When Messrs. Burns withdrew from ownership of their Clyde and West Highland Steamers in January 1851, the steamers on the West Highland line went to Messrs. Hutcheson while the Clyde steamers were purchased by a company headed by the shipbuilders, William Denny & Brothers. Of the ships sold to the Denny concern, the Rothesay Castle of 1837, and Inveraray Castle of 1839 were immediately transferred to the ownership of Messrs. Roxburgh for the Glasgow and Lochfyne service.

It is reported that the Rothesay Castle was subsequently sold in April 1851 to southern England but she certainly returned to the Clyde and made her way eventually to the Island of St Thomas in the West Indies where she had mechanical problems on her way to Australia. She survived there until May 1855 at least, as she was sold around that month for £420.

“The Culloden and the Rothesay Castle, the last of the river steamers which formed part of the extensive purchase made some time ago by Messrs. William Denny & Brothers, Dumbarton, of the Messrs. Burns of Glasgow, are at present undergoing extensive alterations, and being newly fitted up preparatory to their sailing for Australia. The paddles are to be taken off in order to fit them for a sea passage. We believe they are intended to ply on some of the Australian rivers.” Glasgow Herald, November 15, 1852.

The Inveraray Castle was also further sold on to the Glasgow and Lochfyne Steam Packet Company in 1852 and then to Messrs. Hutcheson in 1857. The Glasgow and Lochfyne Steam Packet Company also acquired another of the Denny steamboats, Dunoon Castle of 1826, in 1852. She did not last long and was broken up in 1856.

The remaining steamers were advertised under the title “Glasgow and Rothesay Steamers” managed by William Findlay Johnstone as agent. Messrs. Denny reassured the public that there would be a continuation of the Rothesay trade and over the next year or two sold on most of these craft.

The Castle Steamers.—The inhabitants and frequenters of Dunoon, Rothesay, &c., will be glad to learn that the Castle Steamers, having passed into other hands, each boat, we believe, being now owned by a separate small joint-stock company, are now being subjected to a complete overhaul, and will all speedily be upon their important stations. They will be worked in conjunction, and in such a manner as to furnish every desirable public accommodation.

Craignish Castle (Williamson)

The cooperative arrangement between the new owners remained profitable and was continued, even when new steamers were built for the trade. It was usual for the master of a vessel to have a financial interest and two master that were involved were Dugald Weir of the Cardiff Castle, and Neil M‘Gill of the Craignish Castle. Others saw financial opportunities such as Alexander Williamson and William Buchanan. These latter two along with Messrs Cook and Ferguson invested in a new vessel, Eagle, constructed for the line in 1852 and later went on to purchase the Petrel and Cardiff Castle.

In February, 1851, the Petrel of 1843, Dunrobin Castle of 1846, Craignish Castle of 1844, and Cardiff Castle of 1844 were mentioned in an advertisement that they would be overhauled and placed in the Rothesay trade. Of these four, Dunrobin Castle was sold to Russian Owners later in 1851 and Merlin of 1850 took her place.

The remaining steamer, the Culloden of 1845, was placed in the Kilmun trade until sold in 1852.

The early addition to the Rothesay line, sailing as part of the consortium, was the Eagle, owned by Messrs Willamson, Buchanan, Cook and Ferguson. Built of iron by Alexander Denny and Brother in Dumbarton, she was 176 ft long and just over 16 ft in breadth and just over 110 tons register. Her deck was flush and she had a square stern like most of her contemporaries. She was supplied by a pair of oscillating engines by Messrs Campbell, M‘Nabb, and Clark, of the Shawswater Foundry in Greenock that provided 82 h.p. She had a tubular boiler fired at both ends and two funnels astern of the paddle boxes. Her accommodation for passengers was good with wooden panels in the main cabin on which were carved representations of the arts, sciences, literature and music. The seats were of crimson velvet; the panels oak and gold and the roof was white edged with blue and gold. She had no figure-head, galleries or bowsprit and had one mast, rigged as a sloop.

