Built by Tod and Macgregor, she served the Inman Line until 1883 when she sank with the loss of ten people after a collision while entering the Mersey.

[4] In her first year of service, City of Brussels took the eastbound record with a New York - Queenstown passage of 7 days, 20 hours, 33 minutes with a speed of 14.74 knots (27.30 km/h; 16.96 mph).

[1] On the morning of 7 January 1883, City of Brussels encountered heavy fog entering the Mersey after dropping off some passengers and the mail at Queenstown on her return from New York.

Kirby Hall, a new cargo ship on her maiden voyage from the River Clyde for Bombay via Liverpool, struck City of Brussels on the starboard side forward of the bridge, almost cutting her in two.

When the vessels separated, water flooded the exposed holds and quickly spread to the engine room of City of Brussels and she sank within 20 minutes with a loss of two passengers and eight of her crew.

[4] In the subsequent Board of Trade Inquiry it was held that Kirby Hall, although slowing, has caused the collision by failing to stop her engines when first hearing the liner's whistle.