In the summer of the year 1822 Mr. C. W. Williams, of Dublin, crossed over to Liverpool with the object of inducing the merchants to take shares in a line of steampackets he proposed building for the Liverpool and Dublin trade. Except to the most sanguine, the time did not appear to be favourable for such a scheme. A large fleet of sailing smacks maintained daily communication (subject to the weather) between the two ports, carrying all kinds of goods, and even cattle. The steampackets Waterloo and Belfast sailed with passengers only every alternate day from each side. Both these vessels had already won for themselves a reputation, the former being the first steampacket to ply regularly between England and Ireland, and the latter having made a passage in the then remarkably short time of 12½ hours. Besides this, “The Original Steampacket Company,” a new company (with powerful Government influence), including amongst its shareholders Lord Blaney, Major-General Preeth, Sir John Tobin, &c., and trading under the title of the St. George Steampacket Company, had in April preceding launched two of the largest and most powerful steampackets that had yet been built, viz., the St. Patrick and the St. George. This latter vessel on the 13th September made a passage from Dublin in 11½ hours, thus making a record which she herself broke on the 23rd April, 1824, by making a passage from Liverpool to Dublin in 10 hours 40 minutes. In addition to the already established steam and sailing lines, a third local steampacket company, supported by the traders, the “Dublin and Liverpool Steam Navigation Company,” was in course of formation. It is not, therefore, surprising under these circumstances that Mr. Williams, a stranger in Liverpool, failed to obtain the financial support to his scheme which he desired. It is the more to his credit that, though disappointed in Liverpool, he persevered with his project in Dublin with so much success that he was enabled to return to Liverpool in February of the following year (1823) and place an order with “Frigate” Wilson for the pioneer steamer of the future famous City of Dublin Steampacket 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) contracted to build the Hy. Bell for the Glasgow trade, it was not till some days later the contract was made for the building of the Town of Liverpool, to be commenced as soon as the Hy. Bell was launched.
The City of Dublin made her maiden voyage on Saturday, the 20th March, 1824, and Mr. Samuel Perry, of 16, Water Street, was appointed agent to the company. She anticipated by about six months the operations of the traders’ company (the Dublin and Liverpool Steam Navigation), whose first steamer, the Liffey, 305 tons burden, and 110 h.p., did not sail until the 13th September following. From the outset the managers of the City of Dublin Company seemingly did not regard the Original Steampacket Company as formidable opponents, but they determined either to vanquish or acquire the other two companies, the greater of which was the St. George Steampacket Company. The second company was well supported by the Liverpool merchants, and kept its sailings (with goods and passengers) throughout the year. In December of the same year (1824) the Mersey joined the Liffey, and in the July following the Commerce, one of the largest steampackets (up to that date) built in this port, was added to the fleet. This company’s packets proceeded direct to Dublin, and discharged at Custom House Quay. On Saturday, 5th February, 1825, the third vessel belonging to the City of Dublin Steampacket Company was launched from the yard of Dawson and Pearson, South Shore, and on the 22nd April succeeding the managers issued the following public notice:—
“The City of Dublin Steampacket Company announce to the public that in consequence of the many complaints hitherto made of want of storage room in Dublin for goods going and coming by their steam vessels, they have taken the lot of ground immediately opposite the Packet Station on the North Wall, and are about to erect a convenient and commodious store on the same for the accommodation of the merchants and traders of Dublin. The Company have increased their capital to £100,000, and are proceeding with every possible expedition in completing their number of vessels, by which means they will shortly be able to despatch one daily from Dublin and another from Liverpool. The trustees have reserved the remainder of the shares now unappropriated exclusively for the accommodation of shippers and importers. Their vessels, the City of Dublin and Town of Liverpool, continue to ply as usual. Their third and fourth vessels, the Hibernia and Britannia, are nearly complete, and the fifth and sixth will be ready by the end of the year.”
During the summer of 1825 the City of Dublin Company despatched their new steamer Hibernia on the same day and at the same hour as the St. George. They were careful to inform those interested that this was done “not with a view of opposition, but for the purpose of establishing her (the Hibernia’s) character for speed and seaworthiness.” They were equally careful to point out that “the Hibernia has already made six voyages in company with the St. George, and has on all occasions proved herself an extremely safe and fleet vessel, and not inferior to that well-known steampacket.” They also mentioned the inconvenience, delay and expense of landing by boats at Kingstown, all of which might be avoided by taking their magnificent steampackets direct to North Wall.
The St. George Company replied to this courteous announcement by also informing the public that the companionship of the Hibernia was unsought for and undesired by them. It was not to be expected that the Liverpool companies would permit a strange company to take a lion’s share of the trade, and not make a practical protest. Consequently, in the autumn of 1825, the fares from Liverpool to Dublin were reduced to 5s. cabin and 6d. steerage, and on Monday, September 5th, one of the steamers sailed with upwards of 700 passengers at 6d. each. Early the following year (1st February, 1826) the managers of the City of Dublin Steampacket Company purchased the Dublin and Liverpool Steam Navigation Company, and increased the capital of the company to £250,000, in shares of £100 each. Shareholders, in addition to their share of the profits of the undertaking, were offered the following advantages:—
(1) Free passage by all the company’s vessels.
(2) Free storage for a limited time in the company’s stores.
(3) Special accommodation in the payment of freights and charges.
The company having grown with a rapidity probably without a parallel, decided to extend its sailings to Belfast and Waterford, and, if desirable, to other ports. It had now a fleet (afloat or building) of fourteen new and powerful steamers, viz., City of Dublin, Town of Liverpool, Hibernia, Britannia, Liffey, Mersey, Commerce, Mona, Leeds, Gipsey, Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield and Nottingham. On the 29th August, 1826, the Government established a mail service between Liverpool and Kingstown, with most injurious results to the existing steampacket companies. The managers of the City of Dublin Company interviewed the Secretary to the General Post Office in order to obtain some modification of the opposition, but without being able to do so. They thereupon published the result of their negotiations, and appealed to the public for support against the unjustifiable action shown by the Government. “The Post Office having now established packets on the station, have, with a view of covering the heavy expenses incident to the same, endeavoured to engross the trade in passengers, carriages, horses, &c., to the great injury of this and other companies; while at the same time they are exempt from the payment of port dues and other charges ... which are already a tax on this company to the amount of £10,000 per annum. Under terms so unequal and disadvantageous, it is evident this opposition has none of the ingredients of fair opposition, were such even justifiable, where Government on the one hand, and private shipowners on the other, are the competitors.”