THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Steamship arrives in Belfast enroute for New York City

From the News Letter, April 4, 1859
Belfast docks, the “magnificent” steamship City of Manchester had docked in Belfast this week in 1859 after sailing from Liverpool, reported the News Letter. Picture: Darren Kidd/Presseye.comBelfast docks, the “magnificent” steamship City of Manchester had docked in Belfast this week in 1859 after sailing from Liverpool, reported the News Letter. Picture: Darren Kidd/Presseye.com
Belfast docks, the “magnificent” steamship City of Manchester had docked in Belfast this week in 1859 after sailing from Liverpool, reported the News Letter. Picture: Darren Kidd/Presseye.com

The “magnificent” steamship City of Manchester had docked in Belfast this week in 1859 after sailing from Liverpool, reported the News Letter.

The vessel was due to sail from Belfast on the following Wednesday for New York City after calling at Cork where it was expected to dock on April 8.

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The News Letter reported the following details on the City of Manchester’s passengers: “There was a considerable number of passengers aboard the steamship, who had embarked at Liverpool for New York, and these, together with the number who have taken their passage from Belfast, as well as those who may join at Cork, will go a great way in filling up the berths.”

The report continued: “We understand there is a great quantity of cargo waiting for her at this port [Belfast], some of which was put on board on Saturday, and the loading will be resumed this morning at an early hour. She is also to receive a portion of her cargo at Cork, for which she sails on Wednesday at about 11 o’clock.”

The paper concluded: “On the whole, there appears to be a strong feeling in this town in favour of the undertaking, both as to the advantage afforded for conveying cargo to America, and also as being the most direct route for passengers from the North of Ireland emigrating to the ‘Far West’. As the rates of passage by this line are so very moderate, and the wear and tear of cargo avoided by sending it to Liverpool or other ports, it having then to be transhipped into the Atlantic steamers, the success of the enterprise seems to be almost a matter of course.”