The Fleets
This page covers Inman Line/Liverpool and Philadelphia Steamship Company/Liverpool, and New York and Philadelphia Steamship Company.
Inman Line was formed in 1850 by three partners as the Liverpool & Philadelphia SS Co and in 1852 added steerage berths to their ships to cater for the emigrant trade. In 1852 two of the partners who were Quakers, disagreed with the policy of chartering ships for trooping purposes and resigned. After this the company became unofficially known as Inman Line after the remaining founder, William Inman. In mid 1854 the transatlantic service ceased as all the company ships were employed on Crimean War service and didn't resume until Apr.1856.
To cater for the growth of New York traffic, the official name of the company was changed in 1857 to Liverpool , New York and Philadelphia SS Co and Philadelphia rapidly became a secondary port of call. Due to Irish emigrant trade, Queenstown was added as a passenger call in 1859. The slump of 1867 caused the introduction of services between Liverpool - New Orleans and Antwerp - New York but these did not last for long. However, Inman gained the Queenstown - Halifax contract the same year and also inaugurated a feeder service between Halifax and St. John, N.B. The Inman Steamship Co was formed in 1875 and entered into collaboration with White Star Line.
By 1886 the company was in serious financial difficulties and could not raise the money to replace the ageing fleet. They went into voluntary liquidation in Oct.1886 and their assets were purchased by the American owned International Navigation Co. who already owned the American Line and Red Star Line. The ships were then operated under an operating company, Inman & International SS Co and continued to sail under the British flag. In 1892 the U.S. Mail contract was awarded to Inman & International, providing that the ships were transferred to the U.S. flag. The last Inman sailing from Liverpool took place in Feb.1893 and the service was transferred to Southampton and all ships became U.S. flagged under the ownership of American Line.
Many thanks to Ted Finch for his assistance in collecting this data. The following list was extracted from various sources. This is not an all inclusive list but should only be used as a guide.
Routes
- 1850-1856 Liverpool - Philadelphia
- 1856 Liverpool - New York - Philadelphia.
- 1857-1893 Liverpool - Queenstown (Cobh) - New York.
- 1867-1870 Liverpool - New Orleans
- 1867-1868 Antwerp - New York.
- 1867-1870 Queenstown - Halifax (with feeder service to St. John, N.B.)
Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ajax | 1867 | tug at Liverpool. | 163 |
| Baltic | 1883 | 1883 chartered from White Star for 2 voyages, 1885 - 1887 chartered from White Star Line for 15 voyages. | 3,707 |
| City of Antwerp | 1867 | 1879 sold to Johnston Line renamed Thanemore. | 2,391 |
| City of Baltimore | 1855 | 1855-1856 chartered to France as Crimean War transport, 1874 sold to Hall Line renamed Fivaller. | 2,538 |
| City of Berlin | 1875 | 1893 sold to American Line renamed Berlin. | 5,526 |
| City of Boston | 1865 | 1870 went missing at sea; loss of 177 lives. | 2,278 |
| City of Bristol | see Etna | ||
| City of Brooklyn | 1869 | 1879 sold to Dominion Line renamed Brooklyn. | 2,911 |
| City of Brussels | 1869 | 1883 sank in River Mersey after collision with s/s KIRBY HALL; loss of 10 lives. | 3,747 |
| City of Chester | 1873 | 1893 sold to American Line renamed Chester. | 4,770 |
| City of Chicago | 1883 | 1892 wrecked off Ireland; no lives lost | 5,202 |
| City of Cork | 1863 | 1871 sold to Italy renamed Mediterraneo. | 1,547 |
| City of Dublin | 1864 | ex- Hellespont, 1864 purchased renamed City of Dublin, 1873 to Dominion Line renamed Quebec | 2,138 |
| City of Durham | 1865 | feeder service Halifax - St John's, NF, 1878 sold to J. Edwards, Liverpool. | 697 |
| City of Glasgow |
