Chapter XXI.
Adelaide Steamship Co., Limited.—John Bacon, Limited.—R. Burton & Sons, Limited.—Fletcher, Woodhill & Co.—T. & J. Harrison.—W. S. Kennaugh & Co.—Lamport & Holt.—H. & W. Nelson.—R. & J. H. Rea.—J. S. Sellers.—Henry Tyrer & Co.
The following firms hold a prominent position in their respective trades—Foreign and Coastwise—and most of them have been established for many years:—
The Adelaide Steamship Co., Lim., was established in October, 1875, its nominal capital being £100,000. In November, 1882, the capital of the Company was increased to £300,000, and in December, 1900, a further reconstruction of the Company occurred, the capital being increased to £750,000. The first two steamers built for the Company were the South Australian and the Victorian. Each was slightly over 400 tons register, making a total of 900 tons; whereas the present capacity of the Company’s fleet (consisting of 25 steamers) is about 50,000 tons. The steamers, on their various routes, trade to and from nearly every port on the Australian seaboard. Amongst the vessels owned by the Adelaide Steamship Co. is the Ferret, whose romantic story is told in the first part of this volume. (See ante, page [137]).
John Bacon, Lim.—This firm was established about the middle of the last century by the late Mr. John Bacon. Mr. Bacon died in 1886, and three years later the business was formed into a Limited Company. The fleet of the Company at the present date consists of the steamers Eden Vale, Edith, Heptarchy, Prestonian, Stuart, Sunlight, Talbot, Tudor, Vigilant, and Wexford. These steamers maintain regular sailings between Liverpool and Wexford, Liverpool and the Bristol Channel Ports, &c.
R. Burton & Sons.—The firm of R. Burton & Sons was founded by the late Mr. R. Burton, of Newport, Mon., over one hundred years ago, and since 1840 has been carried on by his three sons. In 1898 the business was transferred to a Limited Company, with a capital of £100,000, the major portion of the shares being retained by the Messrs. Burton. The Company maintains regular services between Liverpool and various ports in the Bristol Channel, a daily service between Bristol and Cardiff, and a daily service between Bristol and Newport, Mon.
Fletcher, Woodhill & Co.—This firm was established at Manchester, in 1893, by Mr. H. A. Fletcher (of Liverpool) and Captain T. J. Woodhill (of Sunderland). Since the opening of the Ship Canal Messrs. Fletcher, Woodhill & Co. have taken an active part in the steamship business of the port of Manchester. Their present services are between Manchester and France; Manchester, Portugal and Spain; and Manchester and Italy.
T. & J. Harrison.—This important Steamship Company maintains regular sailings from Liverpool to Calcutta, New Orleans, Galveston, Brazil and West Indies, and South of France; also joint sailings of Ellerman-Harrison Line from Glasgow and Liverpool to South and East Africa. The fleet at the present date (1904) consists of 36 full-powered steamships, exclusive of two steamers building, with an aggregate gross tonnage of 179,166 tons:—Actor, Barrister, Capella, Chancellor, Civilian, Cognac, Collegian, Colonial, Comedian, Counsellor, Craftsman, Custodian, Dictator, Director, Electrician, Explorer, Historian, Inventor, Jarnac, Logician, Magician, Mechanician, Mira, Musician, Navigator, Orion, Patrician, Politician, Senator, Statesman, Tactician, Traveller, Wanderer, Wayfarer, Workman, Yeoman.
W. S. Kennaugh & Co. commenced business of steamship owners at a time when sailing vessels were being displaced in the general coasting trade by steamers. The first boat built for the firm was the Scale Force, famous in her day for her large carrying powers on a low net register. She was designed by a brother of the senior partner of the firm, by whom all the succeeding steamers have been designed. The names of the steamers at the present date owned by this firm are the Aira Force, Birker Force, Holme Force, and Stanley Force.
Lamport & Holt Line.—The Liverpool, Brazil and River Plate Steam Navigation Co., Limited, better known as the “Lamport & Holt” Line, was formed in 1865, the first Managers of the Line being the late Mr. William James Lamport, and Mr. George Holt. This Company is one of the largest of the Steamship Companies of Liverpool, at which Port its headquarters are situated. It owns a fleet, of thirty-nine full-powered modern cargo steamers, ranging from 1,671 tons to 6,508 tons, the average per steamer being 3,375 tons and the aggregate tonnage 131,654 tons gross register, representing a total dead weight carrying capacity of about 200,000 tons.
The Company has given special attention to the transit of cattle to and from the River Plate, in which trade it has nine steamers, specially built for this service, having permanent fittings for the conveyance of live-stock.
These vessels have a most satisfactory record for the carriage of the cattle shipped by them. Live stock are also carried between New York and Manchester by boats specially adapted to the requirements of the North Atlantic Trade.
All the steamers of the Lamport and Holt fleet are fitted with the most modern appliances for the rapid and effective handling of general cargo. The operations of the Company are varied and extensive and comprise the following regular services:—From Glasgow, Manchester and Liverpool to Bahia, Rio de Janeiro and Santos, fortnightly. From London and Antwerp to Rio de Janeiro and Santos, every ten days. From New York (carrying first and third-class passengers) to Pernambuco, Bahia, Rio de Janeiro and Santos, fortnightly. Also to the River Plate from Liverpool, fortnightly; from Glasgow, monthly; from London and Antwerp, fortnightly; and from New York at frequent intervals. A regular monthly service is also maintained between Liverpool, Glasgow, and West Coast ports in Chili, Peru, and Ecuador.
