PS (RMS) ''Queen Victoria'' No. 93379 was a steel built

paddle steamer A paddle steamer is a steamship or steamboat powered by a steam engine that drives paddle wheels to propel the craft through the water. In antiquity, paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses wer ...

which was purchased together with her sister PS ''Prince of Wales'', by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company from the Isle of Man, Liverpool and Manchester Steamship Company in 1888 - referred to as ''The Manx Line''.

Construction and dimensions

''Queen Victoria'' was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company,

Govan Govan ( ; Cumbric?: ''Gwovan'?''; Scots: ''Gouan''; Scottish Gaelic: ''Baile a' Ghobhainn'') is a district, parish, and former burgh now part of south-west City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south ba ...

in 1887, and was launched on Tuesday 29 March 1887. Fairfield's also supplied her engines and boilers. The cost of her construction is not recorded. However, she was purchased by the Steam Packet Company together with RMS ''Prince of Wales'' for the sum of £155,000 (equivalent to £ in ) Length 330'; beam 39'1"; depth 15'2". ''Queen Victoria'' had a registered

tonnage Tonnage is a measure of the cargo-carrying capacity of a ship, and is commonly used to assess fees on commercial shipping. The term derives from the taxation paid on ''tuns'' or casks of wine. In modern maritime usage, "tonnage" specifically ref ...

of , was certified to carry 1546 passengers and had a crew complement of 69. Both sisters were fitted with compound engines developing at 40.5 r.p.m., with a boiler steam pressure of . Both the ''Queen Victoria'' and ''Prince of Wales'' engines were referred to as a ''coupled two crankshaft engine''. The crankshaft was connected at the crank by a drag link, the object of which was to get the two cranks at right angles, one driving the

valve gear The valve gear of a steam engine is the mechanism that operates the inlet and exhaust valves to admit steam into the cylinder and allow exhaust steam to escape, respectively, at the correct points in the cycle. It can also serve as a reversing g ...

of the other. The high-pressure cylinder was horizontal to, and the low-pressure cylinder diagonal to, the centre of the shaft. The two cylinders were 61 and 112 inches in diameter with a 78-inch stroke. So successful were these two ships that a number of other companies adopted the engine design for cross-channel work.

Service Life

The Manx Line, as the Isle of Man, Liverpool and Manchester Steamship Company was called commenced service with the ''Queen Victoria'' and her sister ''Prince of Wales.'' Both ships had been built by Fairfield's to excel the ''Mona's Isle'' and the ''Mona's Queen'' it being the intention of the shipbuilding firm that the Steam Packet Company should be forced to buy these two ships. Fairfield's were interested in the Manx Line and the performance of the ''Queen Victoria'' was noted on her arrival at

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

to commence the

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service. On her delivery run from Glasgow on 21 May 1887, she had averaged 22.5

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in heavy seas; said to be the then record between the Clyde and Mersey. To counter these rivals, the Steam Packet Company reduced fares, and The Manx Line retaliated. They advertised a 3hr 30mins passage from

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, and their two ships were certainly capable of keeping such a schedule, being able to complete passage between the ports 30mins quicker than the Steam Packet ships. PS Queen Victoria

As in the early days of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, racing between the two Companies' ships took place. On 19 May 1888, ''Mona's Isle'' and ''Queen Victoria'' had an exciting race, with the ''Queen Victoria'' winning by 32 minutes. ''Queen Victoria's'' sister ''Prince of Wales'', on one occasion at least, made passage from the Rock Lighthouse, New Brighton to

Douglas Head Douglas Head (Manx: ''Kione Ghoolish'') is a rocky point on the Isle of Man overlooking Douglas Bay and harbour. Views extend to include Snaefell Mountain and Laxey. General Until 1870, the headland was owned by The Nunnery Estate when Sir ...

in 2hrs 59mins.Ships of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company (Fred Henry) p.18 As a consequence of reckless price-cutting both companies lost money, and at the end of 1888, the Steam Packet Company bought the two Manx Line ships, both of which became reliable and valued members of the fleet. On 17 July 1889, ''Queen Victoria'' collided with the

tug A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...

''Victory'' in the

River Mersey The River Mersey () is in North West England. Its name derives from Old English and means "boundary river", possibly referring to its having been a border between the ancient kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria. For centuries it has formed part ...

War service

''Queen Victoria'' was sold to the

Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong * Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral * Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings *Admiralty, Tr ...

in 1915, and she was fitted out as a net-laying

anti-submarine An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war. In its simplest sense, an anti-submarine weapo ...

ship. Together with her sister, both vessels were still considered fast for their day, and although they were getting on in years, naval architects appeared to think that paddlers, if not converted to troop carriers, were well suited to an anti-submarine role. The two ships were soon in the Eastern Mediterranean theatre, in support of troopships and even warships in the submarine-infested seas. At one time during the Gallipoli Campaign they found themselves accompanying their Steam Packet sister ''Snaefell'', which was landing troops at

Suvla Bay file:Suvla from Battleship Hill.jpg, View of Suvla from Battleship Hill Suvla () is a bay on the Aegean Sea, Aegean coast of the Gallipoli peninsula in European Turkey, south of the Gulf of Saros. On 6 August 1915, it was the site for the Landi ...

Disposal

After the Great War, she was sold in 1920 to Ambacht in the

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for £5,450 (equivalent to £ in ); and was broken up.

References

Bibliography

* Chappell, Connery (1980). ''Island Lifeline'' T.Stephenson & Sons Ltd {{DEFAULTSORT:Queen Victoria (1887) Ships of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company 1887 ships World War I merchant ships of the United Kingdom Ferries of the Isle of Man Steamships Steamships of the United Kingdom Paddle steamers of the United Kingdom Merchant ships of the United Kingdom Ships built in Govan