No. 129.] 223 



And if even in ocean navigation we for a short period appeared 

 in the back ground, no sooner had the genius of our mechanics 

 come in competition with the ocean steamers of England than 

 they were beaten. Our Collins' line of four steamers have in two 

 years made five trips across the Atlantic in less time than any of 

 the Cunarders, though they have been running over ten years. 

 The fastest steamers in the world were built in this city — thanks 

 to the energy of our merchants — thanks to the energy of our me- 

 chanics, an American cannot but exult when he names the steam- 

 ships Pacific and Baltic. 



But it is not only in steamships that we rival and surpass all 

 competitors. We have for years built the finest and fastest sail- 

 ing vessels. Our Baltimore clippers are world-renowned ; our 

 fleet of new clipper-ships are on every sea. We had scarcely 

 beaten the English by steam before the once haughty mis- 

 tress of the seas was again to be humiliated and beaten by the 

 Yankees. A few months since a small schooner built in this city 

 made her appearance in the waters of England, and challenged 

 the whole nation to a trial of speed. Trials took place, and our 

 little skimmer of the sea was victorious over the whole yacht 

 squadron of Britain, even in presence of England's Queen. And 

 the commander of that little vessel, our fellow townsman, had 

 the proud satisfaction, after the victory, of receiving Victoria on 

 board his little craft, with Prince Albert, the projector of the 

 World's Fair. He politely dipped his colors to the royal guest, 

 and it is now acknowledged that the fastest sailing vessel in the 

 world is the Yankee schooner America. 



The veteran yachter, the Marquis of Angl«sea is said to have re- 

 marked, on seeing the America, "if she is right, we are all wrong." 

 And after the race it was asked, "Which is first?" — " The Ame- 

 rica." Which second? — "Nothing." 



These triumphs alone would compensate for the raillery and 

 ridicule which were heaped on the American department in the 

 Crystal Palace, extorting as they did from the Tory paper, The 

 Times, the admission that all the substantial triumphs of the year 

 1851 belonged to the Yankees. But the tone of ridicule once 

 held towards us because of the want of show and the absence of 



