own share of losses by shipwreck, and more than its share of lives lost. One of the most appalling marine disasters was the sinking of the _Eutopia_ of this line in the Bay of Gibraltar, in 1891, from collision with a man-of-war lying at anchor, resulting in the loss of 526 lives. THE NATIONAL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY. Although the National Line has not entered into competition with the “greyhounds,” it is deserving of notice. It has been in existence since 1863, and has owned some fine ships, and at least one of high speed—the _America_, built on the Clyde in 1883—a ship of 5,500 tons and 7,350 horse-power. She broke the record in June, 1884, making the run home from New York in 6 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes.[18] She was soon after sold to the Italian Government for a transport. The ships of this line were among the first to have compound engines, and the first to have refrigerators for the reception of dead meat, and among the first to carry large shipments of live cattle. Years ago they brought out more emigrants than any other line, but they seem to have gone out of that business now, and the ships are run as freighters to London. Four of the company’s ships have been lost—one lies submerged near Sandy Hook, one foundered off Cape Finisterre, one was burned at sea, and the fourth, the _Erin_, disappeared without anything having been heard of her. The present fleet consists of eight ships, ranging from 3,750 to 5,300 tons. THE GUION LINE. As when a meteor shoots athwart the skies, emitting a blaze of light, and quickly disappears, so was it with the Guion Line at the zenith of its brief and brilliant career. It began in a modest way in 1866, its promoters being Messrs. Williams and Guion, of New York—with a branch firm in Liverpool—these being the owners of the famous Black Ball Line of ships, built especially for carrying emigrants. They had steamers built for themselves with marvellous rapidity, beginning with the _Manhattan_ of 3,000 tons—an iron screw steamer built on the Tyne. In 1872 there was added to the then existing fleet of eight powerful ships, each having accommodation for 1,000 steerage passengers, a pair of larger vessels, the _Montana_ and _Dakota_. Neither of them, however, proved to be “record-breakers,” and both of them were eventually wrecked on the Welsh coast, near the same place, in 1877 and 1880 respectively. The next additions to the fleet were the celebrated _Arizona_ and _Alaska_, that for a time took the shine out of everything else afloat. These marvellous ships were built by John Elder & Co., of Glasgow. The former was over 5,000 tons and the latter nearly 7,000. Their engines, respectively 6,000 and 10,000 horse-power, are said to have been the finest ever constructed up to that time; their speed was then accounted quite phenomenal—seventeen and eighteen knots an hour—reducing the time from Queenstown to New York to 6 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes. That was in 1883. The last ship built for the Guion