Chapter I: Preface

The historical information contained in this volume has been in a large measure collected from the Press of the period, and chiefly from the _Times_, _Liverpool Mercury_, _Glasgow Herald_, and _Chambers’ Journal_. Lindsay’s “_Merchant Shipping_,” a most admirable work, has also been consulted, as well as other works of a similar nature. The name of the authority quoted has been given in most cases, but, where I have been unable to do so, I trust this general acknowledgment will suffice.

Some of the chapters in Part II. were contributed in 1901 to the _Journal of Commerce_, as part of a series of articles on “Historical Steamship Companies.” Chapter XXII. in Part I. was published in the May number (1903) of the _Wide World Magazine_, under the title of “The Strange Case of the FERRET.”

I take this opportunity of thanking the Directors, Managers, Agents, and other officials of the various Steamship Companies referred to, by all of whom, and at all times, I have been treated with the utmost courtesy. I desire also to express my appreciation of the uniform kindness and assistance received from the Librarians of the Bootle, Glasgow, and Liverpool Libraries in placing at my disposal publications, some of which were printed nearly a hundred years ago.

JOHN KENNEDY.

LIVERPOOL, _20th November, 1903_.

CONTENTS.

PART I.
PAGE

CHAPTER I.—Inventors and Alleged Inventors prior to 1807.—De Garay
(1543)—Papin (1690)—Savory, Newcomen (1705)—Hulls (1736)—Abbé
Arnal and the Marquis de Jouffroy (1781)—Fitch (1783)—Miller and
Taylor (1788)—Symington (1801)—The CHARLOTTE DUNDAS (1803)—Bell
(1803) 1

CHAPTER II.—Fulton (1807)—The CLERMONT (1807), the first passenger
steamboat in the world—Narrative of her first voyage—Steam
Navigation in Canadian waters—First steamers on the St.
Lawrence—The ACCOMMODATION (1809)—SWIFTSURE, CAR OF COMMERCE
(1813)—QUEBEC (1817) 7

CHAPTER III.—1812 to 1815—Steamboats on the Clyde—THE COMET,
INDUSTRY and ARGYLE—First Irish Steamer, CITY OF CORK
(1815)—Ireland’s honourable position in the annals of steam
navigation—First London Steampackets, MARJORY, DEFIANCE and
THAMES 11

CHAPTER IV.—The year 1815—Arrival of the first steampacket on the
Mersey—Narrative of the voyage of the THAMES from Glasgow to
London 15

CHAPTER V.—1816 to 1818—London packets, the DEFIANCE, MAJESTIC,
REGENT—Loss of the REGENT (1817)—Liverpool and Eastham
Packet, PRINCESS CHARLOTTE (1816)—Liverpool and Tranmere
Packets REGULATOR, ETNA (1817)—Parkgate and Bagillt Packet,
ANCIENT BRITON (1817)—Loss of the REGULATOR (1818)—First Spanish
Steamer, ROYAL FERDINAND (1817)—Siberian Steamboats (1817)—David
Napier—The ROB ROY, HIBERNIA (1816) 23

CHAPTER VI.—Early Clyde Steampackets—The first steamer to cross
the English Channel, CALEDONIA—First steamer on the Rhine
(1816)—Season contract tickets issued (1816)—Stranding of the
ROTHESAY CASTLE (1816)—Steamship passengers’ fares on the Clyde
in 1818—DUMBARTON CASTLE steams round North of Scotland (1819) 27

CHAPTER VII.—1819 to 1821—The first steamer to cross the Atlantic,
the SAVANNAH—Arrival at Liverpool of the first cross-channel
steamer, WATERLOO—The ROBERT BRUCE—Curious accident to the
MORNING STAR—The TRITON—CONDE DE PATMELLA—SNAKE—Cattle
ventilators suggested—The TOURIST—London and Leith
steamers 32

CHAPTER VIII.—The St. George Steampacket Co.—Steam Yacht
HERO—Liverpool steampackets highly commended in Parliamentary
Report—AARON MANBY, first iron steamer—First steamer Hull
to Continent—City of Dublin Steampacket Co.—Dublin and Liverpool
Steam Navigation Co.—H.M.S. LIGHTNING—General Steam
Navigation Co.—Belfast Steampacket Co.—Keen competition on
the Glasgow and Belfast station—Advertising extraordinary—Messrs.
G. & J. Burns commence business 1825—Messrs.
MacBrayne’s Highland Service—Competition in the Liverpool and
Dublin trade—First steamer London to Hamburg—First steamer
England to India; rapid increase of steampackets—Hostile meeting
at Swansea—The ERIN—Admiralty Mail Steampacket Service
between Liverpool and Kingstown established—City of Dublin
Steampacket Co. establish a service between the United Kingdom
and Bordeaux 37

