The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-04-23 00:00:00

THE DEJEITNER

After the launch the party adjourned to Monks'
Ferry Hotel to partake of luncheon, which was pro-
vided by Mr. Williams, of Birkenhead. Mr. Laird
occupied the chair, and among the other distinguished
personages by whom he was surrounded were the Earl
of Enniskillen, Sir W. Wynne, Sir E. Gust, Bart., Sit
Cusack Roney, Bart., John George, M.P., Mr. Herbert,
M.P., Captain Mends, R.N., Mr. Watson, Mr. Earle,
Mr. Reade, &e., &c. _

The heaths of the Queen and Prince Albert, Prince
of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family having been
enthusiastically given,
The, CHATRmAy prArneoa 410 44 A. 1,1”/ and NC,ry "
In doing so he said that though mechanical subjects
sometimes failed there was one thimg which never had
and he believed never would fail, and that was the skill
of the men commanding them. He had no doubt that
when sufficiently good ships were obtained there would
be no difficulty in finding men of skill and ability to
command them. In connection with this toast he would
connect the names of Sir E. Cust and Captain Mends.
Sir EnWARD OUST, in responding on behalf of the
army, said: Naturally belonging to a
r.uresslon to
which glory is dear, I re-
...sr venture to say that no
greater victor-
-I can be given to the army and navy than
br 4:ne inauguration of these two vessels to catty out And
increase the connection between England nrt rieiand.
The great enterprise which ohiracteristi t>ie Po.ople of
this country *ill, I tialst, meet with no exception in
this cash, bVit that the vessels which have this day been
launched into the deep will amply justify the expectations
of their designers.
Captain MENos, R.N., in responding on behalf of the
navy, felt very inadequate to convey his feelings with
regard to the flattering toast which had been proposed.
He had no misgivings respecting the service, but he
held that it would not disappoint the expectations of the
nation, if necessity demand that it should be called
upon, They had just witnessed one of those sights so
thiensely interesting to Englishmen. It was his good
fortune to sett the first plate of those vessels laid in Mr.
Laird's dock-yard; and he would take 'this opportunity
of thanking Mr. Laird for the kindness with which he
had permitted him to inspect the excellent models Which
that gentleman's yard contained. It was but a few
months since the first plates were put down, and now he
defied them to point otit two more syrattletrical vessels
on the waters of the Mersey. lie did not think it would
be a very easy task to take those vessels across the
Channel at night at the rate of 22 miles an hour.
The next toast, " Success to the Munster and Con-
naught," was proposed by the Chairman. He felt
groat pleasure in adding to the toast the health of Mrs.
Herbert and Lady Currie. The former had performed
her part of the duty in such a manner as to well enti-

