Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-10-13 00:00:00

whether for increase

in the power of speed, in

navigation, in locomotion, or in any other way to
which mechanical skill is directed,—in all first

experiments, more particularly, accidents are aPt

to occur ; and this was an instance of it. But,
we repeat, it had nothing whatever to do either
with the right construction of the vessel, or the

proper adaptation of its machinery, or anything
else which involved the slightest defect in the

great instrumentality which is there set to work
for propelling one of the largest vessels ever Cow

structed by

man, for conveying through the

billows of the ocean so great a multitude of

people, and so large an amount of cargo, as this
Great Eastern is designed to carry, from one

continent to another, at a distance of three

thousand miles

But, whatever might be the forebodings'--
though we do not admit there was cause for
any,—created by the disaster at Weymouth, all
ground of apprehension has now been completell
removed. She has passed through the ordeal of
another and severer trial trip, without a single
unfavourable casualty,—she has shewn her the"

rough capacity for the great work she has t 0
perform,—she has realised the highest anticipa-
tions that could have been formed of her P°svcr

and efficiency, as the largest and comPactest
sea-going steamer that ever ventured into the
stormy deep. And hence we have in this Great
Ship a triumph of our national skill in naltil
architecture, and of our national attainments 111
science and art, which may well make °ilr
proud of such an achievement. The

country

very fact of the Great Eastern having become!
point of attraction and interest to all the 611-
lised nations of the world,—as we believe we lire

quite correct in stating is now the casc,—is

itself a circumstance which may well make

people proud of their country, as the only 010
try, probably, in which such a performance
could ever have been successfully accomplislleci.
And most fit it is that Britain should
Long has the exulting
sentiment been echoed from pole to Pnie;
that " Britannia rules the waves ;" and t 1
maritime superiority which is thus implied, 114.5 t
here found one of the truest realisations Which
ever had, or it could probably have ever bee
expected to have. It is, no doubt, our suprenic

be that country.

in maritime commere that has secured this

Otlf
commercial intercourse with every part of tilt:.
globe, and our still extending connection, ni°

especially, with that vast transatlantic contille°o46
where our own race are making such tremend°
strides, not only in commerce, but in everythill
which is the result of civilisation,—this it is
has been the great stimulus to such an enterPr',
as that of the mighty ship to which we r e fee r:
and it is only such resources as are thereby
tid
nished, and still further promised, which °crud
hold out any reasonable hope of the success
such an enterprise for practical purposes.
0. 6°
There is one peculiarity about this g';l°3

arr,
project for sustaining and augmenting our in' ie.
time supremacy, which is very rernarl'9,b
Hitherto, such improvements have been Inairj.o,
based on new inventions; but not so in this, of
stance. The Great Eastern is the offsPriii°
en-
no new discovery, but only an immense
cd.
largement of all previous ideas of the Prileti
utility of one that was already krowil :eo
appropriated. Steam navigation had
carried to a high pitch of perfection before ver
new adaptation of its principles could e

hawavaereb.eeefn,
hcaosnttehmaptlateerfd.
elements been much,
of if in anywise, 611111 ms
on this occasion. But the whole idea it
oro
been enlarged,—its principles have been
taoo
fully developed ; and its practical applies°
a
carried out to a greater extent than 119
ection in its seient°
eecii6

Nor, that we
_

been attempted before.
is rcat success
the result, we repeat, a g
a complete triumph of the scientific and is;
skill which so large an enterprise

chanic