[3] She was built with money that was loaned by J.P. Morgan & Co.[4] Mississippi, along with the five other steamships, was ordered because Baker believed that the Ship Subsidy Bill, proposed by United States Senator William P. Frye, would make the U.S. federal government subsidize the construction and operation of American registered ships; the bill passed by a 42–31 majority in the Senate on March 14, 1902, but was not presented to the House of Representatives because of strong opposition from the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.

The boilers and furnaces powered triple expansion engines which drove twin screws.

[11] The ship began her maiden voyage from Baltimore to London on April 16, 1903, and she later traveled that same route two more times.

[4] On July 7, 1906, Mississippi was transferred to the Belgian Red Star Line and later renamed to Samland.

[4][7] In December 1913, Belgic was returned to the Red Star Line and reverted to the name Samland.

[9] When World War I began and the ship's homeport of Antwerp was captured by the Germans, Samland sailed a route from London to New York, which was operated by the Atlantic Transport Line, between October 1914 to February 1916.

[4] Beginning in March 1916, Samland was operated by the Commission for Relief in Belgium and was sailed between New York, Falmouth, and Rotterdam.