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S/S City of Rome, Anchor Line Main Page >>

BurdenBuiltShipowner or operator Dimensions
8,415 gross 1881 at Barrow by Barrow Shipbuilding Co. Anchor Line 560.2ft x 52.3ft 
 Year Departure ArrivalRemarks
 1881  June 14, launched for the Inman LineAtlantic Journey ID 4484
 1881  Oct. 13, maiden voyage Liverpool - Queenstown [Cobh] - New York (5 voyages)Atlantic Journey ID 4485
 1882  Sold to The Barrow Steam Ship Co. Ltd., operated by Anchor LineAtlantic Journey ID 4486
 1882  Aug. 25, first voyage for the Anchor Line, Liverpool - Queenstown - New YorkAtlantic Journey ID 4487
 1882  Glasgow     New York  Oct. 06 Agent Henderson Brothers, ChristianiaTransatlantc ID
 1883  Liverpool     New York  May 31 Also reported arrive 1883-06-01 - Agent Henderson Brothers, ChristianiaTransatlantc ID
 1883  Glasgow     New York  July 05 Transatlantc ID
 1883  Glasgow     New York  Aug. 07 Transatlantc ID
 1883  Liverpool  Oct. 10  New York  Oct. 18 Also reported arrive 1883-10-17Transatlantc ID
 1884  Liverpool  Apr. 05  New York  Apr. 12 Transatlantc ID
 1884  Liverpool  May 03  New York  May 11 Transatlantc ID
 1884  Liverpool  May 31  New York  June 07 Transatlantc ID
 1884  Liverpool  June 28  New York  July 05 Transatlantc ID
 1884  Liverpool  July 26  New York  Aug. 03 Transatlantc ID
 1884  Liverpool  Aug. 23  New York  Aug. 31 Transatlantc ID
 1884  Liverpool  Sept. 20  New York  Sept. 28 Transatlantc ID
 1884  Liverpool  Oct. 18  New York  Oct. 26 Transatlantc ID
 1885  Liverpool  Mar. 25  New York  Apr. 02 Transatlantc ID
 1885  Liverpool  Apr. 22  New York  Apr. 29 Arrived New York in the morning - Also reported arrive 1885-04-30Transatlantc ID
 1885  May 26: ran down the French fishing vessel George Jeanne on the Banks of Newfoundland, 22 lives lost, 2 savedAtlantic Journey ID 9210
 1885  Liverpool  May 20  New York  May 27 Also reported arrive 1885-05-28Transatlantc ID
 1885  Liverpool  June 17  New York  June 24 Transatlantc ID
 1885  Liverpool  July 15  New York  July 22 Transatlantc ID
 1885  Liverpool  June 17  New York  July 26 Also reported arrive 1885-06-24Transatlantc ID
 1885  Liverpool  Aug. 12  New York  Aug. 19 Transatlantc ID
 1885  Liverpool  Sept. 09  New York  Sept. 16 Transatlantc ID
 1886  Liverpool  Apr. 14  New York  Apr. 22 The distance Christiania - New York in only 13 daysTransatlantc ID
 1886  Liverpool  May 12  New York  May 20 Also reported arrive 1886-05-19Transatlantc ID
 1886  Liverpool  June 09  New York  June 16 Transatlantc ID
 1886  Liverpool  July 07  New York  July 14 Transatlantc ID
 1886  Liverpool  Aug. 04  New York  Aug. 12 Transatlantc ID
 1886  Liverpool  Sept. 01  New York  Sept. 08 Transatlantc ID
 1886  Liverpool  Sept. 29  New York  Oct. 06 Transatlantc ID
 1887  Liverpool  Apr. 13  New York  Apr. 19 Transatlantc ID
 1887  Liverpool  May 11  New York  May 18 Also reported arrive 1887-05-19Transatlantc ID
 1887  Liverpool  June 08  New York  June 15 Transatlantc ID
 1887  Liverpool  July 06  New York  July 13 Transatlantc ID
 1888  Liverpool  Apr. 04  New York  Apr. 12 Transatlantc ID
 1888  Liverpool  May 02  New York  May 10 Transatlantc ID
 1888  Liverpool  May 30  New York  June 06 Transatlantc ID
 1888  July 3: lost her bowsprit and the forward bridge was wrecked by a tremendous sea during a heavy westerly gale. One sailor seriously injuredAtlantic Journey ID 9211
 1888       New York  July 05 Transatlantc ID
 1888  Glasgow  July 25  New York  Aug. 01 Transatlantc ID
 1888  Liverpool  Aug. 22  New York  Aug. 30 Transatlantc ID
 1888  Glasgow  Sept. 19  New York  Sept. 27 Passengers from Trondheim via ChristianiaTransatlantc ID
 1889  Liverpool  May 15  New York  May 22 Transatlantc ID
 1889  Liverpool  June 12  New York  June 19 Transatlantc ID
 1889  Liverpool  July 11  New York  July 18 Transatlantc ID
 1889  Liverpool  Aug. 07  New York  Aug. 14 Transatlantc ID
 1889  Glasgow  Sept. 04  New York  Sept. 11 Transatlantc ID
 1889  Liverpool  Oct. 02  New York  Oct. 10 Transatlantc ID
 1890  Rebuilt to accommodate 75-1st, 250-2nd and 1,000- 3rd class passengersAtlantic Journey ID 4488
 1890       New York  May 25 Transatlantc ID
 1890  May 31: (Capt. Young) departed New YorkAtlantic Journey ID 9218
 1890  June 8: (Capt. Young) In dense fog struck Fastnet Rock 3 miles off Crook Haven, damaging the stem at the pike, proceeded to Queenstown, and from there to LiverpoolAtlantic Journey ID 9217
 1890  Liverpool  Aug. 09  New York  Aug. 16 Transatlantc ID
 1890  Liverpool  Sept. 08  New York  Sept. 13 Transatlantc ID
 1890       New York  Oct. 11 Transatlantc ID
 1891  Glasgow  May 07  New York  May 15 Transatlantc ID
 1891  Glasgow     New York  June 19 Transatlantc ID
 1891  Glasgow     New York  Aug. 27 Transatlantc ID
 1891  Glasgow     New York  Oct. 04 Transatlantc ID
 1892       New York  May 21 Transatlantc ID
 1892       New York  June 23 Transatlantc ID
 1892       New York  Sept. 02 Transatlantc ID
 1893       New York  June 22 Also reported arrive 1893-06-23Transatlantc ID
 1893       New York  Sept. 01 Crossing the Ocean in 5,5 daysTransatlantc ID
 1893       New York  Oct. 06 Transatlantc ID
 1894       New York  Aug. 24 Transatlantc ID
 1895       New York  Oct. 04 Also reported arrive 1895-10-05Transatlantc ID
 1896       New York  May 29 Transatlantc ID
 1897  June 27, fire onboard in New York. Required docking.Atlantic Journey ID 4927
 1898  September, used to repatriate 1690 Spanish troops from Portsmouth N.H., USA to Santander, Spain after the Spanish - American warAtlantic Journey ID 4489
 1898  Sept. 12: departed Portsmouth N.H. with Admiral Cevera and the Spanish POWs from the prison at Seavey Island for Santander, SpainAtlantic Journey ID 10901
 1899  Aug. 26: sailed from Glasgow and Moville with 993 passengers and a crew of 297, arrived New York Sept. 4, after having been slightly damaged in collision with an iceberg. Many passengers frightened, but none hurt, it was a close callAtlantic Journey ID 9175
 1902  Scrapped in GermanyAtlantic Journey ID 4490
The information listed above is not the complete record of the ship. The information was collected from a multitude of sources, and new information will be added as it emerges
City of Rome - Anchor Line steamship
City of Rome - Anchor Line steamship
Support Norway Heritage: Purchase a copy
City of Rome - Anchor Line steamship
City of Rome - Anchor Line steamship
Support Norway Heritage: Purchase a copy
City of Rome - Anchor Line steamship
City of Rome - Anchor Line steamship
Support Norway Heritage: Purchase a copy

