had to cover the 264 miles between London and Holyhead at an
average rate of 42 miles per hour; an unprecedented speed in those
days. People then thought themselves most heroic in entrusting
their lives to a train that travelled with such terrific velocity
as the "Wild Irishman." It was to meet this acceleration that Mr.
Ramsbottom, the Locomotive Superintendent of the London and North-
Western Railway, devised a scheme for laying water-troughs between
the rails, by which the engine could pick up water through a scoop
whilst running. I have somewhere seen this claimed as an American
innovation, but the North-Western engines have been picking up
water daily now ever since 1861; nearly sixty years ago.

The greatest improvement, however, was effected in the cross-
Channel passage. To accomplish the sixty-five miles between
Holyhead and Kingstown in the contract time of four hours, the
City of Dublin Co. built four paddle-vessels, far exceeding any
cross-Channel steamer then afloat in tonnage, speed and
accommodation. They were over three hundred feet in length, of two
thousand tons burden, and had a speed of fifteen knots. Of these
the Munster, Connaught, and Ulster were built by Laird of
Birkenhead, while the Leinster was built in London by Samuda.
These boats were most elaborately and comfortably fitted up, and
many people of my age, who were in the habit of travelling
constantly to Ireland, retain a feeling of almost personal
affection for those old paddle-wheel mailboats which carried them
so often in safety across St. George's Channel. It is possible
that this feeling may be stronger in those who, like myself, are
unaffected by sea-sickness. I think that we all took a pride in
the finest Channel steamers then afloat, and, as a child, I was
always conscious of a little added dignity and an extra ray of