The Canal not only vastly shortened distances to the east … but also proved entirely unsuitable for sailing ships. The result was that steamers … were suddenly able to compete successfully with sail at Bombay, some 6,200 miles from Britain… . Furthermore, the peculiar advantage the Canal conferred on steamers suddenly introduced ordinary tramp steamers on a voyage twice the length of those they had previously engaged in. This extra distance increased the value of improved fuel efficiency and led to the near universal adoption of the energy efficient, but still expensive, compound engine.