The year 1850 saw the Cork Steamship Co. involved in the most serious struggle which probably ever occurred in the coasting steamship trade. It began by the City of Dublin Co., at the solicitation of the Waterford and Kilkenny Railway Co., running opposition steamers to Waterford. The City of Dublin Co., in addition to their Liverpool and Dublin Service, had maintained for many years a regular service of steamers between Liverpool and Belfast. Mr. Joseph Malcomson (Waterford Steamship Co.) was a Director of the Cork Steamship Co., and his firm had a large financial interest in that Company. It was, therefore, to be expected that these two Companies would form staunch allies in any struggle, the more so, when the City of Dublin Co., in conjunction with the British and Irish Steampacket Co., extended the opposition to Cork. The Cork and Waterford Steamship Companies carried the war into their opponents’ territory. They put a steamer on the station between London and the South and East of Ireland once a week, between Liverpool and Belfast twice a week, and between Liverpool and Dublin, daily. The City of Dublin Co. offered to make contracts with merchants in Cork and Waterford, undertaking to carry their traffic freight free for three months, in response to which the Waterford Co. threatened to place two steamers on the Holyhead and Dublin station in conjunction with the Chester and Holyhead Railway Co. The struggle between the various companies was fiercely maintained for over twelve months, until in April, 1851, upon the suggestion of Mr. Malcomson, an interview took place between a Director of the City of Dublin Steam Packet Co. and himself (as representing the Cork and Waterford Companies), at which meeting the companies concerned arrived at an amicable basis of settlement. In this settlement the City of Dublin Co. agreed to transfer their Liverpool and Belfast service to the Cork Steamship Co. This arrangement held good until 1854. On the 14th January of the year named a deputation from the Cork and Belfast Companies met in Dublin. There were present, Mr. Pike (Managing Director) and Mr. Glover (Secretary), of the Cork Steamship Co.; Mr. W. R. S. Lepper (Chairman) and Mr. Valentine, of the Belfast Co. The meeting was conducted in a most friendly manner, and it was arranged that the TELEGRAPH (Belfast Co.’s steamer) should be at once withdrawn from the Liverpool and Cork service, and the MINERVA (Cork Co.’s steamer) from the Liverpool and Belfast service. The year 1854 witnessed a great stream of emigrants from Cork. According to a paragraph in the “Cork Constitution” of that date:— “On Saturday, 1st April, the MINERVA left with 467 adult emigrants, 79 children, and 8 infants, besides other passengers. The vessel was so crowded she had to leave 200 passengers behind. The NIMROD leaves every Wednesday, and is freighted with emigrants to a similar extent. This continual stream of emigrants has been going on for a considerable time.”