tle her to this toast. The latter was prevented by ill
health from attending, and one of his own daughters
acted as substitute. He did not think he need thank
his friends Mr. Herbert and Mr. Watson for helping
him into the position he now occupied. If they would
look at the models on the tall, of the boats built in
1829, 1848, and 1860, for the same service as the ones
which had just been launched, they would see a great
difference between that of 1829 and their present one
in 1860. The City of Dublin Steam Packet Company
proposed this line to connect and cementmore closely the
connection between England and Ireland. The first
vessel was very properly christened by an English lady
--Lady Chandos; the others have been christened by
Irish ladies, because they were now fairly entitled to
do so. He felt greatly indebted to Mrs. Herbert fbr
coming from London expressly to be present on 'this
occasion. (Cheers.) It showed the great interest that
she took in an undertaking which her husband had
always had so much at heart. Had it not been for Mr.
Herbert and Mr. Corrie, travellers from this country to
Ireland would have had to submit for many years to
crossing by the present boats, which were admitted to
be absurdly small. So much was this the case, that the
Cambria, which was built in 1848, was coming to his
yard to be lenghthened, and even then she would be
only a small vessel. He had great pleasure in drinking
the health of Mrs. Herbert, and he hoped she would
take the first opportunity of personally testing thel
efficiency of the boats.
Mr. HERBERT, M.P., said—Ladies and gentlemen, on
behalf of Lady Corrie and Mrs. Herbert I beg to return
my sincere thanks for the honour you have just done
them. It may seem almost ungracious iri me as the
guest of Mr. Laird to begin by finding the slightest
fault ; but I must find fault with him for not giving us
the opportunity of drinking the health of the fair lady
who performed the duty of christening of the other vessel.
Greater credit was due to her, fer she required great
manual skill. However, she did it so well that I am
sure every gentleman here can appreciate the motives of
our host in_ not allowing us to drink her health. It is
'the invariable custom for a lady to perform the interesting
ceremony which we have witnessed this day; and there
never was an occasion, on which ladies could be called upon
to take a deep interest in this subject, more fitted than the
present. When we consider that the main object of
those who have endeavoured to forward the scheme of
establishing an improved communication between Eng-
land and Ireland, has been to diminish the sufferings of
the ladies in crossing the channel, nothing could be more
appropriate than that the ladies should take a prominent
part in the undertaking. Again, we all know the
absolute sway which they hold over men ; we all
know what an immense benefit it is to man that
they should hold this sway over him,--in fact we
don't know what we should do without it. ,They hold
it by their good qualities and by their charms. It has
been said that the two most beautiful things in the world
are a ship under sail and a beautiful woman. But as
to the ship, there is nothing in which a lady looks to so
little advantage as in a steamboat, under a chopping
sea. It is, therefore, natural that anything which will
conduce to shorten the period in which woman's power
is not so great as usual must be deeply interesting to
both of us. Before I sit down I have to propose a
toast. Fur many years I have taken a deep interest in
this undertaking. In the year 1853 I moved on this
subject in a committee in the House of Commons.
The first person I had the honour of communicating
with upon the subject was the gentleman—Mr. Watson—
whose name I now venture to associate with the toast
of the City of Dublin Steam-packet Company. When
I communicated with him we all foresaw the great
difficulties we had to encounter in improving the com-
munication between this country and Ireland ; but we
felt that these difficulties might, with energy and perse-
verance, be overcome. The great object that we had in
view was to place before the public, in the shape of a
parliamentary blue book, a kind of hand-book of the
opinions of professional men of eminence, so that those
qualified to express their opinion might see what could
be done. I now feel a deep debt of gratitude to those
professional men who kindly came forward to aid a man
who had no knowledge on tie subject. Mr. Laird, Mr.
Payne, Captain Clanton, and Brunel, one and all placed
on record their opinions on the subject. When, there-
fore, our host gave me credit for bringing this subject
before the public, I think he but gave himself credit for
helping me as he did. I shall propose " Success to the
City of Dublin Steam-Packet Company," coupled with
the name of Mr. Watson.
Mr. WATSON, in reply, said this was the third occa-
sion on which it had beeu bis privilege to return thanks
for the company with which he was connected. This
was the third launch, and they had all been successful.
He would, in the first place, express his deep acknow-
ledgments to Mr. Herbert for the manner in which he
had thanked the speaker. He had referred to the com-
mittee of 1853, but he had forgotten that he sat upon a
committee in 1850. Mr. Herbert sat in that committee,
and that was the first time he (Mr. Watson) had the
pleasure of becoming acquainted with him. In speaking
about shortening the time of remaining at Chester, Mr.
He
Th ar bt
ce
or
nt
yme
rad sa soonm
we
ars e
tmh
ea ic• k a a
us
seb the vwhicalue
induced of
the
speaker
to turn his attention to the subject, and he thought that
as their company had been entrusted with the whole of
the communication, it was their dnty to improve it as
rt.ph oHe s se iGrbbol
Herbert
et r Somme
nsmo eandetmt
iarnadb aytfot ep
rtr
eh
seit.
dh
ece
dyo.msmnbiTtinitheaettteopdvl
plan
nar
planNini,hu icchh t omas
was the identical one which they were about to put in
operation this summer. He then described the boats,
which are the same as those which Mr. Laird has just
built. lie trusted that before the month of July they

