In spite of burning some fifty per cent. more coal than the Britannic, the ship was an obvious commercial success.  The spirited policy which brought her into existence was appreciated by the public, and the other lines had to move forward.  Then followed a period of rivalry, the Cunard Company building the Gallia and Servia, the Inman Company the City of Rome, and the Guion Line the Alaska, all of which were completed in 1881, and afterward the Oregon for the Guion Line—­1883—­the Aurania the same year for the Cunard Company, and, later still, the America for the National Line, and the Umbria and Etruria for the Cunard Company in 1885.

[Illustration: 

Frames from outer edge of Tank to Upper Deck, 7 x 31/2 x 8/16 for 250 ft.  Amidships, for 60 ft. before and abaft these Points 61/2 x 31/2 x 6/16 at end of Vessel 5 x 31/2 x 7/16, all spaced 24 in. apart and all carried to Upper Deck, double from Bilge to Bilge in way of Engines.—­Frames in Tank on Lattice and Solid Floors, 5 x 31/2 x 8/16, Intermediate Frames, 8 x 4 x 9/16—­Rev:  Frames, 41/2 x 31/2 x 8/16, carried to Upper and Main Deck alternately double, 41/2 x 41/2 x 8/16 from Bilge to Bilge in E and B space.

Fig. 2—­Servia.]

Since the completion of the Etruria, for various reasons there has been a pause in the tremendous strides made since 1879, and we may briefly review the results.  Taking the Britannic as a standard with her ten years’ average of 81/4 days across, and her quickest passage of 7 days 10 hours 53 seconds, we have now the following steamers of higher speeds.  Taking them in the order of their absolutely fastest passage out or home, they stand thus: 

TABLE I.

---+-------------------------+------+-------+------
|                         | Days.| Hours.| Mins.
|                         +------+-------+------
1 | Etruria.                |   6  |   5   |  31
2 | Umbria (sister ship).   |   slightly longer.
3 | Oregon.                 |   6  |  10   |  35
4 | America.                |   6  |  13   |  44
5 | City of Rome.           |   6  |  18   |   0
6 | Alaska.                 |   6  |  18   |  37
7 | Servia.                 |   6  |  23   |  55
8 | Aurania.                |   7  |   1   |   1
---+-------------------------+------+-------+------

It will thus be seen that from the 15 days’ passage or thereabout, of the earliest Atlantic steamers, we had got down in the days of the Scotia to about 9 days; in the Britannic to 81/4 days, and, at the present time, we have got to 61/4 days, with seven ships afloat that have done the passage under seven days, and capable of making their average passages range between 61/2 and 71/4 days.

Ranged in order of gross tonnage, these eight vessels stand as follows: 

TABLE II.