SS City of Paris (1866) - Service History

Service History

After entering service in 1866, City of Paris established herself as at least the equal of Cunard's Scotia. Gibbs credits City of Paris herself with the Blue Riband for a November 1866 westbound voyage from Queenstown to New York at 13.75 knots. However, most nautical historians list Scotia as the record holder for her 1862 voyage at 14.46 knots that Gibbs discounts because Scotia claimed a particularly long track. In a famous February 1868 race, City of Paris and Russia sailed from New York within an hour of each other. The Inman liner claimed 8 days, 19 hours, 23 minutes to Queenstown, while the Cunarder required 42 minutes longer using a slightly different course. In part because of Inman's success with ships such as City of Paris, in 1867 the British Post Office Government awarded the Inman Line with a share of the North Atlantic mail contract. Throughout the 1870s, Inman's express service averaged lower passage times than Cunard's.

After four years of service, City of Paris was lengthened to 397 feet and re-engined with compounds in response to innovative ships built for the White Star Line. This raised her tonnage to 3100 and her capacity to 150 cabin and 400 steerage. In 1879, she grounded outside of Smithstown while trooping to South Africa. After her return, she was re-engined again. City of Paris was relieved in the express service by City of Chicago in 1883 and sold the next year to French owners who converted her to the cargo ship Tonquin. In March 1885, she sank off of Malaga after a collision.