Perhaps the next most important era began with the invention in 1869 of compound engines, and in 1870 the _Batavia_ and _Parthia_ were fitted with these, and proved extremely successful, maintaining good speeds, with a reduced consumption of fuel. The Company was now sailing one vessel under contract with the General Post Office every week from Liverpool to New York, calling at Queenstown, and from New York to Liverpool, also calling at the South Irish port, and receiving a certain subsidy for so doing. They were also maintaining services between Liverpool and the principal ports in the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Levant, Bosphorus, and Black Sea, and between Liverpool and Havre. In 1881 the first steel vessel, the _Servia_, was built for the Cunard Company. This was the most powerful as well as the largest ship, with the exception of the famous _Great Eastern_, that the world had then seen. She was followed in 1884 by the _Etruria_ and _Umbria_, the former of which in August, 1885, set up the record for speed from Queenstown to New York, the journey being accomplished in 6 days 6 hours and 36 minutes. In the meantime, research work, in the construction of marine engines had been continued, and Dr. Price had invented the triple expansion engine, which effected further considerable economies in the consumption of fuel; and these were fitted by the Cunard Company into the two great twin-screw vessels, the _Campania_ and _Lucania_, built in 1893. With the _Campania_ we shall deal again, as she performed valuable services in the late war, and it is interesting to note that it was on board the _Lucania_ in 1901 that Mr. Marconi carried out certain important experiments in wireless telegraphy, this vessel being the first, under the Cunard management, to be fitted with a wireless installation. Through all these years the Cunard Company had of course been submitted to very great competition in the transatlantic trade, not only by British lines, but by American and Continental shipping companies also; and in the year 1900 with the _Deutschland_ and in 1902 with the _Kaiser Wilhelm II_, what has been called the “blue ribbon” of the Atlantic passed to Germany, these vessels having an average speed of 23½ knots. It was then decided that the supremacy in this respect, should, if possible, be regained by Great Britain, and, with Government help, and in return for certain definite prospective services if required, the Cunard Company laid down the _Lusitania_ and the _Mauretania_. In 1907, these vessels making use of Sir Charles Parsons’ turbine engines, were put into service and soon afterwards attained a speed of over 26 knots, and the mastery, in respect of speed, of the Atlantic. [Illustration: CANADIAN TROOPS ON “CARONIA,” BEING ADDRESSED BY THEIR COMMANDER]