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A publication once described the R.M.S. Lusitania as "one of the boldest ventures in maritime engineering." However, on May 7, 1915, a German torpedo struck the colossal ship, leading to the deaths of over 1100 civilians. This tragedy played a significant role in pushing the United States toward entering World War I. Discover more about this iconic ocean liner below.
1. The Lusitania was designed to bolster Britain's economic standing.
Cunard, a Liverpool-based shipping firm, commissioned the R.M.S. Lusitania and its counterpart, the R.M.S. Mauretania, in 1902. Constructed by John Brown & Co. in Scotland, the Lusitania aimed to reclaim Britain's supremacy in transatlantic travel by outpacing German and American rivals. At the time, German liners boasted superior amenities and cutting-edge technology, holding the record for the fastest Atlantic crossings since 1897. Cunard hoped its new "superliners" would achieve unprecedented speeds and revitalize British maritime travel.
2. Cunard received a massive loan—with specific conditions.
To construct the Lusitania and Mauretania, Cunard obtained a £2.6 million, low-interest subsidy from the British government (equivalent to roughly £300 million in today’s currency). Additionally, Cunard was granted an annual operating subsidy of £75,000 (approximately £8.6 million today) per ship and a mail transport contract worth £68,000 each (around £7.8 million today). (The “R.M.S.” in their names denotes “royal mail ship.”)
What did the British government gain from this agreement, aside from national pride and minimal financial returns? The Admiralty mandated that both vessels be constructed to naval standards, allowing them to be commandeered during wartime. Although the Lusitania never transported troops, the Mauretania served as a hospital ship and troopship, even receiving a layer of dazzle paint for maritime camouflage.
3. The Lusitania featured state-of-the-art Edwardian technology.
As part of the loan agreement, Cunard ensured both ships could maintain a cruising speed of at least 24.5 knots (around 28 mph), surpassing the fastest German liners, which could only reach just over 23 knots.
To achieve this goal, Cunard equipped the ship with four steam turbine engines, each driving its own propeller—a groundbreaking feature for ocean liners at the time. The advanced technology in the Lusitania demanded “68 extra furnaces, six additional boilers, 52,000 square feet of heating surface, and a boost of 30,000 horsepower,” as The New York Times noted. Without these turbines, the vessel would have required at least three standard engines, each generating 20,000 horsepower, to achieve 25 knots.
The Lusitania needed every ounce of power due to its enormous size: 787 feet in length, with a gross tonnage of approximately 32,000 tons, four funnels to rival the German liners (previous British ships had only three), and seven decks for passengers. The ship was built to host 563 first-class, 464 second-class, and 1138 third-class passengers, along with 802 crew members.
4. Crowds of thousands gathered to witness the Lusitania’s first journey.
On September 7, 1907, the Lusitania set sail from Liverpool on its maiden voyage to New York, with a stop in Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland. “The ship made a striking impression as it departed, with its towering funnels and dazzling lights,” reported the Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. “Throughout the day, a steady flow of visitors boarded the ship, and its departure was watched by an estimated 200,000 spectators.”
Upon arriving in Queenstown, the newspaper added, “768 mail bags were loaded onto the Lusitania, which, cheered enthusiastically by crowds gathered from across Ireland, embarked on its great speed test across the vast Atlantic.”
5. Third-class passengers enjoyed a surprisingly luxurious experience.
Every passenger class had access to dining rooms, smoking areas, lounges for women, nurseries, and other shared spaces. The first-class sections were adorned in lavish Georgian and Queen Anne designs, while third-class areas, though simpler, were still cozy and well-appointed. The Lusitania also pioneered onboard elevators, alongside modern amenities like wireless telegraphs, telephones, and electric lighting.
Meals onboard were a feast, offering a wide array of dishes to satisfy even the most refined tastes of the Edwardian era. A sample luncheon menu from January 1908 featured starters such as potted shrimps, omelette aux tomates, lamb pot pie, and grilled sirloin or mutton chops. This was followed by an assortment of cold meats, including Cumberland ham, roast beef, boiled ox tongue, and boar’s head. Desserts ranged from delicate pastries and prune compote to cheeses, fresh fruits, and nuts.
6. The Lusitania reclaimed the prestigious Blue Riband.
Britain, the nation that pioneered the competition for faster Atlantic crossings, was deeply frustrated by Germany’s dominance in transatlantic travel. Cunard was determined to reclaim the Blue Riband, an unofficial honor for the fastest average Atlantic crossing, from the German liners. Although poor weather hindered the Lusitania’s initial attempt, the ship achieved an average speed of 23.99 knots during its voyage from October 6-10, 1907, shattering the German record.
The Lusitania surpassed its own record but was eventually outdone by the Mauretania in 1909, which retained the Blue Riband for the following two decades.
7. Passengers on the Lusitania received warnings about potential enemy attacks.
When the First World War began in July 1914, tensions escalated. On May 1, 1915—the day the Lusitania embarked on its final voyage—the German embassy in Washington, D.C., issued a notice in New York’s morning papers, cautioning travelers about the risks of crossing the Atlantic during wartime. In some newspapers, this warning appeared just below an ad for Cunard’s upcoming voyages, including the Lusitania’s planned trip on May 29, 1915. The notice declared, “Attention! Passengers planning to travel across the Atlantic are advised that a state of war exists between Germany and its allies and Great Britain and its allies. Ships flying the British flag or those of its allies are at risk of destruction in [British] waters, and travelers entering the war zone on such vessels do so at their own peril.”