Eagle (Alasdair Macfarlane—Evening Citizen)

“The splendid steamer Eagle, which was launched a few weeks ago at Dumbarton, is now in the East Harbour here, having her machinery put on board by Messrs Campbell, M‘Nab, & Clark. The Eagle was built by Messrs Alexander Denny & Brothers, and belongs to a Dumbarton company, the owners of the Merlin, &c., and is to be employed in the Rothesay trade as a consort to the Tourist. Her saloon is one of the finest to be found in any of the river steamers, and is superbly fitted up and finished. It is 38 feet in length by 12 feet in breadth, done in crimson and fancy plush by Mr. John Milne, upholsterer, Dumbarton. The carved paneling and carved work by Messrs M. & J. Allan of Glasgow; and the painting by Mr D. S. Gebbie. The cabin accommodation for the ladies is of a new and most convenient description. Two rooms adjoining the saloon are fitted up for their special use. They are connected, and are about 10 feet long each, the one being used as a sitting room and the other as a dressing apartment. The dining room is 16 feet in length forward, and has accommodation calculated to dine from fifty to sixty with comfort. the bar is a spacious one, and cannot be equaled in any of the river steamers. Altogether the Eagle is expected to prove an honour to her eminent builders, and an ornament to the fleet of steamers in the coasting trade.” Greenock Advertiser April 9, 1852.

Her master was Mr. Richard Price and she commenced service on May 12.

Eagle after she was reboilered and reduced to one funnel in 1860

 “Excursion on board the Eagle.

“The owners of the new steamer Eagle invited a select party of friends to accompany them on a pleasure excursion on Monday last. The morning was remarkably unfavourable, but upwards of 40 ladies and gentlemen, belonging to Dumbarton and Glasgow, stepped on board the gay little craft at Bowling, from whence she took her departure at half-past eight o’clock; and after making a short call at Greenock, proceeded direct to the far-famed bay of Rothesay, where the company was joined by a number of the principal inhabitants of that town. From Rothesay the Eagle steamed in gallant style against a strong head wind through the Kyles of Bute, and on her return ran up near to the head of Loch Striven, one of the sweetest lakes in fine weather of which the Highlands can boast. Shortly after three o’clock she again reached Rothesay bay, where dinner was served up by Messrs M‘Lerie, Davidson, and Ferguson of Glasgow, in conjunction with Mr Shearer, steward of the Eagle, in a style commensurate with the well-acquired fame of both parties. After the removal of the cloth. Mr. Alexander Denny, of Messrs Alexander Denny and Brother, the builders of the Eagle, who occupied the chair, gave the “Queen,” followed by other loyal and patriotic toasts, “The Provost, Magistrates, and Town Council of Rothesay, and prosperity to the ancient burgh of Rothesay,” and the “Marchioness and young Marquis of Bute.” Mr Muir replied to the last toast, and gave the “Health of Messrs Alex Denny and Brother,” in replying to which Mr Denny observed that the builders of the Eagle were only entitled to a share of the merit, and that the machinery with which she was fitted was as fine a specimen as was contained in any steamer in Britain, and did honour to the firm of Campbell, Macnab, & Clark of Greenock—(cheers)— whose health he therefore begged to propose. Mr Campbell replied. A number of other appropriate toasts followed after which the Rothesay gentlemen took their departure on shore, and the Eagle made for the Clyde. The roughness of the weather afforded an excellent opportunity of fully testing the fitness of the Eagle for the Rothesay line, and her general qualities as a sea going steamer, and in these respects, she completely sustained her previous reputation as a first-rate passenger boat, and as the quickest sailer on the Clyde. Against a heavy ebb-tide, and without any extraordinary pressure, she made the run from Rothesay quay to the Cloch lighthouse in 30 minutes, and to Greenock, a distance of almost 17 nautical miles, in the unprecedentedly short period of an hour and a minute.”—Dumbarton Herald in Greenock Advertiser May 14, 1852.

Mr. W. Findlay Johnstone had been involved with the Messrs. Denny for some time. He was part owner of the steamer Tourist that was constructed by Alexander Denny to run on the Thames during the Great Exhibition of 1851. Lavishly fitted out as an advertisement for the firm, she returned to the Clyde and was converted to join the “Glasgow and Rothesay Steamers” consortium as consort to the Eagle. However, before this could come about, in April 1852 Tourist was sold to Russia.

