Regarding the brief period when Dover hosted transatlantic liners. This was when the Prince of Wales pier had just been finished. A small station was built on the end of the POW and the liners berthed alongside the end of the pier.
Unfortunately, the Admiralty Harbour was also under construction and the Southern Breakwater was closing the gap with the Admiralty Pier extension creating dangerous currents in what was to become the Western Entrance.
There were several collisions with the staging of the Southern Breakwater culminating in the Hamburg-Amerika liner Deutschland suffering damage. Hamburg-Amerika consequently decided that Dover was no longer tenable for their transatlantic liners and pulled out. This also suited the Admiralty who were most unhappy at foreign liners using what was to become their port of refuge when completed.
Deutschland berthing on the POW.
Deutschland can be seen in the background of this photo showing the Ostend ferry arriving. The Southern Breakwater under construction can be seen on the right of the picture.
Deutschland leaving Dover.
