“I have to inform you that we were taken with a heavy gale of wind from the N.W. yesterday about two o’clock, just as we had got outside the Cumbraes, with a heavy sea; about six o’clock the sea came more to the westward, and, from the very heavy sea on our beam, we made so much lee-way that we could not stand out-channel nor fetch Lamlash. I, therefore thought it best to bear up for this port, and got in safe last night with the loss of our bowsprit, but no other damage. Our engines worked very well, only the wheels had little effect owing to the heavy sea. It has continued to blow a gale all night, and still looks very bad. The ship NEREUS got here an hour before us, dismasted. I will get another bowsprit as soon as possible, and will proceed when it moderates. The passengers were all sick, but are now well. “I am, &c., “JOHN PATTERSON. “P.S.—The ROBERT BRUCE behaved under her sails, double reefed, as well as any ship I was ever in.” The rates of passage money were:—Cabin, 40s.; steerage, 21s. A second steamer, the SUPERB, was placed on the station during the same season, and in 1820 a larger steamer, the MAJESTIC, was added to the service. An interesting and valuable painting of the latter steamer in 1820 is in the possession of Messrs. Little & Co., at their office, 46, Leadenhall Street, London. A curious intimation appears in the Glasgow papers of the 19th July, 1822, with reference to the same vessel. It appears that on a recent trip the Duke of Athol and suite had embarked on board the MAJESTIC at Greenock, for conveyance to Douglas (I. of M.), where his Grace had a seat (Mona Castle). As well as being accompanied by the members of his suite, His Grace had with him several carriages and a quantity of luggage, all of which took some time to land. Some of the Liverpool passengers complained of the detention of the steampacket for this purpose, and, on the complaint being submitted to the managers of the steamer, they not only expressed their regret for the delay, but they also donated the amount of freight they received from the Duke of Athol to the fund for the relief of the starving Irish.