Tod & Macgregor Shiplist

Notes:

          The City of Richmond was propelled by compound-expansion inverted engines of 800 (yard list says 700) nominal hp with cylinders 68 in and 120 in diameter by 60 in stroke, and fitted with surface condensers. Steam at a pressure of 65 psi was supplied by ten marine boilers each with three furnaces.

          The vessel was spar-decked and ship-rigged with three iron masts and had solid iron bulwarks. Amidships were long rows of centre and side houses, five of which later were used as hospitals. The steering gear could be operated by manual labour or by steam power. about 1,500 passengers could be carried.

          Her sister-ship, the City of Chester, was built at the same time by Caird and Co. of Greenock. The loss of this order probably contributed to the sale of the Tod & Macgregor yard to the Henderson Brothers.

          The speed of the vessel on trial was 16 knots. Made a fast run from Sandy Hook to Fastnet Rock in April 1874 of 7 days, 23 hours. Sold in 1892.

[Trans-Atlantic Passenger Ships, Eugene W.Smith]

          In addition to a large coal storage and cargo capacity of 2,000 tons she had passenger accommodation for about 150 in the saloon and over 1,300 in steerage. When she and her sister ship came out they were the biggest merchant ships afloat, always excepting the Great Eastern, and attracted a good deal of attention. As record breakers the City of Richmond  and the City of Chester were apt to be disappointing, but they were good dividend earners and popular ships.

[A Century of Atlantic Travel, FG Bowen]