By the mid 1880's steel was replacing iron as it was a far stronger
and lighter material. Hulls constructed in steel, although more
expensive to build, gave the ships a longer life over which
the cost could be recovered and enabled them to carry more cargo.
Insurance rates were also lower as steel was considered to be
a 'safer' material and several companies were that confident
that they self insured the hulls covering only third party liabilities.
Glen's first steel hulled ship was the second Glengyle and she
marked a big step forward for the company as she was also fitted
with triple expansion machinery.
During the 1890's the China tea industry was
being superceded by exports from India and Ceylon and competition
in the Far East was fierce. The passenger market was dominated
by P&O and many companies were finding it difficult to earn
a profit and to raise the funds to replace their ageing fleets.
To be competitive the new ships had to incorporate all the latest
technology and amenities which pushed construction costs higher
and higher. The problems of British shipowners were further
compounded by the additional competition from European operators
including the French Messagaries Maritimes and the German Norddeutscher
Lloyd Line.
Glen Line was no exception and profitability
was a constant cause for concern. By 1895 the company was operating
a twice monthly service with a passage time of 40 days equating
to three round voyages per annum.
James McGregor dies in 1896 and his son, Alan,
became the senior partner. He immediately was faced with the
trading problems and embarked upon a period of consolidation
whereby the older vessels were sold and replaced by larger ships
with a greater carrying capacity. The number of sailings was
reduced but the reduction of operating costs and increased capacities
compensated for the loss of the smaller ships. The Glenlochy,
delivered in 1897, was the first of three ships with a tonnage
of 4,700grt, 1000 tons greater than any of her predecessors.
The additional size was virtually all cargo carrying space and
the carriage of passengers was discontinued in order to reduce
operating costs further.. By law the carriage of more than twelve
passengers required the presence on board of a doctor and a
steward and, if ladies were on board, a stewardess.
When the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-5 prevented
any trade beyond Hong Kong the company took the opportunity
to dispose of four vessels. Three were sold to the Japanese
for service as supply vessels and the fourth went to Singapore
owners.
GLEN LINE LTD was incorporated in 1910 and
in the same year over at Royal Mail Sir Owen Philips purchased
the late Sir Alfred Jones's holdings in Elder, Dempster &
Co. giving him, together with Lord Pirie of Harland & Wolff,
control of 109 ships. To consolidate the purchase Elder, Dempster
& Co. Ltd was formed as an associate company of the Royal
Mail Steam Packet Co.
In 1911 Elder, Dempster Co. Ltd acquired all
the shares in Glen Line, leaving the management with McGregor,
Gow and Co., and Royal Mail purchased Brocklebank's remaining
shares in the troubled Shire Line. As the two companies had
been operating closely for many years, they were then integrated
under the GLEN & SHIRE LINE banner but, although the brokers
were merged as McGegor, Gow, Norris & Joyner Ltd, the ships
remained under the ownership of the former companies.
On the outbreak of the First World War on
4th August 1914 Glen Line suffered its first war loss when the
Glenearn was detained by the Germans in Hamburg. However, on
release in 1918 she did not return to Glen ownership. Size was
still important and, in the same year, the largest ship owned,
the third Glengyle was delivered followed, in 1915, by a sister
ship, the Gleniffer.
Marine technology had advanced once again
with the introduction of the motorship and Glen's first of such
vessels, the Glenartney joined the fleet in 1915. Intended for
Elder, Dempster as the Montezuma she experienced teething problems
and the management decided to contain the new motorships within
one company. The Glenartney was quickly followed by two others
and they were the British motorships to trade in the Far East.
They all had twin screws and Burmeister & Wain engines which,
unfortunately, gave rise to problems in the early days.
At the beginning of 1916 the eighteen month
old Glengyle was torpedoed and her replacement, the new Glenogle,
met a similar fate shortly afterwards as did the Glenlogan and
Glenstrae in the following year. Alan McGregor died during the
year and was replaced by Lord Pirie but, in reality, Charles
Holland was, in effect, the chief executive officer in charge
of the day to day affairs of the company. Since Lord Pirie was
also the chairman of Harland & Wolff it was natural that
Glen Line should have a growing faith in the oil engined ocean
going motorship. By now Harland & Wolff also owned London
& Glasgow Co. who built the first 20 Glen ships and their
yard was destined to become Harland & Wolff, Govan. When
Charles Holland became managing director of the handling agents
in 1917 the name was shortened to McGregor, Gow & Holland
Ltd.
By Armistice Day on 11th November, 1918, Glen
Line had lost 6 ships, the last one being the pioneering motorship
Glenartney. The need for replacements necessitated a resumption
of the development of the diesel engined ship and the Glenapp,
originally being built for Russian owners, was purchased by
Glen Line. However, being large enough for the purpose, she
was later transferred to Elder, Dempster for conversion into
the first major deisel engined passenger liner, the Aba.
When the first of four " Glenade"
class motorships, the Glenade, was delivered by Harland &
Wolff in 1919 it may have been thought, in some quarters, then
Glen Line had given up on steam but this was not the case. War
losses had to be replaced and four standard "N" class
led by the Glenstrae were acquired, but only to make up the
numbers until larger, permanent replacements became available.
Up until 1920 the Glen and Shire operations
had been integrated but not amalgamated but, in 1920, activities
were properly amalgamated although ownership of the vessels
still remained with the original owners. However, the Shire
vessels adopted Glen's livery and flew their houseflag.. At
the same time a new class of purpose built oil engined ships,
the "Glenapp" class began to join the fleet starting
with the Glenogle. They were, at the time, the largest oil burning
ships in the world. The last of the class, the Glenshiel, was
delivered in 1924 with similar hull characteristics but a different
profile and proved to be the last of the wartime changes. From
then on the fleet settled down for a period of regular trading
under the Royal Mail/Elder, Dempster for some ten years.
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