This well-known line of steamers was established about a quarter of a century ago by the present senior partner of the firm, Mr. R. P. Houston, Member of Parliament for the Toxteth Division of Liverpool. Like many other undertakings which have grown to gigantic dimensions from small beginnings, this firm started in a modest manner with one small steamer. This was the steamer ATHLETE, followed in the year 1881 by a larger steamer, the HERCULES, built by the Whitehaven Ship Building Co., and engined by Messrs. J. Jones & Sons, of Liverpool. She was a vessel of 742 tons net register, and 1,155 tons gross register, her principal dimensions being, length 212 feet, beam 34 feet and depth 16 feet 6 inches. Her engines, which were of 150 nominal horse-power, were compound. These two vessels were not engaged in any regular trade, but ran wherever profitable freights could be obtained, and chiefly to Java and Eastern ports. Becoming too small for Messrs. Houston’s requirements, they were sold. All the succeeding vessels of the fleet, of which there have been a great many, have been named after Greek mythological deities or Roman celebrities, each name beginning with the letter “H.” Although already very busily engaged with large contracts for the conveyance of material to the Panama Canal Co., and the West African Co., Mr. Houston, believing there was ample room for a new line of steamers to the River Plate from Liverpool, decided to enter upon that trade in the year 1884. New steamers were designed and built specially for this trade, and so energetically and successfully was the trade worked that, although severe opposition was encountered at first from the existing lines, in a short time not only were Messrs. Houston’s steamers fully occupied, but many steamers had to be chartered to meet the rapidly increasing traffic, since which time the Houston Line has assumed very large proportions. [Illustration: HYDASPES S.S. Houston Line.] The first steamer engaged in this trade was the HERMES, built on the Clyde in 1882, and engined by Messrs. J. Jones and Son, Liverpool. She was a much larger vessel than the HERCULES, her gross register being 2,175 tons, and her principal dimensions 290 feet in length by 40 feet beam and 22 feet depth.