“Sale of the Tourist.—We understand that this fine steamer, belonging to Messrs. Alex. Denny & Brother, and latterly belonging to the owners of the Merlin and Eagle, and intended shortly to have been put upon the Rothesay line, has, within the last few days, been purchased by Baron Du Hamel, of the Russian Imperial Navy, at a price commensurate with her high qualities as a fast sailing and elegantly modeled boat. She is to be employed by the Russian Government in carrying the mails from Cronstadt to St. Petersburg, her great speed having secured for her a preference over a large number of others offered to the Baron”.—Dumbarton Herald.

It is likely that one of the others mentioned was the Osprey, also partly owned by Mr. Johnstone, along with her Captain Neil M‘Gill, and Dugald Weir and built in the yard of Barclay & Curle at Finnieston. The Osprey was around 170 ft long and 18½ ft broad and 110 tons registered. Her steeple engine was by Caird & Co., and generated 110 h.p. driving her paddle wheels of 19 ft. She had two tubular boilers and two long funnels 3 ft 8 inches in diameter and 21 ft high. Her speed was about 15 miles per hour with her engines making 32 revolutions per minute.

The Osprey was flush decked, with no figure head, galleries or bowsprit. She had one mast, sloop rigged and had a square stern. There was almost 20 ft of steerage accommodation forward and a fore saloon that was over 15 ft by 12 ft. The main saloon was 33½ ft long and almost 16 ft broad and the seats were supplied with crimson velvet cushions. Round the edges of the seats and the panels, the woodwork was birds-eye maple and between the side windows were rich coloured stained pictures on glass produced by Robert Lawrie, Esq., of Glasgow. The scenes were “Lake of Como,” Castle of Gandolphe,” “Ancona,” “Inveraray,” “Vale of Tempe,” “Rocca d’Amphi,” “Mill on the Llanberris,” “Taymouth Castle,” “Venice,” “Mount Etna,” “Louvre,” “Pavia,” “Pisa,” “Vale of Langollen.” The upholstery was by James Fisher of Glasgow. There were also five large mirrors in gilt frames and two marble side-boards. The ladies cabin was 11 ft long.

The Steamer Osprey.—Previous to her being placed on her regular station, the beautiful new steamer Osprey made a trial and pleasure trip On Wednesday to Inveraray. We have before alluded to the fine symmetry and arrangement of the vessel, and to the perfection of her machinery. The trip on Wednesday far more than realized all that had been expected of her, and gave the greatest satisfaction to her owners who were on board and to the whole party. Leaving Greenock at 9:35 a.m., and proceeding by the Kyles of Bute, she reached Ardrishaig in three hours—a speed, we believe, never before equaled. After a short detention, and a delightful sail of an hour and a half the party were landed at Inveraray, and by the kind permission of his Grace the Duke of Argyle, were conducted through his finely wooded parks. With the exception of perhaps too much heat, the day was as favourable as could have been selected, the bright sunshine displaying the beautiful tints on the hills and trees with which the margin of the loch is decorated. The party homeward was increased part of the way by a number of influential Inveraray gentlemen who were delighted with the speed and conveniences of the Osprey. An excellent dinner was done ample justice to, and a few toasts in honour of the boat, her owners, builders, commander, &c., were proposed. Proceeding to Clyde by Garrochhead, and crossing to the Cumbrae Light, the distance thence to the Cloch (16 miles) was run against a strong half-ebb tide in 64 minutes, a most uncommon and perhaps unparalleled feat in the circumstances. Her wheel which is 19 feet diameter, was driven 33 revolutions per minute, yet so smoothly that only by observing passing objects could the motion be discerned. The Clyde this season is most particularly well supplied with first-class steamers, and among these the Osprey will be entitled to a formost place. She was built by Messrs. R. Barclay & Curle of Glasgow, and being the first river-boat they have constructed does them immense credit. Her model and machinery are by Messrs. Caird & Co. of Greenock. She has now begun to ply on the Rothesay and Glasgow station, under the command of Captain M‘Gill, well known on the river as an experienced and careful master, and one of her owners. She has an exceedingly tasteful and roomy cabin, and is altogether quite a model of a crack steamer, in which nothing has been omitted for the rapid, safe, and pleasant conveyance of passengers.—Greenock Advertiser, July 9, 1852.

