The Express.
London, England, 1860-05-31 00:00:00

TEE GREAT EASTERN.

The appointment of Captain Hall, and his as-
sumption of the command of the Great Eastern, has
already produced • great improvement in her external ap-
pearance. The approaching visitor instantly feels that she
no longer looks like • dark object of dread—, long black
coffin, surmounted with funnel-shaped plumes—but a re-
spectable packet ship, vast in proportions truly, but light
and elegant in spite of her size. This result has been ob-
tained by • streak of white paint along her sides, and the
substitution of stone colour for the black paint formerly on
her funnels. The quantity of black paint about her mast-
head will also be reduced with still further advantage. C,apt.
Hall has determined to make her trysail gaffs moveable, so
as to admit of their being readily lowered on deck ; and if
these and the yards and topmasts are struck in •
rolling sea, there is no doubt that any unpin.
sent motion of the vessel will be materially reduced.
He has wisely decided that as the upper decks are soft and
porous, " holy-stoning," that humiliating and disagreeable
teak to the sailor man, must be avoided, and the only way
to make the decks watertight and useful will be to apply
repeated coats of bright varnish. Improvements in the
machinery for steering are also in progress ; these include
an additional double wheel (to the same barrel), which will
allow the direct power of more men to be applied in lieu of
steam. The next alteration must be a longer tiller, and
consequently more leverage. Speaking tubes between the
forecastle, paddle-bridge, and quarter-deck, and • steam
whistle, are also being fitted : and among the many of the
commander's improvements not the least valuable will be
a mode ot moiety lowering the boats down the lofty sides
by the use of a moveable and running clip attached to
the boat, which, taking temporary hold of • long
sheer-batten, will bear the bast Blear from the side
during its descent, • matter of much importance when the
ship is in motion ; in some instances • similar result is to
Le obtained by the use of • tired taut perpendicular rope
and ring, instead of the shoer.batten and clip.
On the saloon deck, among other moddlcatic by •
simple contrivance, the lower chief cabins are t into
communication with the saloon, instead of the
circuitous mode hitherto adopted of descending to the lower
deck, and then reasceuding Ly another flight of steps in
the wings. This arrangement will insure additional means
of egress from below. A Forage has been opened for free
communication between the saloons without passing
through the cook's galley. The chief saloon is restored to a
very high state of ornamentation ; another saloon is being
moaned as maplewood and varnished, and the beams and
deck over-head pleasingly coloured, after the theory of
Mr. Owen Jones. Ugly and unnecessary wine glue rocks
hays been taken down and stored, and various other necea-
sary convenient alterations made by the judicious
decision of Captain Hall and Mr. Bold. The former has
evidently, like Mr. M'Lennan, the chief engineer, deter-
mined to look closely into every fitting, every bolt, pin, and
screw, and leave nothing incomplete.
The day of her intended departure u clam at band, and
there seems • Waimea-like determination that she should
sail on the 9th proximo ; that day will time her arrival at
New York so as to secure the highest tides there, which
will not occur again for • fortnight. The board have not
flourished at their trumpet like their predecesson, and on
board the ship each one is silently doing his utmost to
be reedy at the appointed time ; but we would observe,
chiefly on the part of those who may wish to
see the vessel again before her departure, and possibly
to make • short trial trip in her, that there are mamas why
a fortnight later would be more desirable. It is known
that one of the contractors to supply fittings has not been
punctual in the performance of his promises ; the Whitsun
holidays will seriously interfere with work yet undone
works hurried at the last moment are not the best and
most lasting ; • failure, even a partial one, would now be
more serioes than ever to the ship's credit. The sneer-
itt:2 of her departure at the lbst
hday fixederths are
has
same from from taking a passage in er, the b
not fully enmsged, and intended occupiers of each could
be easily *died ; • short trial trip would give general

