A little photograph of an unidentified steamer at Oban in August 23, 1913 reveals an interesting story. The steamer is the Kronprinzessin Cecilie, built at Kiel in 1905 she was carrying a group of German Doctors on a cruise of British seaside resorts. A contemporary report tells of the reaction they had from the natives of Oban.
“German Doctor’s Cruise.—Impressions of their visits to seaside resorts.
“About 150 German doctors, who are on a cruise round the British Isles after their visit to the International Medical Congress in London, arrived at Oban in the Hamburg-American liner Kronprinzessin Cecilie. Most of the doctors came ashore, and many drove in brakes to Dunstaffanage Castle. Several expressed surprise that Oban was so unlike most seaside resorts, with no beach, promenade, band, or pierrots.
” “Why are the people at your watering-places so very quiet and serious looking?” said one of them in an interview. “Everybody in the hotels talks in whispers, as though they were telling great secrets to each other. They look at strangers as if they were spies, and elbow away from them. I do not understand it.”
“The party sailed for Glasgow, and the liner will call at Belfast, Dublin, Jersey, Guernsey, and Rotterdam on its way back to Hamburg.
“A miniature Congress will take place on board during the voyage, arrangements having been made for lectures and discussions on medical subjects.”
At the beginning of hostilities in 1914, the Kronprinzessin Cecilie was in New York and sought refuge in Falmouth. She was prevented from leaving when Britain entered the war and requisitioned by the Government. Renamed H.M.S. Princess she was made into a dummy for the battleship H.M.S. Ajax and patrolled off Loch Ewe. Later she was converted to an armed merchant cruiser and was sent to the Indian Ocean.
December 1, 2022
Some additional information regarding the round Britain cruise – a call at Stornoway:
Early in the morning of Sunday 17 August 1913. The Kronprinzessin Cecilie arrived from Aberdeen, carrying about 225 tourists. The majority of these visitors were medical men from Germany, Austro-Hungary, Italy and Russia, who had been attending an International Medical Congress in London and were now making a tour of Scotland. A deputation headed by Provost Mackenzie met the whole party at nine o’clock, and by an arrangement which had been made with Major Matheson and his chamberlain, Mr Orrock, they were able to visit the grounds of the Lews Castle. The report in the Highland News continued,
The day was very fine, and everything about the conservatory and grounds looked beautiful. The excursionists expressed their delight at all they saw. The party, about sixty of whom were ladies, returned to the steamer, which was anchored in the harbour about 1 p.m., and a number of local gentlemen were entertained to lunch on board, under the presidency of Professor Dietrich of Berlin, who, on behalf of the company, expressed the great privilege afforded them in visiting Stornoway. He thanked the community for the kind and hearty welcome they had received during their short stay, and sid their visit to Britain would cement very materially the long existing friendship between their country and this one. The steamer sailed at 2 p.m. for Staffa, Iona, and Oban, from whence she was to proceed to Glasgow.