USS Harvard (1888)

USS Plattsburgh at New York Navy Yard
History
United Kingdom
Name	SS City of New York
Operator	Inman Line
Builder	John Brown and Company, Clydebank, Scotland
Launched	15 March 1888
Fate	To the American Line, 1893
United States
Name	SS New York
Operator	American Line
Route	Southampton to New York
Acquired	1893
Fate	Sold, 1920 Scrapped, 1923
United States
Name	USS Harvard
Acquired	by charter
Commissioned	26 April 1898
Decommissioned	2 September 1898
Fate	Returned to owner
United States
Name	USS Plattsburg
Acquired	by charter, 9 May 1918
Commissioned	24 May 1918
Fate	Returned to owner, 6 October 1919
General characteristics
Tonnage	10,499 long tons (10,667 t) GRT
Displacement	17,270 long tons (17,547 t)
Length	585 ft (178 m)
Beam	63 ft 3 in (19.28 m)
Draft	29 ft (8.8 m)
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement	407 officers and enlisted
Armament	8 × 5 in (130 mm) guns 8 × 6-pounder guns

The first USS Harvard of the United States Navy was an auxiliary cruiser in the Spanish–American War. She was launched as City of New York, and later commissioned as Plattsburg (SP-1645) for service in World War I.

Originally a schooner-rigged steamship, she was launched in 1888 as City of New York by John Brown and Company, Clydebank, Scotland, for the Inman Line. Sister ship of City of Paris, City of New York was one of the largest and best liners of her day, and one of the first steamships with twin screws. She was transferred to American registry under the American Line in 1893 as New York. These ships brought the United States to the front rank in the Atlantic passenger trade, and New York established the record for the Southampton to New York crossing in September 1893.