Tod & Macgregor Shiplist

Notes:

          The Belfast-Glasgow trade was controlled by a monopoly shared by two companies, Thompson & McConnell, who worked in close co-operation with one another from the mid-30s until 1851. On 10th December 1839 the 'establishment' received a short-lived, but upsetting, challenge from Langlands' Royal Sovereign. She ran twice a week and offered three classes of accomodation, at 7s, 4s and 1s. Hitherto the fares had been 20s, plus 2s stewards fee, for cabin class, and 3s steerage.

          The challenge was immediately taken up by the 'establishment' who offered the same cheap fares as those on the Royal Sovereign. Langlands immediately reduced their steerage fare to 6d but made no reduction in the prices charged for superior accommodation; again the 'estalishment' followed suit. The compitition also extended to cargo: freights were reduced until a gallon of whiskey could be sent across the channel for a halfpenny. The Royal Sovereign retired at Christmas and joined her consort the Royal George on Langlands' Glasgow-Liverpool service.

[Irish Passenger Steamship Services, D.B. McNeill]

The change from wood to iron as the material for the construction of the hulls of coastal steamers, really began in 1839, when Mr. John lassie advertised the two iron steamers of the Glasgow & Liverpool Royal Steam Packet Company, Royal Sovereign and Royal George. The first of these took up her station on March 2^nd , and sailed from the Broomilaw just two minutes ahead of the City of Glasgow Company's Commodore.

It was scarcely to be expected that such an intrusion into the 'cosy corner' which had been established in the Liverpool trade, would be allowed to pass unchallenged; and, towards the end of September, a general cutting of rates commenced, the passenger rates being cut by 50 per cent, while the rate for freight fell from 3½d to 1d per cubic foot.

Royal George joined her sister ship on the Liverpool station on August 24^th 1839, and was equally well fitted, having her saloon furnished in rosewood and crimson. It was in November 1839 that Mr Langlands became agent, and he immediately carried war into the enemy’s territory, by placing Royal George on the Belfast station, in opposition to the City of Glasgow Company's Tartar, and Messrs Burns'new Aurora, both wooden vessels.

The service, however, lasted little more than a month, and Royal George returned early in January 1840 , to the Liverpool station, where the competition still continued, with further rate-cutting. By the end of July, however, an arrangement had been made whereby each company was to maintain sailings on two days each week , thus providing a daily service, with uniform fares and freight charges being established.

Royal Sovereign was sold in 1842, Royal George remaining till about 1847.