Messrs. MacBrayne’s steamers navigate every sound and loch between Port Ellen in the Island of Islay, off the South-west coast of Scotland, and Thurso in the extreme North, and visit almost every island between those two points.
The new steamer Lapwing, built in the early part of the year 1903, proved very successful, and the firm have in course of construction another fine steamer, which is expected to be ready for the service early next year (1904). The fleet at present consists of thirty-one screw and paddle steamships, named as follows:—
| Horse | Speed. | Horse | Speed. | ||
| Power. | Knots. | Power. | Knots. | ||
| Columba | 3000 | 19 | Claymore | 1450 | 15 |
| Iona | 1625 | 18 | Clansman | 1250 | 14 |
| Fusilier | 900 | 15 | Clydesdale | 1000 | 13 |
| Grenadier | 1050 | 16 | Cavalier | 1200 | 12 |
| Chevalier | 1200 | 16 | Flowerdale | 1200 | 13 |
| Gondolier | 600 | 12 | Glendale | 1400 | 15 |
| Carabinier | 400 | 12 | Staffa | 350 | 12 |
| Mountaineer | 500 | 15 | Handa | 250 | 11 |
| Gael | 1500 | 16 | Ethel | 375 | 11 |
| Glengarry | 350 | 12 | Fingal | 325 | 11 |
| Glencoe | 700 | 12 | Lochiel | 410 | 12 |
| Gairlochy | 500 | 12 | Linnet | 45 | 10 |
| Lovedale | 1200 | 14 | Mabel | 35 | 10 |
| Lochawe | 95 | 12 | Texa | 250 | 10 |
| Lochness | 420 | 12 | Countess | 95 | 8 |
| Lapwing | 500 | 12 |
Chapter XVI.
MESSRS. DAVID MACIVER & CO.
The firm of Messrs. David MacIver & Co. was originally founded by the late Mr. David MacIver and his brother Charles, in 1835. Mr. David MacIver had some four years prior to this date formed a steamship company to trade between Liverpool and Glasgow, which he called the City of Glasgow Steampacket Co. The pioneer steamer was named the City of Glasgow, and sailed on her first voyage from Liverpool on the 25th April, 1831. Three other steamers were quickly added to the fleet, viz., the Solway, Vulcan and John Wood, the latter steamer being named after a celebrated shipbuilder of Port Glasgow. In 1835 the City of Glasgow (second) was added to the fleet, and the same year Mr. Charles MacIver joined his brother, and the style of the firm was altered to Messrs. David MacIver & Co., from that of the City of Glasgow Steampacket Co. On the 1st of June, 1837, the celebrated steamer Commodore was launched by Mr. John Wood, and made her first voyage, sailing from the Prince’s Pierhead, Liverpool, on the 6th March, 1838. The Commodore was at that time considered to be the most powerful, most comfortable, and fastest sea-going steamer afloat. The sister ship of this splendid steamer, the Admiral, was launched in the beginning of the year 1840, and proved a faster vessel than her consort. On her trial trip on the 2nd April, 1840, with a full deadweight cargo, she ran 16 miles in 56½ minutes, being five minutes less time than it was ever done by any other steamer.
In 1840 a Mail Steamship Service between Liverpool, Canada and the United States was established, the respective agents being Mr. Samuel Cunard, Halifax; Messrs. J. & G. Burns, Glasgow; and Messrs. David and Charles MacIver, Liverpool, the latter being the practical managers of the company. This service, which afterwards acquired a worldwide reputation as the “Cunard Line,” was modestly inaugurated by the despatch of the Liverpool and Glasgow steamer Unicorn (Captain Douglas), which sailed from Liverpool for Halifax and Boston on Saturday morning, 16th May, 1840. After she completed her outward voyage, she continued to ply between Pictou and Quebec, in connection with the British and North American Royal Mail Steamers.
In 1850 was instituted the steamship service between Liverpool and Havre, the pioneer steamer being the Commodore, the well-known and favourite Liverpool and Glasgow steampacket. The coasting services were then carried on in the name of Charles MacIver & Co. About the same date, steamship services to the Mediterranean were begun. The Havre and the Mediterranean business was conducted in the name of Burns and MacIver.
The elder of the two brothers (the founders of the “MacIver” steamship business), Mr. David MacIver, died unmarried in 1845. His brother, the late Mr. Charles MacIver, of Calderstones, then became the head of the firm, which position he held until his decease in 1885. In 1863 Mr. Charles MacIver admitted his eldest son, Mr. David MacIver, the present M.P. for the Kirkdale Division of Liverpool, into partnership. Mr. David MacIver remained a partner in the firms of D. & C. MacIver, Charles MacIver & Co. and Burns & MacIver for eleven years, when he retired from all three firms, and established an entirely separate steamship business, resuscitating the old title of David MacIver & Co. The first steamer built under the new regime was the Tuscany. She was built in 1876 by Messrs. J. & G. Thomson, Glasgow, and engined by the same eminent firm. After running in Messrs. David MacIver & Co.’s service for a number of years, she was purchased by Portuguese owners, and she is believed to have again changed owners and to be now sailing under the Spanish flag as the Margarita.
The Sicily, the second steamer of the fleet, was built and engined by Messrs. Laird, Birkenhead, in 1876, and was sold to the Cullum Steam Shipping Co., of London.
The following year (1877) the Thessaly and Barbary were built for the firm by the builders of the Sicily. The latter steamer was sold, first to Messrs. Booth & Co., who changed her name to the Clement, and subsequently to the Cia de Cabotagem do Grão Para, by whom she was named the Marajo, and placed under the Brazilian flag.