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First designs of the Lusitania (showing only three funnels)
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British Government under Prime Minister Balfour authorizes a loan of £2.6 million for the construction of the Lusitania, providing that it met a quality of high standard.
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Lusitania‘s keel laid at John Brown & Clydebank
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Lusitania undergoes preliminary trials off Irish coast
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Lusitania goes through acceptance trials. Engineers discover that high speed causes violent vibrations in the stern, forcing the stern section to be refitted with stronger bracings
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Maiden voyage from Liverpool, England, United Kingdom to New York, NY, United States.
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Lusitania loses the westbound record to Mauretania.
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Lusitania makes her fastest westbound crossing, averaging 25.85 knots
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Austria declares war against Serbia, igniting the First World War
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Lusitania considered for requisition as an auxiliary cruiser, (merchant ship equipped with guns; usually for defensive purposes) but not taken over because of her size and fuel consumption.
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Britain declares war against Germany, after Germany invades Belgium
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Germany declares all waters around Great Britain and Ireland a war zone. All enemy shipping found there after 18 February will be sunk. Captain Dow flies the United States flag on the Lusitania as protection against German submarines.
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U.S. President Woodrow Wilson formally protests to London that the use of neutral flags will endanger neutral countries. He also says he will hold Germany to “strict accountability” for any American lives lost.
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Germany issues warning to its embassy in the United States, telling Americans not to sail on British ships or risk being attacked.
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Lusitania sails out for New York (from Liverpool) for the last time. Sailing delayed by a transfer of passengers from the Cameronia.. A number of prominent passengers receive anonymous telegrams warning them not to sail.
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U-20 torpedoes and sinks Lusitania off the Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland. Lusitania founders in 18 minutes with horrific loss of life. Fishing boats, tramp steamers, and Admiralty ships take survivors to Kinsale and Queenstown.
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Cork County coroner John J. Horgan opens first inquest into the Lusitania disaster. Admiralty attempts to prevent the inquiry to arrive too late to be of any effect.
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Mass funeral held for Lusitania victims outside of Queenstown.
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First American note sent to Germany
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Germany announces that she will resume unrestricted submarine warfare.
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Cunarder Laconia torpedoed by U-50 with a loss of 12 lives, including 2 Americans.
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United States declares war on Germany
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Judge Julius Mayer conducts hearings for civil lawsuits in New York City. His report is published on 23 August 1918, absolves Captain Turner and the Cunard Company from blame.
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World War I ends
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U.S. Navy diver John Light makes 42 dives to the Lusitania wreck and reports that the bow of the wreck had been severed by an internal explosion, a claim refuted by later divers.
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Oceaneering International plans to return to the wreck to document the cargo hold, but expedition falls through.
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Gary Gentile dives to the wreck. His team claims to have found lead containers containing lost paintings transported by Sir Hugh Lane. Ireland places a Heritage Protection Order on the wreck shortly afterwards.
