The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-13 00:00:00

LAUNCH OF HER MAJESTY'S SaREW
STEAM-SHIP ESK, 21 GUNS.

This fine screw steam-corvette, designed in the office
of the Surveyor of the Navy, and built by John Scott
Russell and Co., on similar lines as the Highflyer, 21,
screw-steamer, on the principle of let well alone, the
Highflyer having proved in every respect an excellent
ship of war, was launched yesterday, the 12th instant,
at Millwall, in the presence of a large number of spec-
tators, among whom were the Queen's Advocate and
Lady Harding, Sir Robert Price, Bart., M.P., Sir D.
Brewster, Professor Willis, Captain Washington, R.N.,
Mr. Chatfield, master shipwright ; Mr. Monchett, store
receiver ; and Mr. Pearn, master attendant of Deptford
dockyard ; Mr. Rice, master shipwright ; Mr. Gottleib,
store receiver ; and Mr. Atherton, chief engineer of
Woolwich dockyard ; and Mr. Baker, Mr. Campbell,
Mr. Stephens, and Mr. Robinson, directors of the Eas-
tern Steam Navigation Company, and the secretary of
the company ; with a number of scientific persons and
ladies and gentlemen.

The Esk being the first ship of war ever launched
with the full complement of machinery on board, inclu-
ding her engines of 250-horse power, her boilers, the
screw shaft, and the screw in its proper place, and re-
quiring only her masts, rigging, and sails to complete
her for sea, excited a great degree of interest. The Esk
is built of wood, and was commenced in John Scott Rus-
sell and Co.'s yard only ten months ago ; and by adop-
ting the plan of putting her engines on board before
launching her, she will be completed and ready for sea
in two months less time than would have been the case if
she had been taken to the East India Docks to have them
put on board there after she was launched. Her builders
were induced to hasten her completion, as it was known
to them that her services were required at the earliest
possible period to join the Baltic fleet. At half-past two
o'clock, Miss Martin, daughter of Capt. Martin, C. 8., su-
perintendent of Deptford dockyard, who some time ago
christened the Hannibal, 91, screw steam-ship, at Dept-
ford, was conducted to the bow of the Esk by Mr. John
Scott Russell, and a bottle of Champagne having been
previously suspended to the bows, Mr. Chatfield ex-
plained the manner in which it should be broken, and Miss
Martin, taking the bottle, covered with three wreaths of
roses, pelargoniums, calceolarias, and other choice
flowers, in both her hands, let it drop in such a manner
that it broke instantly and at the same moment the Esk
began to move, and as she progressed her motion was
accelerated, and she entered the river amidst the cheers
of the assembled spectators, the band of the Hon. Artil-
lery Company playing " Rule Britannia," and subse-
quently concluded by playing the National Anthem.
The following are the dimensions of the
Esk
Ft. In.

Length between the perpendiculars 192 0
Length of the keel for tonnage ........ . 167 3
Breadth extreme to outside wales 36 4
Breadth for tonnage 36 0
Breadth moulded 35 4
22 8
Depth in bold
Burthen in tons, 1,153 39.94.
Immediately after the launch, the Esk was taken to
moorings off Deptford dockyard.
The greater portion of the company having arrived by
special conveyance shortly after 12 o'clock, the interval
between that time and half-past 2 o'clock, when the
launch took place, was occupied by the visitors being
permitted to inspect, through the liberality of the
builders, their vast and extensive machinery and pre-
mises, and the works in progress for the Eastern Steam
Navigation Company, whose Leviathan steam-ship is
one of the wonders of the age. This gigantic undertak-
ing derives much of its interest from the fact that it is
calculated, at no distant period, to work the greatest
revohition in the communication between the mother
country and her most distant dependencies ; and it may
be interesting to many to peruse a brief notice of some
of the leading features connected with the construction
of the first stupendous vessel of that enterprising com-
pany. In 1853, the company having determined upon
the size and power of their vessels, concluded their
arrangements for the construction of their first ship
with J. Scott Russell and Co. for the ship and paddle-
engines, and with James Watt and Co., of Soho, for
the screw engines. By the early part of September
great preparations had been made for carrying on these
works by Messrs. Russell and Co., when, on the 10th
of that month, the whole of the premises containing
these preparations were totally destroyed by fire. The
re-building of the premises and the restoration of patterns
has occupied the interval ; hut, in the meantime, the
ground on which the ship is building has been prepared
with the utmost care and regard to solidity, the piling
alone consuming upwards of 1,500 loads of timber, and
has taken four months to execute. The dimensions and
power of the Eastern Steam Navigation Company's ship
are as follows :—Length 680 feet, breadth 83 feet, depth
58 feet, with screw and paddle-engines of the aggregate
nominal horse-power 2,600. The hull of the ship is of
iron, of extraordinary strength, while the magnitude of
its dimensions afford peculiar facilities for introducing
many precautionary measures conducive to strength and
security. The whole of the ship's bottom, up to six feet
above the water-line, will be double, and is of a cellular
construction, so that any external injury would not af-
fect the tightness or safety of the ship. The upper deck
is also strengthened on the same principle, so that the
ship will be a complete beam, similar to the Britannia-
bridge. There are also ten complete separate watertight
compartments, and the intermediate spaces are sufficient
(being 60 feet in length each), to afford a convenient ar-
. rangement of separate saloons and cabins. The bulk-
heads are carried completely to the upper deck, giving
• an efficiency to the system of compartments which has
not hitherto been attainable.