The best consecutive runs under sail only were:—
I. Week ending August 13, South Atlantic. In the south-east trades, wind a-beam, force 5—1,456 knots.
II. Week ending November 19, South Pacific, south-east trades, wind aft, force 5—1,360 knots.
III. Four days, January 15 to 18, North Pacific, north-east trades, wind on the quarter, force 5 to 9—1,027 knots. The average speed in this case was 107 knots an hour.
The following were the average speeds of the longer passages:—
| Days At Sea | Total Distance | Distance Under Steam | Daily Average | ||
| Miles | Miles | Miles | |||
| 1 | Cape Verde to Rio | 18 | 3,336 | 689 | 185 |
| 2 | Valpraiso and Yokahama | 72 | 12,333 | 2,108 | 171 |
| 3 | Simonoseki and Aden | 37 | 6,391 | 4,577 | 187 |
The vessel which has carried us so rapidly and safely round the globe claims a brief description. She was designed by Mr. St. Clare Byrne, of Liverpool, and may be technically defined as a composite three-masted topsail-yard screw schooner. The engines, by Messrs. Laird, are of 70 nominal or 350 indicated horse-power, and developed a speed of 10.13 knots on the measured mile. The bunkers contain 80 tons of coal. The average daily consumption is four tons, and the speed eight knots in fine weather. The principal dimensions of the hull are;—Length for tonnage, 157 ft.; beam, extreme, 27 ft. 6 in.; displacement tonnage, 531 tons; area of midship section, 202 square feet.
With an addition of 20 ft. to the length, and more engine power, the 'Sunbeam' presents a type which might be found efficient for naval services in distant waters, where good sailing qualities are essential, and large ships are not required.
On looking back, and contrasting the anticipated difficulties with the actual experiences of the voyage, the ease and certainty with which every passage has been made are truly surprising. Our track has been for the most part within the Tropics. The storms off the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn have been avoided in the inland passages of the Straits of Magellan and the Suez Canal. We have encountered no continuous stormy weather, except during the four days preceding our arrival at Yokohama. We have suffered discomfort from heat and detention in calms, but storms have disturbed us seldom, and they have not lasted long.