efforts to surpass the Navies of other maritime nations in the speed, dimensions, and armament of their cruising ships.
In 1855 they made a great stride in advance of anything which had been done before, by building the 'Colorado' and the 'Merrimac,' ships of 4,600 tons, which, however, failed to attain a speed of more than 9'5 knots. The 'Niagara,' from the designs of the celebrated shipbuilder, George Steers, came next. The dimensions were increased in this case to 5,475 tons, and the maximum speed attained was 12 knots.
The English Admiralty followed in the same line by building the 'Doris,' 'Orlando,' 'Mersey,' and 'Galatea,' vessels without a rival in any European Navy. The great advance in the size of the modern frigates is sufficiently proved by the fact that the 'Emerald,' though of moderate dimensions when compared with several frigates built in the later days of wooden ships, was a ship of 2,913 tons, or 31 tons larger than Nelson's famous three-decker, the 'Victory.' The 'Emerald' attained a speed of 13 knots.
Fast steamers in merchant service.In or about the year 1860, some steamers of remarkable speed were introduced into the merchant service. The 'Connaught' and three sister vessels were constructed for the mail service between Holyhead and Kingstown. The 'Connaught' maintained, for six months consecutively, an average speed of 15-45 knots. Among ocean steamers, the 'Persia' acquired a just celebrity. On one of her transatlantic trips this vessel maintained an average speed of 12·31 knots throughout the voyage.
