Nicholas Peppas
02-03-2009, 03:31
GREEK PASSENGER LINES 100 YEARS AGO
Part 1
At the turn of the 20th century the major world powers were anticipating the great need for engineering expertise both at home and throughout their empires; to be competitive in the world markets required major attention to engineering and technology. A telling sign of this competition was the appearance of several technologically sophisticated and nationalistic super ocean liners launched between 1900 and 1912: the Mauritania, the Deutschland, the France, and especially the Imperator, whose impressive structure, speed, and opulence represented a momentary display of German superiority.
Of course, major societal changes are associated with major political changes. 1908 was the year of major Balkan upheavals, a sure sign of an upcoming confrontation that would lead to the Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913… The Greek world tasted political changes with the aftermath of the unsuccessful war against the Ottoman Empire of 1897 and then with the Military League (Stratiotikos Syndesmos). The unfortunate war of 1897 ended in a despicable defeat that led to the need for “new blood” in the army and politics. In addition, the cauldron called Crete was looking for a political solution and union with Greece. But the change did not come immediately… In 1895, Theodoros Deligiannis (1820-1905) became prime minister and was at the head of affairs during the Cretan crisis and the opening of the war with the Ottoman Empire in 1897. The ensuing humiliating defeat caused his dismissal from office when he declined to resign in April 1897. Deligiannis kept his own seat at the election of 1899, but his following dwindled to small dimensions. He was assassinated in June 1905 at the age of 85.
The general poverty of the land, the extremely bad financial conditions of the 1870s that had led Harilaos Trikoupis to declare bankruptcy of the state (HT: Regrettably we are bankrupt; Dystyxos eptoheusamen) and other social factors led to the first immigration of Greeks abroad, to the United States, Canada and even South America. Emigrants came from Laconia, Arcadia, the mountainous Naupaktia, Fokis and Doris and other impoverished regions… By 1900, numerous small ships belonging to Italian, Austrian, British and German interests (and baptized ocean liners –often with fake funnels- to impress the poor emigrants) started transporting Greeks to the new world. Soon, passenger lines became more active to serve the increased transport of emigrants from smaller ports to Piraeus, Patras or Kalamata.
Meanwhile, another type of immigration appeared in the Eastern Mediterranean. Dissatisfied citizens of the Ottoman Empire with Greek nationality started moving to new areas with more promising living and a quieter environment. Inter-island travel as well as travel to and from Alexandria, Egypt, and around the Black sea became prominent. Consequently, by 1900 the Greek passenger lines became quite prominent… Routes were established with connection to many smaller ports and islands. And Greeks populated “new regions” such as Alexandria (many Rhodians went there), Cairo, Sochi, Batum, Odessa, etc.
By 1908, just a hundred year ago, the political and social landscape had changed in Greece. There were obvious preparations for military confrontation, often with the support of major Greek philanthropists who paid large sums of money for the purchase of modern ships and construction of a new Greek navy. Premier among these ships was Averof! In 1908, Corfiote politician Georgios Theotokis (1844 – 1916) was Prime Minister of Greece. Theotokis was a minister in the 1886 Trikoupis government running the Department of the Navy. As a minister of Navy, Theotokis ordered the frigates Spetsai, Hydra and Psara. He also improved drastically the condition of the Navy by promoting better training and by establishing many naval academies and schools. From mid 1903 to 1909 Theotokis became Prime Minister three times. Among his achievements there were the organization and strengthening of the army.
The map here shows Greece at the very beginning of the 20th century and before the addition of Epirus. Macedonia, Thrace, the Northern Aegean islands and the Dodecanesos. By 1908, the southern part of Epirus (Arta, Preveza) as well as Thessaly were parts of Greece.
30952
Part 1
At the turn of the 20th century the major world powers were anticipating the great need for engineering expertise both at home and throughout their empires; to be competitive in the world markets required major attention to engineering and technology. A telling sign of this competition was the appearance of several technologically sophisticated and nationalistic super ocean liners launched between 1900 and 1912: the Mauritania, the Deutschland, the France, and especially the Imperator, whose impressive structure, speed, and opulence represented a momentary display of German superiority.
Of course, major societal changes are associated with major political changes. 1908 was the year of major Balkan upheavals, a sure sign of an upcoming confrontation that would lead to the Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913… The Greek world tasted political changes with the aftermath of the unsuccessful war against the Ottoman Empire of 1897 and then with the Military League (Stratiotikos Syndesmos). The unfortunate war of 1897 ended in a despicable defeat that led to the need for “new blood” in the army and politics. In addition, the cauldron called Crete was looking for a political solution and union with Greece. But the change did not come immediately… In 1895, Theodoros Deligiannis (1820-1905) became prime minister and was at the head of affairs during the Cretan crisis and the opening of the war with the Ottoman Empire in 1897. The ensuing humiliating defeat caused his dismissal from office when he declined to resign in April 1897. Deligiannis kept his own seat at the election of 1899, but his following dwindled to small dimensions. He was assassinated in June 1905 at the age of 85.
The general poverty of the land, the extremely bad financial conditions of the 1870s that had led Harilaos Trikoupis to declare bankruptcy of the state (HT: Regrettably we are bankrupt; Dystyxos eptoheusamen) and other social factors led to the first immigration of Greeks abroad, to the United States, Canada and even South America. Emigrants came from Laconia, Arcadia, the mountainous Naupaktia, Fokis and Doris and other impoverished regions… By 1900, numerous small ships belonging to Italian, Austrian, British and German interests (and baptized ocean liners –often with fake funnels- to impress the poor emigrants) started transporting Greeks to the new world. Soon, passenger lines became more active to serve the increased transport of emigrants from smaller ports to Piraeus, Patras or Kalamata.
Meanwhile, another type of immigration appeared in the Eastern Mediterranean. Dissatisfied citizens of the Ottoman Empire with Greek nationality started moving to new areas with more promising living and a quieter environment. Inter-island travel as well as travel to and from Alexandria, Egypt, and around the Black sea became prominent. Consequently, by 1900 the Greek passenger lines became quite prominent… Routes were established with connection to many smaller ports and islands. And Greeks populated “new regions” such as Alexandria (many Rhodians went there), Cairo, Sochi, Batum, Odessa, etc.
By 1908, just a hundred year ago, the political and social landscape had changed in Greece. There were obvious preparations for military confrontation, often with the support of major Greek philanthropists who paid large sums of money for the purchase of modern ships and construction of a new Greek navy. Premier among these ships was Averof! In 1908, Corfiote politician Georgios Theotokis (1844 – 1916) was Prime Minister of Greece. Theotokis was a minister in the 1886 Trikoupis government running the Department of the Navy. As a minister of Navy, Theotokis ordered the frigates Spetsai, Hydra and Psara. He also improved drastically the condition of the Navy by promoting better training and by establishing many naval academies and schools. From mid 1903 to 1909 Theotokis became Prime Minister three times. Among his achievements there were the organization and strengthening of the army.
The map here shows Greece at the very beginning of the 20th century and before the addition of Epirus. Macedonia, Thrace, the Northern Aegean islands and the Dodecanesos. By 1908, the southern part of Epirus (Arta, Preveza) as well as Thessaly were parts of Greece.
30952