Californian (1902)

Builder:
Caledon Shipbuilding and
Engineering Company
Dundee, Scotland
Ordered:
1901
Keel Laid:
N/A
Year Built:
1902
Launched:
November 26, 1901
Type:
Passenger/Cargo
Completed:


January 1902
Fate:
Sunk Nov. 9, 1915 by SMS U-35 (torpedo).

Location: Mediterranean Sea, 9 miles east of Cape Matapan, Italy.
(36.26N - 22.40E)

1 crewman killed.


Owner
Frederick Leyland & Company Ltd.
(Leyland Line)
Liverpool, England


Dimensions, machinery and performance

Length:
447' 5" (PP)
Engines:
1 triple expansion
Beam:
53' 8"
Boilers:
2
Draft:
30' (depth)
Shafts:
1
Gross Tons:
6,223
HP:
N/A
DWT:
N/A
Speed:
14 knots
Crew:
55
Funnels:
1
Passengers:
47
Masts:
4


Timeline
Jan. 23, 1902:
Sea trials.
Jan. 31, 1902:
Maiden voyage Dundee, Scotland - New Orleans, Louisiana, arrived Mar. 3.
Apr. 1902:
Chartered for six trans-Atlantic crossings Liverpool to Portland, Maine by the
Dominion Line, returned to Leyland in Dec. 1902.

Apr. 5, 1914:
Departed Liverpool for Boston.
Apr. 14, 1912:

Stopped in ice at 6:30 PM (ship's time) near position 42.03N - 49.09W, stopped again
at 10:20 PM (ship's time) near position 42.05N - 57.07W near where the Titanic struck
an iceberg later that night. It is believed that Californian, under the command of Captain
Stanley Lord, was the ship seen in the distance by the sinking Titanic, which failed to
respond to either wireless signals or rockets.

Apr. 15, 1912:
Arrived alongside Carpathia while she was taking on survivors from Titanic, stayed in
the area searching for survivors, but found none.

Apr. 19, 1912:
Arrived at Boston.
1915:
Requisitioned by the Admiralty.
Nov. 8, 1915:
Damaged by a torpedo from SMS U-35.
Nov. 9, 1915:
Torpedoed and sunk by SMS U-35.
   
Notes:
The Leyland Line was bought by IMM (International Mercantile Marine) in 1902, but
continued to operate under the Leyland name.


Builder's Data
Page published Aug. 15, 2009