However, she was the largest, the fastest, and the most luxurious of the Big Four, being the first ocean liner to have an indoor swimming pool and Victorian-style Turkish baths.

When World War I broke out, the Adriatic was among the ships that continued their civilian transatlantic service, while carrying many provisions.

At the end of the 19th century, White Star Line, under the leadership of Thomas Henry Ismay, changed its policy to embark on the construction of ships which no longer sought to dominate in the area of speed, but to transport passengers en masse and regularly on spacious and comfortable liners.

[2] The fourth ship in the series, the Adriatic, was ordered from Harland and Wolff shipyards in Belfast in December 1903, but she wasn't completed until May 1907, a strangely long delay.

[4] Harland and Wolff built Adriatic on slipway #3 of its North Yard in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

[3] She was then completed in dry dock and delivered to her company on 25 April 1907, before sailing to Liverpool for her maiden voyage.

Her funnels were buff-colored crowned with black cuff, and the ship had four masts intended to serve as support for the lookout's nest, as well as for the cables of the wireless telegraphy.

In addition to the sumptuous dining room topped with a glass roof, the smoking room adorned with stained glass, the veranda café and the lounges she shared with its sister ships, she was the first liner to be equipped with Victorian-style Turkish baths, as well as an indoor swimming pool.

This port, hitherto little frequented by British companies, was indeed chosen to serve as the base for the new express service desired by White Star, in view of the arrival of its Olympic-class liners.

At the same time, Liverpool becomes a secondary port of departure for services provided by the Baltic, the Cedric, the Celtic, and the Arabic.

[18] An incident occurred on 10 October 1908, when it was discovered that four crew members were stealing passenger luggage and concealing it in the ship for subsequent resale.

[20] On 26 June 1911, following the entry into service of the Olympic, the Adriatic made her last crossing from Southampton before joining her sister ships on the Liverpool route.

The passengers included disgraced White Star Line chairman J. Bruce Ismay[21] and Millvina Dean, the disaster's youngest and last living survivor.

When World War I broke out, the Adriatic and the Baltic continued to provide regular service on the Liverpool route while other White Star liners were requisitioned.

From 12 April 1917 to 28 February 1919, the ship served under the Liner Requisition Scheme and carried troops and ammunition across the Atlantic after the entry by the United States into the war.

Adriatic was finally withdrawn from the Southampton route after a last crossing, on 14 December 1921, in view of the arrival of the Majestic and the Homeric.

[26] On a westbound voyage at 01:30 on 10 August 1922 near Cobh, the Adriatic suffered a gas explosion in her #3 hold, which she was using as a reserve coal bunker.

The explosion killed five crewmen, severely injured another three, tore the hatch off the hold, broke and twisted girders and beams, and started a coal fire.

One of the stokers sleeping on the hatch cover was blown overboard[29] Two liners, CGT's Lafayette and United States Lines' Reliance, changed course to come to Adriatic's assistance.

At 03:55 Adriatic's wireless operator signalled that there was no further danger, so Lafayette and Reliance resumed their normal courses.

In 1925, the Adriatic was chartered by Welsh people living in the United States who wanted to go to the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol.

The following summers were not more prolific and the liner only made a few cruises off the Iberian Peninsula and occasional crossings of the Atlantic.

Adriatic sailed from Liverpool on 29 March 1934, and called at Gibraltar, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Malta, Algiers, and Lisbon.