“Steamboat Traffic on the Clyde

“Article IV

“One of the great feats of early navigation was the journey from Glasgow to Belfast, the Giant’s Causeway, and back, all in four days—the distance being 267 miles. On account of the shallowness of the river, and the great size of the Liverpool steam-vessels, these ships could seldom get up the river, and a smaller boat, the Post Boy, was employed to convey passengers to the Liverpool packets from Glasgow every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. These packets were fitted up exclusively for the accommodation of passengers, and belonged to a joint-stock company, composed chiefly of Glasgow merchants. Of the vessels, the Majestic was the finest—at that time, indeed, the largest and most powerful—steamship belonging to the Clyde. It had three cabins—one for ladies exclusively—and performed the passage in 28 hours. This year of which we are writing (1822) saw the completion of the Caledonian Canal, which threw open the Highlands to the commercial enterprise and activity of the South.

“On the 30th day of October, 1822, the Loch Ness steamboat, accompanied by two smacks, proceeded on the first voyage through the Canal, amid the firing of cannon and the cheers of an immense assemblage of spectators. From this year may be dated the progress of the steamboat traffic with the West. Previous to 1818, steam-communication had been established with the Highlands, and in August 1819, as stated before, the Comet sailed to Fort William. The success of this vessel induced other companies to start, and for years the “Highland Steamboat Company” carried on the chief share of this trade by means of (in 1824) the Inverary Castle (Captain Thomson), sailing to Tarbert, Lochgilphead, and Inveraray, the Rothesay Castle (Captain Brown), sailing to Rothesay and Arran, and the Toward Castle (Captain Johnston), sailing at four o’clock in the morning, for Rothesay, Largs, Millport, Brodick, and Lamlash.

Inverary Castle

“After the opening of the Caledonian Canal, the “Glasgow and Caledonian Canal Steamboat Company” established a line of steamers—the Ben Nevis and Highland Chieftain running to Inverness, and the Highlander to Tobermory, Staffa, and Skye. The Ben Nevis was advertised to leave Glasgow for Inverness, say on the 16th, and to return on the 22nd.

Messrs Burns steamboats at Oban in the late 1840s

“After some time the Messrs Burns, along with Messrs Thomson & M‘Connell, bought up the old boats to Inverness, including two which ran via the Crinan Canal to Inverness, doing the journey in three days—on the first to Ardrishaig, on the second to Banavie, and on the third to Inverness. The new company then put larger vessels on the Skye route, but did little good till 1851, when Mr. David Hutcheson was asked to undertake the management of the concern, which he did, in partnership with Mr Alexander Hutcheson (his brother) and Mr David MacBrayne. Previously to this, it should be noticed, the Messrs Burns had started a fast boat, to leave Glasgow at four o’clock in the morning, and arrive at Banavie at twelve o’clock that night. The Pioneer was followed next with the Shandon on the outside station from Crinan to Oban, and in 1852 the Mountaineer was built by Messrs James & George Thomson, being the first of what may be called the ornate boats, and the immediate precursor of the present magnificent line of fast mail packets to the Western Highlands.

Shandon

Mountaineer

Iona No. 1 of 1855

“The Mountaineer was succeeded by the Iona, No. 1, which ran for eight years, until it was bought, as is supposed (though not then known), by the Government of the Confederate States of America in 1862, and was run down in the Clyde, on her passage out, between Roseneath and Fort Matilda, where it still lies. It was run down by a large screw steamship, but no lives were lost.

Iona No. 2

“In the following year, the Iona, No. 2, the first grand covered boat with saloons was started, but only for a few months, being also sold, presumably to the Confederates in the same year, 1863. As in the case of its predecessor, its career was short and ill-fated, as in attempting to cross the Atlantic in the spring of the year and foundered off the isle of Ilfracombe and went down, but happily no life was lost. Next year (1864) saw the launching of the third, the present and improved Iona, which was fitted up with the saloon of its immediate predecessor, and has been celebrated far and wide by admiring tourists.

Iona No. 3 at Ardrishaig

Clansman at Greenock

At the present moment Messrs David Hutcheson & Company are the possessors of fourteen steamboats, all engaged in the Highland traffic, of which, besides those just named, we need only mention the magnificent screw-ship Clansman, as being one of the finest vessels afloat, and having cost upwards of £40,000, and the Inveraray Castle, Pioneer, and Mary Jane, as being among the oldest steamboats on the Clyde, and in better condition to-day than when they were first launched.

Inveraray Castle

Mary Jane

“The increase in the number of steamers during the period under review will be made apparent by the following tables:—

“In 1822

“This list comprises those boats only which were plying on the Clyde. “At this time,” writes Mr Robert Chapman, one of the chroniclers of St Mungo, “the intercourse between Glasgow and the various ports and islands in the Clyde has been by these vessels (steamboats) increased in an almost incredible degree. It is now no uncommon thing in the summer season for three vessels, in the course of a single forenoon, to land upwards of five hundred passengers, of all ages, at the Broomielaw.” Prodigious! What would the worthy historian have said had he lived to see the iona steam up the river on a fine evening in summer, with her ten or twelve hundred passengers.

“So much for the river traffic in 1822. In 1825 we find the following ships employed in the trade of the Clyde:—

“In addition to these, there were on the stocks— James Ewing and Ailsa Craig for the Belfast trade; and the Helensburghand St Catherine, for the Helensburgh and Lochgoilhead routes respectively. The Dumbarton Castle sailed to Stranraer once a-week during the summer months, calling at Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Irvine, Troon, and Ayr. The Dumbarton boat left Glasgow every morning at 6 o’clock, with passengers for the Marion, on Lochlomond, who were landed at Dumbarton, thence by coach to Balloch, five miles distant, from which place the Marion started every day at 10 o’cock.

“Lastly, compare these lists with the abstract for 1843:—

“At this period the usual fares were:—

“During the same year the number of steamers which sailed regularly from the Thames was 85, and on the Rhine 83. Finally, the revenue of the Clyde for the year 1815 was £5,900, and for 1842, £42,401. These figures tell their own story.