Wreck of SS City of Philadelphia off Cape Race

Background. The SS City of Philadelphia was an iron-hulled single screw passenger steam ship owned by the Liverpool and Philadelphia Steam Ship Company, known as the Inman Line. As the company's third vessel, she represented an improvement on the design of the SS City of Manchester. The Inman Line was a major 19th-century British passenger shipping company on the North Atlantic.

The Wreck. On 7 September 1854, the SS City of Philadelphia was wrecked near Cape Race on her maiden voyage. Cape Race is located at the southeastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. Despite the loss of the vessel, there was no loss of life among those aboard.

Company Context. The year 1854 was disastrous for the Inman Line, as the firm lost both the City of Glasgow with all hands and the brand new City of Philadelphia. Although the City of Philadelphia was lost without loss of life, the company suffered significantly during this period.