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Details of model
The first full, professionally-made builder's model acquired by the museum, it is still in excellent condition.
This model is currently on display in the Emigration gallery in the basement of Merseyside Maritime Museum.
Transatlantic passenger liner, National Line
'America' was built in 1884 by J and G Thomson of Glasgow (Clydebank) in the hope of enabling the National Line to win the 'Blue Riband', and thus keep up with the strong competition of its rivals. On her first voyage between New York and Liverpool she did manage a record crossing of 6 days, 14 hours and 18 minutes. Other vessels on the route however soon eclipsed this.
She was an interesting mix of new and old in design, like an elegant, powered sailing ship. Her two distinctively tall and elliptical funnels set her apart from the other two-funnellers built for the company since the 1870s. In 1885 the Russian war scare led to 'America' being taken up as an auxiliary cruiser, but she did not actually sail as such. The following year she began a joint express service with the Anchor (ex-Inman) Line's 'City of Rome', but her high coal consumption and high fares made her uncompetitive on the North Atlantic. In 1887 she was sold to the Italian government. She was renamed 'Trinacria' and used by the Italian Navy as a cruiser, transport, torpedo school, royal yacht and exhibition ship. She was scrapped in 1925.
