The coming of the railway to Helensburgh was met with great anticipation, not least among those who saw the prospect of improvements promised to the quay. The magistrates in the town entered into an agreement with the Dumbartonshire Railway Co. who were to provide the funding to upgrade the pier but the collapse in railway funding in the early 1850s meant that the project was delayed. The Dumbartonshire Railway realized that the costs would exceed their initial estimates and offered a lump-sum to the payment to the town who responded by taking the matter to the courts.

The “pier at Helensburgh—one of the most beautiful watering places on the Clyde…is not only rough and uneven in surface, so as to be altogether useless to visitors as a promenade, and exceedingly inconvenient in passing to and from the steamers, but it is positively dangerous to land at in certain states of the weather.” So related the Glasgow Gazette in June 1851. It went on, “A good commodious pier is the principal requisite about a watering-place, now that so many persons, whose families reside at the coast, go and return almost daily.” It was reported that on Thursday July 3, the Monarch could not approach the pier in calm water and passengers waiting on the quay to be taken across to Greenock to catch the railway express to Glasgow had to be rowed out to the steamer in small fishermen’s boats. Blame was placed the Caledonian Railway whose deeper pockets had provided initial backing for the Dumbartonshire Railway and on the Magistrates and Sir James Colquhoun, the proprietor, for not moving forward with an interim solution.

Helensburgh Quay around 1850

Over the summer, the correspondence continued with first a magistrate and subsequently Sir James himself placing the blame squarely on the Dumbartonshire Railway Co. who had, at that point, called on only half of their capital and could be called upon to fund the pier. The cost of the new pier was £9,000 and the railway had offered £4,000 with a repayment of £3,000, leaving a gap of £2,000. Although a decision in the court case was reached in December in the Magistrate’s favour, the litigation dragged on in appeal.

The Greenock Advertiser of June 28, 1853 reveals the next stage in the saga. Repairs on the quay had been carried out and the £70 expense was to be paid for by levying a toll on the use of the pier of 1d. per head. A disturbance had resulted in which Rev. John Bell, the Episcopalian minister in the town was assaulted by Mr Lennox, the superintendent of the Helensburgh police who was later arrested and charged. The situation was resolved when cost of the repairs was met by “a number of gentlemen” provided the toll was removed.

“Helensburgh Pier.—This old quay has again been patched up, and its rugged surface made indifferently passable for the summer traffic. There is little chance of any new pier being erected this year, as the now notorious litigation seems for the last two years to have altogether fallen asleep. Some eight years have now been passed in litigating, and, for aught that is visible to the contrary, the prospect of a new landing place seems as remote as ever. Surely this fact should awaken those who are interested, as it might have done long ago, to the consideration of whether it might be wiser and better to build a quay than litigate for one.”–Dumbarton Herald in Scottish Guardian, April 4, 1856.

The state of the pier remained dangerous despite these further improvements that resulted in a debt of £800.

“Yesterday as a widow named Campbell, belonging to Greenock, was proceeding along Helensburgh Quay with a child of two years of age in her arms, she slipped on the wet stones, and both fell into the water. They were immediately extricated by the police. A woman named M‘Phillane, residing in Dock Entry, who came over in the same steamer, kindly supplied Mrs Campbell with a portion of her own clothing.”—Greenock Advertiser, September 26, 1856

The satire “Chronicles of Gotham,” published in 1856, devoted a whole chapter to the subject. “The same is low, rude, and cogly, yea, slimy and sliddery exceedingly, so that mariners let the people down into the slime by ropes and traps, and there leave them exposed to great peril before they reach dry land.”

Chronicles of Gotham

The following year there were complaints that traffic at Helensburgh had fallen and that few steamers called. Fares were high because one company had a monopoly of the trade and new trade was discouraged by the impending opening of the railway direct from Glasgow.

It was the opening of the railway that promoted action. In the Glasgow Herald of March 26, 1858 the following article is noted.

“Pier at Helensburgh.—We believe that the improvement of Helensburgh Pier is immediately contemplated, and that plans have been completed for the necessary alterations. We hope this very necessary improvement will not be delayed, as the present pier is quite unfit for the large passenger traffic which the railway will soon create.”—Dumbarton Chronicle.

In April, the plans were revealed to include an initial phase of building up the height, width and length of the existing pier, carrying it out to a sufficient distance for the safe approach of steamers in all weathers. Plans for the construction of a harbour were also outlined but they would be taken up at a later date.

