The long contest between the Admiralty and the company for the carriage of the English and Irish mails came to an end in 1850, when the Lords of the Admiralty determined to withdraw their steamers from the Irish mail service. The City of Dublin Co. had now a new competitor in the Chester and Holyhead Railway Company, who had steamers in connection with their railway service. The former company, who recognised the great importance of placing vessels on the Holyhead station, put in a tender in response to the Admiralty’s invitation, which tender was actually accepted. No tender was put in by the Chester and Holyhead Railway Company, who, it was believed, did not suppose anyone would compete with them and that they could obtain their own terms. Before the Admiralty’s acceptance of the City of Dublin Company’s tender was confirmed by the Government the railway company got notice of what was being arranged, and pressure was brought to bear upon the Government to prevent the City of Dublin Company’s contract from being ratified. The move was successful, with the result that tenders were again asked for. The City of Dublin Company were most unfairly treated, for the figure at which they had tendered was made public, and consequently the railway company were able to under-cut it. In anticipation of this course being adopted the managing director of the City of Dublin Company recommended a tender to be put in at a very diminished figure, the great importance of securing a footing on the Holyhead station being fully perceived by him. The City of Dublin tendered at £25,000 per annum, which was £5,000 a year less than the Chester and Holyhead Railway Company’s offer, and the result was that the City of Dublin Company obtained the contract. They purchased from the Admiralty two of the mail boats, the ST. COLUMBA and the LLEWELLYN, and in May, 1850, took over the mail service, running the steamers at the same hours as they were run by the Admiralty. A strong effort was made by the opponents of the company to deprive them of their contract, and a select Parliamentary Committee was appointed, which reported in favour of what had been arranged. This report made it clear that the company’s first offer was a reasonable one, and subsequent events proved the wisdom of the company’s directors determining to hold the contract at all hazards. The contest, it will be seen, was between the City of Dublin Company and the Chester and Holyhead Railway Company rather than with the Lords of the Admiralty—indeed, so strong was the feeling some time afterwards that the railway company refused to book passengers by the mail steamers, or advertise their sailings in the railway time tables, which only showed the sailings of the railway company’s steamers.