It had been reported in the Engineer that Messrs. John I. Thornycroft and Co., of Church Wharf, Chiswick, were building two small boats (length, 30 ft.; beam 5 ft. 6 in.; draught, 14 in.), which were intended to attain a speed under steam of 10 miles per hour. Since then one of these boats - the Cygnet, built for Sir R. Palmer had reached an average speed of 11.24 miles per hour and had more than justified his confidence in their builder.