When the Helensburgh Railway was completed from Glasgow at the end of May 1858, the strong trade that had developed between the inhabitants of the North Bank and Greenock, where the railway was established much earlier in 1841, experienced a further steep decline. Combined with the poor state of the quay, there was little incentive for the existing Gareloch steamers to offer an improved service.

The Glasgow Herald of January 20, 1859 contains an advertisement for contractors for the work of improving the pier, and towards the end of the summer a new enterprise brought in a small steamer from Liverpool for the Greenock to Helensburgh and Gareloch ferry.

“An addition has been made to our river steamers in the shape of a rather primitive looking craft named the Queen of Beauty. She formerly plied on the Mersey, and now runs to the stations in Holy Loch. The saloon steamer Alliance will visit the ships Nile and Hogue this day.”—Greenock Telegraph, June 4, 1859

Sketch of Queen of Beauty from a painting (www.historyofwallasey.co.uk)

The Queen of Beauty was built by Robert Napier in 1845 and was a small iron craft that had been originally built as a yacht but had served as a Mersey ferry from an early date. She had been brought to the Clyde by the Messrs. Henderson to run to the Holy Loch and other routes but from September when Helensburgh Pier was made more accessible, she became the Greenock and Helensburgh ferry.

“Helensburgh Steamers.—After the opening of the Helensburgh Railway, the communication between that town and Greenock was reduced to three trips daily; but within a few days past the steamer Queen of Beauty commenced to ply regularly between the two places, making five trips a day, and carrying passengers at the low rates of twopence and fourpence, instead of the former fare of sixpence. The steamers Gem and Alma have started in opposition upon the same terms, and it is said that another and faster steamer is about to co-operate with the Queen of Beauty. The additional communication has proved of the greatest advantage to the inhabitants of both towns, particularly to those of Helensburgh, who were previously compelled to proceed to Glasgow by rail to make purchases, at a greater cost of time and money than is incurred by a run across to Greenock. The communication with Gareloch stands greatly in need of improvement. During the past season, there was only a steamer to Garelochhead at 11 a.m., and one at 5 p.m., and this, with the high fares, we learn, operated somewhat disadvantageously upon the pleasant watering places on the loch.”—Greenock Advertiser in Glasgow Herald, October 3, 1859.

Greenock Advertiser, July 12, 1859

Greenock Advertiser, August 6, 1859

Greenock Advertiser, August 13, 1859

Glasgow Herald, October 28, 1859

By the end of 1859, with the pier completed, the 1d. toll was reintroduced and a gate was erected to prevent non-contributors from using the structure. Just before the New-Year, one horrified man discovered a human figure suspended by a rope from the top bar of the gate. On further investigation, it was found to be a straw effigy, presumably of one of the magistrates who supported the toll.

In 1860, although Queen of Beauty remained on the Clyde, she was replaced on the Helensburgh ferry by another small steamer, Gareloch.

“Greenock and Helensburgh.—A fine little paddle steamer, named the Gareloch, came down the river on Thursday, and is to be put upon the ferry station betwixt this port and Helensburgh. This will be very gratifying to people on both sides of the river, though the dues now chargeable on passengers at Helensburgh Quay will be a very serious obstacle to the success of the scheme.”—Greenock Telegraph, Feb 25, 1860

Glasgow Herald, March 31, 1860

Glasgow Herald, August 14, 1860

The Gareloch had a chequered history on the Clyde, beginning as an experimental vessel as will be recounted below. On her Gareloch service she came in for some criticism.

“Smoke Nuisance.—Sir, I would beg to draw attention to the above, as carried on to such an extent in general, and on the Helensburgh Ferry traffic in particular; so much so that the atmosphere in this place, instead of being pure and invigorating, is polluted by the quantity of smoke emitted by the opposition steamers here. Indeed it is so bad, that the trees, and also the grass, are quite discoloured by it; and the smell is as offensive as the smoke in a railway tunnel.

“Why should they take away the beauty of one of our prettiest lochs, when so much space is afforded for giving off the smoke between Greenock and Helensburgh?

“Why do not the authorities, at the different coasting places try, in some measure, to prevent the emission of so much smoke, which renders them no more available for pleasure or health?

“Hoping you will favour me by inserting this in your widely circulated paper, I remain, &c., J.C.D., Helensburgh, August 6, 1861.”—Glasgow Herald August 8, 1861

A reply came swiftly.

