During the early part of her voyage westwards, the SIRIUS experienced strong head winds, during which she only steamed 4 to 5 knots per hour. During the latter portion, the weather was favourable, and she made good progress, averaging 9½ knots. She sailed from New York as advertised on the 1st of May, and reached England on the 18th idem after a voyage of sixteen days. The GREAT WESTERN left New York on the 7th of May and arrived at Bristol on the 22nd, being fourteen days on the passage. There was a remarkable difference in her consumption of coal on the two voyages, accounted for, probably, first by the stormy weather referred to as experienced by the SIRIUS on her outward voyage, and secondly by the prevailing westerly winds on the homeward run. On the voyage Bristol to New York, the GREAT WESTERN averaged per day 208 knots, or 8·2 knots per hour, with a total consumption of 655 tons of coal. On her homeward voyage she averaged 213 knots per day, or nearly 9 knots per hour, with a total consumption of only 392 tons of coal. Fuller details of the SIRIUS will be found in the History of the Cork Steamship Co. in Part II. of this work. It is but fair to state that she was only half the size, and had only half the power of her famous rival. The principal dimensions of the two vessels were as follows:— Gross Length. Breadth. Depth. Tonnage. Engines. GREAT WESTERN 236 ft. 35·4 ft. 23·3 ft. 1340 750 h.p. SIRIUS 178 ft. 25·6 ft. 18 ft. 703 320 h.p. They were both paddle-steamers, built of wood, the former designed by Brunel, and engined by Maudsley, Sons & Field, and the latter built by Menzies, of Leith, and engined by Wingate & Co., of Glasgow. For upwards of eight years the GREAT WESTERN continued to sail regularly between Bristol and New York, on which station she was very popular with passengers. She was sold in 1847 to the Royal Mail Steampacket Co., in which service she was also a favourite for several years. In 1857 it was the opinion of the Directors that she could not compete profitably with modern boats, and she was therefore broken up at Vauxhall.