▁for ▁fer ries ▁to ▁and ▁from ▁Ireland . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 3 ▁the ▁Mid land ▁established ▁its ▁interest ▁in ▁Ireland ▁by ▁bu ying ▁the ▁B elf ast ▁and ▁Northern ▁Count ies ▁Railway . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁the ▁Mid land ▁took ▁delivery ▁of ▁a ▁pair ▁of ▁new ▁passenger ▁fer ries ▁from ▁C ly des ide ▁ship y ards ▁in ▁Glasgow ▁to ▁work ▁between ▁Hey sh am ▁Port ▁and ▁B elf ast ▁Har bour . ▁They ▁came ▁from ▁different ▁build ers ▁but ▁they ▁were ▁sister ▁ships : ▁ ▁built ▁by ▁John ▁Brown ▁& ▁Company ▁of ▁C ly de bank , ▁and ▁Don eg al ▁built ▁by ▁C air d ▁& ▁Company ▁of ▁Green ock . ▁ ▁Don eg al ▁had ▁a ▁triple - exp ansion ▁steam ▁engine ▁r ated ▁at ▁ 3 8 6 ▁N HP , ▁giving ▁her ▁a ▁speed ▁of ▁. ▁She ▁and ▁An trim ▁worked ▁between ▁Hey sh am ▁and ▁B elf ast ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁until ▁they ▁were ▁requ is ition ed ▁for ▁UK ▁Government ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War . ▁ ▁War ▁service ▁and ▁loss ▁ ▁Don eg al ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁numerous ▁fer ries , ▁many ▁of ▁them ▁requ is ition ed ▁from ▁railway ▁companies , ▁that ▁were ▁converted ▁into ▁amb ul ance ▁ships ▁to ▁carry ▁wounded ▁personnel ▁from ▁France ▁back ▁to ▁Great ▁Britain . ▁Am bul ance ▁ships ▁were ▁class ified ▁as ▁hospital ▁ships ▁under ▁H ague ▁Convention ▁X ▁of ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁and ▁as ▁such