The Paddle Steamer, RMS ‘Britannia’, 1840 Postcard

The image here is of the paddle steamer, RMS ‘Britannia’. This was Cunard’s first liner; built by Duncan and Company of Glasgow. She was launched and commenced her maiden voyage on the trans-Atlantic run in 1840, sailing from Liverpool to Halifax NS and on to Boston. On the maiden return run from Halifax to Liverpool she set a new eastbound record, taking just under ten days to complete the voyage. Later, in 1847, she took part in a trans-Atlantic race with US ship, ‘Washington’; the ‘Britannia’ won by two days. One of the ship’s celebrity passengers was Charles Dickens who sailed on her to Boston in 1842. He wasn’t impressed, liking parts of the ship to a funeral parlour. The ship was sold on to the German Navy in 1849 and was flagship during the Battle of Heligoland. Sold on again in 1852 to the Prussian Navy to serve as a troop ship, she came to an undignified end in July 1880 where she was designated to be a target ship, and was duly sunk. The image is from an engraving by E. Duncan, year unknown, but is based on the 1840 painting by W.J. Huggins.