Although the BRITISH QUEEN had proved an entire success, and was a great favourite with transatlantic travellers, her owners resolved to build a second ship, which would not only exceed her in size, but which should also include all the latest improvements the art of naval construction could then command. This was the famous GREAT BRITAIN. She was the first Western Ocean steamship constructed of iron, and the first and only one for several years that was propelled by a screw propeller instead of paddle-wheels. She was considered a colossal steamer in her time, and excited quite as much public interest as did the GREAT EASTERN at a later period. Her principal dimensions were, length of keel 289 feet, between perpendiculars 296 feet, over all 322 feet, her breadth was 51 feet, depth of hold 32 feet 6 inches, her measurement 2,984 tons, and her engines 1,000 h.p. She originally carried six masts, two of which were forward and four aft of the funnel. She was built at Bristol, from plans furnished by Mr. Patterson of that City, who also had designed the GREAT WESTERN. Her engines and boilers were constructed in, and fitted on board the vessel at, the Company’s own works, as no outside engineers would undertake the contract. But, owing to an extraordinary oversight on the part of the consulting Engineer, it was then found that she was imprisoned in the dock, being so deeply immersed by the weight of her machinery as to be unable to pass out. Although she was launched on the 19th July, 1843, owing to the above unfortunate mistake, she was not ready for sea until December of the following year. On her passage from Bristol to London she encountered a severe storm which thoroughly tested her seagoing qualities, and through which she passed triumphantly. Her arrival in the Thames was awaited with great interest by the public, whose curiosity had been excited by the numerous references to the vessel published in the daily and illustrated papers. A long and interesting account of this trial voyage, from which the following particulars are taken, was published in the “Illustrated London News,” under date of the 1st February, 1845. From this article it appears that the GREAT BRITAIN left Bristol for London at 7 p.m. on Thursday, 23rd January, 1845. At the time the ship got under weigh, it was blowing a fresh breeze from the S.S.W., which at 3 a.m. on Friday had veered to the N.W. and increased to a gale, and there was a counter swell from the Irish Channel, causing a disagreeable and heavy cross sea. The gale continued to increase, and was for a considerable time on her starboard bow; yet, notwithstanding this, in the face of the gale, and a heavy head sea with a strong ebb tide, she made five and a half knots per hour. At twenty minutes past twelve, when about fifteen miles to the westward of Lundy, she was struck on the starboard bow by a tremendous sea, which must have contained two or three thousand tons of water.