THE DAMAGE TO THE GREAT EASTERN.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume I, Issue 32, 6 February 1862, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE DAMAGE TO THE GREAT EASTERN.

A close examination of the ship has resulted in the discovery that she lias received more external injuries than was at first known. The rudder post as has been already stated, is completely broken. At the part where it snapped the metal is eighteen inches in diameter. In order to repair this it will be necessary to unship the rudder, which will be work of no small difficulty, not only on account of its great weight, but owing to the manner in which it is held in position. The rudder and post weigh twenty tons, the framework is of iron, but the centre is filled up with timber. The foot or spindle of the rudder works in a hole in the “ heel piece” of the ship, and an enormous iron brace holds the post of the rudder to the ship, and admits of its moving with the action of the tiller. This iron band is formed of four-inch iron plates, two feet six inches wide, and is bolted through and through the ship by enormous iron bolts. This must, of course, be removed before the rudder can be unshipped for repairs. In addition, however, to the breaking of the rudder post, it has been found that the sternpost of the ship has given way. This is a mass of iron, weighing upwards of sis tons. It is an upright column immediatclv behind the screw, one end resting on and securing the heel piece, and the other attached to the stern of the ship. This is formed of plates of iron two or three inches thick, and was secured to the heel piece by an enormous iron bolt. It was urged by many scientific men that the screw shaft ought to have had a bearing in this sternpost, and that, if such had been the case the screw would not have failed as it did in the voyage from America last year. Had the screw been provided with this bearing, and the accident happened, as it has done to the sternpost, it is probable that the machinery would have been so far deranged that the screw would have been unable to work, and the great ship might not have been able to reach a port so quickly as it did after its paddles were rendered xiseless. The effect of this fracture of the sternpost might have been much more disastrous than it was for the heel-piece having nothing to secure it beyond the bolts or rivets which held it to the ship’s bottom, might have been torn away by the pressure against the water, as the stern of the ship rose, and in that case would in all probability have taken with it a number of the iron plates of the hull, and thus caused a leak which it would have been hopeless to attempt to stop. It is fortunate that this piece did not sink even a few inches ; had it done so, the spindle would have had no place to work in, and the rudder would have been held to the ship only by the iron clamp romid the post. In such a state of things its movements would have been most dangerous. A mass of non, of some tons weight, supported only by a band in the centre, which, had it remained attached to the ship, would have flapped about with immense force, delivering giant blows on the ship, or smashing the blades of the screw, rendering it powerless. Had the violent action of the rudder continued for any length of time, it would have lorn away the iron plates and framing, for the iron band which, held it to the hull was of such, strength that it could only have been forcibly removed by bringing with it portions of the ship itself. The heel-piece, which was dependent to so great an extent for its security upon the strength of the sternpost, weighs about ten tons. It is four feet in width, and is constructed of very thick iron plates. Tho paddle-wheels will require to be reconstructed. The cost of repairing the damage externally will, it is estimated, be about £IO,OOO, Tho ship has been taken to Milford for the purpose of having tho necessary repairs.— Observer, 13th October.