WHITE STAR LINE, the name by which the world knew the ships of the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company (the shares of which were owned by the White Star Line, Limited), founded by T. H. Ismay in 1869. Ismay's first steamer, the "Oceanic," sailed from the Mersey for New York in March, 1871. In the "Britannic" and "Germanic," each of 5,000 gross tons, were built.
In 1874 the company had extended its operations, by agreement with the Occidental and Oriental Steamship Company of San Francisco. Ten years later the joint service of the White Star Line and Shaw Savill and Albion Company to New Zealand was begun.
The last of the company's single-screw steamers were built in 1888 for the live-stock trade. These were followed by the twin screw passenger liners "Teutonic" and "Majestic." In 1899 the "Medic" inaugurated a service of twin-screw passenger and cargo steamers between Liverpool, South Africa and Australia, in which she was associated with the "Afric," "Persic," "Runic," and "Suevic," all of about 12,000 tons, and accommodating one class only of passengers.
A new "Oceanic" of 17,274 tons was placed in the New York service in 1899. She was lost in Government service during the World War. The "Celtic" and "Cedric," each over 21,000 tons, were produced, soon after the "Oceanic," and in turn were followed by the "Baltic," of 24,000 tons, and the "Adriatic," of 25,00o tons.
The company became a part of the International Mercantile Marine Company in 1902, but, this in no way affected its policy. In 1907 the White Star Line transferred its New York mail service, previously operated from Liverpool, to Southampton.
In 1911 the "Olympic," a triple-screw steamer of over 46,000 tons, entered the service. The "Britannic," a ship of nearly 50,00o tons built for this service, was sunk in the World War. In 1909 the White Star Line combined with the Dominion Line in forming a joint service from Liverpool to Canada, the first steamers of this White Star Dominion Line being the "Lauren tic" (triple-screw), 14,892 tons, and "Megantic" (twin-screw), 14,878 tons. During 1926 the name of the service was changed to the White Star Line Canadian Services, and in the spring of 1928 it added the "Albertic," 19,000 tons, and "Calgaric," 16,00o tons. The new "Laurentic," 58,700 tons, entered the trade early in 1928.
In 1921 the White Star Line acquired the "Majestic," 56,551 tons, and "Homeric," 34,356 tons, the former being one of the two largest vessels in the world, for its mail and passenger service from Southampton and Cherbourg to New York. The "Adriatic," "Baltic," "Cedric" and "Celtic"—the big four— operated in the Liverpool-Queenstown-New York trade.
In 1926 the shares of the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, Limited, were purchased from the International Mercantile Marine Company, by the White Star Line, Limited, formed for the pur pose, the line thus becoming once more a British concern.
On January I, 1927 the White Star Line was sold to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company for L7,000,000, and in January it was amalgamated with the Cunard Steamship Company. See INTERNATIONAL MERCANTILE MARINE COMPANY and CUNARD