Ireland Technical Specification

Official No. 9384; Code Letters KHCP

Accommodation for 80 1st class passengers.

Owners: William S Lindsay (MP for Tynemouth) Captain AAD Dundas & Co, London; 1858 Bailey & Leetham, London; 1858 Bailey & Leetham, Lisbon-renamed Don Pedro.

Masters: 1856-57 Perry; 1858 Jackson; 1867-68 Joao Manuel de Freitas Branco (C.N. 34535 Hull 1865); 1869-71 Oliviera; 1872-74 Gomez; 1876-77 France.

Voyages: she was in use mainly as a mail steamer from London to Calcutta; 29 January 1857 arrived Cape Town; 23 September 1857 left Portsmouth for Kurrachee with troops; 17 April 1858 left Bombay with cotton arriving 8 May 1858 Hong Kong; 12 June 1858 left Hong Kong for London with tea; 1868-74 Hull for Lisbon; 3 July 1878 arrived Falmouth from Pabelion, Spain.

York Herald – Saturday 8 October 1856.

IRON SHIPBUILDING AT HARTLEPOOL. LAUNCH of the SCREW-STEAMER IRELAND. Whether the ardent anticipations that are entertained in certain quarters as to the rapid localisation of various branches of iron manufacture in the southern division of Durham may be ever realised or not, certain it is that the iron shipbuilding is being prosecuted with a spirit and energy which force themselves on public attention. Another beautiful iron screw-steamer was launched a few days ago, in size far superior to any formerly launched at the harbour of Old Hartlepool, and of design and workmanship commensurate with her future important destination — the Indian and Australian Mail service. The Ireland — a screw steam-ship of remarkably symmetrically proportions, built to the order of Mr. W. S. Lindsay, the present M.P. for Tynemouth, and formerly of the Castle Eden Office, Hartlepool — was launched from the establishment of Messrs. Richardson Brothers. The christening was performed by Mrs. Perry, wife of the future captain of the good ship, and the launch was highly successful—the gradient being so contrived that her own gravity brought her up at a safe distance from the opposite quay of the outer harbour, to the great disappointment of not a few croakers, who had pertinaciously prophesied for some months back that a new ship of her size would never come off in safety. An immense concourse of spectators witnessed the launch, and hailed with lusty British cheers its successful accomplishment. The Ireland, which has been built entirely from the designs of Mr. James Davie, jun., late of the Clyde, is 230 feet in length, of 33 feet beam, and 20 feet depth of hold. She will be propelled with engines of 150 horse-power, from the designs of Mr. Jeffray, in the establishment of Richardson and Son, Middleton, and is confidently expected to be a swift sailing ship. Messrs. W. S. Lindsay and Co., the owners, having recently contracted with Government for the transfer of the Cape Mails, we understand that the Ireland has been built expressly for this important service, and will be immediately placed on the London and Calcutta station. She is constructed to carry eighty first-class cabin passengers, her tonnage being 1,200 tons builders' measurement. The new line of steamers, of which the Ireland is now to form a very important unit, was opened on the first of August last, and the Ireland, we are informed, is under contract to be at her station on the first of November next, the company intending that she shall set out with her first mail on the first day of the following month. After the launch, a large number of the personal friends of the builders, who had witnessed the Ireland's first descent from the slipway, assembled in the drafting-loft of the establishment to congratulate those gentlemen on her completion:— Mr. Bowman, superintendent for Messrs. W. S. Lindsay and Co., Austinfriars, London, craved the liberty of proposing a toast. He thought (he said) the specimen the present company had seen launched that day furnished a proof, if ever there was one, that the Richardson Brothers could build an iron ship: and he felt a pleasure in congratulating them on the completion of a work which, from his intimate acquaintance with it, he knew was calculated to give to them that standing in iron ship building which he knew had been attained by others from such careful, beautiful, and substantial workmanship, in other parts of the world. He might name two instances on the Clyde. Such was the satisfaction given by the work recently executed by a builder there, and such the confidence in him which it inspired in Mr. Lindsay, that he (the speaker), and others who inspected the ships, recommended them highly, and the New Australian Company gave them an order for a vessel of 570 horse-power and 2,400 tons — an order which he never would have had but for his good workmanship, supplied to Mr. L's first commission. He anticipated the same amount of success for the Brothers Richardson. Hartlepool was not to be confined to the production of vessels of 1,000 tons. They had docks there for the accommodation of vessels of three and four times that size; they had the practical ability — for his friends, Messrs. Davie and Jeffrey, draughtsman and engineer of the present steam-ship, were men competent to turn out a ship of any size, of any dimensions, or of any power, at Hartlepool, as well as at the Clyde. From what he had seen of the ship, and of her builders, and he had watched the progress of the former in their hands from the first, he should have the most unbounded confidence in hereafter recommending them as a firm who would do justice to those who contracted with them ; and, though this might not be the most remunerative contract they may have undertaken, "people must pay for a name" was almost axiomatic in the commercial world, and he believed that the specimen which this firm had produced at Hartlepool would be a small apprentice fee for the standing which such workmanship entitled, and would no doubt enable, its authors to assume. He therefore proposed "Success to the firm of Richardson Brothers." The toast was cordially received, and was responded to by Mr. Thos. Richardson, of Castle Eden. Thanking the company, and Mr. Bowman, as the representative of Mr. Lindsay, for the compliment he had paid his brothers and himself, he expressed his confidence in their ability to produce iron screw steamers of a first-class character at Hartlepool, declared himself gratified at the satisfaction which Mr. B. had been pleased to express with reference to the Ireland, and modestly hinted that he hoped to win further favour when future opportunities presented themselves. As to the Ireland not' being remunerative, be was perfectly satisfied with the result, and he was not afraid to undertake others at the fame rate. The trade was comparatively new to this district, but the facilities for its development here were great, and he believed it would yet be found a very important element in our commercial success. He admitted that they did build for a name, and he believed, if it depended on his own or his brothers' exertions, it would not end here, but that steam vessels quite as fine, and probable of much greater dimensions than that they had launched that day, would yet be built at Hartlepool. Mr. Thomas Richardson then gave " The health of W. S. Lindsay, M.P. for Tynemouth, and Success to the good ship Ireland" — a toast which he recommended by the most hearty appreciation of Mr. Lindsay's public and private character; some interesting reminiscences of that gentleman's acquaintance while at Hartlepool with his (Mr. R.s) father; and by an expressed anticipation that he would, at an early day, have the pleasure of seeing him at Hartlepool. The toast was cordially received, and responded to by Mr. Bowman. Mr. Davey, draughtsman and manager to the Brothers Richardson, and Mr. Jeffrey, engineer to Richardson and Son, Middleton, were then severally complimented in a toast— the first by Mr. Hall, of the Durham Bank, the other by Mr. Bowman, who expressed, in the highest terms, his faith in Mr. Jeffrey as a man who dared to be original, and could not be satisfied with stand-still conformity, in his profession, but who, both on the Clyde and at Hartlepool, had ever evinced the most thorough determination to improve upon the past, and make his work not an art merely but a science. Three times, three for the Ireland were given with enthusiasm before the company separated,