The "Georgia" was built by Barclay, Curle & Co, Glasgow for the Hansa Line
of Hamburg. She was a 3,143 gross ton ship, length 100,88m x beam 12,53m
(331ft x 41.1ft), straight stem, one funnel, two masts, steel construction,
single screw and a speed of 11 knots. There was accommodation for 10-1st and
620-3rd class passengers.
Launched on 13th November 1890 as the "Pickhuben", she sailed on her maiden
voyage from Hamburg to Quebec and Montreal on 15th April 1891. In March 1892
she was purchased by the Hamburg America Line and started her first Hamburg
- New York voyage on 17th April 1892. She subsequently ran mostly between
Hamburg and Montreal and in 1895 was renamed "Georgia". On 24th April 1895
she commenced her first Stettin - Helsingborg - Gothenburg - Christiansand -
New York voyage and on 11th November 1897 started her last voyage on this
service.
On 2nd April 1900 she started sailings between Genoa, Naples and New York
and her last voyage commenced on 2nd March 1902. She was then transferred,
on 7th May 1902 to the Odessa - Constantinope - Smyrna - Piraeus - New York
service. She started her seventh and last voyage on this route on 13th March
1904. In 1917 she was seized by the US authorities at New York, renamed
"Housatonic" and operated by the US Shipping Board. On 3rd February 1918 she
was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U.53 south of the Scilly
Isles. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P. Bonsor, vol.1,p.398]
