Captain Richard Roberts was the captain of the SS President

SS President

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

 when she lost on her journey from the United States of America to the United Kingdom in March 1841. He had entered the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 in his youth and served with them until he gained the rank of Lieutenant. He followed this with the command of the SS Sirius

SS Sirius (1837)

The Sirius was a side-wheel wooden-hulled steamship built in 1837 for the London-Cork route operated by the St George Steam Packet Company. The next year, she opened transatlantic steam passenger service when she was chartered for two voyages by the British and American Steam Navigation Company...

. The first steam ship to cross between the UK and America.