, at the highest charter price ever paid for an American liner.
Philadelphia Inquirer, 2 June 1935
On 1 June 1935 it was announced that Columbia would resume service for a series of 13-day cruises that summer to the West Indies under charter to National Tours "at a figure said to be the highest ever paid by the Dellevie organization." The programme comprised four 13-day cruises to the West Indies and the Canal Zone from New York on 6 and 20 July and 3 and 17 August. The 6 July and 3 August cruises would call at St. Thomas, La Guaira, Curacao and Kingston and the 20 July and 18 August trips would visit Port au Prince, Puerto Colombia, Colon and Kingston.
Founded by Ralph Dellevie, National Tours had a meteoric mid Depression existence, becoming for a few years the biggest charterer of liners for cruises from the U.S. during the "booze cruise" heyday. In many respects, National Tours took over the cruise trade dominated by Cooks, American Express, James Boring, Frank C. Clark when economic times ended their traditional long voyages and instead centered around shorter, closer to home but definitely "outside the 12-mile limit." More than just booze cruises, they featured extensive on board entertainment and port intensive itineraries that made them precursors of today's cruise trade. The company proved a lifesaver for many lines, especially Anchor, when their trans-Atlantic traffic collapsed during the Depression. Now, it was hoped, it would prove the same for the erstwhile flagship of the U.S. passenger fleet.
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| Brochure for the National Tours charter of Columbia. Credit: eBay auction photos. |
The Panama Pacific liner Columbia is a veritable bee-hive of activity these days, with workmen swarming through her 'tween decks and a small army of painters swinging precariously over the sides of the huge hull of this 19,935-ton liner, all In preparation for her debut as a cruise snip lor Ralph Dellevie's National Tours, which organization has this palatial liner under charter for a series of four 13-day cruises to the West Indies and South America.
Thirty men are now industriously swinging their four-inch brushes applying a coat of sparkling white paint over the hull and superstructure. Hundreds of gallons of paint are being consumed so that she will be properly 'dressed' to sail on July 6, for the first cruise under the National Tours banner. Thousands of dollars will be expended to make of her an ideal 'cruise home.' Indeed, Lady Columbia's 'coming out dress' will be an exceedingly becoming one.
Dayton Daily News, 23 June 1935
Columbia would make a successful return to service with these cruises, National Tours having the sales ability with these sort of trips that IMM did not. Moreover her cruises were sold with those to other destinations and in other ships like Transylvania, Volendam and Rotterdam. Overall, overseas travel was picking up with Cuba reporting an 18 per cent increase in visitors from 1934 and Bermuda enjoying thee consecutive summer months of record arrivals at Hamilton. The first cruise attracted 500 passengers and the second 535. Columbia's initial program was augmented by a four-day cruise to Halifax on 30 August 1935 over the U.S. Labor Day long weekend. However, upon return from this on 3 September, docking at Pier 61 at 10:00 a.m., that would conclude her charter to National Tours and, as it so happened, her operational career.
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| An immaculate Columbia shares Pier 59, North River, with Rex, on 6 July 1935, with her customary Messick tug waiting to assist her off the pier. Credit: William B. Taylor photograph, Mariners' Museum. |
The final nail in Columbia's coffin occurred that June when the revised Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection rules for U.S. passengers ships were formulated in the wake of the Morro Castle tragedy the previous year. To bring the ship up to the new standards coming into effect 1 January 1936 would have cost $250,000-500,000 on top of the $100,000 already spent renovating her. With her foreign built excluding from U.S. domestic use, IMM had run out of viable options.
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| An admitedly poor screen grab from an eBay auction but a rare photograph of Columbia alongside the long laid up Leviathan at Hoboken, 16 April 1936. |
1936
We found that the high cost of operation under the American flag and the high cost of carrying out the requirements d the United States Steamboat Inspection Service made it no longer profitable to operate the Columbia under the American flag, though the ship could be operated profitably under the British flag. However, under no circumstances would we consider bringing her out under British flag registry.
