RMS Republic

RMS Republic was a large steam-powered ocean liner built in 1903 by Harland and Wolff in Belfast. It sailed for the White Star Line and was known as the "Millionaires' Ship" because many wealthy Americans traveled on it. The ship was famous for being very comfortable and was the main ship for White Star Line's trips between Boston and Europe.

In 1909, Republic was lost at sea after crashing into another ship. The ship had a new Marconi wireless telegraphy transmitter, and it sent out a CQD distress call. This was the first big sea rescue helped by radio communication, and because of it, around 1,500 people were saved. The successful rescue showed how important radio could be for safety at sea and brought a lot of attention to this new technology around the world.

History

The ship was built by Harland & Wolff in Belfast, Ireland, for the Dominion Line. It was named Columbus and started its journeys in October 1903 from Liverpool to Boston. Later, the Dominion Line and White Star Line became part of the same big company. Columbus was then sold to White Star Line and renamed Republic.

After that, Republic served on routes between Boston, Naples, and Genoa, especially for people moving from Italy to the United States. Over time, it had a few small accidents, like bumping into other ships in Boston and Naples.

Collision with SS Florida and sinking

On January 23, 1909, the Republic was sailing from New York City to Gibraltar and Mediterranean ports when it collided with the SS Florida in thick fog near Nantucket, Massachusetts. The Republic hit the Florida on its side, causing damage and flooding. Captain Inman Sealby organized the passengers calmly for evacuation.

The Republic was the first ship to send a distress signal using the new Marconi wireless telegraph system. The SS Florida, the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service cutter Gresham, and later the Baltic helped rescue the passengers and crew. Although six people died in the collision, most were saved thanks to the quick response and the rescue efforts. The Republic sank later that day, but all remaining crew members were safely evacuated before it went down.

Rediscovery

The wreck of Republic was found in 1981 by Captain Martin Bayerle. It lies upright about 50 miles south of Nantucket Island, at a depth of around 270 feet in the water.