Allan Line Fleet List
The Allan Line established steamship service between Great Britain and Canada in 1854 and, in later years, absorbed the State Line of Glasgow, the Royal Exchange Steamship Company, and the Hill Line. The Canadian Pacific Line acquired the Allan fleet in 1916.
Principal ports of Call: Glasgow, Montreal, Quebec, New York, Boston.
Fleet List of the Allan Line Showing Ownership, Nationality, Name of Ship, Year Placed in Service, and Gross Tonnage. Gross tonnage equals cubic feet of all enclosed space divided by 100. Notations Regarding the Ship (if any), Such as Previous Name or Renaming, are shown after the Gross Tonnage.
ALLAN LINE
Allan Line Steamship Co., Ltd.
(British)
- Alsatian (1913) 18,481
- Anglo-Saxon (1856) 1,673
- Assyrian (1880) 3,317
- Austrian (1866) 2,682
- Bavarian (1899) 10,376
- Belgian (1855) 2,349
- Bohemian (1859) 2,190
- Brazilian (1890) 3,046
- Buenos Ayrean (1879) 4,005
- Calgarian (1913) 17,515
- Californian (1891) 4,244
- Canadian (1854) 1,8731
- Canadian (I860) 1,926
- Canadian (1872) 2,401
- Carthaginian (1884) 4,444
- Caspian (1870) 2,747
- Castilian (1898) 7,441
- Circassian (1872) 3,724
- Corean (1881) 3,488
- Corinthian (1856) 1,517
- Corinthian (1899) 6,229
- Corsican (1907) 11,419
- European (1866) 2,708
- Germany (1868) 3,244
- Grampian (1907) 10,920
- Grecian (1879) 3,613
- Hanoverian (1882) 3,603
- Hesperian (1908) 10,920
- Hibernian (1861) 1,888
- Hungarian (1858) 2,190
- Indian (1855) 1,764
- Ionian (1901) 8,268
- Laurentian (1872) 4,522
- Livonian (1881) 4,162
- Lucerne (1878) 1,925
- Ludgate Hill (1881) 4,063
- Manitoban (1865) 1,810
- Mongolian (1891) 4,837
- Monte Videan (1887) 3,076
- Moravian (1864) 2,481
- Nestorian (1866) 2,466
- North American (1856) 1,715
- North Briton (1858) 2,190
- Norwegian (1861) 1,888
- Norwegian (1865) 3,523 ex-City of New York
- Nova Scotian (1858) 2,190
- Numidian (1891) 4,836
- Ottawa (1865) 1,810
- Parisian (1881) 5,395
- Peruvian (1863) 2,549
- Phoenician (1864) 2,356
- Polynesian (1872) 3,983
- Pomeranian (1882) 4,365
- Pretorian (1900) 6,436
- Prussian (1869) 3,030
- Rosarian (1887) 3,077
- Roumanian (1882) 4,126
- St. Andrew (1861) 1,432
- St. David (1864) 1,516
- St. George (1863) 1,468
- St. Patrick (1854) 1,208
- Sardinian (1875) 4,376
- Sarmatian (1871) 3,647
- Scandinavian (1870) 3,068
- Scandinavian (1898) 12,116
- Scotian (1898) 10,417
- Siberian (1884) 3,846
- Sicilian (1899) 6,224
- State of California (1891) 4,275
- Tunisian (1900) 10,576
- Turanian (1881) 4,021
- Victorian (1904) 10,629
- Virginian (1905) 10,754
- Waldensian (1863) 2,306
Bohemian (1859) Allan Line
Built by Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, Scotland. Tonnage: 2,190. Dimensions: 298' x 38'. Propulsion: Single-screw, 10 knots. Inverted engines. Masts and Funnels: Three masts and one funnel. Additional Features: Iron hull. Maiden voyage: Liver pool-Portland, Maine, November 16, 1859. Fate: Wrecked near Cape Elizabeth, February 22, 1864, with loss of 20 lives. Sister ships: Hungarian, North Briton and Nova Scotian.
