Inman Line
The Inman Line was a British shipping company of the late 19th century, based in Liverpool, who kept up a regular scheduled service to Philadelphia and later to New York.
History
1850, the Liverpool and Philadelphia Steam Ship Company was founded by businessman William Inman to maintain a regular liner service from Liverpool to Philadelphia. Inman is proved courage to use from the start exclusively iron screw steamer, a type of ship started to prove themselves just in the transatlantic trade. The cruise line did not get government subsidies, but managed Inman to break into the monopoly of emigrants Transportes Packet of sailors, which made for a good living. Inman was the first who carried the steerage passengers with steam ships to North America. The ships were easy to recognize the fact that all the names with the prefix " City of ..... " began; Moreover, they had a clipper stem, with whom she almost looked like sailing ships.
Business was good. The stream of emigrants increased steadily, the screw steamer consumed 50 percent less coal than the steamer and were very economical. 1854 had to cope with two heavy losses, the shipping company. The City of Glasgow ( the first ship of the line) was lost in the Atlantic, and the newly built steamer City of Philadelphia had sunk on its maiden voyage at Cape Race. But Inman did not give up, instead of Philadelphia in 1857 New York new arrival ports, and the shipping company was now called Liverpool, New York & Philadelphia Steamship Company. The prospect of higher profits Inman had probably led to this step, but at the same time threatened fiercer competition.
1869 conquered the City of Brussels for the first time for Inman the Blue Riband with more than 14 nodes, Cunard steamer were beaten. 1870 new competition revealed by the fast ships of the White Star Line. The shipping company ran into financial difficulties and had to be converted into a corporation in 1875. The shipping company again changed its name, in Inman Steamship Company Ltd. .. In the same year, the City of Berlin recaptured the Blue Riband, but lost it shortly thereafter to the White Star Line. 1879 attacked the Guion Line with Arizona in a competition, bringing the competition worsened further.
1881 Inman countered with the City of Rome, with 8415 BRT at that time the largest ship in the world and with its three chimneys an imposing appearance. Their speed was disappointing, however: instead of 18, she was just 16 nodes to slowly wrest the Blue Riband for the Guion Line.
Shortly after the launch of the City of Rome died Inman. The descent of the Inman Line was unstoppable, 1883 the City of Brussels had sunk after a collision and the rest of the fleet had to be urgently replaced. For the crossing we took two days longer than the competition. There was a lack of money, with a book value of the fleet of 168 500 pounds sterling had liabilities in the amount of 265500 pounds. The Inman Line showed how deadly a failing blue - banded Courser could act in this relentless competition.
1886 was the Inman Line in voluntary liquidation to allow a start-up. The Inman & International Steamship Co. Ltd.. was born. Owner was the U.S. shipping company International Navigation Company, based in Philadelphia. The fleet has been modernized, and at the shipyard J. & G. Thomson, Glasgow was one of two new buildings in order. They made everything so far unprecedented in the shade. 1888 ran the sister ships City of Paris and City of New York from the stack, with 10499 grt they were the largest passenger ships ever built. The City of Paris then recaptured the Blue Riband from Cunard's also Etruria and Umbria for Inman. The White Star countered with Teutonic and Majestic, but lost it again in 1889 in Inman's City of New York.
1892, the U.S. Congress decided by special law that the Inman - ships were to be purchased in the U.S.. The Inman Line 1893 dissolved and its former ships for the American Line, a shipping company in the International Navigation Company registered. The "City of ...... " was deleted from the name of the ships. This was a name that had the image of the trans-Atlantic service significantly influenced by, gone forever.
Ships of the Inman Line 1850-1889
- Former shipping company ( United Kingdom)
- Former company (Liverpool )