Amongst other famous steamers, employed on this station, may be mentioned the WILLIAM FAWCETT, which traded between London and Dublin during the summer of 1829. This steamer afterwards became the property of the Peninsular Steam Navigation Co., and is stated in Whitaker’s Almanac (and elsewhere) to have been the pioneer steamer of the “P. & O. Co.” In August, 1830, the steampacket CITY OF LONDONDERRY, built in 1827 for the Liverpool and Londonderry trade, and purchased in October, 1829, by the City of Dublin Co., was placed by her new owners on the London station. These three steamers, the THAMES, SHANNON and CITY OF LONDONDERRY, were described in the Company’s advertisement of the period as being amongst the largest steamers afloat, and all of the same capacity and power, viz., 513 tons burthen, and 160 h.p. each. These steamers maintained a regular weekly service (one of them sailing from London every Sunday, calling at Plymouth), and were due at Dublin in ordinary weather, in 80 hours after leaving London. [Illustration: LADY ROBERTS. 1464 Tons. Speed 13 Knots.] Travelling at that period was expensive, as shown by the rates charged by these small wooden steamers, compared with those now charged by the magnificent modern steamships of the B. and I. Co. of 1,400 to 1,500 tons each. Cabin. Steerage. THAMES, SHANNON, &c. 2 16 0 1 14 0 LADY ROBERTS, LADY WOLSELEY, &c. 1 5 0 0 11 0 The present British and Irish Steampacket Company was established in 1836. The list of the earliest Directors contained the names of several of the best known citizens of Dublin, the following being the names of the Directors for the year 1838, viz.:—Messrs. James Ferrier, John MacDonnell, William Williams, Francis Carleton, Joseph Boyce, John Jameson, and John Ennis. The Company’s first fleet consisted of three wooden paddle steamers, named respectively, CITY OF LIMERICK, DEVONSHIRE, and SHANNON. A very ingenious robbery from the Company took place at the St. Katherine’s Docks. Two boxes of gold dust, of a gross value of £5,245, were landed at Falmouth, ex H.M. Packet SEAGULL, from the Brazils. From Falmouth they were shipped per B. and I. steamer CITY OF LIMERICK to the Company’s Wharf, London, consigned to the Brazilian Mining Co. At noon on Monday, 29th April, 1839, a person claimed the two boxes, and presented an order for them, apparently in the same handwriting as the letter of advice received with the two boxes from Falmouth. The advice stated that the boxes were only to be delivered to a gentleman who would call on Monday with a letter in the same handwriting. The “gentleman” accurately described the marks, and took away the boxes; but two hours afterwards, another person, connected with the Brazilian Mining Co., came for the boxes, and the fraud was then discovered, for the genuine documents and letter addressed to the Company by the Falmouth Agent were produced.