The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-09-13 00:00:00

HEALTH AND DISEASE.

dajeetl'
mitts.

DEPARTURE OF THE GREAT EASTERN.

At length, after having encountered every viciesitud•
to which a commercial speculation could be exposed,
met endureel every danger must calculated to test the ,
strength and stability of the ship itself, the Great
Eastern for the first time east off her moorings on Wed-
neolay 100 JJJ itt g, the Tilt Mat, and iii the course of a few
hours was imfely towed to Purtleet. It Was originally
intended that the departure should hue taken place on
Tuesday bet, and all announced confidently that the
preparations for sea would be complete by that date.
As usual, however, the thousand and 0110 little aids
and ends which are never finishes', because nut found
wanting till the last moment, remained to be done, amid
probably of all the busy hours which have been expended
on the completion of this vessel none were ever more
actively employed than those of Tuesday and Tuesday
night. Alinuat all trades had their representatives on
board, and apparently every branch of manufacture was
diligently pumued at once • decks and saloons were
lumbered up with bales of once;
dug. piles of furniture,
and Illaaael of crockery ; isnithe were busy " closing
rivets up" with a clamour from which even the size of
the ship was no protection ; plate from Elkington'e was
being stowed away , men were brims' hanging costly
chandelier!. from Defries's, evemy one seemed in a hurry,
and struggled and stumbled amid a confuses' mixture of ;
shavings and forges, anvils, gues, anchore, cables,
barrels, and hawsers. Below the confueion was nut
much less, though made up of different materials, and
at the first glance it seemed hard to believe that the
chaos of sofas, dinner furniture, mirrors, chandeliers,
and carpeting would ever be in their proper places by
the morning, and form the fittings of rich and well'
furnished saloons. Such, however, was really the case.
Mr. Parry, to whom the contract for furnishing the fit-
tings of the ship has been intrusted, worked with time
most indefatigable energy, and during a few short hours
immense progress was made. The noise, however, was
pretty continuous, so that on the whole a lively night
was the result, and few had got sufficiently accustomed
to the tremendous din to require calling when the day
began to break, and the tramp, and, if possible, in.
creesed stir in the ship, announced that the hour of
departure Was drawing near. Mr. Atkineon, the
pilot, to whose welliknown care and skill this
noble vetted Waa intrusted, came on board thespre-
vious night, and hie assistants seta after dawn
Wednesday. Just as • faint grey light begin' to break
upon the river, the preparations for getting her under
weigh were made. Sevet-al powerful tugs were in at-
tendance, the four principal ones being named, curiously
enough, the Victoria, Napoleon, Alliance, and True
Briton. Moving the Great Eastern, however, was not
an affair of casting out • tow rope and going ahead.
There was, of course, the usual routine amount of
shouting, and inexplicable orders and counter-order',
and fueeing about of the tugs, before all was in reieli-
nem. Mooring after mooring NVIA then alippel off.
Captain Harrison and the pilat took their placed on the
etarboerd paddle•box. Mr. Scott Russell remained uu
the bridge to direct the action of the engines, both of
which (screw and paddle) were under steam. Captain
Comstock, one ofthe ablest American navigators, who
brought the General Admiral over to this country,
stood aft to transmit directions to the men at the
wheel, as Mr. Isengley'a new steering apparatus was not
completely fitted. Mr. Nouse, the chief officer, took
charge of the fore part of the ship, and to all the other
officers were allotted stations, either to transmit direc-
tions or signal to the tugs. Precikly at a quarter past
seven the last moorings were let go, but as at this time
the sweep of the tide had turned the great ship's bows
in, b 0 as to point rather in shore of the Seamen's Ho,-
pita ship, it was necessary to tarn her slowly astern to
get sufficient room to round the very sharp curve of the
river below Greenwich. The screw engines started
first, working beautifully, without noise, heat, or even
apparent vibration, and when the paddle machinery
Callle into play, a few revolutions sufficed to get her head
round to tlie point required. Then was the order given
to go • bead slowly, and for the first time the Great
Eastern started into motion, and with the slow tuajestic
beat of her huge paddles moved grandly down the river.
The general public had evidently put but little faith in
the announcement that she would leave the river
on Wednesday, a 0 that until the preparations were
made for actually leaving there Was little stir upon the
river. Gradually, however, as the 'team tugs begsn to
move about and get their tow ropes in, it aeoned stul-
deuly to break upon the wiiphibioue population at both
sides of the streaiu that they were at last about
to Imo a vessel whose presence has made Dept-
ford and the Isle of Dogs famous throughout
the world. Then ensued an extraordinary scene.
