The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-18 00:00:00

VOYAGE HOME OF THE GREAT E.' ISTERN.

The following account of the last voyage of the Great
Eastern from New York to Liverpool was wri I ten by a
passenger, and published in the New York Tres evterian
—Upon men absorbed in the contemplation of the issues of
rebellion against the institutions of freedom it vi 'ere cer-
tainly more and worse than impertinent to obtradt'a an ac-
my- apology
count of an ordinary passage of the Atlantic.
for the apparent intrusion is, that ours was not an Ordinary
passage. A voyage in the Great Eastern cannot, DI the
present state of Transatlantic navigation, be regarded S 8 ail
ordinary voyage ; and ours was, I am happy to say, Ver-
formed on the Great Eastern. In every respect it wos a
memorable voyage. In respect of speed, it will compare
favourably with the best trips of the swiftest transatlantic:
steamers, under the most favourable circumstances. The:
passage from New York to Liverpool was made in nine
days and twelve hours. The ship's log exhibits the follow
ing rate of speed per day, the distance run being in nau-
tical miles, which, be it remembered, are about one
more than an English mile :-350, 350, 348, 295,
inter 312,
325, 335, 320. These high figures on the log are
spersed with such notittiw nauticce as the following
" Squally ;" " high, rolling sea ;" " fresh gale, an d beam
sea ;" "strong gale, with terrific squalls ;" "strong breeze,
and hard squalls." These notes on the log remind' rue
the Scotch minister's sermon on the plague, preached ,seve-
ral years after the plague had prevailed. The good old Wel
had put his hand rather far down in the "barrel," and thus
had got into a region fertile in anachronisms. In the corn's@
of delivery he denounced his hearers for their ungodlinesso
and, to their astonishment, told them that their present
plague was a judgment upon them for their sins. When
asked by his elders, who were greatly alarmed by the dis-
course, where the plague was, he replied, " I dinna ken, ex.-
cept it be in the sermon l" The same remark may be made
by the passengers of the Great Eastern, on her late trip, in
reference to the " stron g gales" and " terrific squalls" recorded
in her log. They ken nothing about them except that they
are on the log. They were occasionally awaked to a con-
sciousness of the fact that they were at sea, and that there
were both wind and waves outside, by the whistling of the
cordage, or the initial effort of a hat or cap to make ita
escape overboard, or by the pitching and plunging of some
passing ship, as she reeled and staggered over the billows;
but apart from such instruments of suggestion and com-
parison, it was difficult to disabuse the mind of the imprea
sion that the noble ship was moving along the smooth
waters of the Hudson or the Delaware. Nothing but a
ground swell, with its broad shoulders, and freight of
minor waves, seemed capable of the majesty of their mighty
momentum, as they washed athwart her pathway, were
impotent to mar a promenade upon her specious deck, or
move the dishes upon her sumptuous tables. The whole
scene was more like life at a watering-place than life at
sea. The pleasure of the trip was greatly enhanced by the
kind, considerate, gentlemanly attentions of our excellent
commander, Captain Paton. Throughout the passage
he acted upon the principle that it was as much his,
duty to promote the comfort and happineos of his passen-
gers as to secure their safety ; and I feel that it were a
grave omission not to make record of the parental care with
which he watched over and ministered to all classes of hie
passengers. Remembering that those who sailed with him
had souls as well as bodies, he made provision for their
spiritual as well as their physical wants. Each of our two
Sabbaths brought with it the most ample and commodious
arrangements for public worship, both in the first cabin and
steerage. On the latter day there were no fewer than Seer
services—one in the first cabin, one in the steerage, and Ore
on deck. The former of the two deck services was ale
of the captain's own devising. After what I have said
above, it were almost supererogation to give the public.
my opinion of the Great Eastern. My opinion may bo
inferred from my purpose—a purpose entertained by all
who sailed with me, viz., to sail in no other ship if it be
possible to obtain a passage in her returning to Ame,
rice. This purpose was universal. I met with no pas'
senger who was not filled with admiration for this mar-
vellous ship. Hitherto she has been on probation, but it is
my persuasion that her probation is ended, and that the
verdict of her passengers on her late trip from New York
will very soon be the verdict of the public. In view of the
many humiliating failures of "eminent correspondents," I
am aware of the risk I run in entering upon the sphere of
the prophetic ; but, notwithstanding the risk incident to
prophecy, I venture to predict that before 10 years the At.
lantic will bear on its bosom many steamers of the class of
the Great Eastern. No man can tread her decks, as she
glides in majesty over the deep, without feeling that he has
beneath him the only suitable vehicle yet devised for con-
tending with old ocean in his crested might, In her naval
architecture she has reached a point from which an enlight-
ened age will not suffer it to recede. Transatlantic steamerS
of smaller dimensions are as certainly doomed as have been
the triremes of Cmsar and Anthony, or the immobile hulks
of Drake and Nelson. The Great Eastern had demonstrated
the practicability of vessels of her class—and it were a
1 crime against the progress of the race, and a sin against
the science of the nation, not to sustain her.

COUN2BY 31.4 REEI S.

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NEWCASTLE— SA.Tv TIDAY.
The supply of wheat to-day was moderate, with a quick
sale, anti the prices of last week were rather exceeded.
Flour firm, and the turn dearer. Grinding barley at fully
lost week's quotations. Oats, beans, and peas steady, and
the prices of last week were obtained.

NORTHAMP TON—SATURDAY.
Red wheat, 68. to —a; beconds, 640 to 575. Barley
scarce, and at nominal prices—malting sorts, 38s to 39a ;
grinding 30s to 35s per qr. Oats quoted at 25s to 32s
per 24 stone. Beans, 42s to —s; seconds, 37s to 40s.

NOTTINGHAM—SATunDAY.
White wheat, from 58s to 64s ; red wheat, 56s to 610.
Barley—malting, 36s to 42s ; grinding, 29s to :11s. Oats
old, at 30s to 35s ; new, 24s to 295. Beans were 81d at. 44s
to 60s per qr. Flour, 418 to 445.