For a long time the _Britannia_ remained Queen of the Seas for speed, but in 1852 the Atlantic record was reduced to nine and a half days by the _Arctic_. In 1876 the _City of Paris_ cut down the time to eight days and four hours. Twelve years later in 1879 the _Arizona_ still further reduced it to seven days and eight hours. In 1881 the _Alaska_, the first vessel to receive the title of "_Ocean Greyhound_," made the trip in six days and twenty-one hours; in 1885 the _Umbria_ bounded over in six days and two hours, in 1890 the _Teutonic_ of the White Star line came across in five days, eighteen hours and twenty-eight minutes, which was considered the limit for many years to come. It was not long however, until the Cunard lowered the colors of the White Star, when the _Lucania_ in 1893 brought the record down to five days and twelve hours. For a dozen years or so the limit of speed hovered round the five-and-a-half day mark, the laurels being shared alternately by the vessels of the Cunard and White Star Companies. Then the Germans entered the field of competition with steamers of from 14,500 to 20,000 tons register and from 28,000 to 40,000 horse power. The _Deutschland_ soon began setting the pace for the ocean greyhounds, while other vessels of the North German Lloyd line that won transatlantic honors were the _Kaiser Wilhelm II., Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, Kronprinz Wilhelm and Kronprinzessin Cecilie_, all remarkably fast boats with every modern luxury aboard that science could devise. These vessels are equipped with wireless telegraphy, submarine signalling systems, water-tight compartments and every other safety appliance known to marine skill. The _Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse_ raised the standard of German supremacy in 1902 by making the passage from Cherbourg to Sandy Hook lightship in five days and fifteen hours. In 1909, however, the sister steamships _Mauretania_ and _Lusitania_ of the Cunard line lowered all previous ocean records, by making the trip in a little over four and a half days. They have been keeping up this speed to the present time, and are universally regarded as the fastest and best equipped steamships in the world,--the very last word in ocean travel. On her last mid-September voyage the _Mauretania_ has broken all ocean records by making the passage from Queenstown to New York in 4 days 10 hours and 47 minutes. But they are closely pursued by the White Star greyhounds such as the _Oceanic_, the _Celtic_ and the _Cedric_, steamships of world wide fame for service, appointments, and equipment. Yet at the present writing the Cunard Company has another vessel on the stocks, to be named the _Falconia_ which in measurements will eclipse the other two and which they are confident will make the Atlantic trip inside four days.