Most passengers dismissed the idea that the Lusitania was at risk, as it had completed numerous voyages safely since the war began. Additionally, being a civilian passenger ship, it was not considered a valid military target.
8. The ship was struck by a torpedo from a German U-boat.
The initial six days of the voyage passed without incident. On the afternoon of May 7, Leslie Morton, an able seaman, started his watch at 2 p.m. He recalled to the BBC:
“It was a perfect day; the ocean was calm as glass. With Liverpool just a day away, everyone was in high spirits. We hadn’t taken the sinking threats seriously, as we didn’t believe it could happen … At 2:10 p.m., I noticed a disturbance in the water, clearly caused by air bubbles from a torpedo launch. I spotted two torpedoes heading diagonally toward the ship. The 'Lucy' was cruising at about 16 knots. I alerted the bridge using a megaphone, shouting that torpedoes were approaching the starboard side. By the time I turned back to look, they struck the ship between the second and third funnels.”
In first class, Margaret Haig Thomas, a prominent suffragette and businesswoman (later known as Second Viscountess Rhondda), felt the explosion. “There was a muffled thud, not overly loud but unmistakably an explosion,” she recounted to the BBC. “I didn’t hesitate; as I rushed up the stairs, the ship was already tilting.”
9. The Lusitania sank in a mere 18 minutes.
The torpedo struck just behind the bridge, near the ship’s bow, sending a massive plume of smoke into the air. Instantly, the vessel tilted to starboard, and the bow began to submerge. Panic erupted across all seven passenger decks. Morton described to the BBC how the port-side lifeboats became unusable, while those on the starboard side were hastily filled with terrified passengers and launched chaotically; some overturned or collided with other boats already in the water. From his periscope, U-boat captain Walther Schwieger noted in his war diary, “Many people seemed to lose their composure; several lifeboats, overloaded with passengers, plunged into the water bow or stern first and sank immediately.”
Shortly after the torpedo struck, a second explosion erupted from within the ship. The water quickly became a chaotic mix of people, lifeboats, shattered debris, luggage, deck chairs, and other wreckage, all in danger of being dragged under by the sinking liner. “The entire ordeal lasted just 15 minutes. It takes longer to recount,” said Morton, who had managed to secure a collapsible boat and rescue numerous passengers. Within an hour, he noted, “the ship had already settled on the ocean floor.”
Fishermen in small boats pulled survivors and bodies from the water, transporting them to Queenstown. Out of the 1960 verified individuals aboard the Lusitania, 1193 perished, and only 767 survived. Four of those survivors later succumbed to their injuries.
10. The sinking potentially shifted the course of World War I.
Nearly all American passengers—more than 120 out of 159—lost their lives in the disaster. The United States, then a neutral nation, swiftly condemned the attack on civilians, and public sentiment turned sharply against Germany. While Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan contended that both Germany and Britain (which had imposed a food blockade on Germany) shared responsibility, the American public began to take sides. However, the U.S. did not officially enter World War I until April 1917.
11. The cause of the second explosion remains unresolved.
During the official inquiry into the attack, Morton maintained that he saw two torpedoes aimed at the Lusitania. However, Schwieger’s log and accounts from the U-boat crew confirm that the submarine launched only one.
The reason for the second explosion, occurring 15 seconds after the first, remains a mystery—though many theories exist. One hypothesis proposes that undeclared military explosives stored in the ship’s magazine ignited upon the torpedo’s impact. Robert Ballard, who located the Titanic wreck in 1985, speculated in his book Lost Liners that the torpedo ruptured the coal bunkers, causing a coal dust explosion. Another possibility is that a second torpedo was fired by an unidentified submarine, though no other sub claimed responsibility, likely due to the international outcry against Schwieger’s actions.
The truth may remain elusive for maritime archaeologists. Resting 300 feet below the surface, the Lusitania wreck lies on its damaged side, with many decks collapsed onto the seabed, hiding potential evidence.
12. The final survivor of the Lusitania died in 2011.
Audrey Warren Pearl was just three months old when she boarded the Lusitania with her parents, three older siblings, and two nannies in first class. Amid the chaos of the explosions and lifeboat attempts, Audrey, her 5-year-old brother Stuart, and their nanny Alice Lines were separated from her sisters Amy and Susan, their nanny Greta Lorenson, and her parents, Warren and Amy Pearl. Alice and the two children safely boarded Lifeboat 13, while Audrey’s parents were rescued from the water. Tragically, Greta and the other two children were never found.
Audrey later played an active role in Britain’s wartime efforts during the 1940s and contributed to various charitable causes. She maintained a close friendship with Alice Lines until Alice’s passing in 1997 at the age of 100. Audrey, the final survivor of the 1915 tragedy, lived to be 95 years old and passed away on January 11, 2011.
