RMS Franconia (1910)

	RMS Franconia in Boston Harbor
History
United Kingdom
Name	RMS Franconia
Namesake	Franconia
Owner	Cunard Line
Operator	Cunard Line
Port of registry	Liverpool, United Kingdom
Route	1900–1915; Liverpool–Boston; Liverpool–New York City; Trieste/Fiume–New York City; 1915–1916; Government war service;
Ordered	28 August 1909
Builder	Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Newcastle upon Tyne
Yard number	857
Laid down	8 October 1909
Launched	23 July 1910
Christened	by Lady Elizabeth Forwood
Completed	21 January 1911
Maiden voyage	25 February 1911, Liverpool to New York
Identification	UK Official Number 131315; Code letters "HSDC"; ; Marconi Radio Call Letters "MEA";
Fate	Torpedoed and sunk, 4 October 1916
General characteristics
Type	Ocean liner
Tonnage	18,150 GRT; 11,247 NRT;
Length	625 ft (191 m) total; 600.3 ft (183 m) between perpendiculars;
Beam	71.3 ft (21.7 m)
Height	90 ft (27.4 m) (keel to top of deck houses); 149 ft (45 m) (keel to top of funnels); 200 ft (61 m) (keel to top of masts);
Draught	29 ft (8.8 m)
Depth	44 ft (13.4 m) (depth moulded to Upper Deck)
Decks	7 passenger decks; 9 decks overall;
Installed power	6 double-ended scotch boilers; Steam pressure of 210psi; 14,000 indicated horsepower;
Propulsion	Steam quadruple expansion engines geared to twin propellers
Speed	18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Capacity	2,610 passengers total; 174 First Class; 492 Second Class; 1,944 Third Class;
Notes	Sister ship to RMS Laconia (1911)

RMS Franconia was a British ocean liner built for the Cunard Line, by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson of Wallsend, England, and launched in 1910. Franconia mainly sailed on the line's Boston service, being the largest ship of the time to enter Boston harbor, while in winter she served as a cruise ship sailing from New York to the Mediterranean. She saw military service during World War I as a hospital ship and troopship and was sunk by a torpedo from a German U-boat in 1916.

Franconia was followed by a sister ship of the same design, RMS Laconia (1911), that was also lost in the war.