The Maritime Commissary
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White Star Line / WSL supplementary information page. Please feel free to send questions or comments to: rrcomm@sonic.net Relevant information, and credits, will be posted.
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During the first third of the 20th Century, The White Star Line was one of England's, indeed the world's, most famous shipping companies. The line dates back to about 1840, and operated more than 40 ships in the 20th Century, including the tragically famous Titanic.
In the modern times, almost all White Star Line ship names ended with "-ic" - amongst them the Olympic, Britanic, Georgic and Naronic.
As the world economy slumped in the 1930's, White Star Line's finances turned from precarious to desperate. In 1942 the English government forced the company to merge with Cunard as terms for financial help, thue forming Cunard White Star Line. With the merger, Cunard factions quickly moved to irradicate as much White Star Line influence as possible, and in 1950 Cunard bought up the last outstanding White Star interests and reverted to using only the Cunard name.