“Smoke nuisance-steamboat racing. Sir,—Under the above heading, there appears a letter in your impression to-day, the purport of which is to cast an undue, and altogether an uncalled for, blame on the Helensburgh ferryboat.

“Your correspondent’s remarks might hold good if applied to “the steamboat traffic in general,” but certainly they do not to “the Helensburgh ferry traffic in particular.”

“For the last eight days I have had occasion to be a daily traveler in the Helensburgh ferryboat (the Gareloch), during which time I have not had the slightest cause to make a single complaint about smoke; on the contrary, I can affirm that there seems to be a special regard on the part of Captain M‘Kinlay not only for the comfort, but, above all, for the safety of his passengers. Would that it could be said this was the case at present with all the river captains. Surely, therefore, if the passengers of this boat make no complaint, the people beyond it can’t have any.

“Your correspondent would confer a public benefit were he, instead of turning his attention to the smoke nuisance, to bring all his castigations to bear on the present reckless racing, of so frequent occurrence, endangering so many precious lives. On this head we admit that he has infinitely more scope to dwell upon than on the smoke, and he would earn the thanks of the community to the bargain.

“Speaking on this head, and apologizing for diverging from my text, I think the only plan of putting an effectual stop to this unwarrantable and dangerous racing business, by which so many lives are placed in imminent peril, would be to send the first one found guilty of it to spend his summer season at Duke Street. Were this tried once, we might almost calculate on it having the desired effect. An Helensburgh Residenter, Helensburgh, August 8, 1861.”—Glasgow Herald August 10, 1861.

The new quay at Helensburgh

The Railway company entered an agreement with the Dumbarton Steamboat Company to provide a connecting service from Helensburgh to the Gareloch but the Gareloch appears to have weathered the competition.

“Gareloch Steamers.—The Helensburgh Railway Company having made arrangements with the Dumbarton Steamboat Company to place their fast steamer Dumbarton, Captain Price, on the Gareloch, to run in connection with the trains to and from Helensburgh, the steamer took her place on the station on Saturday last. Additional accommodation was required, and it is to be hoped the increased facilities for intercourse with the watering places on the beautiful Gareloch will be fully taken advantage of. The penny tax on the Helensburgh pier, an unavoidable impost, still continues to be objectionable to the steamboat proprietors, and it will be seen that the subject was brought under the notice of the Harbour Trust on Saturday last. It seems to us that to levy dues both on steamers and passengers affords ground for complaint; and it is just possible that it may not be the most profitable course for the Trust to pursue.”—Dumbarton Herald in Glasgow Saturday Post June 8, 1861

Glasgow Herald, September 6, 1862

Glasgow Herald, October 7, 1862

Glasgow Herald, June 2, 1863

Gareloch sailed through the end of 1862, but in February 1863, it was announced that she had been sold.

“The ferry steamer Gareloch, well known as carrying passengers between the Gareloch, Helensburgh, and Greenock, has been sold to go to the Isle of Wight.”—Greenock Telegraph, February 14, 1863

New Helensburgh Pier (Banks & Co.)

The Gareloch service that year was maintained by the regular Glasgow steamers, Nelson and Aquila sailing in conjunction with the Helensburgh trains. This arrangement sufficed for a few years until the North British Railway, and not the Caledonian, absorbed the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, and its subsidiary the Dumbartonshire Railway, in 1865. They immediately began to expand efforts with steamboat connections at Helensburgh, and in 1866, placing the saloon steamers Meg Merrilies and Dandie Dinmont on an ambitious schedule that failed within a year.  The Meg Merrilies was sold and the Dandie Dinmont was sent to the Forth. The Dandie Dinmont returned in 1868 and is shown in the photograph below at the rebuilt Helensburgh Pier in the early 1870s, after the pier was extended even further into the Clyde in 1871.

Dandie Dinmont at Helensburgh Pier around 1872

In 1865, a new fleet of small steamers designed for the Greenock and Helensburgh and Gareloch service was built for the Greenock magistrate and tug owner, Graham Brymner.

Helensburgh after 1872 when the Henry Bell Monument was erected (Becket, Glasgow)

The Gareloch was purchased in February 1863 to provide a connection from the new South-Western Railway pier at Stokes Bay to Ryde where she made the passage of two and a half miles in 11 minutes. She was joined by a larger and faster consort, the Arrochar steamer, Chancellor, in May 1863. Unfortunately, Chancellor was wrecked soon after coming into service and the Gareloch soldiered on. With her low bulwarks and narrow hull, the little 140 foot long steamer was not well suited to the Solent and when the Stokes Bay company was taken over in 1865, she was sold for scrap.

