Editing Cunard Line (section)

===New competition: 1850–1879===

[[File:Cunard Line New York Liverpool 1875.jpg|thumbnail|right|Cunard Line, from New York to Liverpool, from 1875]] In 1850 the American [[Collins Line]] and the British [[Inman Line]] started new Atlantic steamship services. The American Government supplied Collins with a large annual subsidy to operate four wooden paddlers that were superior to Cunard's best,<ref name=fry /> as they demonstrated with three [[Blue Riband]]-winning voyages between 1850 and 1854.<ref name = "Miles2015"/> Meanwhile, Inman showed that iron-hulled, screw propelled steamers of modest speed could be profitable without subsidy. Inman also became the first steamship line to carry steerage passengers. Both of the newcomers suffered major disasters in 1854.<ref name=gibbs /><ref name = "Miles2015"/> The next year, Cunard put pressure on Collins by commissioning its first iron-hulled paddler, [[RMS Persia|''Persia'']]. That pressure may well have been a factor in a second major disaster suffered by the Collins Line, the loss of its steamer [[SS Pacific (1849)|''Pacific'']]. ''Pacific'' sailed out of Liverpool just a few days before ''Persia'' was due to depart on her maiden voyage, and was never seen again; it was widely assumed at the time that the captain had pushed his ship to the limit to stay ahead of the new Cunarder, and had likely collided with an iceberg during what was a particularly severe winter in the North Atlantic.<ref name = "Miles2015"/> A few months later ''Persia'' inflicted a further blow to the Collins Line, regaining the Blue Riband with a Liverpool–New York voyage of 9 days 16 hours, averaging {{convert|13.11|kn|km/h}}.<ref name=kludas>{{cite book | last = Kludas | first = Arnold | title = Record breakers of the North Atlantic, Blue Riband Liners 1838–1953 | location = London | publisher = Chatham | year =1999 }}</ref>

[[File:Rms persia.jpg|thumb|right|''[[RMS Persia|Persia]]'' of 1856 (3,300 [[Gross register tonnage|GRT]])]]
During the [[Crimean War]] Cunard supplied 11 ships for war service. Every British North Atlantic route was suspended until 1856 except Cunard's Liverpool–Halifax–Boston service. While Collins' fortunes improved because of the lack of competition during the war, it collapsed in 1858 after its subsidy for carrying mail across the Atlantic was reduced by the US Congress.<ref name=Miles2015 /> Cunard emerged as the leading carrier of saloon passengers and in 1862 commissioned [[RMS Scotia|''Scotia'']], the last paddle steamer to win the Blue Riband. Inman carried more passengers because of its success in the immigrant trade. To compete, in May 1863 Cunard started a secondary Liverpool–New York service with iron-hulled screw steamers that catered for steerage passengers. Beginning with ''China'', the line also replaced the last three wooden paddlers on the New York mail service with iron screw steamers that only carried saloon passengers.<ref name=gibbs />

When Cunard died in 1865, the equally conservative [[Charles MacIver (businessman)|Charles MacIver]] assumed Cunard's role.<ref name=fox /> The firm retained its reluctance about change and was overtaken by competitors that more quickly adopted new technology.<ref name=fry /> In 1866 Inman started to build screw propelled express liners that matched Cunard's premier unit, ''Scotia''. Cunard responded with its first high speed screw propellered steamer, ''Russia'' which was followed by two larger editions. In 1871 both companies faced a new rival when the White Star Line commissioned the [[RMS Oceanic (1870)|''Oceanic'']] and her five sisters. The new White Star record-breakers were especially economical because of their use of compound engines. White Star also set new standards for comfort by placing the dining saloon midships and doubling the size of cabins. Inman rebuilt its express fleet to the new standard, but Cunard lagged behind both of its rivals. Throughout the 1870s Cunard passage times were longer than either White Star or Inman.<ref name=gibbs />

[[File:Cunard Line (538135059).jpg|thumb|right|250px|Cunard Line offices in New York City]]
In 1867 responsibility for mail contracts was transferred back to the Post Office and opened for bid. Cunard, Inman and the German [[Norddeutscher Lloyd]] were each awarded one of the three weekly New York mail services. The fortnightly route to Halifax formerly held by Cunard went to Inman. Cunard continued to receive an £80,000 subsidy (equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|80000|1867|r=0}}}} in {{Inflation-year|UK}}),{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} while NDL and Inman were paid sea postage. Two years later the service was rebid and Cunard was awarded a seven-year contract for two weekly New York mail services at £70,000 per annum. Inman was awarded a seven-year contract for the third weekly New York service at £35,000 per year.<ref name=bacon />

The [[Panic of 1873]] started a five-year shipping depression that strained the finances of all of the Atlantic competitors.<ref name=gibbs /> In 1876 the mail contracts expired and the Post Office ended both Cunard's and Inman's subsidies. The new contracts were paid on the basis of weight, at a rate substantially higher than paid by the [[United States Post Office]].<ref name=bacon /> Cunard's weekly New York mail sailings were reduced to one and White Star was awarded the third mail sailing. Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday a liner from one of the three firms departed Liverpool with the mail for New York.<ref name=preble>{{cite book | last = Preble | first = George Henry |author2=John Lipton Lochhead | title = A Chronological History of the Origin and Development of Steam Navigation | url = https://archive.org/details/achronologicalh00lochgoog | location = Philadelphia | publisher = L.R. Hamersley | year = 1883 | oclc = 2933332 }}</ref>