RMS Rhone was a British Royal Mail Ship owned by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, built as an iron-hulled vessel measuring 310 feet (94 meters) in length with a beam of 40 feet (12 meters) and a gross register tonnage of 2,738 GRT. She was designed as a sail-steamer, rigged as a two-masted brig, and equipped with a compound steam engine producing 500 NHP, which allowed her to reach speeds of up to 14 knots during her sea trials. Notably, Rhone featured a bronze propeller—only the second of its kind—and was fitted with a surface condenser, a pioneering technology at the time, which re-used water in her boilers and steam engine. Her construction was supervised by the Admiralty, which made revisions to her bulkheads and watertight compartments during her build to meet safety standards. Rhone’s passenger capacity included 253 first-class, 30 second-class, and 30 third-class passengers. She was delivered in June 1863 by Millwall Iron Works in London, initially serving the Southampton to Brazil route. Her maiden voyage began on 9 October 1865, and she quickly established a reputation for reliability and speed, despite initial issues with overheated bearings. Rhone proved resilient in severe weather, surviving a storm in 1866 that caused damage and casualties. In January 1867, Rhone completed her final voyage to Brazil and was transferred to the Caribbean route. Her final voyage was marked by her sinking during the San Narciso Hurricane on 29 October 1867, off Salt Island in the British Virgin Islands. As the storm intensified, her anchor became caught, and during a critical attempt to escape, she was driven into Black Rock Point by shifting winds. The impact caused her to break in two, and her boilers exploded from contact with seawater, leading to her rapid sinking. Approximately 120 of her crew and passengers perished, with only 25 survivors. Today, RMS Rhone’s wreck lies in Great Harbour, Salt Island, at depths of up to 85 feet (26 meters), and has become one of the Caribbean’s most renowned dive sites. Her well-preserved iron hull, encrusted with coral and teeming with marine life, serves as a significant archaeological and recreational maritime site, celebrated for both its historical importance and vibrant underwater ecosystem.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.