ARRIVAL OF THE GREAT BRITAIN STEAM-SHIP AT NEW YORK.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 69, 31 January 1846, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE GREAT BRITAIN STEAM-SHIP AT NEW YORK.

Boston, August , 15. — This monster vessel safely airived-ra the Bay of New Tork on the afternoon of Sunday, the 10th of August, after a-passage of fourteen days and twenty-one hours. -Thousands upon thousands of New Yorkers proceeded in continued streams towards every spot from which a view of her might 'be obtained. A regular New York August sun was pouring down alnaost intolerable heat, and the water gleamed Jike- molten silver. Amongst a fleet of small steamers and river crafts was the "big ship," a Triton amongst the minnows. She turned^as on a pivot, and slowly steamed over to Brooklyn and then passed gracefully below the Heights, wblcby together .with, the Gowanns shores, the masts of shipping, the tops of houses, and, indeed, every spot which commanded a view of 'the river, 'were crowded. She then went on • slowly to her wharf, At the foot of Clinton- st., where she was moored in safety. She.was heartily -welcomed, although there was no cheering,' the day forbade any demonstration of the kind In five minutes, Broadway was deserted ; young "and old, rich and poor, all flocked towards Atlantic Wharf, and the greatest difficulty was found in preserving older. A few accidents occurred, but none of a serious nature. Tfie ahip was gaily dressed with colours, which *treamed from each of her masts. The general impression amongst the Americans is, that she

is not. so large as they expected. To be sure, she is not so long as some of the North River boats, some of which are upwards of 350 feet in length, sixteen -of them going to a mile ; but they would not 4io for ocean steaming; and in point of breadth are far below the 'Great Britain. Her model is not greatly admired, and they call it clumsy. On the whole she has not made such a sensation as, perhaps, her proprietors expected, and is not considered here as a safe boat. People , in America will prefer the Boston steamers or the packet ships to her. Captain Hoskin informed me that nothing of importance occurred on the voyage out; the passengers all seemed pleased with the accommodations, and spoke in the very highest terms of Captain Hoskin, as a gentleman and a sailor. They remarked on the very slight vibratory motion in the Great Britain as compared with that produced by paddle-wheels, and seemed confident as to the ultimate success of the ship. On Monday notice was given that the 'Great Britain would be open to the.public at the rate of 25 cents a-head, and 12 J cents extra to- the engine room, so that she is being made a show ship' of here, just as she was in England. Thousands of persons had visited her,.-and all express themselves as being greatly delighted and surprised at her internal arrangements. Captain Hoskin Is* the lion of the week, -and is.followed by crowds wherever he shows himself. Prom Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, anfl other neighbouring cities, strangers are pouring into New York, all anxious to see the ' big ship.' The following statement has been furnished by another correspondent. — .The whole distance from Liverpdol to -New York is 3304 miles. The Great Britain steamed this distance, Against foul winds and cross seas, in 14| days, or 354 hours, .giving an average speed for the whole- voyage of somewhat more than 9$ knots or nautical miles (which is equal to lOf statute miles) per hour! From , unquestionable data in possession of Her Majesty's Government, it can be. proved that neither the Halifax nor the West India steam packets have been able to maintain in their outward passage (say: for the- period of six month) an average speed equ&l to -what has Been achieved by the Great Britain on her first voyage to New York; though many instances have occurred in which a homeward passage, made under favourablejcircumstances, has shown as in the last voyage of the Cambria, an average speed of 10} knots or nautical miles, per hour. During the whole passage she encountered westerly winds, and at times fresh gales, cross seas, and thick fogs, and her engines were not stopped for a moment on the voyage until her arrival off Sandy Hook.