During the summer of 1852, competition for the Rothesay steamers appeared in the form of the Glasgow Citizen. Built and owned by Mr. John Barr of Kelvinhaugh, she was launched on April 3. She was almost 160 ft long and just over 16 ft broad. Her steeple engine provided 63 h.p. and her wheels were over 16½ ft in diameter. Glasgow Citizen had one funnel.

Accommodation for steerage in Glasgow Citizen was almost 27 ft long and 6 ft 8 inches in height and the fore cabin was 14½ ft square and 6 ft 6 inches in height and neatly finished. The after cabin was over 30 ft long and 6 ft 6 inches high and had painted oak and gold on the walls with a white roof and seats covered with crimson plush-velvet. There were two mirrors at the entrance to the saloon and there were two mahogany tables, screwed to the floor.

The Glasgow Citizen had ornamentation on her paddle boxes; the Glasgow arms supported by two female figures and there were female scroll figures on each side of the bow but no figure-head or bowsprit. She carried one mast, sloop rigged and had a square stern. She entered service in June.

Whether it was the competition or the economic pressures of the Crimean War, the Glasgow and Rothesay Steamers were forced to reduce their prices.

At the beginning of 1853, the Post office advertised for a contract to the Greenock to Rothesay mail service.  The Glasgow and Rothesay Steamers seemed well placed to tender for this contract, but others showed interest.

In June the Caledonian Railway introduced the Flamingo to sail in connection with its trains to Greenock.  The Flamingo was built by J. W. Hoby & Co., of Renfrew and was 170 ft long and quite narrow at just over 15 ft on the beam.  She had oscillating engines of 60 h.p. driving her paddle wheels of 15 ft and had two funnels but no mast.

Railway Steamers.—The swift new steamer Flamingo commenced plying between Rothesay and Greenock on the 1st current, and from the quick passages she has made, she bids fair to be second to none upon the Clyde for speed.  She is fitted like the Eagle, with a marine engine having and oscillating cylinder, and is under the command of our old friend Captain shields, so long and favorably known on the Glasgow and Rothesay station, whose experience and cautiousness will give a feeling of safety to passengers, while the gentlemanly and conciliating manner of Mr. Kennedy, the steward, will, we have no doubt, be duly appreciated upon this, as it has been for many years past, upon the Largs coast.—Dumbarton Herald, June 1853

A more serious rival was the Baron that arrived on the river in July.  She also came from the yard of Messrs J. W. Hoby, & Co., but was built on their own account.

 

Baron (McQueen)

The Messrs J. W. Hoby and Co. of Renfrew launched a fast steamer, Baron, for the Rothesay route in July 1853. She was the longest river-steamer on the Clyde at almost 190 ft with a breadth almost 17 ft. Her oscillating engines generated 120 h.p., driving her 16½ ft paddle wheels at 42 revolutions per minute for an average speed around 15 knots on her trial on August 13th. She had two funnels and one mast, sloop-rigged, with no figure-head or bowsprit and a square stern. Her cabin was large and fitted up in elegant fashion with cushions on the seats of green velvet of a beautiful pattern. The sides of the cabin has paintings of the scenery of the Clyde between the wooden panels. She was commanded by Mr. William Stewart for her builders who were also her owners. In what remained of her first season, she sailed on the Helensburgh and Gareloch route, but in 1854 ran as consort to the new Ruby.

In October, there was a collision between the Merlin and the Eclipse in which the former was sunk.

“Collision at the Harbour: Steamer Sunk.—On Tuesday morning and up till noon, a dense fog prevailed over the city, and especially on the river. At half-past ten o’clock the steamer Eclipse left the Bridge Wharf on her outward trip to Dunoon. About the same time the steamer Merlin left the lower part of the quay, where she had been getting overhauled, and proceeded up to take her berth at the wharf for Rothesay. So dense was the fog that the two vessels came into violent collision, bow to bow, when opposite Clyde Street; and it was immediately ascertained that the Merlin’s bow was stove in, and that the vessel was fast filling and settling down by the head. She was allowed to drop down the river a short distance from where the collision took place, and was got alongside of a vessel lying at the South Quay, into which not only did those on board escape, but a goodly number of portable articles from the cabin and elsewhere were got out before the Merlin sank, which she did in less than half and hour from the time she was struck. She now lies in the harbour with about 10 ft of her funnels above the surface. The Eclipse sustained little damage, and was able to proceed on her trip. So far as we have been able to learn, the collision was purely the result of accident arising out of the fog. It is a great source of satisfaction that no one sustained bodily injury from the unfortunate occurrence. Had the Merlin had passengers on board, and the collision taken place farther down the river, we might have had a much more unpleasant duty to perform; as it is, the sinking of the steamer will prove both annoying and expensive to the owners.” Glasgow Herald, October 22, 1853.

