SS Tropic (1871)
{{Short description|Steamship operated by White Star Line}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
|+SS Tropic {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = Federico photo album.png | Ship caption = SS Federico, unknown date }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship name = *Tropic (1871–1873)
| Ship owner = *White Star Line (1871–1873)
| Ship operator = White Star Line | Ship registry = *{{flagicon|UKGBI|civil}} Liverpool, United Kingdom (1871-73)
| Ship route = | Ship ordered = 1870 | Ship builder = Thos. Royden & Co | Ship original cost = | Ship yard number = 76 | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = 1870 | Ship launched = 14 October 1871 | Ship completed = 1871 | Ship christened = | Ship acquired = | Ship maiden voyage = | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = June 1892 | Ship identification = | Ship fate = Scrapped in Rosyth in 1894 | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship class = | Ship type = Steamship | Ship tonnage = {{GRT|2122}} | Ship displacement = | Ship length = 99 m (326 ft) | Ship beam = 11 m (35 ft) | Ship height = | Ship draught = | Ship draft = | Ship depth = 10 m (33 ft) | Ship decks = 3 | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship sail plan = | Ship power = Steam engine | Ship propulsion = Sails and one four blade propeller | Ship speed = {{Convert|13|kn|km/h}} | Ship capacity = ~10 passengers {{Cite web | url=https://www.dieselduck.info/historical/05%20documents/White%20Star%20Liners.pdf | title=White Star Liners | website=www.dieselduck.info}} | Ship crew = 40 | Ship notes = }} |
SS Tropic was a steamship operated by the White Star Line. Built in 1871 by shipbuilders Thos. Royden & Co, the 2,122 gross register ton vessel operated on the Liverpool to Calcutta run in 1871, and in 1872 began serving South American ports from Liverpool. In 1873, the ship was sold to Serra y Font, Bilbao, and renamed Federico. She was operated by the White Star Line. She served alongside her sister ship, RMS Asiatic.
History
SS Tropic was built by Thomas Royden and Sons in 1871. She and her sister SS Asiatic were bought by the White Star Line before their construction was finished. Even though Tropic was made to carry cargo, she also carried 10 passengers. After serving on the Liverpool to Calcutta route for one year, which proved unsuccessful, her route was changed to Liverpool to Valparaiso, Peru on 5 November 1872. This also proved commercially unsuccessful.{{cite book|last1=Kerbrech|first1=Richard De|title=Ships of the White Star Line|date=2009|publisher=Ian Allan Publishing|pages=16, 20|isbn=978-0-7110-3366-5}}
In February 1873, a lifeboat was found from the sinking barque James W. Elwell with three survivors. James W. Elwell was sailing from Liverpool to Valparaíso when she caught fire and blew up ten weeks prior. Fifteen crew had taken to the boat, but twelve of them had subsequently died.{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Latest Shipping Intelligence |date=2 April 1873 |issue=27653 |page=11 |column=F }} The survivors were taken back to Liverpool by SS Tropic.
On 4 June 1873, she began her last voyage for the White Star Line. Along with her sister, she was sold, because the company was having financial difficulties after the loss of SS Atlantic. J. Serra y font, a Spanish shipping company, bought the two ships. Tropic was renamed Federico.
In 1884, she was sold to the La Flecha company, though retained her name and port of registry. After an uneventful career, she was sold for scrap in late 1894.{{Cite web | url=https://shippingandshipbuilding.uk/view.php?official_number=&imo=&builder=&builder_eng=&year_built=&launch_after=&launch_before=&role=&type_ref1=&propulsion=&owner=&port=&flag=&disposal=&lost=&ref=200099&vessel=TROPIC | title= Iron Screw Steamer | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327151603/https://shippingandshipbuilding.uk/view.php?official_number=&imo=&builder=&builder_eng=&year_built=&launch_after=&launch_before=&role=&type_ref1=&propulsion=&owner=&port=&flag=&disposal=&lost=&ref=200099&vessel=TROPIC | archive-date=2024-03-27}}
Citations
{{Reflist}}
References
- {{cite web |url=http://www.norwayheritage.com/p_ship.asp?sh=trop1 |website=Norway Heritage |title=S/S Tropic (1), White Star Line |accessdate=2013-09-12}}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/whitestar.html |website=The Ships List |title=White Star Line / Oceanic Steamship Company / White Star Line of Boston Packets |department=The Fleets |accessdate=2013-09-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716184616/http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/whitestar.html |archivedate=16 July 2012 |df=dmy-all }}
{{White Star Line ships}}
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Category:Ships built in Lancashire
Category:Ships of the White Star Line
Category:Passenger ships of the United Kingdom
Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom
Category:Passenger ships of Spain
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