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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

USS City of Peking

Steamer:
  • Built as the passenger/cargo steamer City of Peking in 1873-74 by Delaware River Iron Shipbuilding & Engine Works, Chester, PA.
  • Launched in 1874
  • Delivered in 1874 to Pacific Mail Steamship Co.
  • Chartered by the US Navy, 1 May 1898
  • Fitted out as a transport
  • Commissioned, USS City of Peking, 10 May 1898, CDR. William C. Gibson USN in command
  • Decommissioned, 1 September 1898 at San Francisco
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 1910
    Specifications:
    Displacement 3,129 t.(lt) 5,080 t.(fl)
    Length 324'
    Beam 49'
    Draft 24'
    Speed 14kts
    Complement unknown
    Armament two 3-pdrs
    Propulsion
    sail
    one vertical compound steam engine
    single screw
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Merchant Service
    City of Peking 111k SS City of Peking tied up at Pier 42 (Canal Street), North River, New York in 1874. Photo taken by G. W. Pach (1848-1904). Image is from Maritime New York in Nineteenth-Century Photographs, by Harry Johnson & Frederick S Lightfoot. Dover Publications, 1980. Robert Hurst
    City of Peking 163k Photograph of SS City of Peking with diary entry. Richard G. Davenport was aboard as q passenger from San Francisco to Yokohama in 1877.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 43855    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    City of Peking 68k Pacific Mail Steamship Co. advertisement in 1884 as it appeared in the "Daily Alta California". Steamers listed include SS City of Peking Tommy Trampp
    City of Peking 177k Post card image of SS City of Peking under way, date and location unknown.
    Image courtesy of Pacific Mail Steamship Company Collection of Stephen J. and Jeremy W. Potash. Postal Museum    		 Robert Hurst
    City of Peking 44k Post card image of SS City of Peking under way, date and location unknown.
    Courtesy George Bros Blog    		 Robert Hurst
    City of Peking 30k SS City of Peking under way, date and location unknown.
    Illustration for "The Engineer", 27 October 1899.    		 Tommy Trampp
    City of Peking 112k Print of an engraving of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company's SS City of Peking under way near the city of Tokio [Tokyo]. Note the yacht Magic in the far distant background.
    Engraved and printed by Homer Lee & Co., New York.    		 Tommy Trampp
    City of Peking 96k Pacific Mail Steamship Company's steam-fitted schooner SS City of Peking bound for San Francisco and the “Gold Mountain (1881). During the voyage, emigrants endured poor and overcrowded conditions (adapted from The Chinese American Album). Tommy Trampp
    USS City of Peking
    City of Peking 110k USS City of Peking preparing to depart San Francisco, 25 May 1898, carrying U.S. troops to Manila. This large Pacific Mail steamer was chartered by the Navy and sailed with a naval officer in command.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # NH 75271, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    City of Peking 96k USS City of Peking nearly ready to depart San Francisco for Manila, 25 May 1898, with U.S. troops aboard. This large chartered steamer sailed with two smaller chartered steamers not under naval command.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # NH 75273, Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    City of Peking 29k USS City of Peking under way, date and location unknown.
    Photo from the Steve Crandell Collection.    		 Tommy Trampp
    City of Peking 62k 1st California Volunteer Infantry Regiment boarding USS City of Peking
    at San Francisco, 28 May 1898.
    From Philippine-American War, 1899-1902" by Arnaldo Dimindin    		 Tommy Trampp
    City of Peking 50k
    City of Peking 126k USS City of Peking pulling out from the wharf at San Francisco, 25 May 1898 enroute to Manila.
    Published in "Harper's Weekly" June 1898.    		 Tommy Trampp
    City of Peking 185k USS City of Peking departing San Francisco for Manila, 25 May 1898, with U.S. troops aboard. The ship carried sealed orders for U.S. forces to seize Guam on the way to Manila.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # NH 75243, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    City of Peking 132k USS City of Peking leaving San Francisco for Manila, 25 May 1898, with U.S. troops aboard. She delivered her troops at Manila on 30 June 1898 to augment the small U.S. forces already there.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # NH 75272, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 Robert Hurst
    City of Peking 109k USS City of Peking leaving San Francisco for Manila, 25 May 1898, with U.S. troops aboard. She delivered her troops at Manila on 30 June 1898 to augment the small U.S. forces already there.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # NH 2133, courtesy Shipscribe.com.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    City of Peking 135k USS City of Peking probably leaving San Francisco for Manila, 25 May 1898, with U.S. troops aboard. She delivered her troops at Manila on 30 June 1898 to augment the small U.S. forces already there.
    US Navy photo    		 Jim Kurrasch Battleship Iowa Pacific Battleship Center
    USS City of Peking
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
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    Last Updated 28 June 2019