The steamship CIMBRIA was built for the Hamburg-America Line by Caird & Co, Greenock, and was launched on 21 January 1867. 3,025 tons; 100,93 x 12,1 x 10,34 meters/329 x 39 x 33 feet (length x breadth x depth of hold); straight stem, 1 funnel, 2 masts; iron construction, single screw propulsion, compound engines, service speed 12 knots; accommodation for 58 passengers in 1st class, 120 in 2nd class, and 500 in steerage; crew of 120.

Captain:
     1867-1868 - H. H. D. N. I. Trautmann
     1868      - C. Hebich
     1868      - J. Barends
     1868-1871 - P. H. Haack
     1870      - C. Hebich
     1871      - J. Winzen
     1872-1873 - W. L. Stahl
     1873-1876 - J. P. C. L. Brandt
     1874      - C. L. Schmidt
     1877      - H. Schwensen
     1878      - J. P. C. L. Brandt
     1878      - N. C. F. E. V. C. Badenhausen
     1879      - C. Hebich
     1879      - J. Barends
     1880-1882 - C. Ludwig
     1882      - J. Hansen
     1882      - C. Koerdell
     1882      - W. Lübbe

Voyages:
     13 Apr 1867 - maiden voyage, Hamburg-Southampton-New York.
     1867        - New York (6x)
     1867-1868   - Leith (2x)
     1868-1869   - New York (16x)
     1869        - England
     1870-1882   - New York (72x)

19 January 1883, bound from Hamburg for Havre and New York, sunk in collision with the British steamship SULTAN near the island of Borkum, with the loss of between 437 and 457 lives. The following account of the sinking of the CIMBRIA is taken from Charles Hocking, Dictionary of Disasters at Sea During the Age of Steam; Including sailing ships and ships of war lost in action, 1824-1962 (London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping, 1969), vol. 1, pp. 141-142:

The liner CIMBRIA, Capt. Hansen, left Hamburg on Thursday, January 18th, 1883, with 402 passengers--mostly emigrants from Russia, Prussia, Austria and Hungary--and a crew of 120. There were also a number of French sailors on board, bound for Havre, and a party of Chippewa Indians returning to the U.S.A. after performing at an exhibition. Early on the morning of the 19th the weather thickened, and later on became dense. Off the Island of Borkum the siren of an approaching steamship was heard, but her location was in doubt until the very moment that she loomed into sight, barely 150 feet away. She proved to be the SULTAN, of the Hull and Hamburg Line, Capt. Cuttill, and she crashed into the CIMBRIA's port side immediately in front of the foremast, cutting a hole which extended to below the water-line. She then backed away, finding her own plight extremely bad, as she had a 7-foot hole in the bows and was making water fast. In these circumstances she did not lower her boats or make any effort to get into touch with the vessel she had rammed, believing that her own case was the more serious. Shortly afterwards the two ships drifted out of sight of each other.

Conditions on the CIMBRIA were very serious, the startled passengers, who were asleep below, came on deck to find the ship heeling over to starboard and rapidly settling down. The seven boats were got away as quickly as possible, one capsizing on launching. In general there was good order and every means of saving life was adopted, even to cutting loose the ship's spars to provide assistance for the unfortunate people when they were flung into the water.

Two of the boats were picked up by the British barque THETA, on Sunday the 21st, with 39 survivors. A third boat containing 17 was picked up by the British ship DIAMANT [this identification is incorrect: the vessel was the Bremen bark DIAMANT] off the Weser Lighthouse, while a fourth boat with nine people arrived at Borkum, thus making 65 all told. Among the saved were the second, third and fourth officers and the second engineer. Nearly all of the 72 women and 87 children on board were lost.

At an official inquiry at Hamburg, Capt. Cuttill stated that he considered his ship the more damaged at the time, and that he did not lower his boats for fear of losing them in the fog. He affirmed that he was not aware of the disaster to the CIMBRIA, from which he had drifted away. It was proved that if the SULTAN had shipped a foot more water in her hold she would have foundered.

Arnold Kludas and Herbert Bischoff, Die Schiffe der Hamburg-Amerika Linie, Bd. 1: 1847-1906 (Herford: Koehler, 1979), p. 27, give a somewhat different account:

19. Januar 1883: Zwei Stunden nach Mitternacht passiert die CIMBRIA im dichten Nebel die Insel Borkum, als sie mit dem britischen Dampfer SULTAN kollidiert. Der Zusammenstoss ist auf fehlerhafte Navigation beider Schiffe und unglückliche Umstände zurückzuführen: Die SULTAN bohrt sich in die Backbordseite der CIMBRIA und treibt dann achteraus. Die beiden Schiffe bekommen sich kurz darauf noch einmal in Sicht, wobei man auf SULTAN sieht, daß auf der sinkenden CIMBRIA panisches Entsetzen herrscht. Die Mannschaft der SULTAN ist jedoch so mit dem eigenen schwerbeschädigten Schiff beschäftigt, daß sie die mögliche Hilfeleistung unterläßt. Auf der schnell sinkenden CIMBRIA gelingt es, die vier Steuerbord-Boote 1 bis 7 auszubringen, von denen zwei kentern; eins kann wieder aufgerichtet werden. Die mit Frauen und Kindern vollbesetzten Backbord-Boote 2 bis 8 können wegen der Schlagseite nicht gefiert werden. Kurz darauf sinkt die CIMBRIA und reißt 327 Menschen mit sich in die Tiefe. Nur 54 Menschen überleben. 17 werden von der Bremer bark DIAMANT von den aus dem Wasser ragenden Masten der CIMBRIA geborgen, die anderen werden aus den Rettungsbooten von der britischen Bark THETA übernommen.

