THE GREAT EASTERN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XII, Issue 731, 9 November 1859, Page 5

THE GREAT EASTERN.

; (from the.' Times,' August 9.) j- Tho completion of this magnificent vessel was ! formally celebrated yesterday at a banquet on board the ship, which was honoured by the presence of • many of the members of both Houses and some of r the most distinguished engineers and scientific men = in tho kingdom. During the short interval which has elapsed since our last notice" of this noble vessel, tl 10 work of her completion has progressed with I giant strides, and it is only doing bare justice to I j\[r. Scott Russell's exertions to say that no other | man hi the kingdom could have fitted the vessel in ; tho same time, and there were not a few who believed that the task would prove too much even for

I his energy. Three weeks or so ago and only one joy two of the six masts were fixed, the bulwarks | had not been quite completed, the hull wanted painting, the decks were piled with indescribable lumber of all kinds, while the labyrinth of cabins and saloons below seemed only so many dirty storehouses for unfinished joinery. Yesterday the scene on board was the reverse of all this, and such progress has been made that the ship now looks as she will look when proceeding to sea,'and as she ought to look to keep pace with her reputation as the finest specimen of naval architecture that ever floated. The deck has been planed and scrubbed to a man-of-war whiteness, and. not even a stray rope's end breaks the wonderful effect produced by its immense expanse. Her fleet of small boats (that •is to say, about the size of sailing cutters), hang at the davits, ten on each side. The whole vessel has been painted, the saloons are finished, the cabins decorated, and even furnished. The masts are fixed and rigged with the exception of the yards, which will be sent up in a day or two. The three centre square-rigged masts are of iron. They were made by Mr. Finch, of Chepstow, and are the finest specimens of masts of the.kind that were';ever manufactured. Each is made of hollow wrought iron in eight feet, lengths, strengthened' inside by diaphragms of the same material.' Between the joints, as they were bolted -together, was placed a pad of vulcanized indiarubber, which gives a spring and buoyancy to the whole spar greater than wood, while at the same-time retaining all the strength of the iron. The breaking strain of the six shrouds to each of these masts is over 300 tons,' which gives' ample security for the masts being properly supported, as the weight of each is only 22: tons. On the. deck are four small steam winches or engines, ■each of which works a pair of cranes on both sides of the vessel. Anything more simple or more perfect than the double mechanism by which these are made to work at both sides can hardly be conceived, and the value of the invention may be estimated •when we say that with these four: double cranes I alone 5000 tons of coals can be hoisted into the; vessel in twenty four hours. Thus, the grave ob-; jections of those who speculated on the loss f of time required to coal the great ship are; -entirely done.away with. . The chief saloons—all save one—have only been fitted to a certain extent in a temporary, manner. The fittings are exceedingly handsome and substantial, but the decorations of the huge iron* walls and girders have been .reserved until after her first trip, and now are only •painted of a plain white. The absence of elaborate decoration in them, however, is amply compensated in the chief saloon, which has been finished to show the superb stylein which the whole will be decorated j when the Great Eastern begins running to the East. On this saloon, Mr. Crape has lavished his utmost efforts, and the result is a combination of taste and richness to an extent which is really astonishing.; Whether the fine traceries of gold and colour are .examined in detail, or whether one chooses to judge hy the tone and effect of the whole apartment, the .decision is equally favorable, and this saloon" is not only the finest and richest of;any that has yet been; attempted, but is likely to remain for many'years; the standard by which all other cabins of the kind ;will be judged. It is said that the mirrors, gilding, •carpeting, and silk curtains for this apartment alone cost £3000. In the berths, of co! attempt is made at costly decoration of this kind, though the'fittings'are good and sufficiently luxu-; rious. . The berths are arranged in three classes—those for parties of six or eight, and these are large rooms —those for parties of four, and the rest in the usual style of double cabins. All are very' ■feomy as cabins go—very lofty, well lit, and those on the outer side .exceedingly well ventilated. On ihe lower deck the berths are even larger, loftier, and more commodious than those in the upper. Both the berths and .saloons here are, in- fact, almost unnecessarily'high, having nearly fifteen., feet in the clear. The kitchens, pantries, and sculleries are all on the same extensive scale, and fitted with all the large culinary requisites of firstclass hotels. The ice-house holds upwards of 100 tons of ice, and the lofty wine vaults—for such, in fact, they are —already contain wine enough to form a good freight for ao Oporto trader. : But it was not to see the vessel only that some? 300 or 400 visitors were on board yesterday. The great feature of the day was the trial of both screw: and paddle engines" for the first time. It is quite; impossible by mere verbal description to convey an adequate idea of the colossal proportions of both these sets of engines—the former by Boulton and Watt, the latter by Mr. Scott Russell The paddle engines consist of-four oscillating cylinders, of 74 inches diameter and 14 feet stroke; each pair of cylinders, with its-crank, condenser, and air-pump,: forms in itself a complete and- separate engine, capable of easy disconnection from the other three, so that the Wioleis a combination of four engines. A. friction clutch connecting the two cranks is the moans by which the engines are connected or disconnected. All the sets of engines, both screw,; paddle, and auxiliary, are provided with governors, expansion and throttle valves. The paddle engineswork up to an indicated power of 3000 horses of 33,000 lbs, when working 11 strokes per minute with steam in the boiler at 15 lbs., the expansion valve cutting off at one-third of the stroke. All the parts, however, are so constructed that they will work smoothly at eight strokes per minuteat 25 lb. without expansion (beyond what is unavoidiiijr fetal iii tlie «lides) r or. at 16 strokes per Minute with the expansion valve cutting oft; at. onequarter of the stroke. Under the latter circum.staaceG the paddle engines alone would give an indicated powpr of 5000 horses. The boilers are immensely strong, and have been tested to double the pressure they are required to bear. Their -.weight, including donkey engine> pumps, funnels, ,&c, is 210 tons, And they are capable of containing .156 tons of water. Each set has about 8000 square feet of tube surface, exclusive of flue or'furnace, and abput 400 square feet of fire-bar surface. Each is equal to supply freely with moderate firing steam for an indicator of 1800-horse power when working with 15 lb., but with full firing can supply an in.dicator of 2500,-horse power, The fireplaces and ashpits are fitted so as to be well adapted for tho ,use of anthracite coal. , '"..

The screw engines are constructed on'the samo improved principles. They have four cylinders of .84 inches "diameter and 4, feet stroke. The cylinders are capable .of b.eing wonted together or separately. AVhen .working 45 strokes a minute^ with 'fteam on at 15 lb. and cutting off at one-third of ■the stroke, these engines givo an indicated powey of d.,40Q horse 3, but at 55 stroke's fi ihinute,;-steain

on at 25 lbs., and cutting off at ono-quarter of this stroke, the power will reach to 0,500 horses. Thus the united dJtbrts of both 'screw and paddle engines will drive tho immense vossel. through the water with a power of no less than 12,000 horses. What fleetcould stimd in the way of such a mass, weighing some 30,000 tons, and driven .through the water by 12,000-hbrse power at tho rate of twentytwo oi1 twenty-three miles an hqur P The screw engine boilers are,in three distinct "sets. Their weight is 362 tons, and.■their capacity for water 270 tons; The probable consumption of coal when both engines are at full work will average 250 tons per day. Tho cellular compartments at the bottom of tho ship will bo used for pumping water into instead of ballast, and as the webs subdividing these are made perfectly water-tight, any one or any number can be filled at pleasure. Steam was got up in the paddlo engines at halfpast one. At that time all the visitors, were on board, and the engine room and hatches, in spite of the heat, were crowded with eager lookers-on.