Corsican (1907) Allan Line
Built by Barclay, Curie & Co., Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland. Tonnage: 11,419. Dimensions: 499' x 500'. Propulsion: Twin-screw, 16 knots. Triple expansion engines. Masts and Funnels: Two masts and one funnel. Passengers: 208 first, 250 second, 1,000 third. Maiden voyage: Liverpool-St. John, New Brunswick, November 1907. Ownership Change: Vessel was acquired by Canadian Pacific Line in 1917. Renamed: Marvale (1922). Similar ships: Grampian and Hesperian. Note: The Corsican was built to replace the Bavarian, which had been wrecked.
Grampian (1907) (a) Allan Line, (b) Canadian Pacific Line
Built by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland. Tonnage: 10,920. Dimensions: 485' x 60'. Propulsion: Twin-screw, 15 knots. Triple expansion engines. Masts and Funnels: Two masts and one funnel. Passengers: 210 first, 250 second, 1,000 third. Service: Glasgow-Quebec-Montreal. Ownership Change: Taken over by Canadian Pacific Line in 1917. Retained her name in their service. Fate: Vessel was laid up in 1922. Scrapped in 1926. Sister ship: Hesperian. Similar to Corsican.
Hanoverian (1882) Allan Line
Built by Wm. Doxford & Sons, Ltd., Sunderland, England. Tonnage: 3,603. Dimensions: 366' x 41'. Propulsion: Single-screw, 11 knots. Compound engines. Masts and Funnels: Three masts and one funnel. Iron hull. Maiden voyage: Glasgow-Quebec-Montreal, May 25, 1882. Fate: Wrecked on coast of Newfoundland, September 2, 1885, with no loss of life.
Hesperian (1908) Allan Line (British)
Built by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland. Tonnage: 10,920. Dimensions: 485' x 60'. Propulsion: Twin-screw, 15 knots. Triple expansion engines. Masts and Funnels: Two masts and one funnel. Passengers: 210 first, 250 second, 1,000 third. Launched: 20 December 1907. Maiden Voyage: Glassgow-Montreal, 25 April 1908. Service: Glasgow-Quebec-Montreal. Fate: Torpedoed and sunk by German Submarine U-20, 85 miles from Fastnet, September 4, 1915, with the loss of 32 lives. Sister ship: Grampian. Note: The Corsican, and the earlier liners Bavarian and Tunisian were quite similar in appearance.
Ionian (1901) Allan Line
Built by Workman, Clark & Co., Ltd., Belfast, Ireland. Tonnage: 8,268. Dimensions: 470' x 57'. Propulsion: Twin-screw, 14 knots. Masts and Funnels: Four masts and one funnel. Fate: Torpedoed and sunk 2 miles from St. Govans Head on October 20, 1917, with the loss of 7 lives.
Laurentian (1872) Allan Line (British)
Built by Robert Steele & Co., Greenock, Scotland. Tonnage: 4,522. Dimensions: 400' x 42'. Propulsion: Single-screw, 14 knots. Triple expansion engines. Masts and Funnels: Two masts and one funnel. First voyage as Laurentian: Liverpool-Quebec-Montreal, May 27,1893. Modifications: New engines and boilers installed in 1893. Fate: Wrecked near Cape Race, September 6, 1909, with no loss of life. The loss occurred, while on voyage from Boston to Glasgow. Previously Named: Ex-Polynesian (1893).
Mongolian (1891) Allan Line
Built by D. & W. Henderson & Co., Glasgow, Scotland. Tonnage: 4,837. Dimensions: 400' x 45'. Propulsion: Single-screw, 13.5 knots. Triple expansion engines. 4,000 I.H.P. Masts and Funnels: Two masts and one funnel. Additional Features: Steel hull. Passengers: 100 first, 80 second, 1,000 third. Services: In various North Atlantic services, including Boston and Quebec-Montreal. Fate: Torpedoed and sunk by submarine near Filey Brig, July 21, 1918, with the loss of 36 lives. Sister ship: Numidian.