The fog in the river caused a number of other incidents that morning.  The Inveraray Castle and the Chancellor narrowly avoided collision off Erskine Ferry, and the Thistle ran ashore on the south bank of the river.

In October, the Glasgow Citizen, much heralded  the previous year, was offered for sale.

A new steamer for the Rothesay route was produced at the beginning of 1854.  The Ruby was a product of the yard of James Henderson & Sons, Renfrew, and was 173 ft long, almost 16 ft in breadth and just under 106 tons register. She had a pair of oscillating engines of 90 h.p. that drove her 15 ft 9 inch paddle wheels at 46 revolutions per minute. Her two funnels were fore and aft of the paddle boxes and she had one mast, sloop rigged with a square stern and no figure-head or bowsprit. Like Baron, her builders were her owners and her commander was Mr. Peter Henderson.  She ran for that season in concert with the Baron, advertised under the heading of “Glasgow and Rothesay Steamers.”

Greenock Advertiser April 18, 1854

Further competition came from the Caledonian Railway, that had run the Glasgow Citizen and the Flamingo on the Rothesay route the previous year but was now engaging the steamers of the private owners for connections.

Glasgow Herald, May 5, 1854

The Glasgow and Rothesay Company had provided at least one of their own steamers to wait on the railway.

Glasgow Herald, April 28, 1854

The original collaboration of “Glasgow and Rothesay Steamers” had a new agent in 1854, by the name of P. M. Halley.  William Findlay Johnstone remained with the company but had developed more interest in the running of a new steamboat.

Broomielaw in 1854 with the two funneled Petrel in the foreground and two other “Glasgow and Rothesay Steamers” with their black funnels with narrow white bands in the background (Kibble)

In May, the company advertised that its steamers would no longer carry goods. This was an attempt to accelerate the passage to Rothesay.

Glasgow Herald, May 5, 1854

Osprey was sold in 1854 to South American owners, and Johnstone and M‘Gill had a new Rothesay Castle built by Barclay Curle at Finnieston with her propulsion supplied by Caird and Company.

On Tuesday morning, there was launched from the building yard of Messrs Caird & Co., a most beautifully modeled steamer, named the Rothesay Castle, intended to ply between Glasgow and Rothesay. Her dimensions are:—Length, 185 feet; breadth of beam, 18½ feet; depth of hold 8 feet; her measurement is 120 toons, and she will be propelled by a pair of oscillating engines of 100 horse power collectively. This fine vessel has been built for Captain M‘Gill (late of the Osprey), and Mr. W. F. Johnstone, both of Glasgow, who are also proprietors of the well-known steamers Cardiff Castle and Craignish Castle, and from the appearance of their recent acquisition, we may safely predict that she will retain the public confidence and support, which have been so largely and so deservedly awarded to these and the other Castle steamers. The Rothesay Castle will be commanded by Captain M‘Gill, whose urbanity, caution, and long experience will, we doubt not, make his vessel a favourite in the station she is about to occupy. The Rothesay Castle is now taking in her machinery at the large crane, and will commence plying very shortly. Greenock Advertiser, May 12, 1854.

Rothesay Castle of 1854

The new ship joined the others in providing four sailings daily to Rothesay.  By the beginning of June, the embargo on luggage and goods had been lifted. Presumably there was money to be made.

Glasgow Herald June 5, 1854

By the end of July, the routes had been expanded to include a sailing on Mondays to Lamlash and back in addition to the Rothesay sailings.

