Early 20th century Register Books

The first column contains the six‑digits official Number assigned to the ship, used to distinguish ships with the same name.

The four Code Letters were used to identify the ship at sea with the use of alphabet flags. The first number refers to the vessel’s position in the book.

Columns 2 and 3 contain the basic details of the ship. The first row contains the Name of the ship, as well as Material and Rig (e.g. SteelScS). Ex Names are recorded in parenthesis below the material and rig.

The Master’s Name is located below the vessel’s name. The figures which follow the name (e.g. 22–02) indicate the dates of the master’s appointment to the ship.

The number of Decks and other structural details are recorded in column 3. Notations such as 3 Dk.rule indicate that the vessel has been built according to the Rules and Regulations.

Column 3 also records any Special Surveys, periodical surveys customised for wood, composite, iron, and steel ships according to the Rules and Regulations. The notation would include the contracted Port of Survey and the survey number, as well as the date. For example, ss Hul. No.1–06 (see picture) means Special Survey No. 1 for iron and steel ships conducted at Hull in 1906.

Calculations on tonnage for Mauretania, 9 May 1904

The figures in Column 4 refer to the Gross, Under Deck, and Net registered tonnage according to the laws of the vessel’s country.

When the figures are printed in italic, the tonnage has been measured in accordance with British rules, albeit the ship not being British.

From 1900, the classification notations assigned to newly built ships are:

100A1, 95A1, 90A1, 85A1, 80A1, 75A1
Ships built of iron or steel according to the Rules and Regulations since 1869. The numerals no longer indicate terms of years, but are intended for the purpose of comparison only.

A1
This notation (without numerals prefixed) is assigned to iron or steel ships built for special purposes.

[years] A1
This notation is assigned to wood or composite ships, and the prefixed numerals indicate the term of years for which the vessel is classed. When printed in red, class has expired, however the vessel is fit to carry cargo for a term of years assigned by special survey (see point 2 for the notation).

Æ1
This notation is assigned to cargo vessels fit for short voyages only. The term of years for which the vessel is classed is assigned by special survey (see point 2 for the notation).

The notations are complemented by the date of classification (mm,yy), and any other conditions, including equipment, special trade, or purpose.

The following glyphs are still in use for vessels built according to the Rules and Regulations between 1864 and 1871. When preceded by a *, the surveyor has found that the ship has been built with thicker plating than required.

The figure 1 is applied to the notations to indicate that the ship is well and efficiently equipped. If substituted by a –, the quantity or quality of the equipment does not fulfil the requirements of Lloyd’s Register.

The cross pattée denotes that the ship has been built under Special Survey.

A line with date (mm,yy) underneath refers to vessels which had their class withdrawn by Lloyd’s Register due to defects. If this is printed in red, class was withdrawn because the required surveys were not carried out. In case of loss or condemnation, the class notation is struck off the Register.

For more information on classification notations, see Information guide 35 - Classification symbols 1764-1994.

Report on Machinery for Mauretania, 23 October 1907

Notations relative to machinery are printed in red and located below the port of survey.

B&MS - Boilers and machinery surveyed, with date, found in good conditions, but not fitted according to the Rules and Regulations.

BS - Boilers surveyed, with date.

DB - Donkey boiler, with date. If the letter S is affixed, the boilers were surveyed after construction. The letter N prefixed means the boiler is new. If the cross pattée is present, the donkey boiler has been surveyed upon construction.

LMC - Lloyd’s Machinery Certificate, with date, denoting that boilers and machinery have been fitted following the Rules and Regulations. If the cross pattée is present (see picture), boilers and machinery have been surveyed upon construction.

MS - Machinery surveyed, with date.

RMC - Refrigerating Machinery Certificate, with date, indicating that the refrigerating machinery, insulation, and gear are fitted following the Rules and Regulations. If the cross pattée is present, the refrigerating machinery has been surveyed upon construction.

Proposed equipment for Mauretania, 9 April 1906

Equipment letter assigned in accordance with the Rules and Regulations. The letters refer to different tonnage intervals, e.g. t is assigned to ships between 19,600 and 21,600 tons.

Each category had specific requirements for minimum weight of anchors; size, length, and weight of chains; towlines, hawsers, and warps; also the proof strain to which they had to be tested.

For iron and steel vessels classed by Lloyd’s Register, the date of build registered corresponds to the First Entry Report submission date, if the survey has been submitted within the allowed time period: six months for vessels under 10,000 tons, nine months for vessels between 10,000 and 20,000 tons, and a year for vessels over 20,000 tons. Otherwise, the date of build was taken six months, nine months, or a year after the launch date (following the above‑mentioned tonnage categories).

All wood and composite ships, as well as iron and steel vessels launched before May 1887, record the date of build as the date of launch.

Rebuilt ships present both the original date of build and the date when they had been restored.

Anchors, Cables and wire and Manila Ropes for Mauretania, 9 April 1906…
View record

This column contains the name of the shipbuilder company and the location where the ship was built.

The notation A&CP indicates that the anchors and chains were tested at a recognised facility. If the notation contains Lloyd’s as a prefix, the testing process was supervised by Lloyd’s Register.

For vessels belonging to the United Kingdom, the person or company recorded in the Register Books is the managing owner. If there is not a managing owner, the name recorded belongs to the largest shareholder.

For colonial or non‑British vessels, Lloyd’s Register attempted to follow the same procedure, however the recorded name may not be the legal owner of the ship.

This column lists the length, breadth, and depth of the ship in feet and tenths of a foot.

When two depths are recorded, the upper figures indicate the depth to the main deck and the lower figures the depth to the upper deck. This is most used for vessels with a spar or awning deck.

Several other indications are provided, among which dimensions of forecastle, raised, or promenade decks. Notations regarding the water ballast tanks (WB) are also provided.

This column contains the Port of Registry and Flag of the vessel.

Particulars continued from the Dimensions column are also present at times, specially information regarding the number of bulkheads (BH) and water ballast (WB).

This column contains technical information regarding the steam engines – in the early 20th Century sailing vessels and steamers were published in separate volumes.

The information recorded includes the engine type, e.g. triple expansion (T), number of cylinders (Cy.), stroke boiler pressure in lb, nominal horse power calculated by Lloyd’s Register (NHP), particulars of boilers and furnaces, and the engine maker’s name.

The Moulded Depth in iron or steel vessels is the perpendicular depth taken from the top of the upper deck beam, at the middle of the length of the ship, to the top of the keel and the bottom of the frame at the middle line.

In wooden and composite ships, the moulded depth is the perpendicular depth from the top of the upper deck beam at the side of the vessel amidships to the lower edge of the rebate of the keel.

The column could also contain the Freeboard Amidship in feet and inches.

If a letter is printed in this column, the ship was surveyed by a different classification society.

A Veritas Austro‑Ungarico
BT Passenger Certificate issued by the Board of Trade, followed by the expiration date
C British Corporation
D Nederlandsche Vereeniging
G Germanischer Lloyd
I Registro Italiano Navale
L Great Lakes Register
N Norske Veritas
R American Record
S United States Standard Register of Shipping
V Bureau Veritas

If you want these letters standardised to match earlier entries or converted into a table/definition list for the web page, I can do that next.

The figures in this column refer to the date when the Tail Shaft was last surveyed. The letter N indicates that the shaft was new at that time. The letters P and S indicate respectively the last survey of port and starboard shafts.

Figures relative to the Mean Draft can also be present. These correspond to an immersion of 65, 70, 75, and 80 percent, although they do not indicate approved load lines.