A second steel steamship was built in 1883 for the New York Mail Service. This was the AURANIA, built by Messrs. J. & G. Thomson, and her dimensions are 470 feet by 57-2/10 feet by 37-2/10 feet. Her tonnage is 7,269, and she is fitted with compound engines of 9,500 I.H.P., and attaining a speed of 17½ knots per hour. She was taken up by the Government as a transport in October, 1899, and so valuable did she prove for this service that she was retained until the early part of 1903. In 1884 the Directors purchased the celebrated iron steamship OREGON, built by Messrs. John Elder & Co. She was 501 feet by 54-2/10 feet by 38 feet, and of 7,375 tons and 13,500 I.H.P.; speed 18 knots per hour. On her first and second voyage she did not distinguish herself, but on her third voyage she made the passage from Queenstown to New York in 6 days 10 hours 9 minutes, thereby excelling all previous records, and earning for herself the title of “The Greyhound of the Atlantic.” Towards the close of 1884 the UMBRIA—the first of two steel steamships ordered from Messrs. Elder—was delivered, and she was followed early in 1885 by her sister ship the ETRURIA. The following description of the ETRURIA applies also to the UMBRIA: Length 501-6/10 feet by 57-2/10 feet by 38-2/10 feet; gross tonnage 7,718 tons. The promenade deck, which extends over the full breadth of the ship for nearly 300 feet amidships, is reserved for the sole use of the first-class passengers. The vessel easily accommodates 550 first-class passengers and 800 third-class. The state rooms are replete with all the fittings usual in first-class vessels of the most modern type, and a number of them are arranged en suite for family use. The hull is divided into ten watertight compartments, and most of the bulkheads are carried to the upper deck, while they are fitted with waterproof and fireproof doors, which afford access to all parts of the ship. The engines indicate 14,500 H.P., and are compound, having three inverted cylinders—one high-pressure 71 in. in diameter and two low-pressure, each 105 in. in diameter. The average speed of both steamers may be set down at 18½ knots per hour. The fastest passage of the ETRURIA was when she established a new record by making the passage from Queenstown to New York in 5 days 20 hours 55 minutes, the UMBRIA’s best record being 5 days 22 hours 7 minutes. The next important addition to the fleet was the CAMPANIA, launched from the yard of the Fairfield Shipbuilding Co., Govan, on the 8th September, 1892. Five months later—February, 1893—there was launched from the same yard her sister ship the LUCANIA. From the official description of the CAMPANIA, it appears that her length over all is 620 feet, extreme breadth 65 feet 3 inches, depth from upper deck 43 feet, gross tonnage 12,950 tons. The bulkheads are sixteen in number, and they will enable the vessel to float with any two, or in some cases three, of the compartments open to the sea. Although fitted with