SS President was a British passenger liner that was the largest ship in the world when she was commissioned in 1840,[1][2] and the first steamship to founder on the transatlantic run when she was lost at sea with all 136 on board in March 1841.

To avoid litigation, changes were made to her paddle wheels after her second round trip that further complicated her lack of power, especially in rough weather.

[4] British and American recognized from the beginning that frequent sailings were required and that the line needed a fleet of steamers for its new transatlantic service.

The corridor aft to the regular staterooms was a picture gallery, with ten oil paintings depicting scenes about Christopher Columbus.

President was top-heavy and rolled excessively because she was constructed with a third deck on top of a hull with almost the same waterline dimensions as British Queen.

British American failed to secure the rights to use the patented design and removed the feathering paddles before President left on her first 1841 voyage in order to avoid litigation.

[5] Under the command of Robert J. Fayrer,[6] President left the Mersey with few passengers because both Great Western and Cunard's Acadia sailed the previous week.

[1] Departing Liverpool in February, under Captain Richard Roberts, President's third westbound voyage to New York lasted 21 days.

President encountered a gale and was seen on her second day out labouring in heavy seas in the dangerous area between Nantucket Shoals and Georges Bank.

George Grimston Cookman, who had served as Chaplain of the Senate, and the popular Irish comic actor Tyrone Power, who was the great-grandfather of the film star of the same name.

Cole of the Packet Ship Orpheus, stated that when he last saw the President she was rising on the top of a tremendous sea pitching heavily and laboring tremendously___She was then situated in that dangerous part of the Atlantic Ocean about midway between the Nantucket Shoal and the St. George's Bank, just where the Gulf Stream strikes soundings, and where the waves rise about straight up and down & as high as a four or five story house___And further that it was his belief that the President did not survive the gale, but foundered with all on board and that all perished before sundown on the 13th or in less than twenty four hours after he last saw her, most probably in the terrible night of March 12th 1841."