The William Huskisson was a very much larger vessel than either of her predecessors, her deadweight capacity being 350 tons, and her engines 120 horse power.
The late Mr. Alex. A. Laird.
For the Campbeltown and Londonderry trade the steampackets Clydesdale and Londonderry were built, and were advertised to sail from Glasgow to both ports, with goods and passengers, every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. In addition to these sailings, the Maid of Islay was despatched every Tuesday morning from the Bromielaw to Stranraer and Islay. Messrs. Laird’s connection with Dublin dates also from this year, the pioneer steamer being the Town of Drogheda, which sailed on her first voyage from Greenock to Dublin on Monday, 7th June, 1826. The new steampacket Solway was added to the Liverpool and Greenock fleet in 1828, and the sailings increased to four per week from each port. The steampacket Clarence acted as tender, and sailed from the Bromielaw at noon on the sailing dates of the Liverpool steampackets from Greenock.
In 1834 the firm extended its operations to Newry, the steamers employed being the Erin and St. David. Mr. James Bruce was admitted a partner in the Glasgow house this year, and the office was removed to 69, Oswald Street, where the business was conducted under the style of Laird & Bruce. This partnership was dissolved on the 14th February, 1835; Mr. Bruce retaining the Stranraer trade. The title of Mr. Laird’s firm was changed to Alex. Laird & Sons, and the Glasgow office removed to Ewing Place, corner of York Street.
One of the steamers, for which Mr. Laird was agent, was named the Cumberland. This vessel took an active part in the Spanish Expedition of 1835, as a transport, making three voyages to Spain during this year, with recruits from the West of Scotland for the service of Donna Isabella. Some of these recruits enlisted in the course of drunken frolics, or after quarrels with their friends or masters, and their military ardour speedily cooled. The period during which they had to wait on the receiving ship at Greenock until the transport was ready to receive them afforded frequent opportunities of deserting, of which they did not fail to avail themselves. Scarcely a day passed but some of them succeeded in escaping by means of the boats which visited the receiving ships in the evenings. One youth from Glasgow, failing to get away in this manner, determined to drop into the sea and swim ashore, a distance of about two miles, to a spit where female friends would be waiting to assist him. He had nearly reached the shore when he was discovered, and pursued by the guard boat. Making a final effort, he succeeded in landing, and, though fatigued with his long swim, continued his flight.
When the guard boat’s crew landed, the women got round them, and so hampered them in their movements that the fugitive got out of sight, when, of course, it was useless to attempt to follow him.
The Cumberland, after performing the three voyages referred to, returned to her station between Glasgow and Dublin.
In 1844 Messrs. Laird & Sons (then at 101, Union Street) were appointed agents at Glasgow for the Dundalk Steam Packet Co., the first steamer from Glasgow, the Finn Maccoul, sailing on the 30th November, 1844.
For a period of forty years, from 1827 to 1867, Messrs. T. Cameron & Co. had maintained steamship services between Glasgow and Greenock, and ports on the North and West coasts of Ireland, and from 1843 until 1867 a weekly service between Liverpool and Sligo. In 1867 the Glasgow services were conducted by the joint firms of Messrs. T. Cameron & Co. and Alex. A. Laird & Co., but the following year, owing to the decease of Mr. Cameron, the business was entirely taken over by Messrs. Laird.