The Express.
London, England, 1866-03-19 00:00:00

nil ATTEMPTED LAUNCH OF THE

NORTHUMBERLLND.

---
There was a large gathering in the yard of the
Iron Works, Shipbuilding and Graving
Docks Company on Saturday to witness the launch
of the new iron-clad Northumberland. The magni-
tude of the vessel, the frequency with which her
name has been brought before the public, the
expected presence of royalty, and the knowledge
that the launch if accomplished would be a feat in
naval architecture, drew together crowds of all
classes. From the roofs of houses, and masts of
vessels lying at anchor in the river, flags of divers
pattern were displayed, and around the mouth of
the dock in which the monster iron-clad has
been built recklessly hovered a fleet of small
boats filled with holiday people, to whom
the occasion was evidently a red-letter :day.
Several platforms, to which admission was by
ticket, were set apart in the dockyard for spec-
tators, and one larger and grander than the rest,
reaching up to the centre of the ship's swan-like
bow, was occupied by distinguished visitors. The
time fixed for the launch was 2 o'clock, when the
spring tide would be nearly at its height. Shortly
before this hour a small steamer was seen speeding
along from London-bridge, with the royal standard
half hiding its funnel, and the word soon passed
from crowd to crowd that the Prince of Wales was
. .

fpproaching. His royal highness it proved to be,
in a Citizen steamer, and accompanied by Prince
Alfred, Prince Hohenlobe, the Duke of Sutherland,
and the gentlemen in waiting. Their royal high
nesses stepped ashore amidst the cheers of
the spectators, and walking through a pas-
sage kept by policemen, were conducted to
the platform at the bows of the new
ship. Here they were introduced to the
Countess Percy, who was to perform the ceremony.
The Princes were then shown the ship by Admiral
Sir J. D. Hay, who is chairman of the company,
and the attention of the thousands, whose upturned
faces could be seen even from the adjacent streets,
were diverted for the moment from the ship to their

royal highnesses.
But knowing that tide, like time, would wait for
no man, even though at the bidding of a prince of
the blood, the shipwrights shouted, and it is to be
feared occasionally swore, while maul and hammer,
and screw, and crowbar, and wedge were vigorously
plied to complete the work upon which they bad
been so long engaged. The sun never shone on a
more promising looking scheme, and so the ladies
and gentlemen laughed and chatted, and the bands
played, and the flags fluttered, few thinking it
possible that with all these elaborate prepara-
tions the splendid vessel before them was
about to shrink from entering the scene
of its future labours. Besides, was there not hanging
over the bows upon spotless satin, and in all the
glory of red white, and blue, the motto, "Bs-
perance en lieu," and the arms of the home of
Northumberland l Therefore, who could doubt
the issue of the ceremony all had come to see ?

