(BRUNEL, I.K.) [YATES, John] Some account of the largest steam ship in the world, belonging to the Eastern Steam Navigation Company, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Esq., Ship and paddle engines building by Messrs. John Scott, Russell, & Co., at Millwall, Poplar, and the screw engines by Messrs. James Watt & Co., at Birmingham. (London) (16th April) 1855
8vo. 24pp. Disbound. Stamp of The Law Society on title-page. I.K.Brunel's final masterpiece, the extraordinary ship, "The Great Eastern", captured the imagination of the 19th century world. Built by Scott Russell at Millwall on the Thames from 1854 and launched in early 1858, she was made of iron, powered by steam and steered by a unique combination of paddle and screw. By far the largest ship then built she was to remain unsurpassed in size for another fifty years.This rare pamphlet was issued by the Eastern Steam Navigation Co. to commemorate the visit to Queen Victoria of the Emperor Louis Napoleon III. It appeared when the longitudinal and transverse bulkheads of the central portion of the ship had been completed. Compiled by John Yates, secretary of the ESN Co., it contains extracts of a report made by the directors to the proprietors in August 1853, including their reasons for opening up new long-distance trading routes to India and Australia. However, it also contains a long report by Brunel himself, dated 5th February 1855, in which he describes in considerable detail the design of the Great Eastern and touching for the first time on his innovative method of launching her.
£250
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