The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-06-19 00:00:00

THE GREAT EASTERN.

The great ship we, taken on • short trip to sea during
, Saturday and Sunday, for the purpose of testing the
1 newly-arranged machinery previous to her first real
voyage. She slipped her moorings at about two o'clock
on Saturday, and with a small but distinguished party
on hoard steamed gently down Southampton Water. The
day was wet and squally, and a drizzly mist, half rain,
hail wied, made anything like sea-cruising about as
unpleasant as could well be conceived. This fact,
coupled with the secrecy which had been maintained
about all relating to the trial, checked anything like a
ilamonstration in the way of boats aasembling to withino
the departure. Only one of the Ryde packets kept
alongside for a mile or so, and now and then the crew
of a yacht or cutter gave a cheer, but, beyond such
recognitions, few and far between, the Great Eastern
left her moorings 'lmola unheeded. Rounding Calahott
Castle the vessel was kept so close in shore, and turned
with such niarvellous ease and rapidity, as to excite the
setonisliment and admiration of Mr. Murphy, the New
York pilot. Front Calshott she wound her way slowly
past Cowes and Hyde, through Spithead, and round the
south coast of the Isle of Wight.
After passing the Isle of Wight the vessel's course
was shaped for the Star Light. The order( were given
to keep both screw mid paddles going easily ahead at
little lame than half speed till all bad got into regular
working order. Then the paddles started, when clear
of the land, at about seven revolutimui and the screw
at twenty-four—a rate of speed which was onlygradu•lly
increased during the night, when the former engines
rose to a little over eight and the acres to tweuty-seven.
At this rate all went very easill, and well, the vessel
going at 9or 9i knots. At one is clock a.m. on Sunday,
the Great Eastern was abreast of the Star Light, when
the helm was put hard over, and the huge vessel, even
at low speed, turned COMpletely round in a small circle,
in little over seven minutes. Daring this turn. as
throughout the trial, there was. total absence of the
uneasy wageing. motion of the stein and stern which was
so often felt last year. Its disappearance now was
attributed entirely to the additional girders and diago-
nal bracing's which have his latterly put in. and which,
with the screw-tunnel, render the whole ship as rigid as
• bolt. F the foul state of the vessel's bottom it
was thought that her speed would not be at all consider-
able. At 6 a.m. on Sunday, however, the pressure was
increased, and the revolutionn of the paddles rose from
8 to 14, and the screw from 27 to .19; but beyond this
rate it seemed impossible to get them. On the last run
round from Holyhead toSouthamptvin the screw worked
easily at 43 revolutions, and the paddles at 12, and for
a short time at 14, at which time the vessel ran • clear
16 knobs an hour. On Sunday, however, partly owing,
we suppose, to the increased depth of the ship (two feet),
and partly owing to the weedy condition of the bottom,
nothing approaching this result could be obtained.
Neither screw or paddle ever went at • greater rate
than the revolutions we have mentioned, and the
greatest speed never exceeded 14 knots an hour. An
average of 14 keota, however, was maintained with
great ease and steadiness.
The vessel was brought back through Spithead in the
same way that she came, and before one o'clock was
once more fast at her moorings.
The molt of the trial trip showed that the vessel was,
with trilling alteratious, really in good seagoing trim,
and the directors at once met and determined that the
ship 'should start for New York in Saturday last. The
crew is si'd to be an unusually fine one. It is confidently
anticipated that the voyage to New York will be made
in less than ten days, which, from Southampton, would
he a very good run. It is intended to tike the Great
Eastern over the bar, and moor her in the river in the
very middle of New York.