The history of the steamer Gareloch is fascinating and can be traced back to an experimental vessel built for David Napier in 1853 by Messrs Henderson of Renfrew. She was 146 feet long by 14 feet broad and just 66 tons. The vessel was propelled by a rotatory engine constructed by Messrs Wingate, to the specifications of David Napier who was one among many engineers who worked at perfecting the apparatus around this time. The principle of the engine relied on appropriate sliding valves opening and closing to drive a drum attached to the crank in a circular motion. The problem was keeping the moving parts of the apparatus steam-tight and Napier solved this problem by using split rings.

Transactions of the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland 1894 Vol 37 plate VII rotatory steam engine made by David Napier on the Clyde in 1845 and tried in a paddle steamer.

“Rotary Engines. David Napier, of Millwall, engineer, for improvements in steam-engines. Patent dated December 31,1851.

“The improvements in this patent relate to that class of rotary engines in which the power is obtained by a drum of a cylindrical shape, revolving eccentrically within a cylinder, the steam abutment being formed by a slide moving in and out through a slot formed in the outer cylinders.

“The novelties of which the patent consist are as follows:— Firstly, in reducing the pressure from the slide by means of a parallel motion and radius rods, or by rollers between the sides of the slide and other smooth metallic surfaces. Secondly, in working the slide by means of eccentrics fixed on the main shaft, the throw of the eccentrics being exactly equal to the diameter of the internal cylinder. Thirdly, in fitting a moveable joint to the foot of the slide, so as to keep it constantly in steam-tight contact with the internal cylinder at all points of its revolution. Fourthly, in a mode of packing the ends of the internal cylinder, by means of split rings of steel, one of which is compressed into an angular groove formed in each end of the cylinder, the elasticity of the steel ring giving it a constant tendency to press outwards, and thus forming a steam-tight joint between the meeting surfaces. Fifthly, in fixing the internal cylinder on to the main shaft to form a portion of the periphery of such cylinder, instead of fixing the shaft wholly inside of such cylinder.

“In addition to these improvements, the patentee proposes the use of hollow fire-bars, bent to an angle at one end, and provided with a cock for clearing out the tubes when required, and the other end being connected with the boiler. He also proposes the placing a fan in the engine-room of steamers, to be worked by the machinery; by this means not only increasing the supply of air to the fires, but keeping the engine-room cool. He also describes an arrangement whereby, by means of a valve, both the engines of a steamer (there being generally two on board) may be stopped, sent a-head, or reversed by a single movement.

“The patentee observes, in conclusion—In case there may have been some of these things, unknown to me, done already, I therefore propose claiming not only for the parts separately, but the combination.”—Civil Engineer and Architects Journal Vol 15, 266, 1852

There was considerable interest in the new vessel in the contemporary press.

“New Description of Steamer.—On Wednesday a new description of steamer, called The Rotatory, commenced to ply on the Clyde, between Glasgow and Dumbarton. The peculiarity of her construction lies in her compactness, her paddles being much lower than the bulwarks; and as her engine is on the rotatory principle, it likewise occupies very little space. The inventor, Mr. David Napier, thus describes her: —“The advantages these engines have over others are that they are more compact, consume about one-fourth less fuel, and require no engineer; the steersman, by a peculiar valve, moves the vessel ahead or astern, without communicating with any one. The furnace-bars contain water, consequently the hot ashes, which are destructive to the common furnace-bar, in this case tend to the production of steam. There is also a simple application of the fan to assist combustion. Such steamers would be invaluable on crowded rivers like the Thames or Clyde, as running down could scarcely ever happen, the steersman standing before the funnel, and there being no paddle-boxes to interrupt his view, he sees every object ahead, and can stop or reverse the engines in an instant, without leaving the wheel, or applying to any second party.”—Glasgow Courier.

Glasgow Herald, January 21, 1853

“The new patent rotatory steamer will commence plying in February between Glasgow and Paisley.

“Fare—Fore Cabin 3d., After 6d.

