RMS Mauretania (also known as "Maury"), sister ship of the Lusitania, was an ocean liner built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson at Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, and was launched on September 20, 1906. At the time, she was the largest and fastest ship in the world. Particularly notable was her steam turbine propulsion, which was a revolutionary development in ocean liner design. Mauretania became a favourite among the passengers because of her luxury, speed and safety.
The ship's name was taken from Mauretania a Roman Province on the North-East African Coast, not related to the modern Mauritania. Similar nomenclature was also employed by Mauretania's sister ship, the RMS Lusitania, which was named after the Roman province directly above Mauretania, across the Strait of Gibraltar.
She left Liverpool on her maiden voyage on 16 November 1907, and later that month captured the record for the fastest eastbound crossing of the Atlantic with an average speed of 23.69 knots (43.87 km/h). In September, 1909, the Mauretania captured the Blue Riband for the fastest westbound crossing - a record that was to stand for more than 20 years. Her record was broken by the German ocean liner, Bremen, in 1929.
In December 1910 Mauretania broke loose from her moorings while in the Mersey River and attained damage that caused the cancellation of her special speedy Christmas voyage to New York. In a quick change of events Cunard rescheduled Mauretania's voyage for Lusitania which had just returned from New York. Lusitania herself completed Maury's voyage returning Christmas revellers back to New York. In January 26, 1914, while Mauretania was in the middle of annual refit in Liverpool, four men were killed and six were injured when a gas cylinder exploded while they were working on one of her steam turbines. The damage was minimal and she returned to service two months later.