1850 | 1851 purchased from Tod & McGregor, Glasgow, 1854 went missing; loss of 480 lives. | 1,610 |
| City of Halifax | 1868 | 1871 feeder service Halifax to St John's, NF, fate unknown. | 697 |
| City of Limerick | 1855 | ex- African, 1863 purchased from Dixon & Co renamed City of Limerick, 1870 rebuilt to 2536 tons, 1880 sold to Thistle Line. | 1,529 |
| City of London | 1863 | 1869 rebuilt to 2765 tons, 1878 sold to Thistle Line. | 2,536 |
| City of Manchester | 1851 | 1854 Chartered to France as Crimean War Transport, 1857 Indian Mutiny military transport, 1871 sold and converted to barque. | 2,125 |
| City of Montreal (picture) | 1872 | 1887 burned at sea with cargo of cotton; no loss of life. | 4,451 |
| City of New York (1) | 1861 | 1864 wrecked near Queenstown; no loss of life. | 2,360 |
| City of New York (2) | 1865 | ex- Delaware, purchased on stocks, completed as City of New York, 1883 sold to Allan Line renamed Norwegian. | 2,642 |
| City of New York (3) (picture) | 1888 | 1893 transfered to American Line renamed New York | 10,499 |
| City of Paris (1) | 1866 | 1870 rebuilt to 3500 tons, 1884 sold France renamed Tonquin. | 2,566 |
| City of Paris (2) | 1889 | 1893 transfered to American Line renamed Paris. | 10,669 |
| City of Philadelphia | 1854 | 1854 wrecked near Cape Race on maiden voyage; no loss of life. | 2,168 |
| City of Pittsburgh | 1851 | owned by New York & San Francisco SS Co., but wore Inman Line colours and Inman acted as agents, 1852 burnt out at Valparaiso. | 1,500 |
| City of Richmond | 1873 | 1891 sold to British owners. | 4,607 |
| City of Rome | 1881 | 1882 sold to Anchor Line. | 8,415 |
| City of Washington | 1855 | 1855-1856 chartered to France as Crimean War Transport, 1873 wrecked near Cape Sable; no loss of life. | 2,381 |
| Edinburgh | 1855 | 1859 purchased from Glasgow & New York SS Co., 1870 chartered to H. E. Bates & Co., 1872 sold to Telegraph Construction & Maintenance Co, converted to cable ship. | 2,197 |
| Etna | 1855 | 1860 purchased from European & Australian Royal Mail, 1871 rebuilt to 2655 tons, renamed City of Bristol, 1881 sold to Italy renamed Messico. | 2,215 |
| Glasgow | 1851 | 1859 purchased from Glasgow & New York SS Co., 1865 caught fire and sank at sea; no loss of life. | 1,962 |
| Kangaroo | 1853 | 1854 taken over from Australasian Pacific Mail SS Co. as Crimean War transport, 1856 entered Inman service, 1870 chartered to H. E. Bates & Co, 1876 sold to Telegraph Construction & Maintenance Co, converted to cable ship. | 1,773 |
| Ohio | 1887 | 1889 chartered from American Line for 13 voyages. | 3,392 |
| Vigo | 1854 | 1858 purchased from Cie. Franco-Americaine, France, 1861 sold to Lopez renamed Isla De Puerto Rico. | 1,953 |
Rates as of 6 December 1850
Pages 45-46 of The Atlantic Ferry, Maginnis, 1892.
- Rates of Passage.-From Liverpool:-1st Cabin, 22 guineas; 2nd Cabin, 13 guineas. From Philadelphia.-- 1st Cabin, 100 dollars; 2nd Cabin, 60 dollars.
- These rates include provisions and steward's fee, but not wines or liquors, which can be had on board.
- Rates of Freight.-From Liverpool--£4 per ton measurement. From Philadelphia.-According to agreement.
Passengers and shippers will find Philadelphia the most central port, possessing railway communication in a few hours and at trifling expense to New York for the North; being also on the main line from the North through Baltimore to Washington and the Southern States, and the great central railway (now open to within 80 miles of Pittsburg[sic] on the Ohio) forms the shortest and most direct route to the Western States. All goods sent to the agents in Philadelphia will be forwarded with economy and despatch.
For further particulars apply in Philadelphia and New York to Richardson, Watson and Co.; in Belfast, to Richardson, Brothers and Co.; in Glasgow to Patrick Henderson and Co., and in Liverpool to Richardson, Brothers and Co., 12 and 13, Tower Buildings, Liverpool.