Thousands upon thousands of people were wen rushing
to the river side froin all points. Boats of every kind
and size were launched crowded to the water', edge, and
the stream and its banks 'weaned suddenly instinct with
life. There were not so much cheers as continuous about-
iug—• genuine outburst of enthusiasm amid delight. Even
the wan and sickly imuates uf the Seamen's Hospital
ship turned out upon the deck or crowded the ports with
their worn faces to give one shout or wave a cap to the
vemel which swept 1.0 grendly by. The very first turn
at Greeliwich showed l'aptain Harrison and all the ofli•
cers of time vessel that the great ship welt as thoroughly
under colonial.' as • river ekamboat, and that the only
difficulty to be overmnue, or rather to contend against,
was her length in to g the sharp curves of the river
at Greenwich, Blackwell, and Woolwich. The vessel's
draught Was 21 feet 10 inches aft and 22 feet 3 inches
forward—about the very worst Into in which she could
have left her moorings, being down by the head 5 inches
instead of *moue 5 feet down by the stern. 23 or 24 feet
mey appear no great depth a water, but when it is re-
collected that this was the mimo imam required at the
turnings, and over a length of real feet, which is more
than the breadth of the 'litanies at Westminster, it will
be seen at once that these angles were at first regarded
with a certain ainount of anxiety and distrust. A few
mores of the masa. however, showed that she was per-
reedy ill .tecred as easily as • wager boat,
and her engines acre found capable of atartmg her into
motion imr arresting her progress literally almost by a
single movement of the hand. At Greemiwich, on both
sides of the river, an immense multitude had collected,
but it was at BLackwall that the first really great oration
was inside. The news of her departure hail spread far
and fast, and from the deck of the great ship the shores
could be seen at Blackwell point literally darkened by
people. Every house was crowded, and the roofs covered
with spectators; the wast-house was occupied, the pier
swanned, the tops and yards of the vessels in the docks
seemed alive. As the great ship approached the enthu-
siasm seemed to imam the bounds which ordinarily mark
such diaplays with Englishmen. The dense Mass cheered,
sheeted, waved hats, shawls, handkerchiefs, with an
alma:fon of gratification that was heart-stirring. It was
really almost • national reception, Raid all seemed to
have, as Englishmen, a share in the finest, swiftest.
strongest, and handsomest ship which the world has yet
seen. There was but one drawback on the enthusia.ein
and Itappinem of thuse who were on board, which was
caused by the &Mimeo of the eminzot man to whom the
conception of the chip was due—Mr. Brunel. A severe
illness prevented his being present at the first triumph
of the grandelt idea which has ever been originated in
naval architecture.
Blackwell Point was, indeed the turning point in the '
forttuies of the Great Emtern. The river at this place
forms an acute angle, round which the tide sweeps with
strong but most unequal force. The admirable manner
in which Captain Harrison, and the pilot, 3lr. Atkinson,
managed the ship, the power wid regularity with which
the engines worked, would, if left nuobstnicted, have
soon gut the vessel round this place. But, of course,
right in the centre of the river a bark, the Kingfisher,
was moored, while • little beyond her lay a schooner in
such a manner as. effectually to block the "fair way"
down the stream. The tug,' were signalled to get the
Great Eamitern's head round, and tried to do so, but the
strain was too much, at the most critical moment two
of the hawsers parted, and for a few minutes the noble
vessel was, beyond a doubt, in a perilous poeition, as
the sweep of the tide was strong and in an instant drove
her towards shore. Nothing but the great power of
her own engines saved her here, though it was • delicate
matter to use them properly. It was necessary instantly
to counteract the influence of the tide and get her head
off shore, but at the same time, to do so in such a mait.
tier as would not give her way enough to take her on
shore on the opposite side of the river. Fortunately
this was effected, fresh hawsers were peened to the tugs,
the bark, the cause of all the peril, shipped her anchor,
and after an anxious delay of amen 10 or 15 minutes, the
Great Eastern worked slowly round and turned the
point of danger. This was a great relief to all on board,
and to none more so than Meaers. Campbell and Jack-
:mon, the managing directors, both of whom had been
incessantly occupied the previous day and night in look-
ing to all the arrangements for the first departure. 'rho THE CHOLERA AT HASIRCRoH.—The following ac•
momer.t the point was safely named carrier pigeons were count of the fearful ravages which the cholera hu been
sent up from the vessel and the shore to spread the recently making at Hambargh we take from the Ham-
welcome news. burg corresponcienee of the Allgemeine Rang :—" The
At Woolwich there was of Course a tremendous con- cholera, which is now dying out, has swept away very
course of epectators. Every spot which could, and considerable numbers in this city. According to official
doubtless ninny which could not, COMlllarld a view of statements, the first symptoms of the disuse showed
the ship, were thronged. The Dockyard, the Arsenal, theniselves on the 3rd of June. At first the number of
every place was covered. The Fiegard had lier men in Gabes was small, but the contagion rapidly spread, and
the shrouds, who welcomed the safe arrival of the vessel it daily increased. At the end of July it reached its
within regular "thieve theca three," which was echoed height. On one slay, time 24th of July, 110 fewer than
back from both sides of the river by an almost countless 94 Iverson* were seize.' with the epidemic, in addition to
multitude. It is very probable that another such ship those who were already ill. From that day, however,
may pass down the ThaUlea, but it means not possible the disease gradually gave way—at first slowly, 'but
that the seine amount of interest can be manifested in afterwards with great rapidity. On the 25th of August
any other vessel again, no matter what her size. the nuouber of cases had reached that of 1,616, of which
Once past Woolwich, all the difficulties were over. 900 had taken place in the mouth of July alone. At
The tugs continued their assistance, hut the vessel was the time ef it*greattst virulence the disease was fatal to
so perfectly under control that while the tide was twodlairde of those taken ill ; at a latter time to only
against her their assistance might home been easily dis- one.l.alf. The accounts received from the email towns id
permed with. But for the delay at Blackwell, Graves. Ilecklenburgli with references to the ravages which the
end would have been reached by 11 o'clock. As it wee, cholera has made there are most distressing. Some
however, time tide turned and set with the ship before places hare been absolutely deciuiatml, and whoever
that hour, when the vessel was at the Long Reach off wished to escape the epidemic sought safety in flight.
