SS Tropic (1871)

SS Tropic

History
Name	Tropic (1871–1873) Federico (1873–)
Owner	White Star Line (1871–1873) Serra y Font (1873–1874)
Operator	White Star Line
Ordered	1870
Builder	Thos. Royden & Co
Yard number	76
Laid down	1870
Launched	14 October 1871
Completed	1871
Out of service	June 1892
Fate	Scrapped in Rosyth in 1894
General characteristics
Class and type	Oceanic class
Type	Steamship
Tonnage	2,122 GRT
Length	99 m (326 ft)
Beam	11 m (35 ft)
Depth	10 m (33 ft)
Decks	3
Installed power	Sails and one four blade propeller
Propulsion	Four blade propeller
Speed	13 knots
Capacity	100 passengers from 1st class 250 passenger from second class 400 passenger from third class
Crew	40

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 passengers. After serving on the Liverpool to Calcutta route for 1 year, her destination was changed to Callao, Peru on 5th November 1872. In 1873, a lifeboat was found from the sinking J.W. Elwell with three survivors. J.W. Elwell was sailing from Liverpool to Valparaíso when she caught fire and blew up two months prior, leaving the three survivors stranded out at sea. They 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 Frederico. In 1886, she was sold to another Spanish company. She served there until she was scrapped in 1894.

References

• "S/S Tropic (1), White Star Line". Norway Heritage. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
• "White Star Line / Oceanic Steamship Company / White Star Line of Boston Packets". The Fleets. The Ships List. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2013.