The Atlantic Transport Line was an American passenger shipping line based in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1901 the company was folded into the International Mercantile Marine Company (IMM).
History The line developed with railroad support as an offshoot of Bernard N. Baker's Baltimore Storage and Lighterage Company in 1881. Although American owned, the Atlantic Transport Line operated from Britain, with British registered and crewed vessels, most of which were British built. General cargo, live cattle and small numbers of passengers were carried from Baltimore and Philadelphia to British ports and the line developed an excellent reputation for shipping valuable horses. A full-scale weekly passenger service between New York and London commenced in 1892 and today the line is best remembered for its exclusively first class direct London to New York passenger/cargo service operated by its four Minne-class ships: Minneapolis, , Minnetonka and from 1900 to 1915.
In 1898 the U.S. Government bought seven of the Line's ten ships for use as military transports in the Spanish–American War (Baker lent another for use as a hospital ship). The line survived this potentially devastating blow because Baker pulled off a sensational deal and bought a British competitor's five brand new ships almost immediately as replacements. The Atlantic Transport Company of West Virginia was formed at this time to assert American ownership of the line's overseas assets. Baker's attempt to sell the line to British owners in the late 1890s sparked the chain of events that lead to the formation of the IMM.
The line's most important ships were all sunk during the First World War. After the war four huge replacements for the Minne-class ships were planned. Only two of these were built however, and the passenger service, which recommenced in 1923, never matched pre-war successes. With first class travel declining, a tourist third-class ship was introduced in 1925 and for two seasons operated a second. But the line was faltering even before the Wall Street crash and with the recession of 1931 its remaining ships were laid up or transferred to other IMM lines, and it effectively ceased to exist. The American holding company survived until 1936. Minnewaska was the last ship the Atlantic Transport Line operated.
Fleet ShipLaunched ATL ServiceNotesColumbia19141935–1936Ex Belgic, ex Belgenland. Scrapped 1936 19011915–1916Purchased from the Pacific Mail Steamship Company in 1915. In 1916 the ship was sold to Toyo Kisen Kaisha of Yokohama, Japan, and renamed Korea Maru. Scrapped 193418901897–1923Ex British Crown. Scrapped 192318871887–1899 Ex Swansea. Converted to a hospital ship for the Boer War. Wrecked 191419031903–1907Sold and renamed Virginian. Scrapped 1948Maine19041913–1917 Ex Sierra Blanca. Torpedoed by 191719191920–1931 Ex War Riddle. Sold and renamed Skala. Scrapped 195519031915–1918Requisitioned as a troop transport. On return transferred to the American Line. Sold and renamed President Johnson. Resold and renamed Santa Cruz. Scrapped 195218981898–1927Chartered to the Phoenix Line 1911 – 1914. Scrapped 1927Manitoba18921892–1898Sold to US Government and renamed USAT Logan. Sold in 1922, scrapped 192418971898–1902Ex Victoria. Transferred to Red Star Line. Requisitioned 1915 – 1919. On return renamed Poland then transferred to White Star Line in 1922. Scrapped 1925.18971898–1904Ex Boadicea. Transferred to Red Star Line. Torpedoed by 191518861886–1912Sold and renamed Redentore. Wrecked 191319131913–1933Scrapped 1933Massachusetts18911892–1898Requisitioned by US Government and renamed USAT Sheridan. Scrapped in 192319021902–1911 Sold and renamed Kansan. Torpedoed 1917Memphis 18911907–1908Ex America. Scrapped 190818971898–1905 Ex Alexandria. Transferred to Red Star Line. Scrapped 192718971898–1918Ex Winifreda. Torpedoed by 1918 19181919–1925Ex War Icarus. Transferred to White Star Line and renamed Delphic. Subsequently, sold to Clan Line and renamed Clan Farquhar. Scrapped 194818901890–1896Transferred to the National Line. Sold to US Government and renamed USAT Kilpatrick. Resold and renamed Acropolis. Subsequently, resold and renamed Washington. Finally sold and renamed Great Canton. Scrapped 192418991899–1900 Transferred to the Dominion Line and renamed Irishman. Scrapped 1924Michigan18971914–1926Ex Monmouth, ex Irishman. Sold and renamed Candido. Scrapped 192718991900–1915Requisitioned by UK government. Torpedoed by 191619001900–1917Torpedoed by 191719171920–1931 Laid up and eventually scrapped in 19361887 1887–1926 Renamed Mahopac in 1917. Scrapped in 192619031917–1923Chartered by US government in 1919 and renamed USS Troy. Scrapped 1923Minnesota19001927–1930 Ex Zeeland, ex Northland. Scrapped 193019011901–1918Torpedoed by and 191819241924–1934Scrapped 1934Minnewaska18941897–1898 Ex Persia. Requisitioned by the US Government and renamed USAT Thomas. Scrapped 192819081909–1916Total loss after being mined by 191619231923–1931Sold to Red Star Line. Scrapped 1934Mississippi18901890–1898Requisitioned by US government and renamed . Scrapped 1929Mississippi19021902–1906 Transferred to Red Star Line and renamed Samland. Transferred to White Star Line 1911 – 1913 and temporarily renamed Belgic. Scrapped 193119141914–1933ATL's only diesel-powered ship. Scrapped 193318881888–1898Sold to US Government and renamed USAT Egbert. Sold and renamed Stanley Dollar. Wrecked 190519031903–1908Sold and renamed Missourian. Torpedoed by 191719131913–1933Scrapped 1933Mobile18921892–1898Sold to US Government and renamed USAT Sherman. Resold and renamed Calawaii. Scrapped 1933Mobile18901907–1911Ex Europe. Sold and renamed Throger. Renamed Guvernoren. Burnt at sea 1915Mohawk18921892–1898Sold to US Army and renamed USAT Grant. Converted to dredge USED Chinook. Scrapped 1946Mohawk18851899–1903Ex Belgic. Scrapped 190318981898–1898Ex Cleopatra. Sank 189819031915–1920Transferred to the American Line and subsequently to the Panama Pacific Line. Sold and renamed President Fillimore. Subsequently, resold and renamed Panamanian. Scrapped 194718871887–1913 Sold and renamed Resurrezione. Scrapped 192619191920–1935Ex Defender. Scrapped 193519191920–1935Ex Champion. Scrapped 193519011915–1916Sold and renamed Siberia Maru. Scrapped 193418811882–1886 Wrecked 188618811881–1889 Renamed Michigan in 1888. Sold and renamed Harry Luckenbach. Torpedoed by 191818821882–1885Sank 1885
References
Sources
External links The Atlantic Transport Line, 1881 – 1931 Atlantic Transport Line History and Ephemera GG Archives