THE GREAT EASTERN.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 13, 7 December 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE GREAT EASTERN.

(From the Neto York Herald.) Seven hundred feet of flush deck, never wet with spray in any ordinary gale; 1200 people sprinkled about the monster, making no more show than the ordinary complement of a common steamer for society. The four 18---pounders peal out their parting salute to the crowded docks at Liverpool, and notify us that we are under weigh, a fact that is hardly indicated to a close observer by any jar of the engines, or any motion of the ship, even when she is going at speed in smooth water. Below decks the ship locks mast unostentatiously plain, but substantial to the , highest point; and with the hammering she had in the terrific gale when she lost her rudder, and afterwards, when she struck a new found rock in mid-channel off Montauk, not the slightest sign of strain can be found upon her. Her arrangements for passengers are the first step in that reverse of old quarter-deck rules which steam must sooner or later bring, in order to avoid coal smoke and other nuisances. Her forecastle for the crew, to speak Hibernice, comes next the taffrail, then the quarters of the steerage passengers on the after part nf the two decks, with air ports which can be kept open all the time — price of passage being about what a labouring man can earn during the 35 days that he will save as compared with the crowded 'twixt decks of a sailing ship. For- ' ward of this comes the intermediate

steerage, whirp, at a low rate, a few passengers get very fair quarters ,in rough state rooms, which most peop c would prefer> for 11 days, to the cabin of a sailing ship for 40. These arrangements for the crew and steerage passengers take up less than a quarter of the ship's length. Next comes the second cabin, the occupants of which share the remaining three-quarters of the deck with the captain, officers and first-class passengers. Below, decks they are onlyseparated by an iron bulk-head and- a curtain door from the first cabin, and get practically all the advantages of the first class, good air, fort state-rooms, good substantial food, and a fair half of the delightful music -which the band discourses at meals in the first cabin. We now come to the more aristocratic part of the ship, which is generally plain as a pike-staff, and owes its attractions more to its ample light and j perfect ventilation than to any- attempt at elegance or ornament, except the grand saloon and ladies' cabin, which shine with gilt and mirrors. Those who have smothered for a fortnight in the little air-tight state-rooms of the little 3000 tons steamers, flavored with seasick reminiscences, can but appreciate the luxury of an open port 15 inches in diameter in each state-room. Here you can get quarters in rooms varying from 20 feet square at corresponding prices, but all having the one thing needful for health — namely, fresh air ad libitum, and some suites of rooms with baths and water-closets attached. We have now surveyed the comforts of tho ship. The luxuries consist of a good table, attention, service and a most capital band of 15 pieces, which sounds the reveille in the morning and the retreat at night, announces the meals by bugle calls, accompanies the dinner below, and then amuses the world above for an hour or two about sunset, giving the steerage and other passengers a chance Avhich they often wait for to dance upon the broad and even deck. But, asks a timid 'frienl, how about safety with all this comfort, luxury and grandeur, and how about sea sickness. Let us weigh our good ship's qualities iv the light of prudence and experience. Once at sea all admit that she is the safest ship that floats. She is built with wonderful strength and skill, and has stood more tests than any ship now extant. Any ordinary collision with other vessels could only result in her favor. She is nearly fire-proof, and her fire engines have lain nightly along her decks, reducing her danger to almost nothing. A gale of wind at sea is merely sport to her. In case of breaking down one set of engines, she has, besides her sails, either her screw or her paddles left. But how can she be safe in approaching the shore with ber un wieldly bulk and great draught of _wnr.nr ? Let those^who ... buw ncr go into into Queenstown inner harbor before a gale of wind, and turn in her own length amid the shipping under the guidance of Captain Pat on, as a steed obeys his rider, say wb._-l.or she is docile. h\ truth, the advantages * s handling her in narrow water, by turning the screw one way and the paddles the other, makes her, under skilful hands, more manageable than ordinary sea steamers. This brings us to her one admitted fault, counterbalanced by so many virtues, that she draws five feet more water than a steamer of 3000 tons, und may thus pick up a new ledge of rocks or au old san i bar when the other would go clear. True, she may again, as she did off Montauk, and what was the result? With six holes in her bottom, one of them 100 feet long, and one 40 feet long, she resumed her voyage into port, and delivered her passengers unfrightened, her cargo undamaged. She has, in fact, double bottoms, three feet apart, besides a great number of compartments, some of which could be filled by ruptures in ,both her bottems without the ship sinking. It would be a long story to tell the patience and invention which euabled Captain Paton and his officers to'repair her bottom without the help of any dock ; but the same qualities which then got her out of difficulty gi^es the best guarantee - for her future safety while he walks " the monarch of her p opled deck." How about sea sickness ? There is absolutely no pitch to her in any ordinary gale, an angle of six degrees being the greatest her decks ever attain fore and aft. Here is onehalf the motive cause of sea-sickness taken out. She rolls with an easier motion than most ships, but still she rolls at times about as much as smaller ships. On the passage we have had racks ou the table to secure the plates part of two days. Very sensative people will still sometimes be sea-sick on board; but with freedom from pitching and from bad smells, and from the abundance of fresh air, it is difficult to imagine any better security against nausea than she furnishes. Out of 1200 passengers a few- have been sick, but a "•reat majority, of those who are usuallysea sick are entirely free from it. Let us now leave these dry details and revert to the scene which enlivened the good ship on the 4th July, 1863. The sky was bright, the sea was blue and smooth, and most of ber passengers were on deck. About noon certain mysterious bundles were seen rising to her mast-head, and at a signal from Captain Paton, these unrolled, and displayed the glorious stars and stripes upon one mast, and St. George's red cross on the other, while her cannon thundered forth a national salute, and the full band gave us the inspiring "Hail Columbia!" The salute ended, two standards were handed — one, the American, to a fine-looking Englishman — and the other, Knglish, to a stalwart American ; and the passengers, steerage and cabius, marched three times round the ship (nearly a mile), led by the band, playing national airs. A few speeches, good for the shortness, if for nothing else, cheers for the flag, for the Queen, for the ship, and for Captain

. Paton, closed this harmohiotts festivity; At dinner tho hestlJeeling was man.-' fested by all, and much interchange of courtesy between Americans and English occurred; but there was no formal celebration, our energies being reserved for the evening.