EMPLOYMENT FOR THE GREAT EASTERN IN THE AUSTRALIAN TEADE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 117, 1 April 1862, Page 6

EMPLOYMENT FOR THE GREAT EASTERN IN THE AUSTRALIAN TEADE.

[From Mitcliell's Steam-Shippiug Jomull.] The great unfortunate lies in a crippled state at Milford Haven, and, judging frcia the lowstate of the Company's exchequer, it will be some months before she is put in a fit state to breast the elements again. Even when repaired, flesh difficulties wilt,arise. Among her shareholders there are those who per-

sistly hold to the belief that she was designed for long voyages ;to distant seas she should be sent. Taking all tilings into consideration, perhaps the best (ai> rangement would be, to try the experiment "of a trip to the antipodes. The Great Britaiulay along time rusting before she fell into the practical hands of Messrs. Gibbs and Bright,' of Liverpool. These t gentlemen have tuened her to a good and useful- purpose.- In the Australian trade she is a. favorite, arid commands high fares and quick despatch.. If ; the same firm, or any other house of spirited enterprise, owned the Great. 'Eastern, she. would.probably; be turned to profitable account. The advice we -would offer to the Great Ship Company is, to take the pad-dle-boxes off the vessel, unship her wheels/and fit her out for a voyage to Melbourne and.Sydney. The paddle engines iifight be allowed to.remain in her ai ballast, till experience was gained as to. her perlbrmsnees under sail and screw, for a"long"sea voyage. All that would be needed'in; the way of refitment might be accomplished at asmall expenditure. Her rudder.head and stern-post need" securing." This done she might be advertised for Australia. On the passage from Queenstown to Milford Haven, she is : reported to have averaged ten and a half' knots...unJe'r steam alone, when driven by the screw engines, i By crossing: her square yards again and availing- herself of the S.E. trade winds, she would, certainly make the lun to Melbourne in 50; days. She has, or had, on board 500-tons of coal, and another 2,500 tons ought to "supply," the furnaces witlrfull steaming |fuel for the entire passage outwards, while the Tasmahian fields' lire now available, forcoalinghomewards. iThe Great Britainuses her engines only whenthere is not sufficient wind .to drive, her along, and the same economy is open to the Great Eastern.;' :. There is room for a magnificant/passenger ship like this in the Australian' trade."; The Peninsular and ■Oriental" Company, change passengers to Melbourne or Sydney £150 in a general cabin, and £370 to" a married cduplein a^state room with~two" beds.' By th 6 overland route there is a. change at Alexandria then a journey across Egypt to Suez, a re-embarka-tiori at the latter port,- and another transhipment at Ceylon. All these changes are accompanied "with disagreeable inconveniences to families; and the direct route is preferred in consequence by .many., ■ Again, at certain seasons of the year the Indian passengers, crowd the ships, land, however well,managed: the Com|pny's sMps. may be, there are hundreds > who would be glad to go out in'the roomy'cabins of the Great. Eastern, if they were certain- |ihat she {would be properly appointed, and sailat the time. The Great Ship Company could afford to convey chief cabin passengers at.about 70 guineas'per head, second cabinat.4o guineasjandsteerageat"lSto2oguineaß._At these prices, if timely noticed were. given,' the ship!s. berths would, in all 'probability; be secured., pose 900 persons wereto take passage-rand^lie could accommodate four times that number if all her space between decks were fitted—the passagfe money'would be about £40,000.! .Deduct .for. provisioning, Wages, coal, and other incidental expenses, there "would; be a good margin left for profit; This is.independent of freight and homeward" earnings.. .If. the present board qf directors fail.toiwork-her at an.advanfoge, she may yet fall into the hands of those wh6 may1, better under-, stand what to do. with her.'' She was, designed .to, .he an Eastern ship,' and- her i^rr^ngßapacity is adapted to large-and low. freight. 'She could t'clearoiitVMel.boume and Sydney "of all the' wool offering,; aid. would •command any-gold:for shipment, thence"to, England. Besides these, if slie timed her departure a' fortnight afterthe despatch of the mail boats, she wouldi probably be trusted-with a large mail.' ; ; ■:■/■■ >,/; pi ; Had the Great Eastern been"more deeply laden;in the gale that fractured her rudder-post, she would have-presented less broadside. aboVe the water, .her judder would have"been deeper immersed, and -the presumption is that?we should not.have to chronicle her return to port as a" lame duck.' The ship has uever_yet..had..an_opportunity [\o prove her capabilities. Witk a cargo proportionate to.hef tonnage, her screw "propeller would be better covered at all times, her rudder would be less exposed to the shock of the waves, and the ship would be driven in keeping with her designer's intentions. In the professional world it is the prevailing belief .that she has been mismanaged by amateurs; aid that a practical nautical head has'been.wanting .from the first,- rNo deference 'has been paid to the advice of competent men> the "management haying been confined to' making her > show shipv , It seems a pity that -so. noble a specimen of naval construction should, be suffered to fie. idle-for months, depreciating in'value, when by a vigorous moveshe might be contributing to the comforts of-hundredsof~voyagers,~and--;expanding-the-trade betweenthe'mother'country and the: Australian | colo-, nies. By the time she had made a couple of voyage 3 to Australia, there-might be a dock large enough, to receiveheriftheßristol venture goes a-head. Bristol might then become her port of arrival andMepart'ure. The new line of the, Bristol and South Wales Union Hailway Company, of twelve miles in.length,: from Bristol to'Eortskewet, connecting- the Avon with the Welsh coalfields, which was commenced two "orj three years ago, is approaching completion; Coal may then be had at 10s'. 6d per ton at the Bristol Docks, i With these advantages, coupled "with "tlfefabolition' of all dues,or port charges already made on shipments outwards, the Great Eastern may yet find a.safe ;i-endez-: vous in a first-class port of the west of England.