The _Red Jacket_, which was under the command of Captain Asa Eldridge, of American packet ship fame, had strong winds from S.E. to W.S.W. with rain, snow and hail. As with _Lightning_, the first half of her passage was the slowest half and for the first seven days she could only average 182 miles a day. But with practically the same weather, it is interesting to compare the performances of the two vessels as they approached the Irish Coast. _Red Jacket’s_ last six runs were 219, 413, 374, 343, 300, and 371, giving a total of 2020 and an average of 336. The only vessel that has ever beaten this six-day run is the famous _Cutty Sark_, which in 1876, before her wings were clipped, ran 2163 miles in six days in the roaring forties, when outward bound to Sydney. “Red Jacket’s” First Voyage to Australia. At Liverpool Captain Eldridge handed over his command to Captain Samuel Reid, who managed to get the _Red Jacket_ away for Australia, as one of the White Star regular packets, 10 days ahead of Captain Forbes. The _Red Jacket_ sailed on 4th May, 1854, one day behind a new Nova Scotian built Black Ball packet named the _Mermaid_. On the 10th May the two ships were off Oporto, and kept close to each other as far as Teneriffe; the N.E. trades were poor and it was a light weather passage to the line, which was crossed on 29th May by the _Red Jacket_, the _Mermaid_ being then in 1° north. From this point the _Red Jacket_, steering a more westerly course, had light and variable winds, whilst the _Mermaid_ was better treated and reached the latitude of the Cape five days ahead, and still held better winds, being actually 1397 miles ahead of the _Red Jacket_ on 15th June. _Red Jacket_, indeed, did not really get going until 26th June, but from that date her log is so remarkable that I give it below. The _Red Jacket_ was in 40° S., 14° E., before there was any need to touch her topgallant sheets, and Captain Reid was evidently determined to find wind somehow, with the result that, in spite of it being the depth of winter, he was not deterred from standing far to the southward on a Great Circle course. He was rewarded by all the wind he could desire, but so great was the cold that the ship was put down by the head by the frozen spindrift which covered her to the mainmast in an icy mantle. Her log from 26th June, when she first began to feel the benefit of the westerlies, was as follows:—