VII. NAVAL ARCHITECTURE, ETC. 429 



Built for the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company, for the mail service 

 between Holyhead and Kingston, in 1860. 



The " Connaught " attained a speed of over 18 knots, or 21 statute miles, 

 per hour on her official trial at Stokes Bay. 



These three vessels, together with the " Leinster," built by Messrs. Samuda, 

 still perform this service. 



SERIES OF IRON VESSELS, DESIGNED AND BUILT BY THE LATE 

 JOHN LAIRD, M.P., AND THE PRESENT FIRM, AS SURVEYING 

 SHIPS, MEN-OF-WAR, &c. 



2178r. Model of H.E.I.C. " Euphrates " and " Ti- 

 gris," 1834. Length 105 ft., breadth 19 ft., depth 7 ft. 6 ins. 

 179 tons. 50 horse-power. Laird Brothers. 



Built for the Hon. East India Company for General Chesney's expedition 

 for the exploration of the River Euphrates. These vessels were built by 

 Mr. Laird at Birkenhead, 1834, then taken to pieces and shipped to the coast 

 of Syria, and after having been carried across the desert by camels, they were 

 put together and launched on the banks of the Euphrates by artisans sent 

 from Birkenhead for the purpose. 



Three similar vessels of very light draught, the " Nimrod," " Nitocris," and 

 "Assyria," of 153 tons, each carrying two 9-pr. pivot guns, were built for 

 the navigation of the Tigris and Euphrates a few years later. 



2178s. Model of H.E.I.C. " Nemesis," 1839. Length 

 169 ft., breadth 29 ft., depth 10 ft, 3 ins. 660 tons. 120 horse- 

 power. Laird Brothers. 



Built for the Hon. East India Company for service on the coast of India, 

 and armed with two 32-pr. pivot guns. 



This vessel, as well as the " Phlegethon," a similar but rather smaller vessel, 

 though only drawing 5 feet of water, made the passage out to India round the 

 Cape, a drop rudder and sliding keel, as shown on model, being fitted for that 

 purpose. 



Under the command of Captain (now Admiral Sir William) Hall, R.N., 

 the " Nemesis " did distinguished service in the China wars, her light draught 

 enabling her to perform service which no wooden vessel in the fleet was able 

 to accomplish. 



At the same time the " Medusa " and " Ariadne," of 432 tons, and each 

 carrying two 24 pr. pivot guns, were built for the same service. 



2178t. Model of the " Guadaloupe," 1842. Length 

 187 ft., breadth 30 ft., depth 16 ft. 788 tons. 180 horse-power. 



Laird Brothers. 



The success of the above steamers (the first iron vessels armed with heavy 

 guns) induced the agents of the Mexican Government to order the steam 

 frigate " Guadaloupe," of 800 tons and 180 horse-power, armed with two 68- 

 pounder pivot guns, one at each end, and four 24-pounder broadside guns. 

 The satisfactory reports made upon the construction and trials of this vessel 

 by the late Mr. Large and other officers induced the English Government to 

 entrust Mr. Laird with the designing and building of the iron paddle-wheel 

 frigate " Birkenhead," 1,400 tons, one of the first iron Avar ships in the 

 English uavy ; this ship was launched in 1845. 