“The advantages which these engines have over others are that they are more compact, consume about one fourth less fuel and require no engineer; the steersman, by a peculiar valve, can move the vessel ahead or astern without communicating with any one. The furnace bars contain water, consequently the hot ashes, which are destructive to the common furnace bar, in this case tends to the production of steam. There is also a simple application of the fan to assist combustion. These two parts of the patent might be applied with advantage to most of steamers. These engines are not now matter of experiment. A steamer was fitted up with them in London above a year ago, and has been plying on the Severn with complete success, the engines being as perfect now as the day they were made; and from the far-famed workmanship of the Clyde it is expected this one will prove herself equal if not superior to the one made in London. Such steamers would be invaluable in crowded rivers like the Thames or Clyde, as running down could scarcely ever happen, the steersman standing before the funnel, and there being no paddle-boxes to obstruct his view, he sees every object ahead, and can stop or reverse the engines in an instant, without leaving the wheel or applying to any second party.”—Glasgow Herald, January 21, 1853

Further details appeared in March when the steamer was named Dumbarton and was advertised to sail between Glasgow and Dumbarton.

Glasgow Herald, March 21, 1853

“The Rotatory Steamer will commence plying between Glasgow and Dumbarton, calling at Renfrew and Bowling, on Wednesday the 23d—from Glasgow at 9 Morning and 3½ Afternoon, and from Dumbarton at 11 and 5. Fares—Fore Cabin, 3d.; After, 6d.”—Glasgow Herald, March 21, 1853.

Another glimpse of the vessel comes from an article entitled—Strange Steamer—in Scientific American, reporting from a story from the North British Daily Mail of the initial public sailing.

“On Friday last, while visiting the steamboat wharf, a curiosity was presented to our view in the shape of a new steamer, designed by the well-known engineer, Mr. David Napier, of London. We were naturally anxious to witness the performance of this new ac-quatic traveller, and having a few hours to spare at the time, we started with her on a trip to Dumbarton and back. She is about the same length and breadth as the other Dumbarton boats, but in other respects differs widely from any of them, or any of the other boats on the Clyde. There is a swell on each side of her, under which the paddles work, but no elevation in the shape of paddle-boxes, which are so small in diameter, that they do not rise much above the level of the deck; her bulwarks running all round on the level; her engine-room is elevated about three or four feet above the deck, and immediately behind it, and about the same height, is a platform for the pilot, who steers her with a horizontal iron wheel of simple construction. Close by the pilot there are two long iron handles coming up from the engine room, by which the captain regulates, stops, or reverses the motion at pleasure and with ease, the engineer having nothing to do with that process as has hitherto been the case.—We will not attempt any minute description of the engine; suffice it to say that it stands in a small space—perhaps that of a parlor table, and bears no resemblance to any engine we have ever seen previously. Its outward appearance is a somewhat complicated mass of pipes, with two horizontal cylinders, or steam chests, into each of which a large slide works perpendicularly. The paddle shaft emanates from the ends of the steam chest or cylinder, and has four eccentrics on it, which appeared to do the work of cranks. The paddle wheels have only four floats on each. She made the down run in one hour and forty minutes, and the up in one hour and fifteen minutes—stopping at Renfrew in both cases. The engineer told us that he expected a much higher speed yet—that being her first day; besides he informed us that he required only one wagon of coals to perform two trips from Glasgow to Dumbarton and back.—What will be the result of this scheme we know not, neither are we prepared to give any opinion on the engine. We are favorable to the small number of floats, providing the diameter of wheel was much larger, and the floats of a better form. [The above is from the “North British Mail,”] The distance which she made in one hour and fifteen minutes is at least 23 miles; this is fast running, but not quite as fast as some of our North River boats.”—Scientific American May 14, 1853

With his project launched, the following year, Napier offered the Rotatory for sale, and it continued to ply on the Dumbarton station till some time in 1855. Her base of operation changed to Renfrew and it is certainly possible that she was taken over by the Messrs. Henderson.

Glasgow Herald, October 20, 1854

“Rotatory Steamer.—The proprietor of the steamer Dumbarton finding it inconvenient to attend to it, is disposed to sell the vessel. To any party who can look after it, and put in complete order, he is willing to allow the entire price to remain unpaid until the same be obtained from the earnings of the vessel. That engines such as those in the Dumbarton can be made to work well, and at less expense than others, is a question now beyond all doubt,—a steamer with similar ones having been running on the Severn for the last three years, and going as well the last year as the first, without anything having been done to them during that time.

“Offers or proposals may be addressed to Mr. Brown, St. Thomas’ Croft, Renfrew.

