David Napier by David Napier and David Bell: Chapter VI
Chapter VI: Steam Vessels, Built for or Engined by David Napier
No list is known to exist of the vessels built for, or engined by, Napier, — and the following particulars, collected from various publications, indicate probably but a small part of his work. Where dates have been ascertained the vessels are placed in chronological order, thereby showing the developments in size and power that took place in the earlier period of steam navigation. The hulls built for Napier up to 1836 were of wood. The Loch Eck steamer, Aglaia, he himself built of iron. The greater number came from the yard of John Wood & Co., others were constructed by Archibald M'Lachlan, Dumbarton, and John Scott & Sons, Greenock, all of whom had much previous experience in the building of sailing vessels. Napier's engines were for some time of the side-lever type, with flue boilers; but within a few years he had introduced the "steeple" and other arrangements, with tubular boilers of the haystack form.
Marion, 1815 (see frontispiece, and sailing bill opposite page 4); built by Archibald McLachlan, of the Woodyard, Dumbarton; dimensions variously stated as 60 feet by 13 feet, and 70 feet by 14 feet; 57 tons; draft 2 feet 9 inches; 20 horse-power; the first vessel built for Napier, and named after his wife. Plied for a season on the Clyde, and was then placed on Loch Lomond, being the first steamer there (see Note 16); broken up about 1828. Chapman's Picture of Glasgow, 1818, mentions that till November 1817, navigation above the bridges of Glasgow had been reckoned impracticable, but that the Marion then steamed as far as the Clyde Ironworks, against a very strong current. A document still extant narrates that her master, Daniel M`Phail, had for a time been master of the Comet, and in that capacity was the first to take a steamer to Rothesay. Afterwards, with the Marion, he was first to navigate a steam vessel above Glasgow Bridge; and had the "honour also of being the first in taking a steam-boat into the far-famed and romantic Loch Lomond."
Active and Despatch, 1817; built by Archibald M'Lachlan; dimensions variously stated as 60 feet by 17 feet, 80 tons, and 65 feet by 18 feet, 83 tons; 10 horse-power. These were cargo boats that plied on the Clyde; both were in service up till 1834.
Rob Roy, 1818; built by William Denny, Senr.; [1] variously stated as 75 feet by 15 feet 8 inches, 87 tons, and 80 feet by 16 feet, 90 tons; single s.l. engine, 32 horse-power, funnel elliptical. The first steamer to ply between Glasgow and Belfast, on which route she carried the mails and passengers for two years "with great punctuality and without requiring repairs." She was then placed on the Dover-Calais route, and, being purchased by the French Government — the first steamer owned in France — was named Henri Quatre. The Rob Roy was not only the first steam vessel to navigate the open sea regularly, but was the fastest on the Clyde at the time.
Woodford, 1818; built at Dumbarton.; 76 feet by 16 feet, 6 horsepower; this vessel went to Trinidad in 1822.
Robert Bruce, 1819; built by John Scott and Sons; 90 feet by 18 feet, 155 tons; engines, two cylinders, 60 horse-power. The first steamer to ply between Glasgow and Liverpool, "followed year by year by steamships of increasing beauty and power, a class of vessels altogether unrivalled" (Watt Memorials). "The passage between Greenock and Liverpool was accomplished in twenty-eight hours, an expedition that surpassed the London Mail." She was burnt near Anglesea in 1821, from neglect in letting water out of the boiler. The Parliamentary Report of 1822 contains the following, from T. S. Traill, Esq. :
"I was exposed to a violent storm in the Robert Bruce, and was surprised at the ease with which she wrought in a very heavy sea, and the much less motion she had than a sailing vessel would have had in similar circumstances. Contrary to my expectation her decks were not inundated, we could walk tolerably on them, and even books in open shelves were not displaced, circumstances which also astonished Captain Scoresby junior [ William Scoresby ] who accompanied me. In the worst of the gale we made nearly half a mile per hour against a heavy head-sea and a violent gale at west, in approaching the Isle of Man from Liverpool."
Robert Burns, 1819; built by John Wood and Co; 76 feet by 14 feet 6 inches, 73 tons, 24 horse-power; plied between Glasgow and Helensburgh. Name altered to Robert Bruce in 1826, after the Robert Bruce of 1819 had been burnt.
Talbot, 1819; built by John Wood & Co.; 92 feet by 18 feet, 156 tons; engines, two cylinders, 60 horse-power. Said to have been the first steamer fitted with feathering floats. The first steamer to ply between Holyhead and Dublin, and described as "the most perfect steam vessel of the period, - an enormous advance in ocean steam navigation." Average length of sixteen voyages from Holyhead to Howth was nine hours twenty-four minutes, and from Howth to Holyhead eight hours and two minutes.
Fingal, 1819; built by William Simons and Co, Greenock; 100 horse-power, 202 tons; for Belfast trade; name altered to Rosneath Castle in 1825.
Erin; built by William Simons & Co., Greenock; 100 horse-power, 207 tons; Dublin trade.
