SS City of New York (1888)

For other ships with the same name, see List of ships named City of New York.
"SS New York (1888)" redirects here. For other ships of the same name, see List of ships named New York.

The ship as City of New York
History
United Kingdom
NameCity of New York
NamesakeNew York City
Owner Inman Line (later International Navigation Company)
Port of registryLiverpool
RouteTransatlantic crossing
BuilderJ & G Thomson,[1] Clydebank
Yard number240
Launched15 March 1888
CompletedJuly 1888
Maiden voyage1 August 1888
Identification
FateSold to American Line, 1893
United States
NameNew York
NamesakeNew York City
Owner
Port of registryNew York
RouteTranstlantic crossing
Renamed
Identification
FateScrapped at Genoa, Italy in 1923
General characteristics
Typeocean liner
Tonnage10,508 GRT, 5,589 NRT
Displacement17,270 tons (17,550 tonnes)
Length560 ft (170 m)
Beam63.2 ft (19.3 m)
Depth39.2 ft (11.9 m)
Decks4
Installed power2,747 NHP; 18,000 hp (20,880 kW)
Propulsion
Speed20 knots (37 km/h)
Capacity1,740 passengers
Crew362

City of New York was a British built passenger liner that was designed to be the largest and fastest liner on the Atlantic. When she entered service with the Inman Line in August 1888, she was the first twin screw express liner in the world, and while she did not achieve the westbound Blue Riband, she ultimately held the eastbound record from August 1892 to May 1893 at a speed of 20.11 knots.[2] City of New York and her sister City of Paris are considered especially beautiful ships, and throughout their careers were rivals to White Star Line's Teutonic and Majestic. In February 1893, the Inman Line was merged into the American Line and, by act of Congress, the renamed New York was transferred to the US flag. Beginning in the mid-1890s, New York and Paris were paired with St Louis and St Paul to form one of the premier Atlantic services. New York continued with the American Line until 1920 and was broken for scrap in 1923. She served in the United States Navy as USS Harvard during the Spanish–American War, and Plattsburg in World War I. She is also remembered for nearly colliding with RMS Titanic as the latter ship departed on her maiden voyage in 1912.[3]

  1. ^ "SS City of New York". Grace's Guide to British Industrial History.
  2. ^ Kludas, Arnold (1999). Record breakers of the North Atlantic, Blue Riband Liners 1838-1953. London: Chatham.
  3. ^ Gibbs, Charles Robert Vernon (1957). Passenger Liners of the Western Ocean: A Record of Atlantic Steam and Motor Passenger Vessels from 1838 to the Present Day. John De Graff. pp. 122–124.