would have two of the boats ready for trial. Their
object in constructing them had been to attain extra-
ordinary speed, combined with safety and convenience
for th 6 passengers. Of their speed they could not yet
speak, but of their safety and convenience they could
speak. Mr. Laird, on these points, had made many
valuable suggestions, of which they bad availed them-
selves; so that, as far as human foresight could go, they
had done everytb.img that lay within their grasp to
secure safety, The gallant captain had alluded to com-

ing across the Channel at the rate of twenty-two miles

an hour; but he thought there would be no
need to go at anything like that speed at night.
He had already alluded to Mr. Herbert's kindness while
on the committee ; and it was very gratifying to find that
that gentleman's exertions were now ssccessful in the ful-
filment of what the public have a right to expect. He
(Mr. Watson) thought that the comfort of the public was
very important, and that the inconvenieneics of crossing
the Channel would be very much diminished, so much
so that they would find some little difficulty in getting
the passengers out cf the ship, they would find it so
pleasant. Be thought that everything would be done
with Mr. Laird's assistance to make the thing as perfect

as it could be. At the same time. when he looked back
to their former ships, he remembered that the same
thing had been thought when they were built, and pos-
sibly the time would come when they Would be with
Mr. Laird again, and require him to make &ten larger
vessels than the present. Before he sat down, he would
thank Mrs. Herbert for coming down from Landon to
name the ship. He hoped, however, that she would
have no occasion to regret so doing, and that the first
time she crosses to Ireland, she would use one of the
boats just launched.

The Earl of Envibicitinir said.-. 4 pleasing task
has fallen -to me to propose the health of our chairman
—the proprietor of the yard we have just visited, and

the builder of the noble vessels we have ecen launched.
It is to such men as Mr. Laird that a great deal of the
glory of this country is due ; as a proof of which you
have only to look at the great benefit which must accrue
to both countries by the acceleration of speed to which
these vessels will give rise. lam old enough to remem-
ber the time when an unfortatia,te passenger, Who Was
going from Holyhead to Dublin, was first taken by a
ferry-boat from Conway to Holyhead, where there was
a small vessel awaiting to receive him, and start—if
the wind permitted. (Laughter.) My father once waited
at Holyhead for three weeks, and the first land he
saw (after being out some time) was Carlingford. After

cvc.ins o.aoh ,70€8013 as those, 1 may wall Congratalate
you upon the improvement in our vessElt--I,thost
have gust seen. With theni WO heed riot anticipate a
delay of t*o hones, fthiCh less of three weeks.
Mr. Limn, in reply, thanked Lord Enniskillen for
the flattering manner in which he had proposed his
health.