confidence and largely increase the resources of the torn.
pony, as also would • few excursion' to her while
DI Southampton Water ; and, above all, the organis.,.
tion on hoard would be more perfect. W. ii,
fore suggest that the start on the 9th shall 1..
for a trial trip only, and her final departure should
be deferred till about the 20th of June. She will thee
arrive in New York in ample time for the celebrated
July, m the voyage, if managed with the caution proposal
as to graduated speed, will occupy about nine days.
The question of speed is not likely to be fairly settled
by the passage out, as the bottom of the Great
foul. An ingenious mode has been adopted of keelhauling
or hogging her bottom, with a combination of timber and
short coarse brooms affixed, set in action by a steam tug.
Orem, four feet low, and marine MOM have been by thi,
rubbed off ; but she wants more than a compare,rceis ely clean bottom, she wants Dr. Collier's patent lonian.
Lion, or Peacock and Buchan's composition, or at the lowt a
dressing of tallow or paint, to give her speed • fair trial, and
till thin luui been done her rate will be at least two hoe.
an hour below that afterwards attainable. The sharehold,ri
and the world must therefore not expect too much iu tboi
respect at fiat. After the gridiron has been completed at
Pembroke Dockyard, and the great ship has been coated
with Dr. Collyer's pieptntion, a great rate of speed must be
obtained,because she that perfection of form which
experience daily us can alone secure it when cum.
bined with power.
Mr. Langley 's task of strengthening the 'tween decks and
completing various parts will be satisfactorily performed by
the 9th June. All the contractors bound themselves to be
ready by the 26th May, and to their fault, not to the will or
hesitation of the must the delay of her departure be
attributed, if she is delayed.
On the whole there is much cause for congratulation upon
the change of the directors, and their choice of Captain
Ball as • commander. Everything connected with the
ship, even to the brokers' bills announcing her departure,
indicates the presence and action of practical and business
rren. The board contains amongst its members a thorough
master of each deportment—finance navigation, coin.
merce, engineering, &c., and, as • whole, deserves the con.
fidence it has obtained from the shareholders and the com.
mercial world. The money-making capacities of the ship
are growing evident as • tempting first-class passage ship,
and there can be little doubt that under the present alie
management the period will shortly arrive when the share.
holders will receive a substantial reward for their pet.
severance end patriotism, in having so long stood by thi.
grmit undertaking through all the difficulties, disasters, nod
delays which have befallen it. The intelligent engineer,
Mr. M'Lennan, and Captain Ball, and all who may bate
rallied round the shareholders in the past, must also hs,k
forward to that period for a proper acknowledgment .4
their services beyond the fame which will be associatol
with success, which in itself will be no mean reward.

MARKETS.

CORN.—BosTow, MAT 30.—A fair supply of what;
the trade slow, at hut week's rates. Wheat, red, 32A.
584.; white, 665. to 58s. Scarcely anything doing in 'Kin
oorn.

9TOCZTOITOITTIRS, MAT 30.—W0 bad a fair supply f
wheat at market this morning, which sold slowly at las
week's rates. Oats continue in good demand at late rates.
Barley dull sale, at Is. per qr. decline. In other articles no
change. Imports during the past week :—W heat, coast.
wise, 1,204 quarters. Oats, oosisteise, 840 quarters ; foreign,
2,000 quarters.
GLABOOW, MAT 30.-Since Saturday the weather has
been odd and stormy, bat to-day it is again fine. There
were few buyers at to-day's market, and the trade was dull.
Wheat and Boor were held for last week's prices, but little
or nothing transpired. Barley, oats, oatmeal, Fgyptios
beans, and Indiancom were all a slow sale, at a decline of
3d. to 6d.

CAITLE.-80VIIIALL, MAT 30.—Our supplies being
very short to-day, pikes ruled high. Beef made fpm 3s.
Bd. to ss. 4d.; mutton, 4s. 6d. to 6s. 2d.; lamb, 7a. Od.
to 7s. fkL ; veal, 4s. 4d. to ss. 4d.; pork, 3a. 10d. to
4s, 10d. per stone of Sibs., sinking the offal.

Wt rON.—Lrvicarow., MAY 30.—There has been a very
flat market to-day with a moderate business, and prices
rather in favour of the buyer. The sales are 8,000 hew—
including 6,210 American, at
said. to sp.; 1,500 Surat,
; 100 Egyptian, to 9d 3d. to 4i d.. ; 100 Pernam,
led. to 80. ; 90 Maranbant, id. to 9d.—of which 2,000
are for speculation and export. The week's import is
107,457 bales.

LEATHER AND HlDES.—During the week of Whit-
suntide a leather market is never held at LeedenhalL A
fair amount of business has, however, been transacted for
this generally dull season of the year, at previous rates,
with a rather increased demand for the best light English
butts. There was no public sale of foreign raw hides in the
past week, and by private contract there are only rerted
200 salted Buenos Ayres hone hides, ZSilb., at 12s.

COALS. - Lotagow, MAT 30.-Byass's Beheld. West
Hartley, lbs. 9d. ; Davison's West Hartley, 15e. 9d.;
lbs. 6d. ; Howard's West Hartley, 15a. 6d. ; Lam.
here, West Hartley, lbs. 9d. ; South Peareth, 121 t. ; Tan.
field Moor, 13e. ; Taralleld Moor Buts, 13s. ; Trash!,
West Hartley, 15s. ; Walker Primrose, 12s. 6d. ; West
Hartley, 15s. 19d. ; Wylam, 16s. 6d. ; Walla End Acorn
Close, lfis. ; Walls End Eden, 16a. ; Eden Main, 16a. ;
Walls End Braddylls Helton, 16s. 3d. ; Walla Earl Fram-
wellgato, 16s. ; Walls End Haswell, 17a. &L ; Walls End
Hatton, 17a. 6d. ; Walls End Stewart's, 17s. 6d. ; Walls
End Camp, 16s. 3d. ; Walls End Hough Hall, 16s. ; Walls
End Hamrick, 15s. ; Walls Eod Kolbe, 16s. 6d. ; Walls
End South Hartlepool, 164 ; Walls End South Whitworth,
15e.; Walls End Tit ey, 14s. 6d. ; Walls End Thorpe,
16s. 6d. ; Walls End Whitworth, 15a. ; Carway and Duifryn
Malting, 225. 6d. ; Llangennech, 211.-Ships at market,
71 ; sold, 51.