| H. M. | ||
| The Connaught made | 1,064 | passages in the average time of 3 51·5 |
| The Leinster made | 919 | passages in the average time of 3 52·5 |
| The Ulster made | 925 | passages in the average time of 3 55 |
| And the Munster made | 920 | passages in the average time of 3 58·1 |
So close a performance by four vessels, not identical and not all from the same builders and engineers, could scarcely have been anticipated. The longest passage made in the severest gales had to that time not exceeded five hours and forty minutes, and one vessel only had been that length of time on but two occasions.
Nearly 4000 passages have been already made without collision, except on one occasion, which happily was not attended with very serious consequences. Experienced naval officers anticipated frequent and serious disasters, but the rate of speed, 16 miles an hour, though high for night-work, does not appear to have been too high for safety. The sense of greater responsibility, and the larger number of men engaged in the navigation and management of the vessels, must naturally induce additional precaution, as well as afford the means of guarding against danger. The facility with which these large vessels are handled and brought alongside the jetties is remarkable. The practised skill of the officers, and the quickness with which the engines are managed, frequently succeed in getting the vessels alongside, in making them fast, establishing the means of communication with the shore, and in landing the mails, in three or four minutes.
The consumption of coal in the first few months was considerably in excess of the quantity originally estimated. Steam of from 25 lbs. to 28 lbs. pressure was then used, which not only required much extra coal, but severely taxed the durability of the boilers. Arrangements were therefore made to reduce the consumption to the amount stated in the estimates submitted to Government, on which the contract was founded. The result has been satisfactory, while the additional time occupied on the passages is but a few minutes, and they are still made on the average within the time allocated to the sea service by the proposal of Government.
APPENDIX No. 27. Vol. iv., p. 583.
Number and Tonnage of Iron Steam Vessels built and first registered in the United Kingdom in each Year, from 1861 to 1874.
| Years. | Number. | Tonnage. |
| 1861 | 159 | 68,368 |
| 1862 | 181 | 76,303 |
| 1863 | 240 | 105,837 |
| 1864 | 342 | 156,981 |
| 1865 | 344 | 177,382 |
| 1866 | 299 | 129,653 |
| 1867 | 224 | 90,823 |
| 1868 | 188 | 75,109 |
| 1869 | 238 | 118,421 |
| 1870 | 382 | 222,922 |
| 1871[470] | 416 | 295,109 |
| 1872[470] | 446 | 335,750 |
| 1873[470] | 335 | 279,088 |
| 1874[470] | 393 | 328,094 |
Total Tonnage (distinguishing sailing and steam) belonging to the United Kingdom, British Possessions, United States, France, Holland and Norway, in each of the Years 1850, 1860, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873 and 1874 (so far as the same can be given).
| Years. | British Empire. | United States. | France. | Holland. | Norway. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kindom. | British possessions. | Registered | Enrolled and Licensed. | ||||
| Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | |
| Sailing: | |||||||
| 1850 | 3,337,546 | 707,785 | 1,540,769 | 1,468,739 | 690,111 | 393,750 | Not dist- |
| 1860 | 4,134,390 | 1,076,434 | 2,448,941 | 2,036,990 | 915,971 | 543,320 | inguished |
| 1870 | 4,506,318 | 1,440,682 | 1,324,256 | 1,795,389 | 917,633 | 474,463 | 1,008,800 |
| 1871 | 4,305,112 | 1,425,976 | 1,244,228 | 1,898,551 | 917,133 | 458,274 | 1,042,259 |
| 1872 | 4,145,888 | 1,427,302 | 1,232,982 | 2,037,422 | 911,613 | 449,717 | 1,090,006 |
| 1873 | 4,024,581 | 1,443,911 | 1,229,865 | 2,252,895 | 882,866 | 438,031 | 1,205,998 |
| 1874 | 4,043,955 | 1,502,302 | .. | .. | .. | 440,879 | .. |
| Steam: | |||||||
| 1850 | 167,398 | 20,233 | 44,942 | 81,004 | 13,925 | 3,762 | Not dist- |
| 1860 | 452,352 | 47,792 | 97,296 | 770,641 | 68,025 | 12,990 | inguished |
| 1870 | 1,111,375 | 90,759 | 192,544 | 882,551 | 154,415 | 24,942 | 13,715 |
| 1871 | 1,317,548 | 94,255 | 180,914 | 906,723 | 160,478 | 34,629 | 20,015 |
| 1872 | 1,536,075 | 104,564 | 177,666 | 933,887 | 177,462 | 43,820 | 303,082 |
| 1873 | 1,711,787 | 113,951 | 193,423 | 963,020 | 185,165 | 57,254 | 39,295 |
| 1874 | 1,868,359 | 118,876 | .. | .. | .. | 71,101 | .. |
| Total: | |||||||
| 1850 | 3,504,944 | 728,018 | 1,585,711 | 1,949,743 | 704,036 | 397,422 | 281,377 |
| 1860 | 4,586,742 | 1,124,226 | 2,546,237 | 2,807,631 | 983,996 | 556,310 | 558,928 |
| 1870 | 5,617,693 | 1,531,441 | 1,516,800 | 2,677,940 | 1,072,048 | 499,405 | 1,022,515 |
| 1871 | 5,622,660 | 1,520,231 | 1,425,142 | 2,805,274 | 1,077,611 | 492,903 | 1,062,274 |
| 1872 | 5,681,963 | 1,531,866 | 1,410,648 | 2,971,309 | 1,089,075 | 493,537 | 1,120,388 |
| 1873 | 5,736,368 | 1,557,862 | 1,423,288 | 3,215,915 | 1,068,031 | 495,285 | 1,245,293 |
| 1874 | 5,912,314 | 1,621,178 | .. | .. | .. | 511,980 | .. |