ved my
determination. The obstacles were no doubt great; the financial
difficulties were extreme; and yet there was a prospect of profit from
the work in hand, provided only the men could be induced to settle
steadily down to their ordinary employment. I gradually gathered
together a number of steady workmen, and appointed suitable foremen. I
obtained a considerable accession of strength from Newcastle. On the
death of Mr. Toward, his head foreman, Mr. William Hanston, with a
number of the leading hands, joined me. From that time forward the
works went on apace; and we finished the ships in hand to the perfect
satisfaction of the owners.

Orders were obtained for several large sailing ships as well as screw
vessels. We lifted and repaired wrecked ships, to the material
advantage of Mr. Hickson, then the sole representative of the firm.
After three years thus engaged, I resolved to start somewhere as a
shipbuilder on my own account. I made inquiries at Garston,
Birkenhead, and other places. When Mr. Hickson heard of my intentions,
he said he had no wish to carry on the concern after I left, and made a
satisfactory proposal for the sale to me of his holding of the Queen's
Island Yard. So I agreed to the proposed arrangement. The transfer
and the purchase were soon completed, through the kind assistance of my
old and esteemed friend Mr. G. G. Schwabe, of Liverpool; whose nephew,
Mr. G. W. Wolff, had been with me for a few months as my private
assistant.

It was necessary, however, before commencing for myself, that I should
assist Mr. Hickson in finishing off the remaining vessels in hand, as
well as to look out for orders on my own account. Fortunately, I had
not long to wait; for it had so happened that my introduction to the
Messrs. Thomson of Glasgow had been made through the instrumentality of
my good friend Mr. Schwabe, who induced Mr. James Bibby (of J. Bibby,
Sons & Co., Liverpool) to furnish me with the necessary letter. While
in Glasgow, I had endeavoured to assist the Messrs. Bibby in the
purchase of a steamer; so I was now intrusted by them with the
building of three screw steamers the Venetian, Sicilian, and Syrian,
each 270 feet long, by 34 feet beam, and 22 feet 9 inches hold; and
contracted with Macnab and Co., Greenock, to supply the requisite
steam-engines.

This was considered a large order in those days. It required many
additions to the machinery, plant, and tools of the yard. I invit