Vice President Basil Harris, IMM
Transcript Telegram, 27 March 1936
On 14 February 1936 came a flurry of reports of once famous and popular liners sold for scrap or nearing the end of their useful careers. Homeric, like Columbia, laid up since her last cruise the previous summer and laid up off Ryde, Isle of Wight, was offered for sale for scrap and be one of seven Cunard and White Star, totalling nearly a quarter of a million tons, broken up since the merger of the two lines. Columbia, which had languished at Pier 62 and later at Pier 4 Hoboken alongside the long idle Leviathan, since September 1935, the two increasingly decrepit looking ships seeming symbolising the U.S. Merchant Marine at another of its nadirs, was also offer for sale for breaking up.
Columbia went on the sale list on 13 February 1936 as reported at the time by the British press but curiously not until early March by American papers. In mid month, it was reported that "several representatives of a British shipbreaking firm were in New York to inspect the Panama Pacific liner Columbia, formerly the Red Star liner Belgenland, with the view of purchasing her for scrap."
Describing the impeding fate of the vessel, which has been operated under three names and for three companies, an American contemporary heads the article 'Liner Columbia is sold for junk.' True enough, but all the same likely to cause a twinge of sadness among the many who knew the gallany old ship in all her glory.
Western Morning News, 4 April 1936
Good bye, old friend.
Honolulu Advertiser, 11 April 1936
The end came on 27 March 1936 with the announcement by the International Mercantile Marine Company that Columbia had been sold to the breakers Douglas & Ramsey of Glasgow. The price was not disclosed but said to be between $250,000-300,000. The ship would revert to British registry for the one-way voyage to the breakers under a skeleton crew. On 4 April the Daily Telegraph reported the sale price was £55,000.
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| Capt. James Gentles of South Shields who would command the skeleton crew taking Columbia to the breakers in Scotland. Credit: Newcastle Evening Chronicle, 22 May 1936. |
The delivery of the vessel to Bo'ness, Firth of Clyde, was contracted to Tinmouths, Ltd., of South Shields. Among those sailing in Scythia on 11 April 1936 from Liverpool to New York was the 41-strong skeleton crew tasked with sailing Columbia to the breakers. Led by Captain James Gentles, the group included three deck officers, a wireless operator, the catering staff and seamen. The engineering staff went out in Manhattan earlier in the week. In all, crew would be consist of 55 men, almost all unemployed men from South Shields.
Her farewell to America was impressive. Well known in America first as the Belgic, then the Belgenland and lastly the Columbia, crowds gathered to wave their goodbyes. As she left the harbour, Captain Gentles blew three farewell blast and dipped her flags. They passed the flamous Ambrose lightship and were saluted with the three farewell blasts and dipping of flags. Every ship she passed signall farewell.
Shields Daily Gazette, 21 May 1936
The shabby looking vessel that sailed from Hoboken on 22 April 1936 was a far cry from the sparkling, freshly painted and flag bedecked Columbia… new pride of the American merchant marine of just 14 months previously. Sailing in a light condition and with just half her boilers fired, the old Belgenland rolled her way across the North Atlantic at a sedate 12.5 knots, creaking in the swell. About 400 miles east of the Hebrides, she was hit by a strong easterly gale and she took a strong list to port of up to 40 degs. At times and the seas broke over her bows. The steering gear packed in and she had to be conned with the emergency hand and steam steering equipment aft until the main machinery could be repaired, fortunately just before she arrived off Pentland Forth with its strong currents.
Columbia arrived off Bo'ness in the Firth of Forth early on 4 May 1936 after a long 12-day passage. She Columbia arrived the same day the salvaged German battleship Konig Albert, one of many scuttled at Scapa Flow by their crews, arrived for breaking at Rosyth. Her still upturned hull passed Columbia off Pettyour Bay with many spectators on hand to see arrivals of two once proud ships, still welcomed as the source of badly needed employment for local labour.
