MEMOIR OF HER MAJESTY'S STEAM SHIP THE MEDEA. 97 



Having received a full supply of coal on board, she again departed, with an officer of the 

 diplomatic corps on board, on the evening of the 1st of April, reached Basika bay in 

 ninety-two hours ; and, after remaining eight days, returned to Malta, where she arrived on 

 the 16th of April. During this voyage more than one gale was experienced, and the first 400 

 miles, being the passage between Valette and Cape Matapan, was against a strong Levanter^ 

 besides which she encountered contrary winds both going up and coming down the Archipelago ; 

 yet the average rate of steaming, from leaving until the return to Malta, was near eight miles 

 an hour. 



Nothing extraordinary occurred in this vessel's service till she was ordered, early in June, 

 to convey Sir Charles Vaughan from Malta to Venice, and she accordingly left the former 

 place on the evening of the 18th. Although some part of the passage was against a violent 

 head-wind, the speed was never reduced below five knots and a half, and the average rate of 

 the whole was above eight. Towards the close of day on the 22nd, the Medea passed the 

 Lido, entered the narrow canals of Venice, and moored to the quay opposite the Bazilica of 

 St. Mark, precisely in the spot once occupied by the far-famed Bucentaur, fit palace for a 

 sovereign whose chief dominion was the wave, who was wont, in the by-gone days of 

 Venetian glory, to receive in these his floating halls the honoured great who flocked from 

 distant lands to view the wealth of Adria's Queen ; and which served to convey him, on the 

 magnificent ceremony of Ascension-Day, to the bridal of that wave over which his empire has 

 passed away. 



The Medea also visited Trieste, Pola in Istria, and Ancona, making a rapid passage 

 between each place, and on the 1st of July reached Malta; the steaming rate from leaving 

 the last-named place being nine knots and three-quarters. 



On the 4th of July she proceeded on a cruize under canvass in company with the squadron, 

 and succeeded on all occasions in keeping her station in the " order of sailing " without diffi- 

 culty. On the 6th of July the trial of sailing was made, of which we publish a delineation in 

 a diagram, when it appeared that she was equal in speed to all, except the new ship Van- 

 guard, of 80 guns, (built by Sir William Symonds,) and that she gained much to windward of 

 the Caledonia. We also find that during this cruize, which lasted till the 15th, the 

 steamer had frequently to bear up and run to leeward into her station in consequence of her 

 very extraordinary " weatherly " qualities ; and that in no one instance did the ships shorten 

 sail for her. 



Being detached from the fleet on the last-named day, the Medea ''beat" into Malta 

 harbour against a fresh wind ; and having received a few coals, she quitted Malta for the last 

 time, rejoined the admiral, received despatches, and forthwith proceeded towards Gibraltar; 

 where she arrived in 113 hours, being at a rate of nine knots, having encountered about an 

 equal proportion of fair and contrary winds during the passage. 



Between the time of her arrival at Gibraltar and the day she reached England, in September, 

 she made two passages to and from Port Mahon, and on one occasion towed the Princess 

 Charlotte, of 120 guns, and the Vanguard, to sea against a light breeze. She also visited Valencia 

 and Barcelona on the coast of Spain, and Tetuan in Africa ; and being at Gibraltar at the time 

 the Don Juan steam-packet was wrecked at Tariffa, the Medea proceeded at once to the 

 spot, where she was mainly instrumental in saving much property and stores, and afterwards 



