The Letter Bag Of “The Great Western” Or, Life In A Steamer 1840 Book - First Edition, An interesting 323 page book of light hearted letters written mostly on or after travelling by this early trans-Atlantic Liner, in all being an interesting account regarding ocean steamship travel at this time. In original cloth boards with gold tooled illustration of The Great Western” steamship on the front cover, size 5” × 8¼”. SS Great Western of 1838, was an oak-hulled paddle-wheel steamship, the first steamship purpose-built for crossing the Atlantic, and the initial unit of the Great Western Steamship Company. She was the largest passenger ship in the world then constructed. Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The ship proved successful and worked to New York for 8 years.