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The designation has been used since 1840 .The first citation in the ''Times'' is from August 18, 1840 It was used by a large number of companies, but is often associated in particular with the Cunard Line , which held a number of high-profile mail Contract business, and which traditionally prefixed the titles of all its ships with the initials "RMS". The best-known ship carrying the prefix is almost certainly the RMS ''Titanic'' of the White Star Line . Technically, a Ship would use the prefix only while contracted to carry mail, and would revert at other times to a standard type designation such as " SS ". Initially the Admiralty operated these ships. In 1850 contracts were awarded to private companies. The most valuable route, with the highest volume, was between Kingstown (now Dún Laoghaire) , in Ireland , and Holyhead in Wales . The City Of Dublin Steam Packet Company (CDSPCo) won the contract and purchased RMS ''Saint Columa'' and RMS ''Llwywllyn'' from the Admiralty. Having the title "RMS" was seen as a mark of quality and a competitive advantage, because the mail had to be on time. In the 1860 CDSPCo contract there was a penalty clause of £1 1s 4d for every minute's delay. In recent years the shift to air transport for mail has left only two ships with the right to the prefix; RMS ''St. Helena'' , which serves the island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic, and RMS ''Queen Mary 2'' . QM2 was conferred "RMS" by Royal Mail when she entered service in 2004 on the Southampton to New York route as a gesture to Cunard's history.Royal Mails employees Courier newspaper page 20 August 2007 The less common designations RMMV, for '''Royal Mail Motor Vessel''', and '''RMMS''', for '''Royal Mail Motor Ship''', were used for a period when RMS was restricted to steam-ships. LIST OF RMS SHIPS EXTERNAL LINKS NOTES |
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