THE GREAT EASTERN.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 7, Issue 371, 26 November 1863, Page 4

THE GREAT EASTERN.

Seven hundred feet of flush deck, never wet with spray in any ordinary gale; 1,200 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 way, 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 looks most 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 in that reverse of old quarterdeck rules which steam must sooner or latter bring, in order to avoid coal smoke and other nuisances. Her forecastle for the crew, to speak Hibernice, comes next to the taffraiL, then comes the quarters of the steerage passengers on the after parts of the two decks, with air ports which can be kept open all the time—price of passage being about what a laboring man can earn during the 35 days that he will save as compared with the crowded ’twixt decks of a sailing ship. Forward of this comes the intermediate steerage, where, at a low rate, a few passengers getvery fair quarters in rough state rooms which most people would prefer, for eleven 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 firstclass passengers, Below decks they are only separated by an iron bulkhead and a, curtain door from the first cabin, and get practically all the advantages of the first-class, good, air, fine 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 pikestaff, and owes its attraction more to its ample light and perfect ventilation than to any attempt at elegapee or ornament, excepting the' grand saloon, and ladies' cabin, which shine with gilt and mirrors. Those wlmhave smothered.for a fortnight in the little air-tight state-rooms of the little 3,000 ton steamers, flavoured with sea-sick reminiscences can best appreciate the luxury of an, open port 15 inches in diameter in each, stateroom, 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 ropms baths and water-closets attached. We have now surveyed the comforts of the ship. The. luxuries consist of a good table, attentive service, and a most captital band of 15 ; pieces, which sounds, the reveille in. the. morning and the retreat at night, announces the meals by bugle calls, accompanies the diner below, and then amuses the world above for an hour or two about sunset, giving the steerage and other passengers a chance which they often wait for the dance upon the broad, and even deck. But, asks a timid friend, how about safety with all this comfort, luxury and grandeur, and liow about seasickness..

Let us weigh our good in the light of prudence and experience. Once at sea, all admit that she is the safest ship that floats. &lie 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 fireproof, and her fire engines have lain nightly along her decks, reducing her danger to l.almoßt nothing. A gale of wind at sea is merely sport to her. In ease 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 her unwieldy bulk and great draught of water % Let those who saw her go into Queenstown inner harbour before a gale of wind, and. turn in her own length amid the shipping under the guidance of Captain Platon, as steed obeys his rider, say whether she is docile. In truth, the advantages of handling herhinarrow water by turning the screw one way and the paddle the other makes her; under skilful hands, more manageable than ordinary sea steamers. This brings us to> her one admitted fault, counterbalanced,bysomany virtues, —that she draws five feet more water than a steamer of 3,000 tons, and may thus pick up a new ledge of rocks or an old sand-bar when the other would go cle i\. True, she may strike again, as she did off* Montauk, and what was theresult? With six holes in her bottom one of* them? „ 100 ft. long, and one 40ft. long, she resumed her voyage into port, and 'delivered her passengers ,uufrightened, 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 bottoms, without the ship’ sinking. It would be a long story to tell the patience and invention., which, enabled 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 give the best guarantee for her future safety while-he walks “ the monarch of her peopled deck.’ 1 How about sea sickness 1, 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. H;ere is one-lialf 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 on the table to secure the plates part of two days. Very sensitive people will still sometimes be sick on board; but with freedom, from, pitching, and from bad smells, and, with the abundance of fresh air, it is difficult to, imagine any better security,against nausea than she furnishes.. Out of 1,200 passengers a few have.been sick, bnt a great majority of those, whqp*re usually sea sick are entirely, free from it. Let us now leave these di’y details and revert to the scene which enlivened the good, ship- on the 4th of J uly, 1863. The sky was bright, the sea was blue and smooth, and., most of her 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 ns the inspiring. “ Hail Columbia.” The salute ended, two standards were handed—one, the American to a finelooking Englishman, and the other, English, to a stalwart American ; and the passengers, steerage and cabin, matched three times lound t*i. ship (nearly a mile)

led by the bands 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. Captain Paton, closed this harmonious festivity.; At dinner, the best feeling was manifested 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. —New York Herald , August 4.