SS Utopia

Sketch of the sinking of Utopia by a witness, Ms. Georgina Smith
History
NameSS Utopia
OperatorAnchor Line
RouteTransatlantic
BuilderRobert Duncan & Co., Glasgow
Launched14 February 1874
Maiden voyage23 May 1874
Refit1890–91
FateSank in Gibraltar on 17 March 1891. Scrapped in 1900.
General characteristics
Tonnage2,371 GRT[1]
Length350 ft (110 m)[1]
Beam35 ft (11 m)[1]
PropulsionTriple expansion steam engine
Speed13 knots (24 km/h)[1]

SS Utopia was a transatlantic passenger steamship built in 1874 by Robert Duncan & Co of Glasgow. From 1874 to 1882 she operated on Anchor Line routes from Glasgow to New York City, from Glasgow to Bombay and from London to New York City. After 1882 she carried Italian immigrants to the United States.

On 17 March 1891 Utopia accidentally collided with the moored battleship HMS Anson in the Bay of Gibraltar. Utopia sank within 20 minutes; with a loss of 562[2] of 880 passengers and crew of Utopia and two rescuers from HMS Immortalité died in the accident. The sinking of Utopia was blamed on "grave error of judgement" of her captain John McKeague, who survived the accident.

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  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference DEAD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).