The Carron Company
The Carron Company, manufacturers of iron goods, maintained a passenger service between Carron and London with sailing sloops long before steam-ships were invented. So long ago as 1779 the company advertised in the Edinburgh Advertiser as follows:
At CARRON—For LONDON.
To ſail March 5, 1779
THE GLASGOW, Robert Paterſon maſter, mounting fourteen twelve pounders, and men anſwerable. For freight or paſſage, apply to Mr. G. Hamilton, Glaſgow, Meſſ. James Anderſon & Co. Leith, or the Carron Shipping Company at Carron Wharf.
N. B. The Carron veſſels are fitted out in the moſt complete manner for defence, at a very conſiderable expence, and are well provided with ſmall arms. All mariners, recruiting parties, ſoldiers upon furlow, and all other ſteerage paſſengers who have been accuſtomed to the uſe of fire arms, and who will engage to aſſiſt in defending themſelves, will be accommodated with their paſſage to or from London, upon ſatiſfying the maſters for their proviſions, which in no inſtance ſhall exceed 10s. 6d. ſterling.
The Carron veſſels ſail regularly as uſual, without waiting for the convoy.
As the sloops carried the company’s famous carronades there can be no doubt that they were well armed. The company can boast a more ancient connection with steam-ship building than any other firm in the British Isles, for they constructed the hull for one of the Miller boats and assisted in the construction of one of Symington’s engines. Miller is reported to have examined Symington’s engines at the Carron works. The company soon ran steamers instead of sailing vessels along the east-coast route and have continued to do so up to the present day, the latest additions to their fleet being the Thames by A. and J. Inglis, and the Carron, 308 feet long, which has her steering gear fitted aft at the rudder head and controlled by hydraulic action on the telemotor principle.
An interesting fact in connection with the Carron Company is that the first set of complete castings for James Watt’s steam-engine were made at their works, and were erected at the house of Dr. Roebuck, who was one of the founders of the company and a personal friend of Watt. A part of the cylinder of this engine marked “Carron 1766” is still preserved at the works. John Smeaton, of Eddystone Lighthouse fame, was also associated with the Carron works.
The “Fingal” (London and Edinburgh Shipping Co.).
The “Lady Wolseley”
(British and Irish Steam Packet Co.)