SS Alaska (1881)
Introduction '''SS ''Alaska''''' was a record breaking British passenger liner that won the Blue Riband for the Guion Line as the fastest liner on the Atlantic in 1882.She was a slightly larger and faster edition of Guion's ''Arizona'' and in 1883 became the first liner to make the crossing to New York in under a week. However, ''Alaska'' burned 250 tons of coal per day, as compared to ''Arizona's'' already high 135 tons. Built by John Elder & Company of Glasgow, she carried 350 first class passengers and 1,000 steerage. Her passengers included Hugh Simpson Rodham: future grandfather of Hillary Clinton, who travelled in steerage to America with his mother Bella and seven siblings as a toddler in October 1882.As in the case of ''Arizona'', Stephen Guion also personally owned ''Alaska''.On her maiden voyage she arrived to New York in December 1881. ''Alaska'' completed 100 voyages when Guion suspended sailings in 1894.She proved difficult to sell and was finally chartered in 1897 by Cia. Transatlanticia Espanola as a troop transport. In 1899, ''Alaska'' was sold for scrap, but was resold to the Barrow shipyard where she was used as an accommodation hulk until broken up in 1902.
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