Mr. David MacBrayne’s Steamer, Inverary Castle. See Paragraph page [43].
The steam-yacht Hero is credited with a phenomenal speedy voyage on the 26th July, 1822. She is reported to have steamed from London to Margate in 6½ hours, being at the rate of 14 miles an hour.
A report relative to steam navigation was laid before the House of Commons (August, 1822). All the steam-packets belonging to Liverpool were named in a manner highly honourable to their owners, commanders and constructors.
“On Thursday, 9th May, 1822, a large party of distinguished naval officers, engineers, &c., embarked at Parliament Stairs, London, on board the Aaron Manby, iron steamboat, which immediately got under weigh and proceeded to Battersea Bridge; she then descended to Blackfriars, and manœuvred for several hours between the two bridges in a very superior style. This steamboat was built at the Horsley Iron Works, near Birmingham, by Mr. Manby, and put together at Rotherhithe. She is the most complete specimen of workmanship in the iron way that has ever been witnessed, and draws one foot less water than any steamboat that has ever been built. She is 106 feet long and 17 feet broad, and is propelled by a 30 h.p. engine and Oldham’s revolving bars. This boat will leave London in a few days for Paris, the first instance of a direct communication between the capitals of France and England. Amongst the gentlemen present were Admirals Sir William Hope, Sir Pulteny Malcomb and Sir James Wood Gage; Captains Dundas and Napier; Mr. Manby, the inventor; Mr. Williams, the patentee of the revolving bars, &c.”—“London Courier,” 15th May, 1822.
On or about the 24th March, 1823, the steam-packet Yorkshireman arrived at Hull from Antwerp, and was only 31 hours on the passage. This vessel is noteworthy as being the first steam vessel to sail from Hull to the Continent.
In the month of February of this year (1823) Mr. C. W. Williams, of Dublin, placed an order with Mr. Wilson, of Liverpool, for the pioneer steamer of the future famous City of Dublin Steam-Packet Company, the City of Dublin, a vessel of 130 h.p. It was an express stipulation with the builder, that this steamer should be constructed of such materials, and in such a manner, as to withstand the severity of the winter navigation. The City of Dublin differed from her competitors in two respects, (1) in carrying general cargo in addition to live stock and passengers, and (2) in maintaining the service uninterruptedly throughout the twelve months.
A month later, Mr. Wilson was again applied to, to build a second vessel for the company, but in consequence of his having that very morning (5th March, 1823) contracted to build the steam-packet Henry Bell for the Liverpool and Glasgow trade, it was not till some days later the contract was signed for building the Town of Liverpool, to be commenced as soon as the Henry Bell was launched.
The City of Dublin sailed from Dublin on her maiden voyage to Liverpool on Saturday, the 20th March, 1824. She anticipated, by about six months, the operations of the Dublin and Liverpool Steam Navigation Co., whose first steamer, the Liffey, 305 tons burthen, and 110 h.p., did not sail until the 13th September following. In December of the same year (1824) the Mersey joined the Liffey, and in the July following the Commerce was added to the Navigation Co.’s fleet. The Commerce was considerably larger than either of her predecessors, and was launched from the yard of Messrs. Grayson and Leadley, Trentham Street, Liverpool.
Her (late) Majesty’s steamship Lightning sailed from Algiers for home on the 27th July, 1824, calling at Gibraltar and Lisbon. She remained at Lisbon two days taking in coal, and finally arrived at Plymouth nineteen days after leaving Algiers. The Lightning was one of the first vessels in the British Navy to be supplied with steam power.