Glasgow Herald July 31, 1854

On July 1, William Denny, the patriarch of Messrs William Denny and Brothers died. They had been the original owners of the steamers transferred from Messrs Burns, but by 1854, all their interests in the steamers had been sold on.  The partnership was dissolved at the  end of November.

The new year, 1855, brought changes.  The loose partnership of the Glasgow and Rothesay Steamers began to unravel as individual interest became more important that cooperation.  It continued for a few more years and distinguished itself from other Glasgow and Rothesay steamers by reviving the “Castle Steamers” moniker.

Glasgow Herald, May 28, 1855

There remained a sensible balance rather than cut-throat competition but the interests of Mr. Johnstone now become the focus of this essay.  Early in the year, the following article appeared in the papers:—

“A contract has just been concluded between the Post office authorities and the owners of the fast steamer Rothesay Castle, for the conveyance of mails between Lochgilphead and intermediate ports for five years, commencing on 1st March, 1855. The steamer will leave Greenock every morning at 7 a.m., and after landing mails at Strone, Dunoon, Innellan, Rothesay, Tarbert, will arrive at 11:00 a.m. at Ardrishaig, whence she will leave at 1:00 p.m., and after touching at the places mentioned, will reach Greenock in time for the 5:30 train. The present transmission of mails to this portion of the West Highlands is productive of great inconvenience. The letters must be posted here at 6:50 p.m., to proceed to Glasgow, thence to be conveyed by gig to Lochgilphead, and three days elapse before an answer is received. By the new arrangement, the box will not close until 6:30 a.m., and answers can be forwarded by the return mail of same day. The new arrangements will therefore be of the greatest benefit to those shopkeepers in Glasgow and Greenock, who send their goods to the West Highlands, as well as to the community at large. The postal authorities seem disposed to give every facility to the public, and whatever complaints may be made against them elsewhere, it is evident from the important alteration they are about to make, and from the readiness they constantly display to adopt hints and to remove obstructions, that we have no grounds for grumbling in this quarter.” Greenock Advertiser February 9, 1855.

Glasgow Herald March 12, 1855

James A. Mackay in his excellent little book “The Floating Post Offices of the Clyde,” provides some insight into the arrangement. The contract provided a payment of £580 per annum in return for the daily (except Sunday) mail service from Greenock to Ardrishaig and back. However, it rapidly became apparent that the mail subsidy was insufficient. It is not difficult to pinpoint the problem. While the Rothesay Castle carried the mails, Messrs Hutcheson placed their new fast steamer, Iona, on the same route, leaving Glasgow at 7:00 a.m., with passengers only, and connecting at Greenock with the 8:00 a.m. train from Glasgow. Through traffic to the West Highlands and Islands was guaranteed connections when traveling by Iona and this undoubtedly siphoned off a great deal of tourist and other traffic during the height of the season.

June 8 1855

June 15, 1855

A further problem arose with access to Strone Pier, one of the calls specified as the Rothesay Castle carried the Dunoon and Kilmun postman at an annual cost of £20 17s.

“The quay at Strone Point not being yet repaired, passengers are obliged to have recourse to the ferry boat, thus subjecting themselves to great inconvenience, and in stormy weather to considerable danger, to avoid which many prefer walking to Kilmun to going on board the steamer at Strone. On Saturday morning, the ferry boat, in coming alongside the Rothesay Castle, went in before the paddle floats and was swamped. There were only two ferrymen on board, both of whom were rescued—one by a boat from the shore and the other by the steamer’s crew. One of them, who was considerably injured about the head by coming into contact with the floats, against which the surf drove the boat, was carried to Dunoon, where medical assistance was procured. As it was blowing hard from the southward with a heavy sea at the time the accident occurred, the steamer was within an ace of being driven ashore while the crew were engaged picking up the ferrymen. the paddles of the steamer were stopped at the time of the upsetting, which was caused by the mismanagement of the men in the boat, (one of whom was, it is said, unacquainted with ferrying,) and the heavy sea which was running. The man who was injured was yesterday in the way of recovering. Now that the coast season has commenced, the Strone Pier should be put as soon as possible at the service to the public. The proprietor may not be legally liable for any accident that may arise out of the present state of matters; but it is difficult to see how Mr. Napier, who has been in the habit of levying large imposts at the quay, can clear himself from moral responsibility.” Greenock Advertised May 8, 1855.

