Engineering:SS Russian (1895)

Short description: British cargo ship

SS Russian.
History
Name:	SS Victorian (1895–1914) SS Russian (1914–1916)
Namesake:	Russia
Owner:	Leyland Line
Operator:	Leyland Line (1895–1903) White Star Line (1903–1916)
Port of registry:	Liverpool, United Kingdom
Route:	Liverpool, United Kingdom to Boston, United States
Ordered:	1895
Builder:	Harland & Wolff Ltd.
Yard number:	291
Launched:	7 July 1895
Completed:	1895
Maiden voyage:	7 September 1895
In service:	7 September 1895
Identification:	105334
Fate:	Torpedoed and sunk by UB-43, 14 December 1916
General characteristics
Class and type:	Victorian class cargo liner
Type:	Cargo ship
Length:	156.2 metres (512 ft 6 in)
Beam:	18.1 metres (59 ft 5 in)
Decks:	3
Installed power:	1 x 3 cyl. triple expansion engine, single shaft
Propulsion:	Screw propeller
Speed:	13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)

SS Russian was a British cargo ship, formerly the Victorian, that was torpedoed and sunk by UB-43 210 miles East of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea, while she was travelling from Salonica, Greece, to Newport, United Kingdom , in ballast. The ship was 156.2 metres (512 ft 6 in) long, with a beam of 18.1 metres (59 ft 5 in). The ship was assessed at 8,825 GRT. She had a 1 x 3 cyl. triple expansion engine, single shaft driving a single screw propeller.

History

Russian was constructed as a cattle and cargo carrier in 1895 for the Leyland company at the Harland & Wolff Ltd. shipyard in Belfast, United Kingdom. She was launched on 7 July 1895 and was the first of four sister ships. She was initially named Victorian and completed her maiden voyage from Liverpool, United Kingdom, to Boston, United States .

Boer War

As the SS Victorian, she served as a transport ship during the Boer war in November 1899. She mostly carried horses to South Africa and was used intensively on this operation.

White Star Line

In 1903 she was chartered to the White Star Line. She completed her first journey to New York City , United States , on 24 April 1903. Her name was changed to Russian in August 1914 to avoid confusion with the Allan Line's SS Victorian.

Sinking

On 14 December 1916, Russian was on a voyage from Salonica, Greece, to Newport, United Kingdom , in ballast when she was torpedoed by UB-43 210 miles East of Malta. 28 crew members lost their lives during the sinking.

Sister ships

SS Russian had 3 sister ships which all sank too:

• SS Armenian (Built 1895,torpedoed 28 June 1915 with the loss of 33 crew)
• SS Cestrian (Built 1896, torpedoed 24 June 1917 with the loss of 3 crew)
• SS Londonian (Built 1896, capsized and sunk 29 November 1898 with the loss of 17 crew)

They were built for the Leyland line between 1895 and 1898.