Wooden paddle steamer built 1821 Scott & Sons, Greenock, 240t
138 x 23 x 12 ft. Engines: 2 50hp side-lever engines.
Built for the Clyde - Liverpool (via Portpatrick, Isle of Man)
trade by Glasgow-Greenock men.
Owned 1825 Glasgow & Liverpool Steam Packet Co, Glasgow
Owned 1834 London and 1846 Trieste.
Aground in Luce Bay on 31 May 1827. All saved. Refloated.
[from Glasgow Herald - Monday 23 April 1821]: Greenock, April 20 - Yesterday, at two o'clock, the Majestic Steam Packet was launched from the building-yard of Messrs. John Scott & Sons, in the finest style imaginiable. The symmetry of this vessel is reckoned by connoisseurs in these matters to be of the first order, and, as she is to be fitted up in a spledid style, she promises to be, in every respect, the most elegant, as well as the largest, vessel of this decription hitherto built in Britain. - The Majetic measures 345 tons; her length aloft is 144 feet and breadth 39 feet: she is to be propelled by two engines of the best construction, 50 horses power each. Four distinct cabins are to be fitted up in her, with every auxiliary accommodation requisite for the comfort of the passengers, and for which the extensive dimensions of the vessel give the utmost scope. She is tended to ply in concert with the Superb and Robert Bruce between this port and Liverpool - We have heard it said, that the probable cost of this vessel when completed, will be little short of £14,000. She is espected to make her first trip early in June.
Lancaster Gazette, Saturday 09 June 1827 (from Dumfries Courier)
Shipwreck of the Majestic Steam-Boat. Our Stranraer correspondent
writes as follows: This morning, 31st May 1827, the Majestic Steam Boat
from Liverpool to Clyde, ran on shore about two o'clock, at Ringdow [now
Ringdoo] Point, in the Bay of Luce - The passengers and crew are safe,
but it is doubtful if the boat will be got off. The weather was thick
and it was supposed that this accident happened by mistaking the Bay of
Luce for the Irish channel.
This day, the 2nd June, the Steam Boat has not been got off.
She came on at high water. So soon as it was known that she had struck,
it was attempted to get her off by the engine, which would have effected
the purpose, but unfortunately the wind blowing on the land, and the
sails being set, forced her on. She is now sunk about four feet in the
sand.
PS Majestic in service, as a Royal Mail Packet in 1822 when
King George IV visited Scotland, off Gourock:
Postscript The Majestic continued in service, so must have been refloated after this mis-hap:
From The Scotsman - Wednesday 20 June 1827
The Majestic steam-packet, which had been onshore in the
bay of Luce, has been got off, and arrived at Greenock on Friday,
having sustained very little injury.
The Clyde-Liverpool service had been inaugurated by the Robert Bruce. She was soon replaced by the larger vessel:
the Majestic.
There were also rival services using the City of Glasgow and St. George [both wrecked at
Douglas]. By 1826, the Majestic and City of Glasgow(refloated) were
being advertised as providing a joint Liverpool-Clyde service.