Scotia; built by R. Steele and Sons; 100 horse-power, 165 tons; Dublin trade.
These three vessels appear in lists of 1828 and 1832; dates uncertain of Erin and Scotia.
Superb, 1820 (see illustration, p. 52; reproduced from an old painting); built by John Scott and Sons; 120 feet by 20 feet, 246 tons; engines, two cylinders, 72 horse-power. This was the largest steamer of 1820; built as consort to the Robert Bruce on the Liverpool trade, and described as the "finest, largest and most powerful steam vessel in Britain." Said to have had" the first copper boiler ever put into a steamer." She was sold in 1824 for service between Naples and Palermo.
Ivanhoe, 1820; built by John Scott and Sons; 98 feet by 19 feet, 170 tons; engines, two cylinders, 60 horse-power; plied as consort to the Talbot on the Holyhead-Dublin route; the average passage about seven hours and a half. These were reckoned "large, complete and efficient vessels; their unexpected success overcame the professional prejudice of the Commanders of the sailing Mail Packets." (See illustration, p. 30.) The Ivanhoe was in 1822 taken over by the Post Office authorities, who were obliged to purchase all the sailing packets to clear the station for the introduction of steam vessels. The object was at first to make the steam ancillary to the sailing packets, but it was found the former could do better than the sailing vessels, and two of the latter were kept as ancillary to the steam vessels. (See extract from Parliamentary Report, 1822, Chapter VIII.)
Belfast, 1820; built by Ritchie and Co, Belfast; 190 tons; engines, two cylinders, 70 horse-power; plied between Liverpool and Dublin and Glasgow to Belfast.
Post Boy, 1820; built at Dumbarton, 74 feet by 13 feet, 54 tons; engine 24 horse-power. Had a "clipper bow and figure head, high square stern, and tall black funnel." Experiments with surface condensation were carried out in this vessel. (See note on Patents). She plied for some years between Glasgow and Dumbarton, leaving Glasgow at 6 a.m; Loch Lomond passengers were conveyed by coach to Balloch, and the Marion left Balloch at 10 a.m. On returning, the Post Boy left Dumbarton at 6 p.m. In 1828 her name was changed to Euphrosyne, and she plied on Loch Lomond from that date till 1837 or 1838. Thereafter she was sold to a Paisley company and plied between Glasgow and Greenock, and also on her original Dumbarton station, under the name Dumbreck.
Rapid, 1820; built by Cornwallis, Greenock; 140 tons; engines, two cylinders, 56 horse-power; plied between Glasgow and Belfast, and afterwards from London to Rotterdam. Sold to London in 1824.
Caledonia, 1821; built by John Wood and Co; 85 feet by 14 feet 6 inches, 84 tons, 35 horse-power; plied between Glasgow and Helensburgh.
Eclipse, 1821; built by Robert Steele, Greenock; 104 feet by 16 feet 9 inches, 140 tons; engines, two cylinders, 60 horse-power; plied between Glasgow and Belfast.
Majestic, 1821; (see illustration, reproduced from an old painting belonging to Mr. Wilson, 83 Jamaica Street, Glasgow, and sailing bill, page 12, reproduced from an original in possession of Messrs. Little & Johnston, London); built by John Scott & Sons; 135 feet by 22 feet 8 inches, 350 tons; engines, two cylinders, 100 horse-power; boiler of copper. Plied between Glasgow and Liverpool, making the voyage repeatedly in twenty-two hours.
Mountaineer, 1821; built by Cornwallis, Greenock; 190 tons; engines, two cylinders, 70 horse-power; plied between Leith and London, and later between Liverpool and Dublin.
City of Glasgow, 1822; (see sailing bill, p. 12) built by John Scott & Sons; 110 feet by 22 feet 4 inches, 300 tons; engines, two cylinders, 100 horse-power; plied between Glasgow and Liverpool, reckoned the finest steamer built at this time, and was arranged like the Majestic, these being the most important vessels in the Liverpool trade. In 1825 she went on the rocks while entering Douglas Harbour, but was floated and repaired, and then sold to the City of Glasgow Steam Packet Company and fitted for carrying goods as well as passengers. In 1836, after receiving new boilers, she was put on the Hull to London trade.
Maid of Islay, 1822; built by John Wood and Co.; 82 feet by 18 feet, 140 tons, 50 horse-power. First engines by Claud Girdwood, replaced by others 60 horse-power by David Napier. She was sailing to the West Highlands till 1839.
St. Winnifred, 1823; built at Dumbarton; 94 feet by 16 feet, 50 horse-power; went to Liverpool.
Superb, 1823; built by James Lang; 94 feet by 15 feet 6 inches, 111 tons, 50 horse-power; plied between Glasgow and Rothesay.
George Canning, 1824; built by James Lang; 100 feet by 16 feet, 81 tons, 35 horse-power; plied between Glasgow and Belfast, afterwards between Glasgow and Rothesay; on that route up till 1832.
James Ewinq, 1825; built by James Lang; 101 feet by 16 feet 1 inch, 80 tons, 36 horse-power; a sister ship to the George Canning plied between Glasgow and Lochgilphead, and occasionally to Inveraray; was on the Rothesay route up till 1834.
