Newspaper illustration of the Great Eastern ship entering New York Harbor, June 20, 1860

Photograph of a newspaper illustration of the Great Eastern, for many years the largest ship afloat, entering New York harbor on June 20, 1860. Also included is a cross-section diagram of the ship along the keel. The ship was outfitted with huge steam-driven paddle wheels as well as a full complement of sails. The ship is surrounded by dozens of small row boats, sail boats, and steam boats. Reads, "The Great Eastern now in the Harbor of New York".; Visible portion of the newspaper clipping reads: "'Great Eastern' Steamship' It was in the year 1854 that Mr. Isambard K. Brunel communicated to Mr. J. Scott Russell his plan for the construction of a monster ship for the Indian trade. The naval scheme met his approval. He thought well of it, and declared that he was ready to second the views of the eminent engineer in whose brain the scheme had been matured. Nor was his confidence misplaced. Of all living British engineers, Isambard Kingdom Brunel had the best claim to respect. He was the son of a French engineer, who, having left his country... ...illness prevented his accompanying the great ship down the Thames, he was duly made aware of her success; whether he ever heard of the explosion, and, if yes, whether he was properly acquainted with the evidence it supplied of the real strength of the ship we know not. On 16th September, at his residence, his overwrought brain avenged itself upon his body, and he died of paralysis. Only a year or two since he escaped a singular and inglorious death. He was playing with the child of a friend, and to amuse it was throwing sovereigns into his mouth, and pretending to make them disappear with the conjuror's cry of Presto. He threw one sovereign into his mouth with such force that it entered the gullet, and stuck there, edgewise, wholly closing the passage. Friends who were called were unable to remove it; and had the doctor, who was sent for, been delayed a few minutes later, the great engineer would have been a corpse when he arrived."