Which is it?
Full speed ahead
Full steam ahead

Yes.

This question reminds me of the famous quotation of my great-great grandfather, the Confederate Colonel Beauregard Claxon Sanders, who never retreated. Rather, he used the command, "To the rear, charge!"

When we fought the Yankees and the issue still was in doubt,
Who suggested the retreat that turned it into a rout?
It was Jubilation T. Cornpone.....
From the movie L'il Abner

Interesting chart, Goofy. It seems "speed" was used first, or most often, early on since the usage was related to sailing. Apparently the "steam" began once the engines came on line.

Google has 71,300,000 for "full speed ahead," and 6,550,000 for "full steam ahead." That surprises me because I've more often heard it as "full steam ahead."

What about "Damn the torpedoes..." http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/damn_the_torpedoes

I said, "more often."