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SS Aztec
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SS Aztec
SS Aztec was a cargo steamship that was built in England in 1894 as Canterbury. She was renamed Aztec when she changed owners in 1895. The Pacific Mail Steamship Company bought her in 1897. In March 1917 she was the first United States merchant ship to be defensively armed in response to the Central Powers' attacks on neutral US shipping in the First World War.
A U-boat sank Aztec in April 1917, killing 28 of her ship's company. 11 were US citizens, making her the third US merchant ship to suffer fatalities when sunk by the Imperial German Navy while the US was still neutral. Six of her crew were native Hawaiians, and all but one of them were killed. They were the first native Hawaiians killed by German forces in the First World War.
President Woodrow Wilson had already decided to ask the United States Congress to declare war before Aztec was sunk. The sinkings of other US merchant ships before her, including two with fatalities in March 1917, was one of the factors that helped to ensure a congressional majority to declare war before the news of Aztec's loss reached the US. However, the news did affect political and public opinion in the Territory of Hawaii.
In 1894 the Edwards Shipbuilding Company at Howdon on the River Tyne built three sister ships. Yard numbers 67 and 68 were launched on 20 February and 7 April as Kurrachee and Caspian respectively. Both ships were for Nelson, Donkin and Company of London. Yard number 69, built to the same measurements, was launched on 21 June as Canterbury and completed that September for Blindell Brothers and Company of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Canterbury's registered length was 349.2 ft (106.4 m), her beam was 43.0 ft (13.1 m), and her depth was 26.6 ft (8.1 m). As built, her tonnages were 3,508 GRT and 2,303 NRT. She had a single screw, driven by a three-cylinder triple-expansion engine built by Blair and Company of Stockton-on-Tees that was rated at 299 NHP. As built, the ship was a coal-burner. By 1914 she had been converted to burn oil fuel.
In 1895 Albert Smith of London bought Canterbury, renamed her Aztec, and registered her in London. Her United Kingdom official number was 104837 and her code letters were NRHS.
In 1897 the Pacific Mail Steamship Company bought Aztec and registered her in Honolulu in the Republic of Hawaii. By 1898 her code letters were HBFN, and by 1899 her Hawaiian official number was 324. By 1901 she was still registered in Hawaii, but under the United States, with the US official number 107547 and code letters KPWD. By 1902 she was registered in New York.
By 1914 Aztec was equipped with wireless telegraphy. Her call sign was WWQ.
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SS Aztec
SS Aztec was a cargo steamship that was built in England in 1894 as Canterbury. She was renamed Aztec when she changed owners in 1895. The Pacific Mail Steamship Company bought her in 1897. In March 1917 she was the first United States merchant ship to be defensively armed in response to the Central Powers' attacks on neutral US shipping in the First World War.
A U-boat sank Aztec in April 1917, killing 28 of her ship's company. 11 were US citizens, making her the third US merchant ship to suffer fatalities when sunk by the Imperial German Navy while the US was still neutral. Six of her crew were native Hawaiians, and all but one of them were killed. They were the first native Hawaiians killed by German forces in the First World War.
President Woodrow Wilson had already decided to ask the United States Congress to declare war before Aztec was sunk. The sinkings of other US merchant ships before her, including two with fatalities in March 1917, was one of the factors that helped to ensure a congressional majority to declare war before the news of Aztec's loss reached the US. However, the news did affect political and public opinion in the Territory of Hawaii.
In 1894 the Edwards Shipbuilding Company at Howdon on the River Tyne built three sister ships. Yard numbers 67 and 68 were launched on 20 February and 7 April as Kurrachee and Caspian respectively. Both ships were for Nelson, Donkin and Company of London. Yard number 69, built to the same measurements, was launched on 21 June as Canterbury and completed that September for Blindell Brothers and Company of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Canterbury's registered length was 349.2 ft (106.4 m), her beam was 43.0 ft (13.1 m), and her depth was 26.6 ft (8.1 m). As built, her tonnages were 3,508 GRT and 2,303 NRT. She had a single screw, driven by a three-cylinder triple-expansion engine built by Blair and Company of Stockton-on-Tees that was rated at 299 NHP. As built, the ship was a coal-burner. By 1914 she had been converted to burn oil fuel.
In 1895 Albert Smith of London bought Canterbury, renamed her Aztec, and registered her in London. Her United Kingdom official number was 104837 and her code letters were NRHS.
In 1897 the Pacific Mail Steamship Company bought Aztec and registered her in Honolulu in the Republic of Hawaii. By 1898 her code letters were HBFN, and by 1899 her Hawaiian official number was 324. By 1901 she was still registered in Hawaii, but under the United States, with the US official number 107547 and code letters KPWD. By 1902 she was registered in New York.
By 1914 Aztec was equipped with wireless telegraphy. Her call sign was WWQ.