“All the capital had been expended, the public refused to advance any more money, and if the directors wished their ship to be anything but a helpless, unfinished carcase on the waters £300,000 more must be found to make her ready for sea. To the exertions of Mr. Campbell (the present chairman of the Board), and to Mr. William Jackson (the eminent and well-known contractor of Birkenhead), we believe is greatly owing the pleasant result of our being at length able to announce that the GREAT EASTERN is ready for sea. But one still more remarkable aid was forthcoming, and which we could hardly believe, only that we have it on the best authority—it was a subscription of no less than £50,000 of the supplementary capital, in sums of £1 to £5, by persons in the humblest ranks of life (domestic servants, costermongers, greengrocers and labourers)—who tendered their money avowedly without any expectation of profit, but solely that they might hear of the great ship, which they looked upon as the pride of England, being fairly afloat on the deep waters. Such a fact at once took the vessel out of the category of mere commercial undertakings, and more than anything else stimulated the brave men who were her projectors to renewed exertions for her ultimate completion.” (“Illustrated London News,” 13th August, 1859). The sum of £300,000 having been subscribed for the new undertaking, the directors had, after paying for the vessel, a surplus of £140,000 to complete her equipment and make her ready for sea. Her new owners took possession of her early in 1859, but it was not until September of that year that she was sufficiently complete to make her first trial trip. While on this trip, and when off Hastings, a shocking accident occurred, through the explosion of one of the funnel casings, causing the death of six men, injuring several others, and virtually wrecking the grand saloon. As no further damage was done to the hull or machinery, she proceeded to Portland, and the necessary repairs having been completed at an outlay of £5,000, she resumed her voyage to Holyhead on the 8th October. She started on her return trial trip from Holyhead to Southampton on the 2nd November, 1859, where she remained until the 17th June, 1860. The GREAT EASTERN was advertised to leave Southampton on her first voyage to New York on Saturday, 16th June, 1860, but, in consequence of bad weather on that date, the sailing was postponed until the following morning. She carried only 36 passengers, including several ladies, on this trip. The voyage across the Atlantic occupied eleven days. The greatest speed attained was 14½ knots per hour, and the greatest distance run by her in any one day was 333 miles. Immense crowds assembled to witness her arrival in New York Harbour, and she was welcomed with great enthusiasm. She passed the battery at 4-30 p.m. on the 28th June, 1860.