Commencement of launch of the _Great Eastern_, November 3rd, 1857—Christened by Miss Hope—Comparative failure—Renewed efforts scarcely more successful—Hydraulic ram bursts—Floats of her own accord, January 31st, 1858—The whole scheme of this launch a thorough mistake—Difficulties of the Company—Offer to Government wisely declined—Further proposal to employ her as a cable layer—Makes her first sea trip, September 9th, 1859—Accident off Hastings, and the opinion of the pilot—Reaches Holyhead; and details of her voyage—Makes her first voyage across the Atlantic, June 1860—Second voyage, May 1861—Third voyage, to Quebec, July 1861—Fourth voyage, September 1861—Heavy gale off S. W. coast of Ireland, and compelled to return to Cork—General remarks on the sea-going qualities of different ships, and on the effect of wind in causing “rollers”—Real truth about “momentum”—Very large ships not so safe as smaller ones, as their damages are less easily repaired—Chief later use of the _Great Eastern_ as a cable layer, but not, even here, remunerative—Concluding remarks. CHAPTER XV. 544-584 River and coast trade of Great Britain—The _Iona_, paddle steamer—First screw collier _Q. E. D._—The _King Coal_ collier—Her dimensions and crew, _note_—Improvement in care of seamen—Leith and London traders—Dublin and Holyhead Mail-Packets—Their great speed and regularity—Dimensions, power, capacity, and cost—Dover and Calais Mail-Packets—The _Victoria_—Her speed—Proposed tunnel and other modes of crossing the Straits of Dover—Mr. Fowler’s plan—The _Castalia_—The _Bessemer_—Her swinging saloon—The cigar-ship built at Baltimore, 1858—Similar ship built on the Thames, 1864—Perkins’s economical steam-engine and proposed fast boat—The Engine of the _Comet_—Modifications in the construction of Marine Engines—Ratio of speed to power—The Compound Engine more economical than the simple—Great skill required for building perfect ships, and especial importance to England of having the best ships—But her ships not yet perfect, though great progress has been made during the last half century APPENDICES. PAGE APPENDIX No. 1 587 APPENDIX No. 2 591 APPENDIX No. 3 593 APPENDIX No. 4 594 APPENDIX No. 5 595 APPENDIX No. 6 599 APPENDIX No. 7 600 APPENDIX No. 8 601 APPENDIX No. 9 603 APPENDIX No. 10 606 APPENDIX No. 11 608 APPENDIX No. 12 609 APPENDIX No. 13 611 APPENDIX No. 14 612 APPENDIX No. 15 613 APPENDIX No. 16 614 APPENDIX No. 17 617 APPENDIX No. 18 633 APPENDIX No. 19 634 APPENDIX No. 20 635 APPENDIX No. 21 637 APPENDIX No. 22 637 APPENDIX No. 23 639 APPENDIX No. 24 641 APPENDIX No. 25 643 APPENDIX No. 26 644 APPENDIX No. 27 645