Sources: Walter Kresse, ed., Seeschiffs-Verzeichnis der Hamburger Reedereien, 1824-1888, Mitteilungen aus dem Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte, N. F., Bd. 5 (Hamburg: Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte, 1969), vol. 1, p. 191; Arnold Kludas and Herbert Bischoff, Die Schiffe der Hamburg-Amerika Linie, Bd. 1: 1847-1906 (Herford: Koehler, 1979), p. 27 (photograph); Noel Reginald Pixell Bonsor, North Atlantic Seaway; An Illustrated History of the Passenger Services Linking the Old World with the New (2nd ed.; Jersey, Channel Islands: Brookside Publications), vol. 1 (1975), p. 389; Charles Hocking, Dictionary of Disasters at Sea During the Age of Steam; Including sailing ships and ships of war lost in action, 1824-1962 (London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping, 1969), vol. 1, pp. 141-142.

The steamship CINCINNATI was built by F. Schichau, Danzig (yard #804), for the Hamburg-America Line, and was launched on 24 July 1908. 16,339 tons; 176,8 x 19,9 meters (length x beam); 2 funnels, 4 masts; twin-screw propulsion, service speed 15.5 knots; accommodation for 246 passengers in 1st class, 332 in 2nd class, 448 in 3rd class, and 1,801 in steerage; crew of 385.

27 May 1909, maiden voyage, Hamburg - Southampton - Cherbourg - New York. 4 April 1910, first voyage, Genoa - Naples - New York (winter service). 2 April 1913, last voyage, Genoa - Naples - New York. 21 May 1913, first voyage, Hamburg - Boulogne - Southampton - Boston. 28 July 1914, last voyage, Hamburg - Boulogne - Southampton - Boston. 8 August 1914, laid up in Boston. 6 April 1917, seized by the U.S. Shipping Board. 28 July 1917, COVINGTON (U.S. Navy transport). 1 July 1918, torpedoed by German submarine U-86 near the French Coast; sank the next day at lat 47 24 N lon 07 44 W.

Sources: Arnold Kludas and Herbert Bischoff, Die Schiffe der Hamburg-Amerika Linie, Bd. 2: 1907-1926 (Herford: Koehler, 1980), p. 32-33 (photograph); Noel Reginald Pixell Bonsor, North Atlantic Seaway; An Illustrated History of the Passenger Services Linking the Old World with the New (2nd ed.; Jersey, Channel Islands: Brookside Publications), vol. 1 (1975), p. 414. Also pictured in Clas Broder Hansen, Passenger liners from Germany, 1816-1990, translated from the German by Edward Force (West Chester, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Pub., c1991), p. 90.

The steamship CITY OF BOSTON was built by Tod & McGregor, Glasgow, for the Inman Line, and was launched on 15 November 1865. 2,278 tons; 92,96 x 11,89 meters / 305 x 39 feet (length x breadth); clipper bow, 1 funnel, 3 masts; iron construction, single screw propulsion, service speed 12 knots; accommodation for 100 passengers in the cabin and 950 in steerage.

8 February 1865, maiden voyage, Liverpool - Queenstown - New York. 25 January 1870, sailed from New York (cleared from Halifax, 28 January), bound for Liverpool, and went missing.

Source: Noel Reginald Pixell Bonsor, North Atlantic Seaway; An Illustrated History of the Passenger Services Linking the Old World with the New (2nd ed.; Jersey, Channel Islands: Brookside Publications), vol. 1 (1975), p. 241. The surviving records of the Inman Steamship Co, Liverpool, now deposited in the Liverpool Record Office and Local History Service, Liverpool, and the surviving records of Tod & McGregor, Shipbuilders, Glasgow, now deposited in the Glasgow University Archives and Business Records Centre, Glasgow, may contain additional information on the CITY OF BOSTON.

