ABSTRACT
From the end of the nineteenth century until the outbreak of the First World War,
there was a mammoth escalation in the building and refitting of ocean liners. This was
interlinked with the burgeoning employment of designers to ensure that the ships
expressed the appropriate visual national identity to serve official needs, and also
attract the most prestigious customers. America, Britain, France, Germany and Italy
vied for domination of the oceans, the North Atlantic in particular. The tangible
symbol of hegemony was the acquisition of the Blue Riband prize, awarded annually
for the fastest transatlantic crossing, which was a potent attraction for passengers.