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| Linlithgowshire Gaette, 8 May 1936. |
Captain Gentles, who hails from South Shields, giving his impressions the difficult task of piloting the huge liner across the Atlantic, said ' was great experience, and although I have been forty years at sea and delivered quite a number of ships to shipbreaking yards, I find each ship has different effect on one. It is practically impossible to express the mysterious somethingness on being on board a ship, the Columbia or Belgenland when she is on her last journey—the last stage of her honourable career. One evening during the voyage shall not forget. was in mid-Atlantic. I went down to the lounge and sat down in one the many seats there to smoke a cigarette. There were only two dim lights burning the spacious hall-like interior, and the yellowing light on the panelling, tables, and chairs faded away into tho gloom, the ship creaked and creaked throughout her length. . . . She seemed to talking to me. Knowing she was on her last journey and was about say good-bye the sea, she was crying her eyes out as she lumbered along in the stillness-of that Atlantic night. I could see the ghosts of her passengers when she was a happy, active ship, the pride of her shipping line. The contrast brought home to me those moments of reverie was intense.'
Linlithgowshire Gazette. 8 May 1936
Like Mauretania, Columbia's masts were too high to pass under the Forth Bridge and these would be cut down 40 feet by riggers from the yards of Mr. James White, shipbreaker, North Queensferry, under the supervision of Mr. Miller, yard manager of Messrs T. & W. Maclellan, Bo'ness. Each of the masts were cut through with torches three quarters way through and then steel hawsers fixed to the tops which were pulled down by winches. Several thousand tons of ballast will have to be removed before she can be beached. Preparations at Bridgeness for the beaching of the ship including removing the beached Dutch steamer Djember to the Carriden yard to make room for Columbia and the Finnish steamer Herakles may be used for the removal of ballast from Columbia to lighten her for beaching.
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| Credit: Dundee Courier, 23 May 1936 |
Columbia was beached on 22 May 1936 at 4:30 p.m. on the afternoon high tide. This was preceded by four days of extensive dredging of the channel to the shipbreaking yard in the creek by the railway company dredger. Drawing 28 ft. even in a much lightened conditioned, the ship would be run ashore in a full tide of 22 ft. 11 ins. Piloted by James M'Intosh and with seven boilers lit and black oily smoke pouring from her centre funnel, the once proud Belgenland impaled herself on the scrap metal littered shingle with "a hardly perceptible jar." The once eighth largest liner in the world, pride of both Belfast and Antwerp, feted round the world, ended her life on Empire Day before many hundreds of spectators.
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| Columbia is run ashore at the breakers, 22 May 1936. Credit: Illustrated London News, 30 May 1936. |
Thrills As Liner Is Beached
A tense moment occurred during the spectacular beaching of the 27,000 ton American luxury liner, Columbia, at the shipbreaking yard of Messrs. P. & W. MacLellan, Ltd., Bo'ness, yesterday afternoon. The Columbia had lain off Bridgeness Pier during the past fortnight since her arrival from New York, awaiting a favourable tide. On account of her huge size, a tricky curving course was necessary to navigate her into the shipbreakers' creek at Bridgeness. Dredging preparations and elaborate soundings were necessary.
Thousands of people thronged the sea front to witness the spectacle of the gigantic cruising liner entering the ships' graveyard.
As she approached the shore, the Columbia grazed the tail end of a mud. bank, causing her to heel to starboard and checking her speed. Them was excitement in the crowd on the shore, and suspense on the navigation bridge.
Then the ship's bows lifted as they met deeper water, and the liner swept onwards to the shore, a dominating spectacle to the sea of faces.
The breaking up of the vessel will provide steady employment for a large number of shipbreaking yard workers during the next ten months. She will he thrown open for public inspection, and the proceeds of the boarding charge will he devoted to charity. Furnishings arid fittings on board will be disposed of at an auction sale to be held at the end of next month.
