When launched the Britannic was the largest ship afloat next to the Great Eastern. She had in all three decks, two of which were made of iron, covered with a planking of wood. The hull was divided into eight watertight compartments, or bulkheads, extending from the upper deck to the keel. An iron covering, called a "turtle back" protected the vessel forward and aft.

The main saloon was situated amidships together with the first-class state rooms. They were entered from the middle deck-house. The stairs leading down to them and to the promenade deck above was unusually wide and easy. Along the upper decks were iron houses for the officers and the engineers' cabins, in addition to cooking galleys, icehouses, smoking-rooms, and other conveniences. From the deck to the main saloon she had a handsome and commodious stairway. The upper portion at the entrance formed a large room, like a lobby, which was furnished with sofas and chairs, and abutting on this compartment was the smoking-room, decorated and fitted in a luxurious style. The grand salon was situated on the main deck, extending across the ship with a diameter of 73 feet by 43 feet. The saloon was lighted from above by a large skylight, in addition to the ordinary port lights. Two hundred persons could be seated in the saloon which had five rows of tables. The saloon was heated by a large open tire-place as well as by hot air, and was furnished with a piano and library. Every portion of the vessel was thoroughly ventilated and hot or cold air could be driven to every stateroom by means of a large fan worked by steam. The promenade deck for the first-class passengers was 168 feet long by 40 feet wide. The sleeping cabins were situated immediately before and abaft the saloon, and accommodated two passengers each, though a few family rooms were also provided. The sleeping-rooms were fitted with every convenience and were well ventilated and lighted. Under the first-class cabins and communicating with them by an easy staircase, were bathrooms, barber shop, rooms for servants, and steward's wine cellars and store-rooms, baggage compartments, mailroom, and an iron-room for specie. The promenade-deck for the first-class passengers was 168 feet long by 40 feet wide, and was on top of the middle house. It had in it a deck-house containing a light and spacious saloon for ladies.

The steerage apartments were sufficiently large to accommodate 1,200 emigrants. Like the other vessels of the White Star Line, the Britannic was rigged with four pole-masts, carrying a large spread of canvas.

She was built by Harland & Wolf, but her machinery was constructed by Maudsley, Sons & Field. She had two four cylinder compound inverted engines, of 800 nominal and 4.000 effective horsepower, with eight boilers, thirty-two furnaces, and two funnels. Each engine was fitted with two pair of cylinders with a diameter of 48 and 83 inches, which gave a 60 inch stroke of piston. The two engines were entirely unconnected one with the other, except at the bed-plate, which supported the shaft. It was claimed that engines of this class would have many advantages over the ordinary compound or two-cylinder engines in case of an accident to either engine or boiler.

The Britannic had several peculiarities of construction, but the principal feature was the lifting screw. It was placed at the bottom of the vessel, a course which was adopted in order to prevent it accumulating motion by being lifted out of the water. The blades of the screw were eight feet long, and the draught of the ship was thus increased that much when she was in mid ocean, but when she approached shallow water the screw had to be lifted until the blades were even with the keel. This was accomplished without stopping the revolution of the screw, by special machinery. The idea was that in stormy weather, with heavy pitching of the vessel the screw should never be raised completely out of the water. The lifting screw was however not a success, and it was removed in 1876. Another new feature was the collision bulkhead. It consisted of a watertight space immediately aft of the bows. This space was carried from the keel to the upper deck, and extended far above the water-line. She also had a new steering apparatus, which gave one man the power of twenty-eight according to the old system. This apparatus was on the main-deck and in the forward part of the vessel. The ship could also be steered from the wheel-house aft in case of any derangement of the steam gear.

The length of the vessel from stem to stern was 455 feet; breadth of beam, 45 feet, depth of hold, 34 feet; and registered tonnage, about 4,750 tons, gross tonnage about 5,080 tons.



The New York Times March 14, 1874
The New York Times February 4, 1874
The New York Times July 9, 1874
The Blue Riband, Charles E. Lee