Knight-Class Ocean Liner

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File:Knight-Class.jpg
Class overview
Builders: Royal Shipbuilders of Cacerta, Fumicino, Cacertian Empire
Operators: CacertianWhiteStarLineFlag.png White Star Line
Succeeded by: Empress-class
Built: 1891–1894
In service: 1892–1933
Planned: 4
Completed: 4
Retired: 4
General characteristics
Type: Ocean liner
Displacement: 21,000 – 25,000 tons
Length: 210 – 220 meters
Beam: 20 – 23 meters
Decks: 5
Installed power: Varied
Propulsion:
  • 2 × four-bladed propellers
  • 2 × shafts
  • 2 × quadruple-expansion steam engines
Speed: 17 knots (31 km/h) max
Capacity: 2,000 – 2,500 passengers
Crew: 600 – 800 crew

The Knight-class ocean liners, more commonly referred to by their contemporaries as The Big Four, were a quartet of late 18th century ocean liners built by the Royal Shipbuilders of Cacerta for the White Star Line meant to revolutionize long-haul travel throughout Tyran. Although they were not uniform in their design, all four ships shared similar characteristics and were built together using the same techniques. The usage of multiple-expansion steam engines aboard the Ossorian ocean liner LPR Réalta na Maidine prompted White Star to develop its own ships with similar technology. The fours ships were the RMS Cavaliere di Platino, RMS Cavaliere D’Argento, RMS Cavaliere di Ferro, and the RMS Cavaliere d'Acciaio

Although none of the four ships held any specific distinctions for speed or size, especially when compared to their later cousins in the Empress-class, each of them had distinctly long, relatively safe, and successful careers. The performance and service aboard the Knights opened up tourist travel from Cacerta to nations such as Tennai, Ossoria, Acrea, Gylias, and Syara, heavily influencing the future reputation of White Star as a premier trans-Tyran liner company.