The prefix Royal Mail Ship (also Steam-ship or Steamer), most commonly abbreviated as RMS, is used for seagoing vessels transporting mail for the British Royal Mail. The name was first used in 1840. Any ship with the designation "RMS" has the right to display the Royal Mail "crown" emblem on any distinguishing feature and/or design for the ship and to fly the Royal Mail pennant while at sea. Several shipping lines used it, but it is frequently linked to the White Star Line, Cunard Line, Canadian Pacific Line, Royal Mail Lines, Orient Line, Union-Castle Line, and the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&OSNC), which held several high-profile mail contracts and customarily prefixed the names of many of their ships with the initials "RMS. Although several lines in the past, notably the Royal Mail Lines, referred to all of their ships as "RMS," a ship would only use the prefix when it was contracted to carry mail and would otherwise use a normal designation like "Steam Ship."
The British Admiralty initially operated these ships in 1840, the abbreviation "RMS" has been in use. Private enterprises received contracts in 1850. Because the mail had to be delivered on time, having the title "RMS" was considered a sign of quality and competitive advantage. Between Kingstown (now Dn Laoghaire), in Ireland, and Holyhead, in Wales, was the busiest and most lucrative route. The City of Dublin Steam Packet Company (CDSPCo) won the contract. Prince Arthur further purchased RMS St. Columba and RMS Llewellyn.
Modern Era
RMS Queen Mary 2 was given the prefix "RMS" as a gesture to Cunard's history in 2004. RMS Segwun, RMV Scillonian III, and RMS Queen Mary 2 are the only ships authorized to use the prefix or its variations. A variation of this custom is still practiced by The Royal Mail aboard contemporary airplanes. On sure of its regular long-distance routes, British Airways, the country's national airline, is under contract to transport mail. The Royal Mail's logo and crest are permitted to be displayed on the fuselage of aircraft flying these routes, typically next to their registration markings.
Railway Mail Service is referred to as RMS. It belonged to the United States Postal Service and was a vital mail delivery service. RMS was widely used from the middle of the 19th through the middle of the 20th century. It was replaced by the Postal Transportation Service (PTS), which handled a sizable volume of mail sent within the United States. This spanned the years 1890 to 1960. George B. Armstrong is credited as the company's founder. He was the post office's manager in Chicago. He is also credited with creating the idea of railway mail sorting while the train is in motion.
Emails were transported on trains in sealed pouches before this idea was implemented. To have mail ready for distribution when these mail pouches arrived at their destination, there had not been a systematic mechanism for sorting mail while it was still in transit. The first railway post office (RPO) began operations on the Chicago and North Western Railway between Chicago and Clinton, Iowa, in response to Armstrong's request. This occurred on August 28, 1864. The idea did pretty well and quickly spread to other railways operating out of Chicago. In 1869, it received its official inauguration.