The Great Eastern Railway Companys steamer Avalon, 1864. The first of a fleet of steam-boats, which Messrs. Dudgeon, of Cubitt Town, Blackwall, are building for the Great Eastern Railway Company, to convey their traffic between the ports of Harwich and Rotterdam...Her trial-trip...was most satisfactory, as she attained a speed of fourteen knots, or seventeen statute miles, an hour. She is a paddle-wheel steamer, with no particular novelty in her construction or machinery...It should be observed that she is built for mails, passengers, and passengers luggage only...The dimensions of the Avalon are: 245 ft. over all, 230 ft. on the water-line, 27 ft. beam, and 12-8 ft. depth of hold. The engines are oscillating, of 200-horse power, nominal, and capable of working separately in case of a break down. Messrs. Dudgeon are the makers both of ship and engines. From "Illustrated London News", 1864.