Majesty at Sea: The Four Stackers

Front Cover and Spine, Majesty at Sea: The Four-Stackers by John J. Shaum, Jr. and William H. Flayhart III, 1981. Foreword by Walter Lord. Cover Design by Bob Swan. GGA Image ID # 2051268ddf

On the Front Cover

Artistic license being what it is, the Aquitania towers over everything else in sight except the lower Manhattan skyline. She was big, no doubt, but such devices were often utilized to make the ships appear even more considerable in advertising.

From the Dust Jacket Flap

The opulent and luxurious four-funnel passenger liners, of which only fourteen have ever been built, are unsurpassed in maritime history. Built between 1897 and 1921, these great vessels vied with each other in their standards of comfort, spaciousness, and speed, and great was the rivalry between their owners.

Norddeutscher Lloyd started the trend and built the greatest number—Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, Kronprinz Wilhelm, Kaiser Wilhelm II and Kronprinzessin Cecilie. HAPAG, their major German competitor, built only one—Deutschland—as did the Compagnie Général Transatlantique with their France.

The Cunard and White Star lines each constructed three, and these are probably the most famous liners of all time: Lusitania, Mauretania, Aquitania, Olympic, Titanic, and Britannic. Finally, Union Castle built the Arundel Castle and Windsor Castle to introduce the same standards to the Cape run as on the Atlantic routes.

Each ship had a unique identity, their interiors lavishly decorated in historical and international styles to resemble floating palaces. Several also served in less glamorous wartime roles as commerce raiders, troopships, and hospital ships.

This sumptuous book portrays their careers in words and an unparalleled selection of photographs and prints. Written by two eminent maritime historians, it is bound to be treasured by all who share their love affair with the sea and ships.

Contents

• Foreword by Walter Lord
• Introduction

1. Norddeutscher Lloyd

• Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, Kronprinz Wilhelm, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Kronprinzessin Cecilie

2. Hamburg America

• Deutschland

3. Cunard

• Lusitania, Mauretania, Aquitania

4. White Star

• Olympic, Titanic, Britannic

5. Compagnie Générale Transatlantique

• France

6. Union-Castle

• Arundel Castle, Windsor Castle

• Acknowledgements
• Index

Back Cover, Majesty at Sea: The Four-Stackers by John J. Shaum, Jr. and William H. Flayhart III, 1981. GGA Image ID # 2051d3698e

On the Back Cover

The portrait of Kaiser Wilhelm I graces the first-class music room-drawing room of the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, constructed around one of the funnel casings. The architectural style can only be described as 'High Victorian' or, in the German manner, 'Wilhelmine' (Library of Congress).

From the Back Cover

Unmatched for sheer opulent luxury, the fourteen superb four-funnel liners are unique in maritime history. Norddeutscher Lloyd's Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, Kronprinz Wilhelm, Kaiser Wilhelm II and Kronprinzessin Cecilie; HAPAG's Deutschland; Cunard's Lusitania, Mauretania and Aquitania; White Star's Olympic, Titanic and Britannic; the Compagnie Général Transatlantique's France and the Union Castle's Arundel Castle and Windsor Castle: what magic their very names convey. This sumptuous book portrays their histories in vivid words and pictures. All maritime historians and enthusiasts will treasure it.

About the Authors

John H. Shaum, Jr is a radio broadcaster in Baltimore, Maryland, where he was born in 1948. He entered journalism after serving with the United States Marine Corps and, like his co-author, has had a lifelong enthusiasm for ships and the sea. He is Regional Vice President of the Steamship Historical Society of America, Regional Editor of Steamboat Bill, and a member of the World Ship Society. In addition to ships, his interests include railways and organ music. He lives with his wife Martha and their two children in Baltimore.

William H. Flayhart III is a History and Political Science Professor at Delaware State College. Born in Philadelphia in 1944, he has had a lifelong fascination with the sea and majored in British maritime history. He has always had close links with this country, completing his doctoral research at the University of London following a year as an undergraduate at Edinburgh. Since then, he has returned many times, usually on maritime affairs. A member of the Society for Nautical Research, the United States Naval Institute, and the North American Society of Oceanic Historians, he has held the American Chair on the International Committee of the World Ship Society. He has been awarded the Steamship Historical Society's gold medal for maritime and naval history contributions. He lives with his wife, Deborah, and their two children in Dover, Delaware.

