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Mark: I got interested in this incident and did a little more looking and it appears that the "136 passengers" is likely an error. An article in the "Daily National Intelligencer" (Washington, DC) 25 May 1841 [issue 8820; col C] states that the "New York Sun publishes a complete and accurate list of the passengers, twenty-eight in number, whose names we subjoin. Besides these, the officers and crew amounted to 81 in number, making together 109 souls..." A list of passengers appears so I can pass it on to you if you wish. I also learned that the agents for the owners, British and American Steam Navigation Company, was Wadsworth & Smith. Shortly after the loss of SS President, the owners filed for bankruptcy and I believe went out of business. There was an official inquiry held at the British Consulate in New York and details were published in the newspapers. I do not know if an inquiry was held Great Britain. Basically, they were unable to pin down what really happened although a very severe storm occurred at the time so likely that is what caused the ship to sink. A representative of Lloyd's was present at the hearing so they were the insurers, I presume. There are a couple of websites with some basic info and one does have an image of the ship (drawing? etching?). These sites also claim 136 "passengers" lost but it seems as though the period accounts are more likely correct. The story is fascinating and a good writer with some imagination could probably make it into a very interesting historical novel. Rick
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