But in 1832 they launched the 577-ton _London_ for Money Wigram, and this was the real pioneer of the celebrated Blackwall frigates of which we shall speak in a later chapter. We thus enter on that last stage of ship development which was to precede the golden age of the sailing ship, when the clippers made eternal fame for themselves. This yard was still the biggest private concern in Europe, though Liverpool as a great port was now going ahead. The beginning of the American War in 1812 had given it a serious set-back, but after peace came in 1814 there was a new era as well for the Atlantic shipping as for the East. For America was going ahead. She had shown that she knew how to build during the war frigates of an improved kind, and in peace she was now producing better-designed merchantmen than ourselves. In 1816 was inaugurated the famous Black Ball Line of New York packets, which were the precursors of the present-day Atlantic liners. These Black Ball liners were full-rigged ships of from 300 to 500 tons register, with full bodies and bluff bows, and yet they averaged at first only twenty-three days on the outward voyage to Liverpool and forty-three days homeward-bound. This was the only means of communication in those days between America and Liverpool, and in 1836 was started the Dramatic Line, consisting of 700-ton sailing ships. The world’s trade was increasing, industrialism was prospering, the markets of the whole world were now open to all, and there was a long spell of peace ahead. Transatlantic shipping was encouraged so that these packet ships increased in tonnage, and in 1846 the 1400-ton _New World_ was built, being then the largest sailing ship in the world. Other famous vessels were the _Isaac Webb_, _Albert Webb_ and _Guy Mannering_. The ships of these two lines were exceedingly fine craft, and made remarkable passages across to England, the Black Ball liners eventually averaging twenty-one days and the Dramatic liners twenty and a half days. The nineteenth century in regard to the sailing ship alone was certainly a most wonderful period. [Illustration: [_By courtesy Messrs. T. H. Parker._ A FINE PIECE OF SEAMANSHIP. The “Chesterfield” packet (Captain Robert Lea Jones) rescuing the crew of a sinking ship. About 1795.] CHAPTER XI PACKET SHIPS AND BRIGS As far back as the reign of Elizabeth a State post-office was instituted for foreign letters, for the reason that the merchants now required it. Owing to England’s geographical position, this, of course, connoted the employment of sailing ships. By 1635 the weekly continental service was doubled and accelerated. This arrangement improved during the seventeenth century, and there were packet stations at Dover for France, Harwich and Yarmouth for Holland and Hamburg, and at Holyhead and Milford for Ireland.