7. SS City of Glasgow simply vanished without a trace
The screw steamer City of Glasgow was one of the first vessels to profitably operate in the cross Atlantic passenger trade without relying on government assistance. It was also one of the first passenger ships to offer cabins in steerage class. Previous vessels provided space on the open deck for steerage passengers, making the City of Glasgow an attractive option for those immigrating to America. The city of Glasgow originally operated on the Liverpool – New York route before being purchased to operate between Liverpool and Philadelphia by the new Liverpool and Philadelphia Steamship Company in the autumn of 1850. The city of Glasgow was not known for its speed, but it carried a large number of passengers comfortably.
On the first of March 1854, the City of Glasgow departed Liverpool for Philadelphia, due to return to the British port on March 25. The ship carried 480 passengers and crew. Once out of sight of its home port the vessel was never seen nor heard from again. Several other shipwrecks were believed to be the remains of the ship over the years, but all were later discounted. No trace of its wreckage has ever been found, and the fate of the ship and the 480 souls aboard it is one of the mysteries of the sea. The ship was declared lost at sea in May 1854, and Lloyd’s of London paid its owners 50,000 pounds sterling, roughly $6 million in 2018.
