Mr. Napier engined and supplied the East India Company with the Berenice, 220 horse power, in the year 1836, and subsequently with the Zenobia, 280 horse power, both of which were used as war and packet ships by the company. In 1839, the British Queen followed with engines of 420 horse power, which were then considered of extraordinary size. Several finely modelled steam-yachts were also supplied about this time to the order of that great turf celebrity, the late Mr. Assheton Smith. Amongst these we may mention the Fire King, 230 horse power, a vessel which was the first illustration of the hollow-line system, and which proved itself to be the fastest steamer then afloat. In the year 1840 the Government was induced to enter into a contract with Mr. Napier to supply engines for two new war vessels, the Vesuvius and Stromboli, and, when the return for the cost of repairs, &c., of a number of war ships--including the Vesuvius and Stromboli--was ordered by the House of Commons in the year 1843, it was found that the work executed by Mr. Napier stood the test most favourably when compared with that done by some other engineers, and consequently proved economical to the nation. The origin of the British and North American Mail Company, or, in other words, the Cunard Company, in the year 1840, was an event of immense national and international importance, to the bringing about of which Mr. Napier contributed both by his counsel, and by his supplying the first vessels. Sir Samuel Cunard, who was evidently a man of immense enterprise and rare foresight, came across the Atlantic with the view of taking measures for the projection of a line of steamships between London and New York. Having been introduced to Mr. Napier through his friend Sir James Melvill, of the India House, Sir Samuel contracted with him for four vessels, each of 900 tons and 300 horse-power. Mr. Napier assured Sir Samuel at the time that vessels of this size would be inadequate for the requirements of the Atlantic trade, and suggested that they should be 1200 tons and 400 horse-power; but as he failed to alter Sir Samuel's mind on this point, he proceeded with the building of the vessels according to contract. Only a very short interval had elapsed however, when Sir Samuel again saw Mr. Napier, with whose views as to the size of the vessels he declared his complete acquiescence, although, he added, their cost, if built on the scale proposed by Mr. Napier, would be too much for him as a private individual to defray. Upon this Mr. Napier and Sir Samuel took counsel as to the likelihood and advisability of forming a company, the latter declaring that if he got a few others to join in the venture, he would go in for the larger size of vessels. The two Liverpool Companies that were carried on by the Messrs. Burns, and the City of Glasgow Company, had at this time formed a sort of coalition, and Mr. Napier took advantage of the circumstance