Mick Hartley

The great Cunard liner steaming into the Hudson River past the Hoboken piers:

[Photo: Shorpy/Detroit publishing]

Full size here.

The Lusitania was launched in 1907. There's a wonderful panoramic shot from the Library of Congress of her in New York harbour at the end of the first leg of her maiden voyage:

In New York hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the bank of the River Hudson from Battery Park to pier 56. All New York's police had been called out to control the crowd. 100 horse drawn cabs had been queuing from the start of the day ready to take away passengers. During the week's stay the ship was made available for guided tours.

She didn't break the record time for the trip – the Blue Riband – that time, but did on her second voyage, taking 4 days, 19 hours and 53 minutes.

She's remembered now, of course, for her end: hit by a German torpedo off the coast of Ireland in 1915, she sank along with 1,198 of her 1,959 passengers. It was a major factor in turning US opinion against the Germans.

Everything you wanted to know about the Lusitania, and maybe a little bit more, at the extensive Wiki entry…..including this poignant detail:

Charles Ives's Orchestral Set No. 2 concludes with a movement entitled, From Hanover Square North, at the End of a Tragic Day, the Voice of the People Again Arose. It recounts Ives's experience waiting for an elevated train in New York City as the news of the sinking of the Lusitania came through. The passengers assembled on the platform began singing "In The Sweet By and By" in time to a barrel organ which was playing the tune. Echoes of their voices can be heard at the start of the music, and the hymn tune itself appears at the end.