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==History==

==History==

''Lusitania'' was first conceived as a way of returing the [[Blue Riband Trophy]] to Britain, and ensuring British dominance of steamship passenger service across the Atlantic.  In 1902, while the trophy was still in German hands (since 1897, by the Nordeutscher Lloyd ship ''Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse''), negotiations began between members of the government and [[Cunard]] with the purpose of building several liners capable of up to 25 knots; Cunard would retain all rights to use the ships, but in exchange for a government loan of £2,600,000 the vessels would be turned over to the government during a national emergency for use as troop transports or hospital ships.  The ships would be named ''Lusitania'' and ''Mauritania''.

''Lusitania'' was first conceived as a way of returning the Blue Riband Trophy to Britain, and ensuring British dominance of steamship passenger service across the Atlantic.  In 1902, while the trophy was still in German hands (since 1897, by the Nordeutscher Lloyd ship ''Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse''), negotiations began between members of the government and Cunard with the purpose of building several liners capable of up to 25 knots; Cunard would retain all rights to use the ships, but in exchange for a government loan of £2,600,000 the vessels would be turned over to the government during a national emergency for use as troop transports or hospital ships.  The ships would be named ''Lusitania'' and ''Mauritania''.

To meet the speed requirements the ships were fitted with new Parsons steam turbine engines powering four three-bladed propellers; their hulls were designed around a "nine-to-one" ratio of length versus beam, ensuring their power would push them easily to meet the projected speed requirements, and after tank testing in the Admiralty, the length of each was fixed at 787 feet.

To meet the speed requirements the ships were fitted with new Parsons steam turbine engines powering four three-bladed propellers; their hulls were designed around a "nine-to-one" ratio of length versus beam, ensuring their power would push them easily to meet the projected speed requirements. After tank testing in the Admiralty, the length of each was fixed at 787 feet.

''Lusitania's'' keel was laid in May, 1905, and when she was launced in June, 1906, she was the largest vessel afloat.  Passenger accomodations rivaled the finest hotels in Europe; even third-class accomdations, changed from standard open-berthing to four-to-six berth cabins, were palatial when compared to other ships.  In her sea trials her engines performed as expected, generating 68,000 horsepower while driving the ship forward at 25 knots, compared to 10 knots for a typical freighter (and 3 knots for a submarine underwater).

''Lusitania's'' keel was laid in May 1905, and when she was launched in June 1906, she was the largest vessel afloat.  Passenger accommodations rivaled the finest hotels in Europe; even third-class accommodations, changed from standard open-berthing to four-to-six berth cabins, were palatial when compared to other ships.  In her sea trials her engines performed as expected, generating 68,000 horsepower while driving the ship forward at 25 knots, compared to 10 knots for a typical freighter (and 3 knots for a submarine underwater).

Thinking of her possible wartime service in the future, ''Lusitania'' was designed with her coal bunkers placed along side her boiler rooms, the theory being that a hit by a torpedo or ramming would be absorbed by these compartments and not affect her vital machinery.   

Thinking of her possible wartime service in the future, ''Lusitania'' was designed with her coal bunkers placed alongside her boiler rooms, the theory being that a hit by a torpedo or ramming would be absorbed by these compartments and not affect her vital machinery.   

Her first voyage on September 7, 1907 did not result in regaining the Blue Riband, but on her second voyage she did, completing the crossing in 4 days, 19 hours, and 52 minutes.  ''Lusitania'' would break her own speed records several times, even as the Blue Riband passed to her sister ship, the slightly-faster ''Mauritania''.

Her first voyage on September 7, 1907 did not result in regaining the Blue Riband, but on her second voyage she did, completing the crossing in 4 days, 19 hours, and 52 minutes.  ''Lusitania'' would break her own speed records several times, even as the Blue Riband passed to her sister ship, the slightly-faster ''Mauritania''.