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'PS Sirius', British School, 19th Century

Oil on canvas, 61cm x 91.5cm

Inscribed:

'Steam-vessel Sirius, Lieutenant Richd. Roberts; R.N. off New York. The first British Steam-Vessel that ever crossed the Atlantic: performed her Voyage from Cork in 18 days!!'

The commemorative nature of this picture is underlined by the size and comprehensiveness of the inscription. It also concisely summarises the subject depicted.

The paddle steamer 'Sirius' is shown in central port profile under steam and sail arriving off New York. The vessel flies the Stars and Stripes from her foremast and the English national flag with the red cross of St George on the main mast. The figurehead of a dog and 6-pointed star is a reminder of her more common name, the dog-star. Two schooners of the New York pilot service are depicted to the left and right of the vessel. They fly a blue and white flag and the Stars and Stripes respectively. The Battery at the southern tip of Manhattan can be seen in the distance on the left hand side of the picture.

'Sirius' was built in 1838 by Robert Menzies and Co. of Leith for the St George's Steam Packet Company of Cork for their service to London. She was chartered by the British and American Steam Navigation Company. Their own vessel, 'British Queen', had been delayed in completion at the height of the race to make the first westbound crossing of the Atlantic under steam. She arrived in New York only hours before her rival 'Great Western', having burned her cabin furniture and every available piece of timber to maintain steam. She made one further transatlantic crossing before returning to her intended career. She was wrecked near Youghal, north of Cork, in January 1847.