Daily Record, 23 May 1936
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| Columbia firmly beached at the breakers. Note her toppled masts (to allow her to pass under the Firth of Forth Bridge), the upper sections folded over and secured to the lower parts by wires. Credit: shipsnostalgia.com |
Miss Nellie Lishman, a secretary for Tinmouths, Ltd., who delivered Columbia to the breakers, went aboard the vessel shortly after her beaching and gave her impressions of the ship to a reporter from the South Shields Gazette:
'I can only say that she is marvellous. It seams incredible that such a beautiful ship must broken up— and as for her furnishings, they're exquisite, she said.
The smoking-room impressed her most because of its luxurious solidity. The furniture looked almost new, so perfect was its condition and the room itself was palatial.
Butshe revelled in the pianos. of them altogether, and one of them grand piano.
'I was on board for more than four hours, and didn't see half of the ship. I played about eight the pianos and also the organ which was used for church services and has beautiful tone.'
'There were hundreds of Church of England prayer books and bibles on board, and in the Captain’s room lay one, the place marked with a red tape, which looked as if someone had been interrupted while reading it.'
Miss Lishman keenly admired the beautiful furnishings of the ship, which she described The cocktail bar furnishings she said. w ere white leather giving the room a very cheerful and bright aspect. The cafes were also tastefully furnished. especially the Japanese room. Sombre backgrounds relieved with Japanese designs the room had truly Oriental aspect. A novel feature was the smoked mirrors. Of excellent craftsmanship, an amber colouring is reflected from the glass giving all who look into the mirrors a sunburned appearance. This room adjoins the miniature Lido beach of silver sand on which the cruising guests used to laze in the moonlight.
Miss Lishnian fell in love with the star cafe. Overhead, from a celling of azure blue hung star-shaped lights of cut-glass, which scintillated and twinkled the electric-light. This was one of the most glamorous rooms of the luxury liner. She found the corridors bewildering, 'and it was a queer thing, but every time I opened door, I discovered it be a bathroom.' There seemed to be hundreds of them.' she said.
South Shields Gazette, 22 May 1936
The auction firm of Messrs. J&R Edmiston, Glasgow, was engaged to sell off Coumbia's furnishings and fittings and was the same firm that did the same for Minnetonka 18 months previously, estimated the catalogue will have as many as 8,490 lots offered over a 10-day period
An auction sale aboard a luxury liner is such a rare and exciting event, that there is sure to a large gathering of purchasers from all parts of the country—some people say they are coming from the Continent —on the occasion the forthcoming sale the furnishings and fittings of the T.S.S. Columbia at Messrs P. & W. MacLellan, Jitd., Bridgeness Shipbreaking Yard. It is to be ten days’ sale, and the autcioneer is Mr Fairy, of Messrs J. & R. Edmiston, of West Nile Street, Glasgow, who conducted a similar sale on board the Minnetonka eighteen months ago, within the same yard. The furnishings of the Columbia are more luxurious than those of the Minnetonka, for she was re-conditioned to meet the wants of the millionaire on his world tours. In the sale catalogue are detailed fewer than 8490 lots, ranging from the proverbial pin to an anchor. In the captain’s room, staterooms, library, lounges and promenade decks there is a wide range of the finest panelling in Austrian oak, mahogany and cedar wood. There are armchairs, easy chairs and settees in bewildering variety and design; there are Oriental, Persian. Wilton and Brussels rugs and carpets, with fine textures lovely exotic colourings, rugs that would grace a sultan’s palace or adorn queen’s boudoir. The china, crystal and electro-plate are excellent examples of taste and skill in craftsmanship, and would not be out of place on a millionaire’s table. There is also printing office, with full equipment, a laundry, with electrically-driven washing and ironing machines; barbers’ shops and ladies’ hairdressing establishments, manicure rooms; fully-equipped gymnasiums and games rooms; and bedroom equipment every conceivable variety. The Columbia has been decorated and cleaned for the great sale, and the chip is now gay with bunting, which brings back memories of festive days under southern skies.
