82 Book of Steamships 



be taken for the double trip, besides 

 carrying whatever cargo was available. 



As a trial of what she could do and 

 earn, she was first despatched across the 

 Atlantic, taking eleven days on her voy- 

 age across. The result was disappointing 

 to her owners, as she did not earn her 

 running expenses, and it was abundantly 

 clear that if she could not do so on the 

 American services, she would never do so 

 on the longer and more difficult route to 

 Australia. 



I have always felt particularly sorry for 

 the Great Eastern and her designer. 

 Brunei was right in all essentials, both in 

 this big vessel and also in what is often 

 termed his other great failure the broad- 

 gauge railway. There are many railway- 

 men to-day who deplore the passing of 

 the broad gauge, because of its capabilities 

 for vastly increased traffic, and again to- 

 day we see the Great Eastern exceeded 

 three times over. She was a giantess 

 arriving before the world was ready for 



