The improvements which have taken place during recent years in
ocean-going steamships have been great and rapid. The speed attained by
some of these magnificent vessels is little short of marvellous. Many
persons still living can recollect the time when the voyage to Australia
in a sailing vessel lasted six months. What is now the state of
matters? By more than one line of steamships the traveller may reach
Sydney or Melbourne within forty days. A recent voyage of the _Orient_,
one of the latest and finest additions to ocean steamships, merits more
than a passing notice. The _Lusitania_, which belongs to the same line,
steamed from England to Australia in less than forty days, and the feat
was regarded as a great one. But the _Lusitania_ has been far
outmatched by her sister-ship the _Orient_, which has actually
accomplished the same voyage in thirty-five days, fifteen hours, and
forty-six minutes. From Plymouth to the Cape of Good Hope took the
_Orient_ only seventeen days twenty-one hours. This is the fastest
speed on record. Whether it is the maximum rate possible to ocean
steamships, or whether it is destined to be surpassed by a still higher
degree of speed, remains to be seen. Many persons are of opinion that
the increased facilities of speed which are now within reach of
travellers on long voyages will gradually lead to the total disuse of
sailing ships for passenger traffic. It may be so, but there are still
not a few who would prefer a sailing to a steam ship for a long sea
voyage, notwithstanding its so greatly inferior rate of speed. But
nowadays everything must be sacrificed to _time_. "Time flies," is at
present the motto of most instant and potent power with the world; but
the day is perhaps not far off when the fiat, "Thus far, and no
farther," must be pronounced not only on the speed of steamships, but on
the breathless rush and hurry of the age in general.