Mr. GEORGE, M.P., proncama- th 6 next toast, which
was, " The he,::tin of the London and North Western
tiortpaily." That company was one of the parties to
the contract which has been entered into for improving
the communication between England and Ireland. He
diel.not think that a eingleaCt,-had beef lia4sed of more
importani.:o to both countries than -tirat which 'd'tls passed
a 'few years ago, to enable the Chester and the London
and North-Western Companies to combine and form
an independent communication to Holyhead. The .ren-
dering of the communication between England and
Ireland more complete- by means of these steamers
would confer a benefit upon the Empire at large. No
union could be more complete than that which wilt he
produced by the intercourse bet Ween the two ebtititries.
That intercourse would now be entire and complete, and
he believed that the arrangements of the land convey-
ance and of the City of Dublin Steam-Packet Company
had rendered that communication as complete as any-
'thing could possibly be. Anything that might have
been done by sea would have been useless had it not
been followed out on land ; and when the arrangements
were fully completed, they would connect, net only
London With Holyhead, or Liverpool with biblin, but
England with Ireland ; so thit iio political influence will
ever be able to sever the iron. bond Which will connect
the two countries. (Cheers.) The passenger will
leave London at seven or eight o'clock in the morn-
ing, and get to Dublin the same night. The efforts
of the City of Dublin Steam-Packet Company
would he,.ve been abortive had it not been that they,
were followed out by the laud companies : it required
the co-operation of both to make the scheme complete.
In the certainty that the efforts of the two would be
combined to render the scheme; effiCaeious, he had great
confidence in proposing the health of the London awl
North-Western Company.
Mr. EARL replied for the rompary. In the absence
of their Leal iiaudos, wliO -vas detained in
London by business, it was his, duty to return thanks
for the compliment which had been paid to the company.
' He had no ordinary pleasure in performing this duty,
for, so unaccustomed were the ears of railway directors
to hear their efforts spoken of well that the thanks of
the present assembly could not but be most gratifying to
him. If the company to which he belonged did net
originate the enterprise they cordially agreed in its
adoption. But they. Were- not alone iu this, for he *as
happy to say that they had secured the ee-dperation of
the City of bublin Steam Packet Company. Long
experience dud successful management afforded the
best security for the successful performance of the land
portion of thecontlact. The London and North-Western
Company had engines inferior to none and superior to
many. They had also drivers of great experience. He
could scarcely call the present scheme an experiment, as
the surest means had been taken for securing success, by
employing Mr. Laird to build the vessels required. HO
hoped that this would be no drawn battle, bill that Aft.
Laird would tarry away the champion's belt, and that
the boats which he constructed would be the most com-
fortable and the most anti-sea-sick ones which have yet
been made.

Mr. WA.r..roLl proposed "The Commerce of the
Mersey." He hoped that it would long be as continued
and as progressive as it had been, from the earliest times
to the present. ite could well recollect when it *as his
privilege to visit, for the first time„ the town of Liver-
pool. On that occasion he stumbled upon a petition to
Queen Elizabeth, which stated that the total number of
ships in the port was not more than 150, and that their
tonnage was less than 1,000 tons. At the time to which
he alluded there was not a hfrget vessel itt the Mersey
than that represented by the model of the boat built in
1829 ; and he need not say that if he then felt the con-
trast to be a most pleasing one, how much more so was
it now. With this toast he would couple the names of
Mr. Torr and Mr. Btazely.

In the absence of Mr. Torr, Mr. Beanly responded.
Owing, as he did, so very much to the trade and com-
merce of the port, it would ill beconie him if he did nr,t
respond to such a tout as the one they had just pro-
posed. In looking at the five miles of docks, of which
the port could boast, they might forget that those mag-
nificent docks were managed by twenty-four men, who
devoted their time to that object without any remunera-
tion whatever. And yet their Manchester friends were
not satisfied, bat expected them to do without their dock
dues. IN was glad to notice that the toast was " The
Commerce of the Mersey"—it used to be "The Town
and Trade." Liverpool was now represented by two
members, and by the new Reform Bill Birkenhead would
be entitled to one; and he knew of no one more quali-
fied to represent them than their worthy chairman. He
hoped that when the time of election came no one would
have the bad taste to oppose him, but that he would be
returned to represent them in Parliament.
The CitAlßlki/N felt greatly indebted to tite many gen-

tlemen who had come so long a distance to be present on
this occasion. He would propose the health of the
" Cheshire foxhunter," coupled with the names of Lord
Grosvenor and Sir Watkin Wynne.
Sir Wicrxrx WYNNZ thanked Mr. Laird for the
toast he had proposed. He did not know how hunting
was connected with such a Meeting as the present, unless
by the likeness which existed between the hounds in a
chase and a ship crossing the ocean.
Mr. JOHN GEORGE, M.P., proposed the health of the
engineers connected with the design. The toast was
warmly received.
'The CHAIRMAN proposed "the Press," which was
responded to by Mr. Reade, of the Mechanics' Magazine.
Sir CUSACK RONBY, in a humorous speech, proposed,
as the concluding toast, " The Ladies," which was
received with great cordialty.