The SS (RMS) Mona's Queen (II), No. 76308, was an iron-built paddle steamer operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company from 1885 until 1929. Constructed by the Barrow Shipbuilding Company of Barrow-in-Furness at a cost of £55,000, she measured 320 feet 1 inch in length, with a beam of 30 feet 3 inches and a depth of 14 feet 5 inches. Her registered tonnage was 1,559 GRT. Mona's Queen was notable for her robust construction from Siemens-Martin mild steel and was the last vessel in the company's fleet fitted with oscillating engines. Her propulsion system comprised compound surface condensing cylinder engines, producing 5,000 indicated horsepower, with high-pressure cylinders of 50 inches and low-pressure cylinders of 88 inches, both with a 72-inch stroke. Her boiler operated at a steam pressure of 87 pounds per square inch. Her design featured spacious, luxuriously appointed saloons, including a main saloon paneled in satin wood and walnut with gold decorations, as well as a Ladies Saloon decorated with bronze green velvet and furnished with sycamore and walnut, which could be converted into sleeping quarters. The Smoke Room was paneled with ash, oak, and teak moldings, emphasizing her elegant interior. Mona's Queen was a fast vessel, often making the Douglas-Fleetwood run in under three hours during her early service. She initially served on the Douglas-Fleetwood route but was later transferred to the main Liverpool route to compete effectively. Overhauled in 1888 with new paddles, she was a prominent paddle steamer until the advent of screw propulsion. During the First World War, Mona's Queen was chartered as a troop carrier. Notably, on 16 February 1917, she rammed the German U-boat SM UC-26, damaging it severely after a close encounter near Le Havre, showcasing her wartime significance. Post-war, she resumed civilian service, continuing until 1929, when she was withdrawn and sold for breaking. Her service marked her as one of the last paddle steamers of her era, representing the peak of Victorian maritime engineering and the transition period in passenger vessel design.

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