Author Inscription and Signature. With many thanks for your photographic talents and assistance. Best Wishes. Bill Flayhart. 12/5/1981. GGA Image ID # 205216c1ba

List of Passenger Ships Referenced in Majesty at Sea

1. Adriatic
2. Aller
3. America (ex-Amerika)
4. Amroth Castle
5. Anne de Bretagne
6. Aquitania
7. Arlanza
8. Arucas
9. Arundel Castle
10. Athlone Castle
11. Baltic
12. Berengaria (ex-Imperator)
13. Bethania
14. Birma
15. Bismarck
16. Borussia
17. Bremen (1897)
18. Bremen ( 1929)
19. Britannic
20. Britannic (1910)
21. Calamares
22. Californian
23. Campania
24. Canadian
25. Cap Trafalgar
26. Carmania
27. Carnarvon Castle
28. Caronia
29. Carpathia
30. Cedric
31. Celtic
32. Ceramic
33. Champlain
34. Charles Roux
35. Chasehill
36. City of Exeter
37. Coleby
38. Columbus
39. Conte de Savoia
40. De Grasse
41. Deutschland
42. Duala
43. Duca Degli Abruzzi
44. Duilio
45. Dwinsk
46. Ebernburg
47. Empress of Britain
48. Empress of Canada
49. Empress of Ireland
50. Estonian
51. Europa
52. France (1865)
53. France (1912)
54. France (1962)
55. Frankfort
56. Friedrich der Grosse
57. Galician
58. George Washington
59. Georgic
60. Giulio Cesare
61. Great Eastern
62. Grosser Kurfürst
63. Guadeloupe
64. Hemisphere
65. Holger
66. Homeric (ex-Columbus)
67. Ile de France
68. Imperator
69. Incemore
70. Indian Prince
71. Instructor
72. Kaipara
73. Kaiser Friedrich
74. Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse
75. Kaiser Wilhelm II
76. Kaiserin Auguste Victoria
77. Kronprinz Wilhelm
78. Kronprinzessin Cecilie
79. Kroonland
80. La Correntina
81. La Lorraine
82. La Picardie
83. La Provence
84. La Savoie
85. Lafayette
86. Lapland
87. Laurentic
88. Leviathan (ex- Vaterland)
89. Lucania
90. Lurline
91. Lusitania
92. Macedonia
93. Magdeburg
94. Main
95. Majestic (1887)
96. Majestic (ex-Bismarck)
97. Mauretania
98. Megantic
99. Meteor (yacht)
100. Mesaba
101. Mont Agel
102. Mont Blanc
103. Mount Temple
104. Narragansett
105. New York
106. Nieuw Amsterdam
107. Normandie
108. Nyanga
109. Oceanic
110. Oceanic (1928)
111. Olans Olssen
112. Olympic
113. Orinoco
114. Orizaba
115. Paris
116. Pendennis Castle
117. Pontos
118. Potaro
119. President Grant
120. Prinz Eitel Friedrich
121. Prussia
122. Queen Elizabeth
123. Queen Mary
124. Rex
125. Saale
126. Samson
127. Semantha
128. Sequaranca
129. Sierra Cordoba
130. Stirling Castle
131. Tamar
132. Teutonic
133. Titanic
134. Union
135. Vaterland
136. Virginian
137. Walhalla
138. Washington
139. Winchester Castle
140. Windsor Castle

List of Steamship Lines Referenced in Majesty at Sea

1. British & North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Co.
2. Compagnie Générale Maritime (CGM)
3. Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (CGT) French Line
4. Cunard Line
5. Cunard Steam-Ship Co.
6. Elder Dempster Line
7. Hamburg America Line (HAPAG)
8. Inman & International Line
9. International Mercantile Marine
10. Nelson Line
11. New Zealand Shipping Co.
12. Norddeutscher Lloyd (NDL)
13. Oceanic Steam Navigation Co.
14. Roland Line
15. Royal Mail Steam Packet Co.
16. Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co.
17. United American Lines
18. Ward Line
19. White Star Line

Library of Congress Catalog Listing

• Personal name: Shaum, John H., 1944-
• Main title: Majesty at sea: the four-stackers / by John H. Shaum Jr. & William H. Flayhart III.
• Published/Created: Cambridge [Cambridgeshire]: P. Stephens, 1981.
• Description: 168 p.: ill. (some col.) ; 32 cm.
• ISBN: 0850594618
• LC Classification: VM381 .S48 1981
• Related names: Flayhart, William H., 1944-
• LC Subjects: Ocean liners--History.
• Notes: Includes index.
• LCCN: 82208085
• Dewey class no.: 387.2/432/09
• Type of material: Book