SS Great Eastern was an iron sailing steamship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and built by J. Scott Russell and Co. at Millwall Iron Works on the River Thames, London. She was by far the largest ship ever built at the time of her 1858 launch, and had the capacity to carry 4, 000 passengers from England to Australia without refuelling. Her length of 211 metres (m) was only surpassed in 1899 by the 215 m 17, 274-gross-ton RMS Oceanic, her gross tonnage of 18, 915 was only surpassed in 1901 by the 214 m 21, 035-gross-ton RMS Celtic, and her 4, 000-passenger capacity was surpassed in 1913 by the 4, 935-passenger SS Imperator. The ship's five funnels were rare and were later reduced to four. The vessel also had the largest set of paddle wheels. From the book 'The life of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, civil engineer', by Isambard Brunel. Published in London by Longmans, Green in 1870. |