JF Ptak Science Books Quick Post
This is just a very quick posting of an interesting bit of data that I stumbled across while looking for William Ferrel’s tide predicting machine in the May 3, 1902 issue of Scientific American. I should say it it an unusual piece of info, showing the lengths of trans-oceanic ships and utilizing their plan to locate it on the graph: 
One thing is for certain: the Great Eastern was a beast–the Titanic would be 192′ longer than this, and the QEII and USS Enterprise another 300′ longer than that.
The designer of the Great Eastern, Isambard Kingdon Brunel, was pictured against the very impressive launching chains of the ship, seen here in this iconic photograph by Robert Howlett in 1857. (Howlett tragically died at a very young 27 just at the beginning of a brilliant and innovating career.)
