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

DEPARTURE OF THE GREAT BRITAIN
FOR AUSTRALIA.

( From lVillmer and SMith's European Times.)
Our readers in Australia have necessarily looked for
the appearance of the Great Britain very anxiously,
and her absence has no doubt caused considerable
anxiety. The popularity of this fine ship induces all
who have taken an interest in her voyages to regret the
recent calamity which she has experienced,—one of the
most unlooked-for and novel description, and which
neither compromises the character of the ship nor the
professional capacity of her commander. In leaving
the Mersey, at the end of April, she encountered in
passing down the channel a slight accident, by crossing
over a sunken wreck in her way, which struck her
screw, broke one of the shaft bearings, and, for a mo-
ment, disabled her. But it was one of those calamities
against which no foresight could guard, and it is credi-
table to Captain Grey, who has succeeded Capt. Mat-
thews as the commander of the Great Britain, that he
returned to port instead of pursuing his voyage. In
such cases a nautical man, not unlike a com-
mander on the battle-field, is unwilling to retire
even in the presence of extreme danger ; but prudenee
is not less essential on the ocean wave than in the
tented field, and the greatest compliment which can be
paid to any man in such a situation is, that he appre-
ciated the delicacy of his position and acted accordingly.
Nothing can show more strongly the high estimation
in which the Great Britain is held than the fact that
nearly the whole of the passengers, except those to
whom time was invaluable, have awaited with pa.
tience the completion of repairs, extending over
more than, six weeks, which the vessel was compelled to
undergo in order to her adequate refit. They preferred
to remain rather than avail themselves of any other con-
veyance. In this case the owners of the Great Britain
acted with great liberality ; they offered to return the
passage money, and to pay the fares of such of the
voyagers to their distant homes as desired to avail them-
selves of the choice. From a firm so respectable as that
of Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, and Co. nothing leescould
have been expected. The steamer, now that she is again
ready for sea, carries out a greater number of passenger*.
than she had on board when she met with the imp&
ment in the channel.
During Whitsun week this magnificent specimen of
marine architecture has been an objeot of intense curiosity
on the part of the numerous visitors to Liverpool, who
flock into the town at this festival, and, although some
years have elapsed since the Great Britain first "walked
the waters as a thing of life," the interval has made no
diminution in her popularity. We are glad to learn that
her owners are already laying down several new ships
with auxiliary power, so as to establish a regular line of
communication between this port and the Australian
colonies. The present generation have witnessed many
changes in the history of the world—changes which have
affected mankind morally, physically, and intellectually;
but no change which the world has ever seen can be
compared to that which has been caused by the rapid,
the unexampled development of Australia. It seems to
be a beautiful ordination of nature that while one coun-
try, or a series of countries, on a certain portion of our
planet become inconveniently crowded,
unfavourabledoed,so osto
to
make
the pressure arising from competition
the advancement of the human race, a counter-attraction
presents itself at a far distant point, which draws away
the superabundant population to a new land and a virgin
soil, teaming with the wealth of nature, and more espe-
cially with that mineral wealth whisk men will sacrifice
every other consideration to attain—gold.
So far the communication between the mother country
and her Australian colonies has been less uniform than
could have been desired ; hut the new line of auxiliary
steamers now building by Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, and
Co., cannot fail to remedy the evil, and, while they can-
not fail to prove a source of incalculable benefit and
comfort to the public, they will prove, we trust, objects
of pride and of success to their proprietors. This much
at least may be said, that no vessel has ever left the
Mersey to which the popular voice has more sincerely
awarded that cordial and hearty tribute of admiration—
" Grid speed."