commodious smoking-saloon was fitted up amidships, contrasting

most favourably with the scantyaccommodation provided in other
vessels. The saloon, too, presented the novelty of extending the

full width of the vessel, and was lighted from each side.
Electric bells were for the first time fitted on board ship. The

saloon and entire range of cabins were lighted by gas, made on
board, though this has since given place to the incandescent

electric light. A fine promenade deck was provided over the
saloon, which was accessible from below in all weathers by the

grand staircase.
These, and other arrangements, greatly promoted the comfort and

convenience of the cabin passengers; while those in the steerage
found great improvements in convenience, sanitation, and

accommodation. "Jack" had his forecastle well ventilated and
lighted, and a turtle-back over his head when on deck, with

winches to haul for him, and a steam-engine to work the wheel;
while the engineers and firemen berthed as near their work as

possible, never needing to wet a jacket or miss a meal. In
short, for the first time perhaps, ocean-voyaging, even in the

North Atlantic, was made not only less tedious and dreadful to
all, but was rendered enjoyable and even delightful to many.

Before the Oceanic, the pioneer of the new line, was even
launched, rival companies had already consigned her to the

deepest place in the ocean. Her first appearance in Liverpool
was therefore regarded with much interest. Mr. Ismay, during the

construction of the vessel, took every pains to suggest
improvements and arrangements with a view to the comfort and

convenience of the travelling public. He accompanied the vessel
on her first voyage to New York in March, 1871, under command of

Captain, now Sir Digby Murray, Brt. Although severe weather was
experienced, the ship made a splendid voyage, with a heavy cargo

of goods and passengers. The Oceanic thus started the
Transatlantic traffic of the Company, with the house-flag of the

White Star proudly flying on the main.
It may be mentioned that the speed of the Oceanic was at least a

knot faster per hour than had been heretoforeaccomplished across
the Atlantic. The motion of the vessel was easy, without any

indication of weakness or straining, even in the heaviest
weather. The only inducement to slow was when going head to it

(which often meant head through it), to avoid the inconvenience
of shipping a heavy body of "green sea" on deck forward. A

turtle-back was therefore provided to throw it off, which proved
so satisfactory, as it had done on the Holyhead and Kingstown

boats, that all the subsequentvessels were similarly
constructed. Thus, then, as with the machinery, so was the hull

of the Oceanic, a type of the succeeding vessels, which after
intervals of a few months took up their stations on the

Transatlantic line.
Having often observed, when at sea in heavy weather, how the

pitching of the vessel caused the weights on the safety-valves to
act irregularly, thus letting puffs of steam escape at every

heave, and as high pressure steam was too valuable a commodity to
be so wasted, we determined to try direct-acting spiral springs,

similar to those used in locomotives, in connection with the
compound engine. But as no such experiment was possible in any

vessels requiring the Board of Trade certificate, the alternative
of using the Camel as an experimentalvessel was adopted. The

spiral springs were accordingly fitted upon the boiler of that
vessel, and with such a satisfactory result that the Board of

Trade allowed the use of the same contrivance on all the boilers
of the Oceanic and every subsequentsteamer, and the contrivance

has now come into general use.
It would be too tedious to mention in detail the other ships

built for the White Star line. The Adriatic and Celtic were made
17 feet 6 inches longer than the Oceanic, and a little sharper,

being 437 feet 6 inches keel, 41 feet beam, and 32 feet hold.
The success of the Company had been so great under the able

management of Ismay, Imrie and Co., and they had secured so large
a share of the passengers and cargo, as well as of the mails

passing between Liverpool and New York, that it was found
necessary to build two still larger and faster vessels--the

Britannic and Germamic: these were 455 feet in length; 45 feet in
beam; and of 5000 indicated horse-power. The Britannic was in

the first instance constructed with the propeller fitted to work
below the line of keel when in deep water, by which means the

"racing" of the engines was avoided. When approaching shallow
water, the propeller was raised by steam-power to the ordinary

position without any necessity for stopping the engines during
the operation. Although there was an increase of speed by this

means through the uniform revolutions of the machinery in the
heaviest sea, yet there was an objectionable amount of vibration

at certain parts of the vessel, so that we found it necessary to
return to the ordinary fixed propeller, working in the line of

direction of the vessel. Comfort at sea is of even more
importance than speed; and although we had succeeded in four

small steamers working on the new principle, it was found better
to continue in the larger ships to resort to the established

modes of propulsion. It may happen that at some future period
the new method may yet be adopted with complete success.

Meanwhile competition went on with other companies. Monopoly
cannot exist between England and America. Our plans were

followed; and sharper boats and heavier power became the rule of
the day. But increase of horse-power of engines means increase

of heating surface and largely increased boilers, when we reach
the vanishing point of profit, after which there is nothing left

but speed and expense. It may be possible to fill a ship with
boilers, and to save a few hours in the passage from Liverpool to

New York by a tremendousexpenditure of coal; but whether that
will answer the purpose of any body of shareholders must be left

for the future to determine.
"Brute force" may be still further employed. It is quite

possible that recent "large strides" towards a more speedy
transit across the Atlantic may have been made "in the dark."

The last ships we have constructed for Ismay, Imrie and Co. have
been of comparativelymoderate dimensions and power--the Arabic

and Coptic, 430 feet long; and the Ionic and Boric, 440 feet
long, all of 2700 indicated horse-power. These are large cargo

steamers, with a moderateamount of saloonaccommodation, and a
large space for emigrants. Some of these are now engaged in

crossing the Pacific, whilst others are engaged in the line from
London to New Zealand; the latter being specially fitted up for

carrying frozen meat.
To return to the operations of the Belfast shipbuilding yard. A

serious accident occurred in the autumn of 1867 to the mail
paddle-steamer the Wolf, belonging to the Messrs. Burns, of

Glasgow. When passing out of the Lough, about eight miles from
Belfast, she was run into by another steamer. She was cut down

and sank, and there she lay in about seven fathoms of water; the
top of her funnel and masts being only visible at low tide. She

was in a dangerous position for all vessels navigating the
entrance to the port, and it was necessary that she should be

removed, either by dynamite, gunpowder, or some other process.
Divers were sent down to examine the ship, and the injury done to

her being found to be slight, the owners conferred with us as to
the possibility of lifting her and bringing her into port.

Though such a process had never before been accomplished, yet
knowing her structure well, and finding that we might rely upon

smooth water for about a week or two in summer, we determined to
do what we could to lift the sunkenvessel to the surface.

We calculated the probable weight of the vessel, and had a number
of air-tanks expressly built for her floatation. These were