“October, 1854”—Glasgow Herald, October 20, 1854.

She continued to sail on the Dumbarton station through 1855 but does not appear beyond that date and presumably was laid up.

Glasgow Herald, May 18, 1855

“The steamer Dumbarton, Captain Campbell, will commence plying between Glasgow and Dumbarton on Thursday the 24th of May; leaving Glasgow at 12:30 and 5:30 Afternoon, and Dumbarton at 8 Morning and 2.30 Afternoon, with the exception of Saturdays, when she will leave Glasgow at 4.30 instead of 5.30, and Dumbarton again at 6 in the evening, and from Glasgow to Renfrew at 8 at night, and on Monday Mornings from Renfrew for Glasgow at 5, and from Glasgow to Dumbarton at 6.

“Fares—3d. Fore Cabin, and 4d. After.

“Although the proprietor of the Dumbarton intends letting the simplicity, economy, and superiority of her engines in every respect over others speak for itself, he thinks it right to draw the attention of engineers and steamboat proprietors to an article which is out of sight, and which may be comparatively termed everlasting furnace bars; they will not only last for ages, but careless stokers cannot waste the fuel, as any accumulation of fire under the bars tends to the production of steam as well as that above. They have been in use above three years. Licences will be granted for the use of them alone, and the price of the license will not be demanded until the party has had six months’ experience of their advantage over others. They are applicable to all kinds of furnaces, and if it were necessary can be as easily replaced as the common furnace bars.”—Glasgow Herald, May 18, 1855

“A few additional particulars regarding the rotatory steamer are furnished by an engineer, who, noticing her as she lay at the steamboat quay getting ready for her maiden trip, and having an hour or two to spare, went on board and made the journey to Dumbarton and back. Her paddle-wheels, he says, were very small, each having only four floats, so that in lieu of paddleboxes there was merely a bulge on each side under which the paddle-wheel worked, the bulwarks running right round the boat on one level. The pilot stood on a platform three or four feet above the deck and steered by means of a horizontal wheel. Close beside him were two long iron handles coming up from the engine-room, with which he started, stopped or reversed the engine as required. Considering the nature of the passenger’s calling, something elucidating the principle of the engine might have been expected from him, and it is disappointing to find that he declines to enter into any minute description of it, and contents himself with describing its general appearance. No great speed was attained, the downward journey occupying an hour and forty minutes and the upward one an hour and a quarter, with a call at Renfrew in each instance, but from the point of view of economy the engine must have been written down a success, a single wagon of coal sufficing for two trips to Dumbarton and back. The passenger is very non-committal in his expressions regarding the steamer; the only feature of which he directly expresses approval is the small number of floats on the paddle, but he is not satisfied with their shape and recommends the use of wheels of greater diameter.”—McQueen, Echoes of Old Clyde Paddle Wheels.

“Accident to a steamer.—On Saturday afternoon, the rotatory steamer Dumbarton, while on her upward trip from Dumbarton to Glasgow, grounded on the bar outside Dumbarton Castle and sprung a leak. It was ebb tide at the time, and all the passengers were safely landed. On the tide flowing she was got off, and taken back to Dumbarton.”—Glasgow Herald. May 28, 1855

It would appear that Dumbarton was laid up some time in 1855. In “Clyde Passenger Steamers” James Williamson relates:

“The Rotary was built by Henderson, of Renfrew, and engined by Wingate to the order of David Napier, and it embodied a number of the ideas of that remarkable man, which proved him to be far in advance of his time. She was furnished with a surface-condenser in the form of a tank placed under the machinery. This tank was filled with tubes, to which sea-water was admitted and discharged through apertures in the shell plating. The boiler was of the “water-tube” type. It had double rows of tubes placed diagonally, and wrought, under the forced draught principle, at the pressure, remarkable in those days of 120 lbs. per square inch. The furnace bars were also circulating tubes, and each was fitted with a cock to draw off any deposit. These water-tube fire bars, together with the forced draught, were patented by Napier in 1851. The rotary engine, from which the boat took its name, proved hardly so great a success. It appears to have consisted of one long cylinder in two compartments, “through which the paddle shaft passed.” After a short time this engine was replaced by a pair of diagonal oscillating engines, made by Henderson of Renfrew. This firm retained the boat, renaming her the Gareloch, and ran her on the Garelochhead route for several years, until she was sold to German owners.”—Williamson.