SS Alaska (1881)

SS Alaska was a record breaking British passenger liner that won the Blue Riband for the Guion Line as the fastest liner on the Atlantic in 1882.[1] She was a slightly larger and faster edition of Guion's Arizona and in 1883 became the first liner to make the crossing to New York in under a week. However, Alaska burned 250 tons of coal per day, as compared to Arizona's already high 135 tons. Built by John Elder & Company of Glasgow, she carried 350 first class passengers and 1,000 steerage.[2] Her passengers included Hugh Simpson Rodham: future grandfather of Hillary Clinton, who travelled in steerage to America with his mother Bella and seven siblings as a toddler in October 1882.[3] As in the case of Arizona, Stephen Guion also personally owned Alaska.[4]

For other ships with the same name, see USS Alaska.
SS Alaska under steam
History
United Kingdom
NameSS Alaska
Operator Guion Line
BuilderJohn Elder & Company, in Govan, Scotland
Launched15 July 1881
RenamedMagallanes (1897)
FateBroken up 1902
Notes4 mast and 2 funnel
General characteristics
Class and typeSteam passenger ocean liner
Tonnage6,932 gross register tons (GRT)
Length526 ft (160 m)
Beam50.5 ft (15.4 m)
PropulsionSingle screw
Speed16 knots

On her maiden voyage she arrived to New York in December 1881.[5]

Alaska completed 100 voyages when Guion suspended sailings in 1894.[2] She proved difficult to sell and was finally chartered in 1897 by Cia.[1] Transatlanticia Espanola as a troop transport. In 1899, Alaska was sold for scrap, but was resold to the Barrow shipyard where she was used as an accommodation hulk until broken up in 1902.[6][1]

References
  1. "Immigration Vessels". Mystic Seaport. Retrieved 31 August 2013. Won Atlantic Blue Ribbon in April 1882 for a record Atlantic crossing of 7 days, 6 hours, 43 minutes. Laid up 1894. In 1897 renamed MAGALLANES, sailed as charter for Cia Trasatlatica. Sold for scrap 1899, but resold as a hulk. Broken up 1902.
  2. Gibbs, Charles Robert Vernon (1957). Passenger Liners of the Western Ocean: A Record of Atlantic Steam and Motor Passenger Vessels from 1838 to the Present Day. John De Graff. pp. 205–206.
  3. Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls. Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36. National Archives at Washington, D.C.
  4. New York Times (December 20, 1885). Obituary: Stephen Baker Guion.
  5. Scientific American Volume 61 Number 25 (December 1889)
  6. Kludas, Arnold (1999). Record breakers of the North Atlantic, Blue Riband Liners 1838-1953. London: Chatham.
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