Numidian (1891) Allan Line
Built by D. & W. Henderson & Co., Glasgow, Scotland. Tonnage: 4,836. Dimensions: 400' x 45'. Propulsion: Single-screw, 13 knots. Triple expansion engines. Masts and Funnels: Two masts and one funnel. Additional Features: Steel hull. Passengers: 100 first, 80 second, 1,000 third. Maiden voyage: Liverpool-Quebec-Montreal, August 20, 1891. Last Voyage: Made her final voyage to Boston in 1914. Fate: In the First World War she was filled with cement and sunk, so as to block a channel against submarines. Sister ship: Mongolian.
Parisian (1881) Allan Line (British)
Built by Robert Napier & Sons, Glasgow, Scotland. Tonnage: 5,395. Dimensions: 441' x 46'. Single-screw, 15 knots. Compound engines. Masts and Funnels: Four masts and two funnels. Steel hull. Passengers: 150 first, 100 second, 1,000 third. Maiden voyage: Liverpool-Halifax-Boston, March 10, 1881. Modifications: Re-engined with triple expansions in 1899 and also had her original funnels replaced with a single large one. Service: Served in various North Atlantic routes, including Glasgow-New York run. Fate: Sold to Italian shipbreakers in January 1914, and soon afterwards was dismantled at Genoa.
Pretorian (1900) Allan Line
Built by Furness, Withy & Co., West Hartlepool, England. Tonnage: 6,436. Dimensions: 436' x 53'. Propulsion: Single-screw, 14 knots. Triple expansion engines. Masts and Funnels: Two masts and one funnel. Maiden voyage: Liverpool-Quebec-Montreal in August 1901. Modifications: Tonnage increased to 7,650 in 1908. Change in Ownership: Transferred to Canadian Pacific Line ownership in 1917. Fate: Sold for scrap in January 1926.
Scandinavian (1898) Allan Line (British)
Built by Harland & Wolff, Ltd., Belfast, Ireland. Tonnage: 12,116. Dimensions: 550'x 59'. Propulsion: Twin-screw, 14 1/2 knots. Triple expansion engines. Masts and Funnels: Two masts and one funnel. Service: Glasgow-Quebec-Montreal. Transfer of Ownership: Transferred to Canadian Pacific Line in 1917. Fate: Scrapped in 1923. Previously Named: Ex-Romanic (1912), ex-New England (1903).
Scotian (1898) Allan Line
Built by Harland & Wolff, Ltd., Belfast, Ireland. Tonnage: 10,417. Dimensions: 515' x 59'. Propulsion: Twin-screw, 14 knots. Triple expansion engines. Masts and Funnels: Two masts and one funnel. Services: In the Québec and Montréal trade. Ownership Change: Transferred to Canadian Pacific Line in 1917. Renamed: Marglen (1922). Fate: Scrapped in 1927. Previously Named: Ex-Statendam (1898-1910). Comments: In the Service of Allan Line 1911-1917.
Tunisian (1900) Allan Line
Built by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland. Tonnage: 10,576. Dimensions: 500' x 59'. Twin-screw, 16 knots. Triple expansion engines. Two masts and one funnel. Passengers: 240 first, 220 second, 1,000 third. Maiden Voyage: Commenced her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Canada in April 1900. Transferred to Canadian Pacific Line during World War I. Renamed: Marburn (1922). Fate: Scrapped in 1928. Sister ship: Bavarian
Victorian (1904) Allan Line (British)
Built by Workman, Clark & Co., Belfast, Ireland. Tonnage: 10,629. Dimensions: 517' x 60' (540' o.l.). Propulsion: Triple-screw, 19 knots. Steam turbines. Masts and Funnels: Two masts and one funnel. Note: The first trans-Atlantic steamship to be fitted with steam turbines. Her keel was laid in June 1904. Launched in April 1904. Ran her trials in March 1905, reaching a speed of 19 1/2 knots on the measured mile. Maiden Voyage: Commenced in April 1905 from Liverpool to Canada. Passengers: 470 first, 240 second, 940 third. Ownership Transfer: Ownership of this world famous liner was transferred to Canadian Pacific Line in 1917. Renamed: Marloch (1922). Fate: Scrapped in 1930. Sister ship: Virginian.