CHAPTER IX.—Routes to India and the East—The ENTERPRIZE—Lieut.
Johnston, R.N.—Lieut. Waghorn, E.I.N.—East India Co.’s Bombay
and Suez Service—The Peninsular Steam Navigation Co. (1834)
altered to Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. (1837)—Sketch
of the Company’s career—Suez Canal opened (1869)—Calcutta
and Burmah Steam Navigation Co. (1855)—Title changed
to British India Steam Navigation Co., Limited (1862)—Bibby
Line 45

CHAPTER X.—Steam on the Pacific—The TELICA (1825)—Mr. Wheelwright—The
Pacific Steam Navigation Co. incorporated (1840)—Pioneer
steamers CHILI and PERU—Sketch of the Company’s history 58

CHAPTER XI.—French expedition to Algiers (1830)—Civil war in
Portugal—Loss of the RIVAL (1832)—Mutiny on board the LORD
BLANEY (1831)—Loss of the LORD BLANEY (1833)—Arrival of the
BIRMINGHAM with news of the total defeat of Don Miguel (1833)—The
MARGARET, first screw steamer trading from Hull; lost 1845 63

CHAPTER XII.—Pioneers of Transatlantic Steam Navigation—Valentia
Transatlantic Steam Navigation Co., incorporated 1828—Scheme
revived 1835—Dr. Lardner’s famous speech—His disclaimer, 1851—The
ROYAL WILLIAM (of Canada), 1833—Dr. Julius Smith—British
Queen Steam Navigation Co., 1836—BRITISH QUEEN (1838)—SIRIUS
(1838)—ROYAL WILLIAM (City of Dublin Co., 1838)—LIVERPOOL
(1838)—British and American Steam Navigation Co.’s steamer
PRESIDENT, launched 1839—Lost 1841 66

CHAPTER XIII.—British Government and the Atlantic Mail Service—Mr.
Samuel Cunard—Formation of the Cunard Line—The GREAT
BRITAIN, launched 1843—Leaves Bristol for London—Inspected by
H.M. Queen Victoria—Leaves London for Liverpool—First voyage
to New York (1845)—Stranded Dundrum Bay (1846)—Re-floated
(1847)—Sails to New York (1832) 78

CHAPTER XIV.—Steam communication with the West Indies—The
Royal Mail Steampacket Co. (1841), commences with a fleet of
fourteen steamers—Generous concessions from Government—Rapid
increase of trade—The “TRENT affair”—First screw steamers for
Company—The Imperial Direct West India Mail Service, Limited,
established 1901 84

CHAPTER XV.—Early American Transatlantic Steamships—MASSACHUSETTS
(1845)—WASHINGTON (1847)—The Collins Line—General
description of steamers—Arrival at Liverpool of pioneer steamer
ATLANTIC—Description of—Accident to ATLANTIC—Loss of steamers
ARCTIC and PACIFIC and collapse of the company 91

CHAPTER XVI.—The loss of the Collins Liner ARCTIC 101

CHAPTER XVII.—Steamship companies of the past (defunct or
absorbed)—The Inman Line, 1850—Galway Line, 1859—National
Line, 1863—Guion Line, 1866—Royal Atlantic Steam Navigation
Co. 106

CHAPTER XVIII.—Liverpool and Glasgow Steamers—The ORION
wrecked off Portpatrick, 1850—The steamer NEPTUNE—A second
Grace Darling 115

CHAPTER XIX.—The Eastern Steam Navigation Co.—Proposal to build
a line of Leviathan steamers—GREAT EASTERN—Contracted for—Attempts
to launch—Finally successful—Description of—Enormous
loss to shareholders—Sails for New York—Carries troops to
Canada—Lays Atlantic Cable—Is ultimately bought by “Lewis” for
exhibition purposes, and finally broken up[1] 119

CHAPTER XX.—Steam to Australia—SOPHIA JANE—GREAT BRITAIN—GOLDEN
AGE—ROYAL CHARTER lost, 1859 129

CHAPTER XXI.—Steamships in Chinese waters—SCOTLAND (1860)—ROBERT
LOWE[2] (1863)—Alfred Holt Line, 1865 134

ERRATA.—

CHAPTER XXII.—Remarkable History of the Glasgow Steamer FERRET 137

CHAPTER XXIII.—Anglo-Canadian Steamship Companies—McKean,
McLarty and Lamont—Allan Bros. & Co.—Canadian Pacific
Railway Co.—Dominion Line 147

CHAPTER XXIV.—Railway Companies as steamship owners—South
Eastern and Chatham Railway—London Brighton and South Coast
Railway—London and South Western Railway—Great Western
Railway—London and North Western Railway—Lancashire and
Yorkshire Railway—Stranraer and Larne Service—Caledonian
Railway—Glasgow and South Western Railway—North British
Railway—Great Central Railway—Great Eastern Railway 152

CHAPTER XXV.—Turbine Steamers—TURBINIA—KING EDWARD—QUEEN
ALEXANDRA—QUEEN—EMERALD—Allan Liners 157

PART II.
PAGE