STEAMSHIP SPEEDS.
Transatlantic Records.- In the days of the fast-sailing packet ships the old Yorkshire crossed from Liverpool to New York in 21 days, and Ashburton made the passage in 24 days. With our modern °greyhounds° of the ocean the following records show the ever increasing speed of the liners between New York and Queenstown: 1856, Persia, 9d. lh. 45m.; 1856, Scotia, 8d. 2h. 48m.; City of Brus sels, 7d. 2211. 3m.; 1873, Baltic, 7d. 20h. 9m.; 1876, Germanic, 7d. 11h. 37m.; 1880, Arizona 7d. 7k 23m.; 1882, Alaska, 6d. 18h. 37m.; 1884, Oregon, 6d. 11h. 9m.; 1887, Umbria, 6d. 4h. 42m.; 1888, Etruria, 6d. lh. 55m.; 1891, Majes tic, 5d. 18h. 8m.; 1891, Teutonic, 5d. 16k 31m.; 1893, Campania, 5d. 12h. 7m.; 1894, Lucania, 5d. 7h. 23m.; 1909, Mauretania, 4d. 13h. 41m. In 1910 Mauretania made the trip from Queens town to New York in 4d. 10h. 41m. France made the passage from New York to Havre, 1912, in 5d. 17h.; Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse crossed from New York to Cherbourg, 1900, in 5d. 16h., and from New York to South ampton, 1897, in 5d. 17h. 8m. The voyage from New York to Plymouth was made, 1909, by Kronprinzessin Cecilie in 5d. 7h. 25m. Passage
from New York to Naples was made, 1904, in 7d. 16h. 44m. by Deutschland. The Allen Line Virginian (turbine), 1905, crossed from Mo ville and passed Cape Race in less than four days.
Of recent years the aim of the great trans atlantic steamship lines to reduce passage time and make new records has died out under com pelling circumstances. The advance in speed is gained, of course, by the increase of fuel consumption, but that increase is based on a progressive ratio of augumented consump tion, and the cost of fuel together with loss of freight space in carrying such enor mous quantities brought the competitors face to face with an actual loss, even at the ad vanced passenger rates on such °express* steamers. The designers of late have ex pended their energies in increasing the size and carrying capacities of the leviathans and im proving the life attractions on board. And the clipping of hours from passage time must be reckoned as an activity passed into desuetude.