THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. 225 



gation of the globe as frequent and familiar as was once the 

 passage across the Atlantic. 



We have here been speaking of sailing vessels, but Steam 

 navigation has its own peculiar history ; including not only 

 these several improvements, but others also which depend 

 on more perfect machinery and a higher class of engineers. 

 Though steam has now spread its dominion over the globe, 

 the Atlantic is still the sea where it puts forth its greatest 

 powers. The several lines of Mail Steamers across this 

 Ocean, and more especially those familiarly known as the 

 Cunard and Collins lines, have reached a degree of speed 

 and regularity, which it would be hazardous to say may not 

 hereafter be surpassed, but which will ever be a monument 

 and mark of human prowess, in bringing the physical ele- 

 ments under subjection to the uses of man. It is no serious 

 disparagement to the second of these lines, to say that it has 

 lost the superiority for a short time gained in speed over 

 the Cunard line of English steamers. According to an 

 American statement now before us, we find that, during the 

 last year, the average of twenty-five passages from Liverpool 

 to New York, by the American steamers, was 12 days 16 J 

 hours by the English steamers, 1 1 days 22 hours : of 

 passages from New York to Liverpool, by the American 

 vessels, 12 days 8 hours, by the English, 11 days 3 hours. 

 Many circumstances concur to this result; chiefly perhaps 

 the consummate discipline of the English vessels in every 

 department of their service. But the rivalry we regard as 

 an honourable one ; and it may yet be maintained, advanta- 

 geously to the interest of both nations.* 



It is however, as we have said, a rivalry not without risk. 

 In seeking for the maximum of speed, safety is jeopardised 



* About two years after this article was written, the competition here alluded 

 to ceased, from the abandonment of the Collins line of steamers. That of 

 Cunard still maintains, unimpaired, its high position on the seas. 



Q 