The first movement of tho gigantic cranks and cylinders of the paddle engines was made precisely at half-past one, when the great masses slowly rose and fell as noiselessly as the' engines of a Greenwich boat, but exerting in their great revolutions what seemed to be an almost irresistible power. There was no noise, no vibration, nor the slightest sign of heating, and the tremendous frame of ironwork sprang at once into life and motion with as much ease as if every rod and crank had been worked for the last ten years. The steam in the boilers was about 21 lbs., but, as a matter of course, the engines were turned but slowly, never, exceeding six revolutions per minute. Even with this slow motion, and the slight immersion of the paddle-floats the effect of the enormous power was at once visible upon the ship. The great mooring chains astern, wera tightened to the utmost, and it seemed as if Trotman's anchors themselves would yield under the strain. Fortunately, however, these held fast, and the screw engines were got into motion, working the ship astern, so as to counteract the effect of the paddles. These latter. engines worked with the same marvellous ease and freedom ; there was no noise, no sign of hot bearings, and the result was considered by all the engineers on- board to be satisfactory in the very highest degree, and far beyond what could have been expected. When the engines had been tested to the utmost to which they could be tried with a vessel at her moorings, all. the visitors adjourned to. the saloons, where a magnificent cold collation had been laid out by Mr, Quartermaine. This, in spite of the rather pungent atmosphere which had been evoked from the Thames by the movement of the screw and paddles, soon received ample justice, and at its conclusion Mr. J. R. Campbell, the managing director of the company, and who, from the time the first idea of the ship was started, eight years ago, has worked untiringly to carry it out to its present completion, gave the usual loyal and patriotic toasts with much force and humour. These were' drunk with the utmost enthusiam, and duly responded to,' that of the navy by. Shy Charles Napier, and of the army ,by, General Bulkely.

Lord Stanley, in proposing the toast of the day, said—l am afraid, gentlemen, that to a very large number of those whom I attempt to address I shall,* of necessity, be altogether inaudible; but- I now rise to take upon myself a task which, imposed as it is upon me by those who.have a right' to claim my humble services, I do not feel myself at liberty to decline, and which I undertake upon the present occasion with more than common pleasure. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, I think we who meet here to-day will all agree that we ought not to part without expressing that which I-know we all of us think and feel with regard to the magnificent vessel which we have been permitted this day to inspect, and the great undertaking which that vessel has been con-. structed to carry out; and of the energy and perseverance of those by whom that undertaking has been carried to its present point of success. (Cheers.), You have all heard or read what the Great Eastern has been built to do, and what are the peculiar qualifications which she possesses for doing that work. You are aware that she is calculated, according to the reckoning of her projectors, to make ; the passage from England to Calcutta in 33 days. ■ We know that she is intended to carry her coals . both for the outward and the homeward voyage, so as to save that enormous time and expense which.; at present arise, of necessity, for establishing coal depots in distant parts of the world. You know that she is calculated to-carry a population of m ot much less than 10,000, including her erew —a population so large* that I almost wonder the com-; pany have not applied to the House of Commons' to have the Great Eastern included in "the new. Reform Bill, in the list of Parliamentary boroughsfor the new schedule. (Laughter.) You are aware of the circumstances under which this great enter- ■[ prise has been undertaken. You know that if that ■ enterprise shall succeed—and we all know that; nothing has been left undone to insure its success; that can be effected by inventive genius, by mechanical skill, and by steady perseverance through; unexampled difficulties—you know, I say, that if; this experiment succeeds —and far be it from me, speaking in this room, to anticipate any other result; —(cheers) —it will constitute one of the most remarkable experiments of the time in which we live. It will achieve great results for conimeree and' for civilization. It will have reduced by one-half the distance in point of time which now divides continents and nations, which nature has separated byintervening oceans, but which'science and trade are as it were, tending, in despite of nature, to unite. (Cheers.) You know, that if this grand experiment; succeeds, it will be a greater step; a greater progress; in the art of shipbuilding, than has ever been accomplished in one generation, from the day when' man first began to traverse the sea. You know; that if,the experiment suceeds it will render the: passage over the stormy ocean to remote countries1, as easy and as free from discomfort to the landsman,! and even to the landswoman —(a- laugh)—as the1 ordinary railway train is at present.^ (Cheers.); You know, also, that the experiment, if it succeeds, will stimulate and develop trade to an almost incalculable extent; that it will enable this country, if unhappily the occasion should again arise, to pouir into our great empire of the East reinforcements and aid with a rapidity equal to that of the overland line, and by a' route .which England'has; always claimed as her own peculiar highway, and over which no foreign potentate can exercise control. (Cheers.) I would say also, that the success of this undertaking, .will—l do not' say tend to, solve that great political problem of our time which is known as the Eastern question—but at least that it will render the solution of that problem a question of far less practical importance to England than it is at present. (Cheers.) Because it is well recognized and understood, by any English statesman that the principal interest—l do not say the sole interest, but by far the principal interest—which England has in Egypt and the countries immediately adjoining Egypt, arises from the necessity of possessing, at all times and uqdor all oh-oums'tances, an uninterrupted and rapid com T munication with the British possessions in India. That communication it is now proposed to supply with greater independence find with equal rapidity by a new lino, and, so far, it is hardly too much to say that you will have for all practical purposes superseded t.he overland route.' (Cheers.)' I need say no more with respect to this undertaking, but 1 may be permitted before I sib down and before 1 give you the toast which! intend to propose, which is <( Prosperity to the Great, Eastern "—(cheers.) I may be, I say, permitted fov ah instant to advert to, the nain.3 of a gentleman who. is at the head o,t

