▁based ▁in ▁We ym outh . ▁ ▁History ▁[[ File : Jose ph ▁Cos ens ▁ 1 8 8 0 . jpg | th umb | Jose ph ▁Cos ens , ▁about ▁ 1 8 7 0 ]] ▁The ▁company ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁by ▁Joseph ▁Cos ens ▁and ▁incorpor ated ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 . ▁It ▁operated ▁a ▁fleet ▁of ▁p addle ▁steam ers ▁on ▁exc urs ions ▁along ▁the ▁south ▁coast ▁of ▁England ▁and ▁on ▁cross ▁channel ▁tri ps ▁to ▁Cher bourg ▁and ▁Ald er ney . ▁It ▁also ▁operated ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁launch es ▁offering ▁" tri ps ▁round ▁the ▁bay " ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁t ugs ▁serving ▁ships ▁using ▁We ym outh ▁har bour . ▁Up ▁to ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁the ▁company ▁held ▁the ▁Admir alty ▁contract ▁to ▁operate ▁liberty ▁boats ▁for ▁naval ▁ships ▁at ▁Port land . ▁ ▁The ▁engineering ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁company ▁was ▁a ▁major ▁ship ▁repair ▁and ▁marine ▁engineering ▁facility . ▁The ▁company ▁also ▁had ▁a ▁cold ▁storage ▁and ▁ice - making ▁facility ▁adjacent ▁to ▁the ▁port . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁Joseph ▁Cos ens ▁was ▁operating ▁the ▁ste amer ▁Princess ▁between ▁We ym outh ▁and ▁Port land , ▁when ▁he ▁found ▁that ▁a ▁rival ▁organisation , ▁the ▁We ym outh ▁& ▁Port land ▁Ste am ▁Pack et ▁Company , ▁owned ▁by ▁Philip ▁D od son , ▁intended ▁placing ▁its ▁own ▁ste amer ▁Cont ractor ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁route . ▁Cos ens '