Although neither the United States nor Canada required the keeping of passenger departure lists, newspapers in both New York and Halifax printed lists of the lost, taken from the records kept by the Inman Line itself. The following is a list of the passengers and crew, taken from the New York Times, 1 April 1870, p. 5, col. 5:

THE CITY OF BOSTON

Complete List of the Passengers, Cabin and Steerage -- Names of the Officers and Crew

The following is an authentic list of all those on board the CITY OF BOSTON when she sailed from Halifax. They number 191--namely, 84 crew and 107 passengers--55 cabin and 52 steerage. Besides the military men already mentioned, the cabin passengers include a great many business men of position in Halifax. The steerage passengers are chiefly from New-York, and include several small families. The following are the

PASSENGERS

Cabin.--From New York: Allen Ebbs, wife, child and infant; Mr. Ryland and lady, W. M. Cochrane, M. A. Praeger, Mrs. M. Cosgrove, J. Cosgrove, J. Adshead, R. C. Lawton. From Halifax: Capt. Hamilton, Sixty-fifth Regiment; Mrs. Kildahl, child (thirteen months) and infant; Mr. Baker and lady, two children (three and five years) and nurse; Capt. Stirling, lady, infant and nurse; H. C. Morley, deputy assistant superintendent stores; Mrs. Orange and child, Lieut. Orange and female servant, Lieut. Kildahl and female servant, W. E. Potter, Capt. Forbes, Mr. Leconte, Master T. R. Robinson, Master Thos. H. Robinson, Mr. J. Allan, Mr. A. K. Doull, Mr. E. Billing, Mr. J. B. Young, Mr. J. Barron, Mr. Walter Barron, Mr. P. Power, Mr. James N. Paint, Miss F. Paint, Mr. G. A. Knox, Mr. Wm. Murray, Mr. C. S. Silva, Mr. E. J. Kenny, Mr. John Thompson, Mr. John D. Purdy, Mr. Charles Fisher, Mr. S. R. Montgomery, Mr. Wm. Parkes.

Steerage.--From New-York: William J. McCrea, wife and infant, Janet Barnsley and two children, John Moran, William Lapsworth, John Gibson, Benjamin Woodhead, James McManaus, Kate McManaus, Michael Parkinson, Edw. Parrey, James McDonnell, T. Fox, Thomas Barton, M. J. Harding, John J. Ashton, William Moalsdale, William Barnsley, George Fearn, James H. Hamsley, George Jennings, John Taylor, Mary Taylor, Thomas Bolton, John T. Bailey, Joseph Davies, Ellen Davies, William Davies, Thomas Davies, W. J. Threstrer, John Davies, Evan Thomas, Samuel McCulla, Michael Dempsey, William Carr, Charles Grattan, James White, Francis McCarthy, L. Floyer, Thomas Francis, William Thompson, A. R. Conk. From Halifax: James McCain and wife, Joseph Holland, James Graves, Mary A. Erskine, Patrick Cassidy, Geo. Rowing.

Officers and Crew.

The vessel has a crew of eighty-four men, ranked as follows:

Commander--Capt. J. J. Halcrow.

Mates--J. Mortiner, First; J. Craven, Second, and W. H. James, Third.

Surgeon--Thomas Spring Rice.

Subordinate Officers--William Smith, Purser; Alfred Joseph Garrett, barkeeper; James McGregor, chief steward; John Smith, second steward; Charles Joyce, engineers' steward; Henry Stokes, Robert Haigh, John Simeon, Nathan Ramsden, Elias Porteus, Creswell Pigott, Walter Ferguson, Thomas Davies and James Burberry, stewards; John Fennah, Edward Harrison, Thomas Mathews and Thomas Towtrey, cooks; Robert Casey, baker; William Old, butcher; William Collier, carpenter; Jas. Fegan, joiner; William Collins, boatswain; Wm. Farr, boatswain's mate.

Seamen--Able-bodied seamen: Charles Stroud, Peter Martin, John Griffiths, Isaac Francombe, Thomas M'Kee, Emmanuel Silva, Edward Condy, Thomas Barker, Thomas Quinlan, Thomas Kelly, Peter Abrahams, Patrick Flynn, Angus M'Millan, James Coffey, Martin Glenning, William M'Mace, James Fegan, Thomas Mason, Samuel Hawkes, Michael Garroty, Edmund Allen, Patrick Rice, Henry Kelly, John Brown, and John Jenkins. Ordinery seamen: George Adams, Joseph Regan, Walter Littlejohn, and George Jack.

Engineer's Department--Engineers: Alexander Urquhart, first; Robert Henry Hawkes, second; J. Walker Tomlinson, third; Charles Occleshead, fourth; and James Hayes, fifth. Firemen: John Beggs, James McDonald, Edward Burns, Wm. Dewitt, Emmanuel Taylor, Louis Haverest, Robert Frame, Patrick McLean, Henry Divine, Thomas Kinsella, John Wilson, Hugh Fitzpatrick, John Molyneaux, Evan Thomas, Thomas Scroggie, Martin Lawless, Joseph Bennett, Joseph Kirkham, Stephen Glenna, Michael Gavin and Geo. Young.

As the CITY OF BOSTON was of British registry, the deaths should also be recorded in the General Register Office's "Marine Register", now held by the Office for National Statistics, Southport, Merseyside; the Family History Library in Salt Lake City has a microfilm copy of the index to this register, and copies of the appropriate rolls can be borrowed through any LDS [Mormon] Family History Center.