The text of M. J. A. Normand's paper 'The problem of speed.' read at the 1895 meeting of the Maritime Technical Association. In his conclusion of his paper on the torpedo boat Normand stated, "no other class of ship has contributed so much to the progress of naval construction. Nothing is more true, and in the light which torpedo boats have thrown on the theories of resistance and propulsion, they have taught the most valuable lessons on steam engine design."