Description and History of the Great Eastern

At the time of her launch in 1858, the iron steam ship "Great Eastern" was the largest ship ever built. It would take more than forty years until her length of nearly 700 feet and tonnage of 22.550 tons were beaten by another ship. She had been designed by the famous engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel and became known all over the world for her modern look. Commercially, the "Great Eastern" was a disappointment. A series of accidents, starting with an explosion during her maiden voyage, ended her short career as passenger liner between Britain and the United States. In the second half of the 1860s she was transformed into a cable-laying ship and placed transatlantic telegraph cables for several years. Afterwards, the "Great Eastern" became a floating music hall and advertising space in Liverpool before she was broken up in 1889.§"This little book, descriptive of the wonder of the world and of the deep The Great Eastern , contains many things new, but is in great part compiled from preceding treatises on the Great Ship . It is hoped that it may serve as a guide to those who visit her, and interest those who cannot avail themselves of a personal inspection. It is sure to be valuable as a reliable source of reference for the time to come."§Reprint of the original edition from 1861.