In January 1867, the North German Lloyd company proposed regular service between Bremen, Southampton, and Baltimore.

[2] At the time, a reporter from The Glasgow Herald wrote "The Baltimore is the forerunner of the fleet, and, judging from her beautiful model, the completeness of her arrangements, and the enterprise of the company to who she belongs, there can be no doubt she will speedily establish for the company a trade as extensive and prosperous as the Bremen and New York fleet, built by the same eminent builders.

[6][9][10][11] The War Department ordered a salute fired from Fort McHenry as a national recognition of the arrival of the first North German Lloyd steamer.

[13] Captain Voeckler had been ill prior to sailing, with dropsy (edema) of the stomach, but was feeling better and insisted on making the voyage.

[13] The first officer, Captain Theodor Deetjen, assumed command for the remainder of the voyage and Baltimore sailed in to port with her colors half-mast.

[12] On the night of 22 May 1872, the steamer Baltimore, under command of Captain Deetjen, was leaving Southampton heading for Bremen with about 120 passengers and cargo aboard.

[17] Mid-channel Baltimore collided with the Spanish screw steamship Lorenzo Semprum off the coast of Hastings, England.

[18][21] The equipment on Baltimore used to lower the lifeboats would not work, but passengers and crew were rescued by the ten men of the Hastings Coastguard.