lady Percy, at two o'clock, was handed by Sir
John Hay to the stem of the vessel to perform the
time-honoured ceremony, which in this instance
was not very difficult or laborious. With a beau-
tifully carved and polished mallet her ladyship
drove a silver chisel through a piece of gaily-
coloured rope, which, by communicating with the
main fastening, held back the huge monster, whose
minutes on land it was hoped were numbered. &The
cord was severed, the bottle was waiting to be
broken over the bows, and men stood with
bats off, and cheers on their lips ; but the
ship did not not stir. Then there were loud shouts
and heavy blows, runnings to and fro on
deck, and on the ground beneath, and in
a minute or two the Northumberland with a shiver
began to creep down the " ways " so slowly that it
was only by some kind of improvised test one
could be convinced she was moving. But the joyful
acclamations which announced this measure of sue-
calla were doomed to die as soon as they were uttered.
Lady Percy had barely time to name the ship " the
Northumberland " before the moving mass stopped,
midway between the platform and the water. Such
assistance as could be rendered was promptly forth-
coming, and even at that moment of bitter disap-
pointment itwas difficult to repress a susilo ab swains
a couple of men pushing at the bull with a small
spar. Probably nothing could have moved the
vessel at that time bat steam-tug power at the
stern ; but it would have been a hardy crew who
would have ventured into such imminent peril as
getting across the path of such a mass would have
involved. Sir John Hay and the numerous other
naval and scientific authorities present consulted,
and the workmen acted, but practice and theory were
evidently of no service until the next tide.
Amongst those present were :
The Duke of Sutherland. K.G. ; the Duke of Atholl. the Earl and
Countess Perry, the Theount Curaon, M P. ; the Viscount Tor.
W rington. Lord arkworth. Lord Richard Grosvenor. ltP. ; Lord
Claud Hamilton, Lord and Lady Keene, the Columbian Minister
and Madame de Reran, the Count Maffei (Italian Emb may).
General Sir John Bargoyne, C.B , and Mita Burgoyne: General
Sir Frederick Smith, General St. George, C.B. ; Lieutenant.
Colonel Sir Charles Russell, Bart., M.P. ; Sir John Hay, Bart.,
LLB., and the Hon. Lady Hay; Sir W. and Lady Mackenzie,
Sir J. D. Elphinstone, Bart. ; Sir Wm. Fraser, Sir John Rennie,
Sir R. Hamilton. Sir Frederick Arthur. Hon. Algernon Percy,
Hon. Colonel Colville, Hon. J. & Wortley. Hoe. Admiral
Drummond, Hon. Captain and Mrs. Hobart, Hon. Captain and
Mrs. Wrottesley, Rear-Admiral Sir F. Grey. Admiral and Mrs.
Drummond, Admiral and Mrs. Hamilton, Admiral Ommanney,
Admiral Robinson, Major Palliest*. Commander Kelly, LB..
Colonel North, M.P. and. the Baroness North Colonel and Mrs.
Campbell (Woolwich), Colonel Kisey, Colonel fluyehe, RA.
Colonel and Mrs. Jennie, Colonel Alexander, Commodore and
Mrs. Dunlop (Woolwich), Captain Shaw (Metropolitan Fire
Brigade) Captain Inglis, R.F.., Captain Athirst (Italian Navy',
Captain and Mrs Blakeley, Captain Ford, Captain and Mrs. Eyre,
Captain and MIAs Chads (Deptford), Captain Furl (Director
of Thames Iron Companzit Captain Parish, RN. Captain
mi De Elra= (Danish ties), Captain Redman. Mr.
Ayrton, M.P. ; Mr. Otway. .P.: Mr. Hubbard. M.P. : Mr.
Graves. M.P.: Mr. llllLenna. : Mr. Fleming, M.P. ; Mr.
O'Beirne, /LP.; Mr. Saluda. M.P., and Mlle rianinda ; Mr.
Lewis, M.P.. and Mrs. Lewis; Mr. Beecroft, M.P.: Mr. D.
O'Connell, Mr. Darby (Chairman of Ebbw Vale Company), Mr.
Robinson (Deputy Chakman of Ebbw Vale Company), Mt. Hop-
kinson, Mr. thsmpton, Cat ; Mr. Blrkbeck. Mr., Mrs., and Mrs.
T. B. Crampton ; Mr. Roll (chairman of Thames Iron *impair,
Mr. and Mrs. Eykyn, Sir. Hodges. C.E. (Grand Trunk Canada
Railway', Mr. J. Penn, Mr. J. Field, Mr. and Mrs. Hambru, Mr.
J. bramley Moore, M, and Mrs. Martin Smith. Mr. R. Green,
Mr. G. Russell, Mr. G. P.M. Mr. and Mrs. D. W. Chapman,
Mr. and 31 ra. Brassy. Mr. Carter, and Yr. W. IL Entine.
The presence of the unlaunched ship on the
stocks di.l not prevent the large concourse of ladies
and gentlemen who bad assembled to see the launch
from partaking of an elegant luncheon in a mould
room in the opposite yard. Sir J. D. Hay was in
the chair. The loyal touts having been honoured,
the chairman proposed Lady Percy's health ; as-
sured the company there was no risk to the noble
ship ; and entered into details as to her structure.
The toast was responded to by the Duke of North-
umberland, whose remarks, and those of Admiral
Robinson, the Comptroller of the Navy, who fol-
lowed, could not be heard at the table where the
representatives of the press sat. The gallant ad-
miral concluded by proposing the health. cA the
chairman and directors. After Sir John Hay's re-
sponse the guests departed.

During the whole of Saturday night the work-
men were busy fixing the most powerful supports
under both sides of the vessel, and by yesterday
morning she was completely wedged up. At the
high tide a powerful attempt was. made to move
her. There was then nearly 24:feet of water under
her stern, and, indeed, she was so much water-borne
that many in the yard were positive that she bad
lifted an inch or two. At this time two enormous
hawsers were got across to the building yards at
the opposite side of the river and were at-
tacked to powerful capstans, each of which was
manned by 60 men. By heaving on these the ropes
were drawn almost perfectly straight out of the
water, and at the same time, no less than eleven
tugs attached to the Northumberland united all
their efforts to pull her off, but in vain ; the ship
remained absolutely immovable. Even the wedges
which supported her on either side showed no
signs of having been in the slightest degree
affected by the strain upon the vessel. No
further efforts will now be made till the return of
the spring tides, next Saturday week. It is then
intended to moor alongside her stern some of the
largest lighters whisk the Admiralty can spare.
These will be secured by chains passing under the
Northumberland's stern, and it is hoped, and, in-
deed, most confidently believed, that with the rise
of the tide their buoyancy will be sufficient to lift
the after part of the vessel, and so enable her to go
• off without difficulty. It cannot be denied, how-
ever, that in case of a "slowing" round upon the
ways during this operation her position would