INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS--THE AUSTRALIAN STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY--STATEMENT OF MR. BRUNEL’S PROJECT OF A LINE OF LARGE SHIPS (JUNE 10, 1852)--ADOPTION OF HIS PLANS BY THE EASTERN STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY--EXTRACT FROM A LETTER DESCRIBING THE SCHEME (JULY 1, 1852)--LETTER TO J. SCOTT RUSSELL, ESQ., ON THE FORM AND DIMENSIONS OF THE GREAT SHIP (JULY 13, 1852)--REPORT ON MODE OF PROCEEDING (JULY 21, 1852)--REPORT ON ENQUIRIES RELATING TO THE DRAUGHT AND FORM OF THE VESSEL (OCTOBER 6, 1852)--REPORT ON THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO CONSIDER MR. BRUNEL’S PLANS (MARCH 21, 1853)--TENDERS INVITED FOR THE SHIP AND ENGINES--REPORT ON TENDERS (MAY 18, 1853)--PREPARATION OF THE CONTRACTS AND SPECIFICATIONS--EXTRACTS FROM MR. BRUNEL’S MEMORANDA (A.D. 1852, 1853, 1854)--LETTER ON HIS POSITION AND DUTIES AS ENGINEER OF THE COMPANY (AUGUST 16, 1854)--LETTER ON AN ARTICLE IN A NEWSPAPER (NOVEMBER 16, 1854)--REPORT ON THE UNDERTAKING (FEBRUARY 5, 1855)--ARRANGEMENTS PROPOSED FOR OBTAINING ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATIONS--LETTER TO G. B. AIRY, ESQ., ASTRONOMER ROYAL (OCTOBER 5, 1852)--APPOINTMENT OF MR. WILLIAM HARRISON TO THE COMMAND OF THE SHIP--MEMORANDUM ON THE MANAGEMENT OF THE GREAT SHIP (OCTOBER, 1855)--LETTER ON THE DUTIES OF THE CHIEF ENGINEER (MARCH 19, 1857)--SUSPENSION AND RESUMPTION OF THE WORKS. Mr. Brunel’s earlier labours in connection with the progress of Ocean Steam Navigation have been described in the chapters on the ‘Great Western’ and ‘Great Britain’ steam-ships.[139] The ‘Great Eastern’ is but the result of the application, under different circumstances, of the same principles which had guided him in his previous under-takings, the practical working out of the ‘idea which he had frequently entertained, that, to make long voyages economically and speedily by steam, required the vessels to be large enough to carry the coal for the entire voyage at least outwards; and, unless the facility for obtaining coal was very great at the out port, then for the return voyage also; and that vessels much larger than had been previously built could be navigated with great advantage from the mere effect of size.’[140] In 1851, four years after the release of the ‘Great Britain’ from Dundrum Bay, Mr. Brunel became again connected with the construction of steam-ships. In that year he was consulted by the Directors of the Australian Mail Company upon the class of vessels which it would be advantageous for them to purchase, in order to carry out their contract for the conveyance of the mails to Australia. He advised them to have ships of from 5,000 to 6,000 tons burden, in order that they might only have to touch for coal at the Cape.