Launched in 1894 at Harland & Wolff the 421' 5,317 ton Orissa was a twin screw 15 knot passenger ship built for the Pacific Steam Navigation Company in Liverpool. She was used on the South American route plying the seas between the United Kingdom and Chile for many years. During the Boer War she, like many others, was taken up by the Admiralty and used as a transport.

In the Great War she was still sailing, but now between the UK and the USA. On June 25, 1918 she was in convoy bound for Philadelphia when she was torpedoed by SMS UB-73 about 57 miles north of the mouth of Loch Swilly. When the convoy arrived the press were regaled with the exploits of the submarines being sunk in retaliation for sinking Orissa, even claiming the destruction of two submarines. In fact, as usually was the case, no U-boats were actually sunk. Sadly six members of the crew lost their lives when she went down.