In the early part of last century Messrs. Thomson and MacConnell, of Glasgow, held a large financial interest in several of the steampackets then plying on the River and Firth of Clyde. One of the earliest of these steamers in which they were interested was the BRITANNIA, built about two years after Bell’s COMET. The citizens of Glasgow were quick to avail themselves of the advantages of steam navigation: thus, while in 1812 the limit of steam navigation was Dunoon, in 1815 it was extended to Inverary, and in 1822 Fortwilliam, Tobermory and Skye were included in the ports of call of the steampacket HIGHLANDER. Passengers were also carried by the same steamer to the Island of Staffa, the fare for the return passage being £3 3s. Steam communication between Glasgow and Inverness _via_ the Crinan and Caledonian Canals was established in the spring of 1824, the pioneer vessel being a small steamer named the BEN NEVIS. About 1830 Messrs. J. Martin and J. & G. Burns advertised the steamers INVERNESS, ROB ROY and HELEN MCGREGOR to sail regularly between the Clyde and Inverness, Skye and Stornoway. The HELEN MCGREGOR was described as having “a splendid cabin, panelled with landscapes descriptive of the scenery through which she passes.” She had upwards of 30 sleeping berths for cabin passengers, and an excellent steerage. In 1841 the SHANDON, described as “an elegant vessel,” was placed, by the same firm, on the route now taken by the R.M.S. COLUMBA. Her passengers were carried through the Crinan Canal on track boats drawn by horses ridden by postillions in brilliant scarlet uniforms, and at Crinan were transferred to the steampacket BRENDA, which conveyed them to Oban. The latter steamer belonged to Messrs. Thomson and MacConnell, as did also the TOWARD CASTLE, MORVEN and STAFFA, and later (1846) the EDINBURGH CASTLE and MAID OF ISLAY. The two firms had been engaged in friendly competition both on the Glasgow and Liverpool trade and the Glasgow and West Highland service from the year 1831, but in 1841 an arrangement was arrived at, by which the West Highland traffic was managed conjointly. Her late Majesty Queen Victoria visited the Highlands in 1847, and in “Leaves from the Journal of Our Life in the Highlands,” Her Majesty wrote:— “The light on the hills was beautiful as we steamed down Loch Fyne. At five we reached Lochgilp, and all landed at Lochgilphead (Ardrishaig). We and our people drove through the village to the Crinan Canal, where we entered a most magnificently decorated barge, drawn by three horses ridden by postillions in scarlet. We glided along very smoothly, and the views of the hills—the range of Cruachan—were very fine indeed.” To meet the requirements of an ever-increasing traffic, the elegant saloon steamer LINNET was built, which is capable of comfortably accommodating double the number of passengers that the old track boat could.