American Line
Encyclopedia
The American Line was a shipping
company based in Philadelphia that was founded in 1871. It began as part of the Pennsylvania Railroad
, although the railroad got out of the shipping business soon after founding the company. In 1902 it became part of the International Navigation Co., with the American Line generally handling traffic between the United States ports of Philadelphia and New York City and the British ports of Liverpool
and Southampton
. Sister company Red Star Line
handled traffic between America and the European continent, primarily through Antwerp, Belgium
. The company's most prominent president was Clement Griscom
, who led the company from 1888 to 1902 and worked as a company executive for its entire existence. During its existence the company was the largest American shipping company, rivalled only by the smaller, Baltimore
-based Atlantic Transport Lines, although this distinction is a marginal one as all American oceanic shipping concerns were dwarfed by British companies such as the White Star Line
or Cunard Line
and German ones such as HAPAG
.
The company became much larger when it bought out the Inman Line
in 1886. In 1902, Griscom decided to merge his company with several other lines to create the International Mercantile Marine Company. The American name continued to exist under the IMM banner, but it was not until the trust's
failure in 1932 that the American pieces of the combine were once again solely under the American flag, this time in the guise of United States Lines
.
1895-1898 for 7 voyages., chartered to the Red Star Line 1901-1902 for 4 voyages., chartered to the Red Star Line 1886-1897.
Shipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
company based in Philadelphia that was founded in 1871. It began as part of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, although the railroad got out of the shipping business soon after founding the company. In 1902 it became part of the International Navigation Co., with the American Line generally handling traffic between the United States ports of Philadelphia and New York City and the British ports of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
. Sister company Red Star Line
Red Star Line
The Red Star Line was an ocean passenger line founded in 1871 as a joint venture between the International Navigation Company of Philadelphia, which also ran the American Line, and the Société Anonyme de Navigation Belgo-Américaine of Antwerp, Belgium...
handled traffic between America and the European continent, primarily through Antwerp, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. The company's most prominent president was Clement Griscom
Clement Griscom
Clement Acton Griscom was a prominent American Quaker businessman and nineteenth century shipping magnate.-Biography:...
, who led the company from 1888 to 1902 and worked as a company executive for its entire existence. During its existence the company was the largest American shipping company, rivalled only by the smaller, Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
-based Atlantic Transport Lines, although this distinction is a marginal one as all American oceanic shipping concerns were dwarfed by British companies such as the White Star Line
White Star Line
The Oceanic Steam Navigation Company or White Star Line of Boston Packets, more commonly known as the White Star Line, was a prominent British shipping company, today most famous for its ill-fated vessel, the RMS Titanic, and the World War I loss of Titanics sister ship Britannic...
or Cunard Line
Cunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
and German ones such as HAPAG
Hapag
Hapag may mean:* Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt-Actiengesellschaft , a former German shipping company, see Hamburg America Line or Hapag-Lloyd* 724 Hapag, a minor planet...
.
The company became much larger when it bought out the Inman Line
Inman Line
The Inman Line which operated from 1850 until its 1893 absorption into American Line, was one of the three largest 19th century British passenger shipping companies on the North Atlantic, along with the White Star Line and Cunard Line...
in 1886. In 1902, Griscom decided to merge his company with several other lines to create the International Mercantile Marine Company. The American name continued to exist under the IMM banner, but it was not until the trust's
Trust (19th century)
A special trust or business trust is a business entity formed with intent to monopolize business, to restrain trade, or to fix prices. Trusts gained economic power in the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some, but not all, were organized as trusts in the legal sense...
failure in 1932 that the American pieces of the combine were once again solely under the American flag, this time in the guise of United States Lines
United States Lines
United States Lines was a transatlantic shipping company that operated cargo services from 1921 to 1989, and ocean liners until 1969—most famously the SS United States.-1920s:...
.
Ships
, chartered to the Red Star LineRed Star Line
The Red Star Line was an ocean passenger line founded in 1871 as a joint venture between the International Navigation Company of Philadelphia, which also ran the American Line, and the Société Anonyme de Navigation Belgo-Américaine of Antwerp, Belgium...
1895-1898 for 7 voyages., chartered to the Red Star Line 1901-1902 for 4 voyages., chartered to the Red Star Line 1886-1897.
- IndianaSS Indiana (1873)SS Indiana was an iron passenger-cargo steamship built by William Cramp & Sons in 1873. The third of a series of four Pennsylvania-class vessels, Indiana and her three sister ships - Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois - were the largest iron ships ever built in the United States at the time of their...
, chartered to the Red Star Line 1889., chartered to the Red Star Line 1895-1903., purchased from the Red Star Line in 1923 then sold to Panama Pacific LinePanama Pacific LineThe Panama Pacific Line was a subsidiary line of International Mercantile Marine established to carry passengers and freight between the U.S. East and West Coasts via the Panama Canal....
., chartered from American Line 1887-1897., chartered to the Red Star Line 1925-1926. Sold to the RSL 1926 and renamed Pennland. Sold to Bernstein Red Star Line, Hamburg 1935., chartered to the Red Star Line 1895-1903.