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PS Zetland 1854

NOTES:
Spawns at CREATIVE ISLAND

Story:

Launched on May 14th 1853, construction on the Zetland (I) started in September 1852. She was launched in front of an audience in November 1853, and was fully fitted out by January 15th 1854. She ran her speed trials, and proved to be an excellent ship, and one to be a record breaker. With an average speed of 12.98 knots on her maiden, she beat the Collins Line's Baltic, though losing it to the Baltic once again on July 7th the same year. Her iron hull proved to save her from the expensive issues as the wooden Collins vessels had suffered, and she was one of the grandest liners afloat. She rapidly earned a very good reputation for being a reliable and comfortable steamer. However, her prestige would be stolen and her reputation worn down until her fate in 1862. At 2,893 gross tons, she was never the largest ship afloat, with the 3,270 ton SS Great Britain in service. While company officials were on board on her first crossing of June 1861, she embarrassingly broke down. Wind was favourable though, and she continued to Liverpool under sail for eight hours until she could steam once more, only arriving three hours late. In November 1862, while off the coast of Manhattan, she was involved in a collision with a small paddle tug. Minor damage was done to both the tug and the liner, but she would be wounded fatally from a collision just two voyages later. Departing New York, she was only a few miles off the coast of England, when a sailing vessel was aiming directly on her port side. Engines were thrown astern, but it was too late. The iron clipper bow sliced into the iron steamer, and her paddles thrashed about, breaking her free. Rapidly starting to list. boats were launched from both the Zetland and the Jade, and thankfully only two died on each ship. Zetland almost survived, though her list did her in once water was pouring over her bulwarks. The public were shocked to hear the famous steamer had sank, though thankful so few had died, and the captains and crews of both vessels were praised for their heroic actions that night.