Linlithgowshire Gazette, 19 June 1936
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| Even "dressed" for the auction of her fittings and furnishings, Columbia looks a sad sight. Credit: tumblr |
After Columbia was thoroughly cleaned and dressed overall with her somewhat stained and moldy houseflags from her much diminished fore mast, the auctions begin on 22 June 1936, the sales being described in full in the Linlithgowshire Gazette on the 26th:
About one hundred dealers and buyers were present on Monday, when 500 lots were up for sale, including electro-plate, cutlery, china, and crystal. Prices were low, some of the cutlery selling at one penny a piece. Large soup tureens sold at twenty shillings each, and Elkington tea kettles at eighteen shillings. There were many bargains during the day—saucers at threepence a dozen, cups one and threepence a dozen; pudding plates at one shilling and a penny dozen; milk jugs one and sixpence a dozen, cream jugs at eight pence a dozen; and sugar bowls one and threepence a dozen. The highest prices the opening day the sale were two pounds three shillings for dozen heavy cut crystal flower vase; and one pound thirteen shillings for dozen hors d’oeuvres dish liners.
On the second day, much of the fine panelling and furnishings went:
There was greater interest in the second day’s sale, and purchasers were present from far south as Exeter, and as far north as Wick and Aberdeen. The articles on sale consisted of the fittings and furnishings of the chart room and the navigating room chronometers, telescopes, signalling lamps, barometers, compasses, and clocks. Other furnishings disposed on Tuesday consisted of the equipment in the captain and officers’ rooms, in the children a play room, and in the gymnasium, where electricallv driven horse-riding exercise machines, vibro-massage machines, pedal cycle exercising, and towing exercising machines were on view. The luxurious furnishings and fittings of the drawing-room, the smoke room, the library, the promenade deck lounge, and the verandah cafe were also for sale. Prices naturally were much higher than on the first day, the outstanding lot sold being the mahogany and cedar wood panelling the smokeroom, which was knocked down for to Mr J. H. Dunlop, Longniddry. Austrian oak panelling on the landing and stairway between the smoke room and the verandah cafe sold for panelling forming the promenade deck, with ceiling panelling, went to Mr. M. Lauchlan, Ivanhoe Hotel, Glasgow, for £l6. A Falkirk lady was the purchaser the Austrian oak panelling of the library. A large blue ground Wilton carpet, thirty-six feet twenty-six feet, went for £35. Walnut winged easy chairs realised £7 each; walnut settees, £4 10s; carved dark mahogany arm chairs, £l2 each; dark mahogany oval tables, £6; and Queen Anne design writing tables. £3; whilst carved mahogany'and veined marble fireplace, with a marble hearth, kerb, and plate-glass smoke screen fetched £5.
The sale on the t.s.s. Columbia attracted much attention this week, and many people the sale just to see what it was like. There were several amusing incidents. One lady bought lot of half a dozen hot water jugs, and was informed that a pin in one of the covers was loose. 'Oh, that’s all right,’ she said, you can give me that one cheaper.' The auctioneer, Mr Fairey, raised a laugh when selling egg cups. They seemed to have very big diameter, and he remarked, ' These must be duck egg cups.” When the panelling of the smoke-room on the Columbia was sold for £70, one man was beard to remark, 'They’ve sold the panelling to-line the pockets of the shipbreaking company.'
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| The last newspaper photo of Belgenland/Columbia showing her forward funnel being toppled (the aft dummy one and aft mast already gone). Credit: Illustrated London News, 10 October 1936. |
s.s. BELGENLAND (1923-1935)
61½ North Atlantic round voyages 64,057 passengers
7 round-the world cruises 2,814 passengers
1 long Mediterranean cruise 429 passengers
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| The magnificent Belgenland in the Scheldt, outbound to America... and round the world. Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen. |
Built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast, no. 391
Gross tonnage 24,547 (Belgic)
27,132 (Belgenland)
24,578 (Columbia)
Length: (o.a.) 696 ft. 6 ins.
(b.p.) 670 ft. 4 ins.
Beam: 78 ft. 4 ins. 54 ft.
