After the Grecian and the Italian had made two or three voyages to Alexandria, they sent us an order for three more vessels.

By our advice, they were made twenty feet longer than the previous ones, though of no greater beam; in other respects, they were almost identical.

This was too much for "Jack." "What!" he exclaimed, "more Bibby's coffins ?" Yes, more and more; and in the course of time, most shipowners followed our example.
To a young firm, a repetition of orders like these was a great advantage,--not only because of the novel design of the ships, but also because of their constructive details.

We did our best to fit up the Egyptian, Dalmatian, and Arabian, as first-rate vessels.

Those engaged in the Mediterranean trade finding them to be serious rivals, partly because of the great cargos which they carried, but principally from the regularity with which they made their voyages with such surprisingly small consumption of coal.