The steamers of this Line have always been very popular with shippers, who are able to depend upon regularity of service, and careful handling of their goods.
H. & W. Nelson, Limited.—This remarkably successful Company was founded in 1889, by Messrs. Hugh and William Nelson.
The pioneer steamer of the fleet was the steamer Spindrift, now the Highland Scot, which sailed from Liverpool on her maiden voyage on the 12th December, 1889.
Highland Brigade s.s. H. & W. Nelson, Limited.
A few months later (May, 1890) the second steamer of the line, the Highland Chief, was launched, and the following year three additional steamers were built for the Company, and named respectively the Highland Glen, Highland Lassie and Highland Mary.
Since that date, nine vessels (including three now building) have been added to the fleet, which consists of fourteen powerful modern steamships of large carrying capacity. These steamers are all very similar in design (though several are much larger) to the Highland Enterprise, of which particulars are given below.
The Highland Enterprise was launched in January of the present year (1903). She is 385 feet long, between perpendiculars; with 45 feet beam, and draft laden 23 feet 6 inches. She has a carrying capacity of 6,500 tons. Like her sister ships, she is insulated throughout for carrying frozen meat, and fitted with the latest type of refrigerating machinery, as well as the most up-to date appliances for the effective handling of general cargo. Accommodation has been provided amidships for about a dozen passengers. Her engines, which are of the triple-expansion type, propelled her on her trial trip at a speed equal to 13¾ knots per hour.
In addition to a regular fortnightly service between Liverpool and Monte Video, Buenos Ayres and Rosario, the steamers of the Nelson Line sail at regular monthly intervals from London and Newport (Mon.) to the River Plate.
Fleet.
| Tons Reg. | Tons Reg. | ||
| Highland Brigade | 5,640 | Highland Heather | 5,500 |
| Highland Chief | 2,640 | Highland Hope | 4,500 |
| Highland Corrie | 4,050 | Highland Laird | 4,116 |
| Highland Enterprise | 4,500 | Highland Lassie | 2,488 |
| Highland Ghillie | 3,935 | Highland Mary | 2,974 |
| Highland Glen | 2,974 | Highland Scot | 3,060 |
| Highland Harris | 5,500 | Highland Watch | 5,500 |
| Total 57,377 Tons. | |||
R. & J. H. Rea.—In 1872 Mr. Russell Rea (the present M.P. for the City of Gloucester), commenced business as a coal merchant in Liverpool. After a lapse of seven years (1879), he admitted his brother, Mr. James Rea, into partnership, and the style of the firm was altered to R. & J. H. Rea. The firm own a fleet of five powerful modern coasting steamers, each having a capacity of about 2,500 tons dead weight, and named respectively the Bangarth, Calgarth, Dalegarth, Gatesgarth, and Throstlegarth. In addition to these vessels, the firm possesses five steam tugs and about 200 lighters. Messrs. R. & J. H. Rea have offices at London, Liverpool, Southampton, Bristol and Cardiff.
John S. Sellers.—Mr. Sellers commenced business as a steamship owner at Liverpool in the early nineties, the first steamer acquired by him being the Timbo. Although for a short time employed as a “tramp” she was soon placed in a regular general cargo trade, and during the past ten years she has maintained, with every satisfaction to shippers and consignees, the service between Liverpool and Preston. Mr. Sellers has also established a regular trade between Harlingen (Holland) and Liverpool, and since early in 1900 he has built up a regular weekly service between Glasgow and Preston, which is well served by the Thursby and other steamers.
Henry Tyrer & Co.—Mr. Henry Tyrer, the sole partner in this firm, commenced business in 1878, in Liverpool, and in 1892 opened a branch office at Preston. The Albert Edward Dock at Preston, was opened by the late Duke of Edinburgh in June of that year, and immediately after the opening ceremony, the steamer Lady Louisa, chartered by Messrs. Henry Tyrer & Co., commenced discharging, being thus the first steamer to unload in Preston Dock. This firm has continued from that date to be closely associated with the steam trade of Preston. In 1899 Messrs. Henry Tyrer & Co. built the steamer Prestonian, the first steamer to bear that name, shortly afterwards disposing of her to Messrs. John Bacon, Limited, in whose service she is still employed. The following year (1900) Messrs. Henry Tyrer & Co. purchased the steamship Hermann, of about 1,300 tons deadweight, which is regularly employed in the firm’s wood pulp trade from Baltic ports. The small steamer Princess was purchased the same year for employment in the firm’s regular London and Preston general cargo trade. In 1901 the steamer Prestonian, the first, was replaced by a new steamer of 1,600 tons deadweight, also named the Prestonian, and which, like the Hermann, is regularly engaged in the firm’s wood pulp trade.
During the present year (1903) the firm bought the steamer Minterne, and re-named her the Nancy Lee. She is a large steamer of about 4,750 tons deadweight, and has proved herself to be an excellent sea boat. A remarkable incident in connection with this ship is, that she has been chartered for six years, to run consecutive voyages between the Saguenay River (Canada) and the U. K., at a fixed rate of freight covering the whole period. In addition to their offices at Liverpool and Preston, Messrs. Henry Tyrer & Co. have also branch offices at London and Manchester, in connection with their extensive and largely developing wood pulp trade.