Constructed of iron, clipper stem, three funnels, four masts, single screw and a speed of 16 knots. There was accommodation for 271-1st, 250-2nd and 810-3rd class passengers. She was considered by many to be the most beautiful steamer ever built.

City of Rome, Anchor Line steamship
On this picture showing with her sails upand with Inman Line colros
(black funneld with white band).

City of Rome, in Anchor Line service
City of Rome with funnels painted black for Anchor Line service.

This card was issued by the agent and has an announcement on the reverse side
Support Norway Heritage: Purchase a copy


From "The Atlantic Ferry" by A. J. MAGINNIS (p.49):
..the City of Rome was launched at Barrow on June 14th, 1881, and sailed on her first voyage from Liverpool, October 13th, 1881. This graceful vessel was the subject of much comment when being built, but the great expectations were, however, not realized. The construction of the hull, beyond being exceptionally strong, calls for no comment. She was built of iron throughout, and was 560 feet long, 52 1/4 feet broad, and 37 feet deep, and of 8144 tons; three funnels were for the first time fitted, which being uniformly spaced with four masts, gave the vessel a noble appearance in conjunction with the graceful bow and general outline of the hull. For the machinery, which was also by the Barrow Company, the three-crank engine was adopted, but it differed from the other types in the fact that there were six cylinders, three high-pressure, each 46 inches, and three low-pressure, each 86 inches diameter, fitted tandem fashion, with a stroke of 6 feet. A great departure was made in the working of the slide-valves by means of spur-wheels, which geared the weigh-shaft (on which the eccentrics were, fitted) with the crank-shaft, and thus enabled the valves to be fitted at the back of the cylinders. Hollow shafting was also fitted throughout, except for the propeller length. The boilers, which were of the usual type in iron, carrying 90 Ibs. pressure, were eight in number, with forty-eight furnaces' placed two and two in fore and aft line, which enabled a water-tight bulkhead to be fitted fore and aft on each side, so as to form the coal bunkers; this excellent arrangement was, however, altogether altered, as well as other parts of the machinery, after she was, returned to the builders, with a view of attaining a speed more in accordance with the newer Atlantic vessels. After completion of these alterations, she was again put in the Express Service, under the auspices of the Anchor Line, in 1884, where she remained until 1891.



Photograph of the S/S City of Rome
Photograph of the S/S City of Rome, note that the rig has been altered, yards having been removed. This picture shows her rigged as a four-masted schooner
Capt. R. D. Munroe, Commodore of the Anchor Line fleet
Capt. R. D. Munroe, Commodore of the Anchor Line fleet

CIROM

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