Virginian (1905) Allan Line (British)
Built by Alexander Stephen & Sons, Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland. Tonnage: 10,754. Dimensions: 520' x 60' (540' o.l.). Propulsion: Triple-screw, 19 knots. Three steam turbines. Masts and Funnels: Two masts and one funnel. Comments: Attained a speed of 19.8 knots during her trials. Additional Features: Nine boilers. Steam pressure of 180 lbs. per sq. in. Consumed about 2,500 tons of coal per voyage. Maiden voyage: Liverpool-Canada, April 6, 1905. Speed Records: She broke the Liverpool-Rimouski speed record, as she made it in 5 days, 20 hours, 40 minutes. She and her sister ship Victorian remained the fastest liners in the Canadian trade, until the new Canadian Pacific liners Empress of Britain and Empress of Ireland entered the service. Ownership Transfer: Ownership of the Virginian was transferred to Canadian Pacific Line in 1917. Renamed: (a) Drottningholm (1920), (b) Brasil (1948), (c) Homeland (1951). Fate: Scrapped in Italy, 1955. Sister ship: Victorian. Note: These popular ships were the first trans-Atlantic liners to be equipped with steam turbines.
The story of the Allan Line is that of the enterprise of one family, Captain Alexander Allan, who conveyed stores and cattle to Lisbon during the Peninsular War for Wellington's army.
After 1815, he began to run his vessel between the Clyde and Canada. As years went on, he employed several vessels in the service. Till 1837, the ships ran from Greenock to Montreal, but in that year, after the Clyde deepened, the boat went to Glasgow, as they have continued to do ever since.
Captain Allan and his five sons devoted all their energies to the development of the Canadian trade, and for about forty years, the line ran sailing ships only, which were significantly in request for the emigrant traffic.
In 1852, the Canadian government requested tenders for a weekly mail service between Great Britain and Canada. That of Sir Hugh Allan of Montreal, one of Captain Allan's sons, was accepted, and the Canadian mail line of steamships came into existence.
It may be noted that the Allan Line inaugurated steamers of the "spar-deck" type, i.e., with a clear promenade deck above the main deck. This safety measure was taken as a lesson from the disastrous foundering of the Australian steamship "London" in the Bay of Biscay in 1866.
The company may also claim that their steamship "Buenos Ayrean," built for them in 1879 by Messrs Denny of Dumbarton, was the first Atlantic steamship constructed of steel.
As time passed, the company's services were extended to various ports on the eastern shores of North America and the river Plate. London and the two strongholds of Glasgow and Liverpool were taken as a port of departure.
In its career, it has absorbed the old State Line of Glasgow fleet and a significant part of the Royal Exchange Shipping Company fleet and the Hill Line. Included in the latter fleet were the first twin-screw steamers constructed for a British North Atlantic line.
The "Virginian" and the "Victorian," built for the Allan Line in 1905, were the first transatlantic liners propelled by turbines.
The principal ports served by the Allan Line are (in the United Kingdom) Glasgow, Londonderry, Belfast, Liverpool, and London; from these their vessels ply to many places in North and South America, including Quebec, Montreal, St Johns (Newfoundland), Halifax, St John (New Brunswick), Portland, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Montevideo, Buenos Aires and Rosario.
Bibliography
Smith, Eugene W., Passenger Ships of the World: Past and Present, Boston: George H. Dean Company, 1963.
Steamship Lines: Allan Line, Encyclopædia Britannica, 1911
Eugene Waldo Smith, Trans-Atlantic Passenger Ships, Past and Present, Boston: George H. Dean Company, First Edition, 1947.
