Brightly colored lithograph of a three-quarter view of the bow and port-side of 'The Great Eastern' between two traditional sailing vessels. Hanging at the top of the broadside are five lifeboats, and the boat is equipped with masts and sails in addition to smokestacks and a paddlewheel. The 'Great Eastern' was an iron sailing steam ship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and built by J. Scott Russell & Co. at Millwall 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 refueling.
