The British paddle steamer, the 'Great Western,' labors under steam and sail in high seas as she crosses the Atlantic. Her rudder is exposed as a wave pushes the steamer to heavily lean on her starboard broadside. Many people on deck brave the rough condition, and the tiny figures appear terrifyingly close to the crashing wave, evoking the danger and excitement of a transatlantic crossing. A vessel under sail is in the background on the right between waves.