Napier responded in a letter published on the same day.

David Napier’s Response

Problems with time-keeping with the mails were noted; the Rothesay Castle seldom kept to the specified schedule and was frequently between an hour and four hours late. She also failed to run on days when the weather was bad.

There was an attempt to renegotiate the contract by offering a second service from Greenock to Dunoon, Innellan and Rothesay each day for an increased payment of £1,000, but the Post office disapproved. As a final plea, W. Findlay Johnstone provided an accounting to the postal authorities on 1st October, 1855 showing that the service for the seven months to that point, through the most lucrative part of the year had made a loss of over £931.

From “The Floating Post Offices of the Clyde,” James A. Mackay

There was to be no adjustment and Johnstone indicated that the service could not continue. The Rothesay Castle was heavily mortgaged and Johnstone disposed of his share to Caird & Co., who had supplied her engines and were likely also part owners. This violated the terms of the mail contract and the Post office imposed a fine of £500. As a result, a notice of sequestration on “William Findlay Johnstone, shipowner, and trading in river carriage of goods and passengers in Glasgow” appeared in the Edinburgh Gazette of Tuesday October 23, 1855. In reply, Johnstone terminated the contract on October 18, 1855.

On October 17, the day before the service terminated, David Roxburgh, of the Glasgow and Loch Fyne Steam Packet Co., indicated to the Post office a willingness to take over the service conveying mails between Greenock and Ardrishaig with calls at Dunoon, Innellan, Rothesay, the Kyles of Bute, and Tarbert, by the Inverary Castle. The Inveraray Castle was to leave Greenock at 9:00 a.m. and reach Ardrishaig around 3:00 p.m. After lying overnight at Ardrishaig, the Inveraray Castle would return to Greenock the following day departing at 8:00 a.m. and arriving around 3:00 p.m. The service was offered once daily in either direction (except Sundays) for £500 per annum and so presumably a second steamer, probably the Dunoon Castle was involved. The contract would run until March 1856.

The Post office terminated the mail contract by sea to Ardrishaig in 1856 but the scene was set for Messrs. Hutcheson to revive the service a few years later with the Iona. In the interim they took over the Loch Fyne Steam Packet Co. so that there would be a winter steamer service when the Iona was laid up.  This outcome was anticipated by the good people of Rothesay who provided input to the Post office authorities the following spring.

A public meeting of the inhabitants of Rothesay took place on Friday, with regard to postal communication, Provost Munn occupied the chair. A series of resolutions was passed approving the manner in which the mail service was carried out last year by the steamer Rothesay Castle, and urging on the post office authorities the necessity of providing a speedy and satisfactory mode of communication suitable for that town and other places on the route between it and Greenock. This can only be economically accomplished by the continuance of the sea service to Ardrishaig, and contracting with a fast steamer which would leave Greenock on the morning at a pointed hour, touching at Dunoon, Inellan, Rothesay, Kyles of Bute, Tarbert, and Ardrishaig, and returning to Greenock in the afternoon. There is no doubt that this service has not been conducted in a satisfactory way for some time past, the lowness of the contract impeding the steamboat company who held it from making extra exertions; but we understand that the owners of the fast steamer Iona are now willing to take it up for six months at a moderate rate, while the Lochfine Steamboat Company would enter into a stringent contract for the remainder of the year. If this arrangement be not gone into, there must be a separate service for Rothesay and the Clyde towns. There is little competition on that route this year, and it is very likely that the separate contract to Rothesay added to the proposed land route to Inveraray, will cost as much, if not more, than the conveyance by sea to Ardrishaig, while as we showed in our last, the adoption of the proposed alteration will be the cause of great delay and annoyance. We are glad to learn that memorial against the intended change is already numerously and respectably signed here, and that others are in progress in Rothesay, Inellan, and Dunoon. Greenock Advertiser, April 22, 1856.

Costs played a key role in the Post office decisions.  The cost of the Greenock to Dunoon and Rothesay mails rose sharply over the next few years, prompting the revival of the Ardrishaig mail.

And what of William Findlay Johnstone?  His connections with the Rothesay trade terminated in 1855 but he reappears in 1859 in connection with a steamer called the Emerald.