The =Adelaide Steamship Co., Lim.=, was established in October, 1875, its nominal capital being £100,000. In November, 1882, the capital of the Company was increased to £300,000, and in December, 1900, a further reconstruction of the Company occurred, the capital being increased to £750,000. The first two steamers built for the Company were the SOUTH AUSTRALIAN and the VICTORIAN. Each was slightly over 400 tons register, making a total of 900 tons; whereas the present capacity of the Company’s fleet (consisting of 25 steamers) is about 50,000 tons. The steamers, on their various routes, trade to and from nearly every port on the Australian seaboard. Amongst the vessels owned by the Adelaide Steamship Co. is the FERRET, whose romantic story is told in the first part of this volume. (See ante, page 137). =John Bacon, Lim.=—This firm was established about the middle of the last century by the late Mr. John Bacon. Mr. Bacon died in 1886, and three years later the business was formed into a Limited Company. The fleet of the Company at the present date consists of the steamers EDEN VALE, EDITH, HEPTARCHY, PRESTONIAN, STUART, SUNLIGHT, TALBOT, TUDOR, VIGILANT, and WEXFORD. These steamers maintain regular sailings between Liverpool and Wexford, Liverpool and the Bristol Channel Ports, &c. =R. Burton & Sons.=—The firm of R. Burton & Sons was founded by the late Mr. R. Burton, of Newport, Mon., over one hundred years ago, and since 1840 has been carried on by his three sons. In 1898 the business was transferred to a Limited Company, with a capital of £100,000, the major portion of the shares being retained by the Messrs. Burton. The Company maintains regular services between Liverpool and various ports in the Bristol Channel, a daily service between Bristol and Cardiff, and a daily service between Bristol and Newport, Mon. =Fletcher, Woodhill & Co.=—This firm was established at Manchester, in 1893, by Mr. H. A. Fletcher (of Liverpool) and Captain T. J. Woodhill (of Sunderland). Since the opening of the Ship Canal Messrs. Fletcher, Woodhill & Co. have taken an active part in the steamship business of the port of Manchester. Their present services are between Manchester and France; Manchester, Portugal and Spain; and Manchester and Italy.