The Explosion on board the Great Eastern Steam Ship, off Hastings, on the 9th September, 1859. The 'Great Eastern' left the Thames on 7 September 1859. Two days later, when she was passing the south coast, a terrific explosion occurred, caused by an absence of safety valves for the paddle engine boilers. Six firemen were killed and the grand saloon and several cabins were wrecked. However, it is a testament to the solidity of the ship's construction that it survived the blast.

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