The SS W. A. Scholten was a passenger and freight ocean liner built for the Holland-America Line, a prominent Dutch shipping company. Constructed at the Robert Napier & Sons shipyard in Glasgow, she was launched on February 16, 1874, and delivered to her owners on April 11, 1874. The vessel served primarily on the North Atlantic route between Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and New York, United States, providing transportation for passengers, freight, and mail over a span of approximately 13 years. The SS W. A. Scholten was a notable early example of transatlantic passenger service operated by the Holland-America Line. Her maiden voyage commenced on May 16, 1874, and she completed regular ten-day crossings until her final voyage in November 1887. She was named in honor of Willem Albert Scholten, an influential industrialist from Groningen. Her service history came to a tragic end on November 19, 1887. While en route, she was involved in a collision with the steamer Rosa Mary in the English Channel. The collision inflicted severe damage, creating a 2.43-meter (7.9-foot) wide hole in her port bow. As water flooded the vessel, her captain ordered the abandonment of the ship. Despite efforts to save her, the damage was too extensive, and the SS W. A. Scholten sank the following day, resulting in the loss of 132 lives. The sinking of the W. A. Scholten marked a somber event in maritime history, highlighting the dangers of early transatlantic navigation and the hazards of ship collisions in busy European waters. Her construction and service reflect the technological and operational standards of the late 19th century, and her tragic end underscores the perils faced by maritime vessels of her era.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.