Machinery: twin triple-expansion engines and one exhaust steam turbine, triple-screw, 17,000 shp
Speed: 17 knots service
18.5 knots trials
Passengers 3,200 troops (Belgic)
465 First, 640 Second, 1,500 Third (Belgenland)
453 First, 638 Second, 970 Third (post 1925)
450-475 (long cruises)
850 (shorter cruises)
Officers & Crew 361 (400 world cruises)
The American Line, William Flayhart, 2000
Famous Liners of the Past, Belfast Built, Laurence Dunn, 1966
Merchant Fleets in Profile 2, Duncan Haws, 1979
Merchant Ships of the World in Color, 1910-1929, Laurence Dunn, 1973
North Atlantic Seaway, N.R.P. Bonsor, 1977
Shipbuilders to the World, 125 Years of Harland and Wolff, Belfast 1861-1986, Michael Moss and John R. Hume, 1986
The Red Star Line, Vernon E.W. Finch, 1988
American Shipping
International Marine Engineering
Marine Engineering
Marine Engineer and Naval Architect
Marine Journal
Pacific Marine Review
Page's Engineering Weekly
Sea Breees
Shipbuilding and Shipping Record
Syren & Shipping
The Bystander
The Ocean Ferry
The Rotarian
The Sketch
Atlanta Constitution
Baltimore Sun
Belfast News-Letter
Belfast Telegraph
Boston Globe
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Buffalo Evening News
Catholic Tribune
Daily Chronicle
Daily Herald
Daily Mirror
Daily News
Daily Record
Daily Telegraph
Dayton Daily News
Dundee Evening Telegraph
Evening Express
Evening Star
Evening World
Halifax Mail
Hampshire Independent
Harrisburg Telegraph
Hilo Tribune Herald
Holyoke Daily Transcript
Honolulu Advertiser
Honolulu Star Bulletin
Illustrated London News
Indianapolis Star
Linlithgowshire Gazette
Liverpool Daily Post
Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Journal of Commerce
Los Angeles Evening Express
Los Angeles Evening Post Record
Los Angeles Times
Malaya Tribune
Miami Herald
Miami News
Montreal Gazette
News-Pilot
New York Herald
Newcastle Evening Chronicle
Northern Whig
Owen Sound Daily Sun Times
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Pittsburgh Press
Royal Gazette
Rutland Daily Herald
San Francisco Examiner
San Francisco Journal and Daily Journal of Commerce
Shawnee News Star
Shields Daily News
Shields Daily Gazette
South Shields Gazette
Spokane Chronicle
Standard Union
Star Gazette
Star Weekly
Steuben Farmers' Advocate
The Register
Times Colonist
Times Leader
Times Union
Transcript Telegram
Western Daily Press
Western Evening Herald
Western Morning News
Windsor Star
Wilkes-Barre Times Leader
Virginian Pilot
https://archive.org/
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/
https://dams.antwerpen.be/
https://hajosnep.blog.hu/2022/01/01/nederland_1914_the_unfinished_giant_steamer_of_the_red_star_line
https://www.hathitrust.org/
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
https://collections.nationalmuseumsni.orghttps://www.newspapers.com/
https://www.shippinghistory.com
https://www.shipsnostalgia.com/
https://www.reddit.com/r/OceanLinerArchitect/
https://www.whitestarlines.co.uk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Belgenland_(1914)
A special note of appreciation for the superb on line collections of Museum aan de Stoom (MAS) (Antwerpen), The Red Star Line Museum (Antwerpen) and Vrienden van de Red Star Line vzw made available through the https://dams.antwerpen.be/ website, and to National Museums NI's Harland & Wolff Collection and The Mariners' Museum Eldredge Collection.
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| Credit: Red Star Line Museum, Antwerpen |
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| Credit: The Ocean Ferry. |
Additions/Corrections/Contributions welcomed
contact the author at posted_at_sea@hotmail.com
© Peter C. Kohler
Easily the most exhaustive work I've read on the Belgenland. I've added a link to this page on the Wikipedia article about the ship.
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