Launched 17th October, 1871.

On 31st December, 1875, whilst outbound in the Irish Channel, Adriatic I collided with the Black Ball Line's full-rigged ship Harvest Queen, which was on the final leg of a four month trip from San Francisco. The sailing ship foundered and her crew of about thirty men was lost - although Adriatic remained at the scene for three hours after impact.

On 17th November 1897 Adriatic(1) made her final voyage from Liverpool to New York via Queenstown (Cobh). Upon her return to the UK, she was placed in reserve. In 1899, she was scrapped at Preston.