 1878 saw the greatest disaster in the history of British coastal cruising when sank after a collision near Woolwich with the loss of almost 700 lives.The Thames and Channel Steamship Co are understood to have been a closely associated company who sold their two steamers "Vale of Clwyd" and "Glen Rosa" to the London Steamboat Co in 1883.The company struggled financially and was put up for sale at the end of 1884, becoming the River Thames Steamboat Company, which operated for three years.