The above is from the on-line searchable collection of the British National Maritime Museum, a great trove of things shippy that I came across this morning:

Samuel Cunard founded the British and North American Steam Packet Company in 1839 mainly to carry the Royal Mail to Canada and the USA. His first vessel, the paddle steamer Britannia, was launched in the following year. During the winter of 1844 the ship became ice-bound in Boston. Although passengers could be delayed, it was important that the mail left on time. So a channel was cut in the ice seven miles long and 100 feet wide. On 3 February Britannia left her dock at East Boston for Liverpool as usual.

The volume of digitized historical material is one of the real achievements of the internet. If you want to just look at things shipbuildery you can. I started at the BBC site with the photo below to the left of the lauch on the Queen Mary, moved on to the stovepipes of Brunel and the boys and ended up finding myself absolutely lusting after the flag of the Associated Portland Cement Company. Is that so wrong? Well, maybe I don't to be right.