Purfleet. An immediate hall was therefore necessary. The little town of Goldberg, whose inhabitants did not
as in turning a few sharp corners with the tide the altogether Amount to more than 2,5013 has been very
vessel's whole broadside would become exposed to the nearly eiuptied in this way. At the end of August 30
full force of the stream, and not all the tugs in the persons died daily in this ;due alone, and lay dewl, with
river would prevent her going ashore at once. It none to bury them. A dearth of provisions even came
was therefore determined to anchor off Purflect till on, for the country-people round 'dreaded to enter the
Thursday morning. A single one of Trotinan's anchors devoted town."
was let go at the bows, and lute com-se of the MI/WAKING BELLADONNA FOR SLACILBERRIEII.—Last
ship, which it was said no anchors could ever j week amine children belonging to the town of Sevenoaks
hold, was at once checked, amid the Great Eastern went out blaekherry gathering, and one of them. a lad
actually began to swing round in the Thaine 4 as much shout 10 years of age, was induced to cat some berries
under command as • cutter. For the single instant u which he found groe 'rig in Knelt:park, and which
during which she swung and reumeined broadside to the proved t•i be the belladima, or deskily nightalmade, one of
stream she seemed literally to bridge across the river. . thin dangerous of the " nareotiveirritant " class.
There was ruoin enough. fur her to swing, but not a The p misonoux effect of the berries coot, became visible,
foot to spare. The vessel came round to the full force end sheet!). after his arrival 'wine lie appeared 11l a state
of the tole, aud her chwin cable taughteried up out of of extreme intoxication. This was afterwards followed
the water for a moment like an iron bar, but the single by great delirium and total hilinduess, although the eye'
anchor never yielded an inch from the spot where it • lids were widely extended, AI if in earnest gaze. For
was first dropped. euere time his life Was dealoairod of, but owing to the
Nouz LIGHT, Thursday, Sept. 8. unremitting attention of the parish surgeon toe lad is
After her first short run the Great Eastern remained ring on favourably, although still in a precarious eon'
at her anchor off Purfieet for the rest of the night, and ditiou.
slowly resumed her progress down the river at a quarter A SAFE KIND 01, IRFSNTICIDE.—Doring the present
to I: o'clock this morning. Her stoppage at Purfleet was i summer a lady, shout whose character there could he
a soh dimppointinent to many thousands who had been little doubt, arrived at a watering piece in this county,
eollectiim at Gravesend all day in the firm belief that and soon afterwards was coufined. The infant was
she could or would stop nowhere elm. Her alight de- from the first email awl weakly, but, the mother who
recovered rapidly. was in perfect health. She, however,
tentiun at Blackwell point, however. prevented this.
and it became absolutely neoeseary from the state of did not nurse the child, but expressed her intention to
the tide to bring up at onoe it Long Reach. The dis- I have it brought up by hand. Whether the medical man
tinguished arrival threw Purfieet into a state of :mecum- ; who attended her offered her tiny advice or remonstrauce
awe excitement. Everyone within moderate reach of !on this puha is not known, but lie Resented to her wish,
it by road or rail hurried to the little village till it was and them child was placed with the wife of a man living
thronged to the water'e edge. Gravesend, also, seemed lin the neighbourhood. The infant, already weakly,
most unwilling to yield up its share in the great oeca- ; rapidly became dimmed. The" doctor " attended it
*ion without an effort, and before long crowded boats i regularly, and prescribed tonics, which were duly ad-
steered round and round the ship. the passengers cheer- ministered. What a mockery Physic to all infant
ing themselves till they were hoarse again, while the wasting away for want of its natural toed I It became
band played "See the Conqueriug Hero comes." I painfully emaciated, and after three weeks of suffering
"Rule Britannia," and all emits of mummies! welcouie. ;it died. The smother during this time saw the child
For the rest of the evening there was • constant repeti- ' frequently, but its condition did not appear to affect her,