' this undertaking. ■ We are well aware that the : enterprise which has now so nearly reached its completion was not attended tkrouj^htjUfc with unbroken prosperity and 'success. There was a • tiino of ■ dilliculty, n time of d^potitloncy—a limo when success seem oil doubtful and failure more than probable—and. at that time Mr. Campbell and his colleagues came forward. , They brought their commercial knowledge to bear, their knowledge of the requirements of Indian and of English commerce, and they undertook to insure the commercial success of the work, provided i mechanical success was assured (cheers); and they induced the capitalists of the country to place faith in their exertions, and the result is that which you now see around you to-day. (Loud ; cheers.) I bog to propose, and I think we should ; give it -with all honours^ " Prosperity to the Great Eastern," ami with (that, toast I shall couple the name of Mr. Campbell and the directors. Mr. Campbell acknowledged the toast, and pointed out that if the great ship had been completed two years ago, hundreds of lives and literally millions of treasure would have' been spared in the late mutiny in India. He said, speaking of the Great Eastern acting as a kind of railway between this country and India, that it appeared to be a kind of law that great discoveries were made just at the critical moment when the machinery of the world could not run smoothly without tliem. When they considered that the trade of. the East represented the wants of nearly half the human race, and was even then of the annual value of £50,000,000 sterling, it was not an exaggeration to say that, with the expansion which must take place through railways, colonisation, and the entire break up of all kinds of checks to commerce, the great ship has been discovered just when she became a necessity. (Loud cheers.)

Mr. Jackson, M.P., having also responded, as one of the directors,' the healths of Mr v Brunei and My. Scott Russell, the engineer and builder of the ship,' were next given. -

Mr. Scott Russell responded on the part of "both, regretting the absence of Mr. Brunei, ■expressing his own share in the construction of the great ship, and bearing high testimony to the share of his col-, league as the originator of the great idea. These toasts concluded the proceedings of the day, and shortly afterwards the assembly broke np. Much still remains to be done in the way of last touches to, the internal fitings and decorations. It is, however, confidently stated that the Great Eastern will be ready to leave the rivpr on lier trial trip by the 20th or 25th of this month, and on her return early in September will commence her proper commercial career, which it may be hoped will be Jong and prosperous.