The "Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse" was 649 feet long, 66 feet broad, and 39 feet deep, from main deck to keel. Her register tonnage was 14,349 tons, and displacement 20,000 tons. The powerful engines indicated 28,000 horse power, giving the leviathan an average speed of from 22 to 23 knots per hour. On one voyage from Southampton to Bremerhaven, in the spring of 1900, she attained a speed of 24.05 knots. With a view to increased steadiness the vessel was fitted with bilge keels, with the intention to eliminate the unpleasant rolling motion. The engines were balanced on the Schlick system which prevented movement to be transferred to the body of the ship, thus reducing unpleasant vibration. The special improvement in the arrangement of this steamer, as compared with other express steamers previously built by the Lloyd or other companies, consisted in the entire upper deck, i. e., the best part of the vessel, being used for cabin passenger accommodation, the crew's quarters being placed on the maindeck below. By the enlargement of the upper deck from side to side a good deal of space had been gained. This newly created design was used as a model in the construction of later express steamers. From her first trip across the Atlantic the "Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse" became a popular ship with the travelling public.



THE RECORD RACE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC - The Hamburg Liner "Deutchland's" Victory, winning the blue riband from the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, when crossing the Atlantic from New York to Plymouth in 5 days 7 hours and 38 minutes