Chieftain; date, etc., not recorded. Sold by David Napier to the Commercial Steam Packet Company, London.
United Kingdom, 1826; built by Robert Steele; 175 feet by 26 feet 6 inches, 561 tons; s.l. engines, 200 horse-power; "a specimen of very superior workmanship." (See sketches, pages 32 and 34.) Built to ply between Leith and London; sailed from Greenock to Leith round the north of Scotland in July, 1826. She was considered a "prodigious step in advance in size and power, speed, and the whole style of her furnishings and appointments." Boiler was of iron plate, 25 feet 6 inches long, with rectangular tubes, having a fire at one end. Gauge-cocks and tubes fitted; and an arrangement for surface condensation. Cost about £40,000. She was reckoned the fastest packet then built, the voyage between Leith and London being usually performed in from forty to fifty hours. About 1831 she got a thorough overhaul and a new boiler of copper.
Aglaia, 1827; 30 tons; built by David Napier, and referred to in Memoir as the small steamer put on Loch Eck. This was the first steam vessel built of iron on the Clyde, and the first to ply on Loch Eck; Captain Taylor master. When being taken to the loch, the engine and boiler were conveyed by road, and, with assistance of the residenters, the boat was pulled up the River Echaig. Napier placed another steamer, the cupid, on Loch Fyne, so that passengers could be taken right through from Glasgow to Inveraray; this being the "new route" referred to in the Memoir. After many years' service the Aglaia was replaced by an improved steamboat. At Glenshellish, the property Napier had near Loch Eck, are still to be seen some old paddle rings (see page 60), taken no doubt from one or other of these boats, and used for many years at the farm as "stack-stools."
Venus, 1827; built by John Wood & Co.; 111 feet by 16 feet, 86 tons, 70 horse-power; plied between Glasgow and Kilmun.
Cupid, 1828; built by John Wood & Co.; 58 feet 3 inches by 11 feet, 30 tons, 10 horse-power; plied on the Clyde and on Loch Fyne.
Vale of Cluid, 1828; built by John Wood & Co.; 98 feet by 16 feet 6 inches, 50 horse-power; went to Liverpool.
Corsair, 1828; built by John Wood & Co.; 120 feet by 20 feet, 100 horse-power; went to Belfast.
Belfast, 1829; built by John Wood & Co.; 108 feet by 19 feet, 123 tons, 60 horse-power; plied twice a week between Glasgow and Belfast.
Clyde; built by McMillan and Duncan, Greenock; 310 tons; engines, two cylinders, 160 horse-power; plied between Glasgow and Liverpool.
Lady of the Lake; built by William Denny; 90 tons, 25 horse-power; plied between Glasgow and Kilmun.
Loch Eck, 1829; built by John Wood & Co.; 82 feet by 12 feet 4 inches, 38 tons, 30 horse-power; plied between Glasgow and Kilmun.
St. Mun, 1830; built by William Denny; 114 feet by 15 feet, 64 tons, 60 horse-power; plied between Glasgow and Kilmun, also Rothesay and Ayr; sold about 1834 it was understood to an English firm.
Rothesay, 1831; built by James Lang; 96 feet by 16 feet, 70 tons; plied between Glasgow and Rothesay.
Kilmun, 1831; built by John Wood & Co.; 120 feet 6 inches by 16 feet, 103 tons, 20 horse-power; steeple engines; plied between Glasgow and Kilmun. In 1834 was sailing to Rothesay. Sold in 1836.
Earl Grey, 1832; built by Robert Duncan and Co; 120 feet 3 inches by 16 feet, 105 tons, steeple engines; plied to Rothesay and Inveraray, also on Kilmun route. In July, 1835, while lying at Greenock quay, her boiler exploded, and a number of persons were killed and injured. The boiler had been supplied a few weeks before the occurrence by a Mr. G. Mansell, who was a witness at the trial of the Earl Grey's engineer. The steam valve was controlled by a rod passing down to the engine-room, and the engineer was tried for overloading it, but was acquitted. After being repaired the vessel continued to ply on the Clyde. Loch Lomond, 1838; built probably by Denny; the first iron steamer to ply on Loch Lomond.
Severn, 1851; built it is understood at Millwall, and fitted with Napier's rotary engine; plied on the Severn, and afterwards, it is believed, on the Clyde.
Rotary, 1853; built by Henderson, Renfrew; 146 feet by 14 feet, 66 tons; rotary engine, to Napier's patent, made by Thomas Wingate and Co; plied to Dumbarton.
(See also experimental vessels built at Millwall, referred to in Chapter V.)
See Also
- David Napier by David Napier and David Bell
- David Napier by David Napier and David Bell: Chapter V
- David Napier by David Napier and David Bell: Chapter VII
Foot Notes
- ↑ William Denny, Senr., was for a time manager to Archibald M'Lachlan, at the Woodyard, Dumbarton, and ultimately succeeded to the business there. The precise date when the business was transferred is not known.