The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-16 00:00:00

THE G ttEAT BRITAIN.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sin,—Your readers will recollect that my letter of the
2d inst. was considers worthy of a place in your in-
valuable columns of the 4th inst., and as it contained
only an outline of the plan which I should adopt in
carrying this splendid ship to sea again, I beg you will
permit me to give a little more detail, and explain the
matter more clearl3l. In the Times newspaper of the
12th inst., there is a report from W. Billinton, Esq.,
C.E., who has made a survey of the ship, and seems to
throw ominous conjectures on the whole success of all
plans which -have been suggested, and, strange to say, he
has not made any suggestions himself, nor even pointed
out the errors ii, those plans which he condemns, but
contents himself with saying that contractors may be
found to lift the ponderous vessel. Now I really do consider
myself in duty bound to call upon W. Billinton, Esq.,
C E., either to withdraw his objection to my plan or to
state the ground of his objection.

The plan which I should adopt in floating this mag-
nificent queen of the sea would be, to place at each side
of the ship, and at equal distance from the line of
gravity, two cast-iron hollow pillars with circular solid
bases, and constructed of such strength as would enable
them to bear the whole weight of the ship; the bases to
be constructed with ribs, and of sufficient dimensions to
support the upright position of the pillars, the top of
which should stand above the high-water line of spring
tides; or should these bases not be sufficient the ground
might be piled, and the pillars set in suitable frame-work:
vertical
or chain-work
positionstarboard
fao s might
h pillars;
andp boe
-
then at the top of these pillars I should carry tie-beams
o thetepo
from the one to the other, forming a quadrangle, and
from
using
required
suchhe de tt
oo
pseotheroc fur
the e
the
pillars tie-beams
on the
site ones on the larboard I should carry a tudor-head of
wrought iron sufficiently strong to bear the weight of
the ship, and constructed in such a way as to throw the
lines of gravity as much as possible on the vertical
pillars; care being taken at the same time to brace the
pillars together with chains sufficiently strong to resist
the outwards pressure which would necessarily fall upon
them. Then from the vertex of these arches I would
suspend iron bars to the fulcrums of levers placed in
such position that the suspended iron bars would act as
fulcrums to the levers, which would be so constructed as
to enable four or five men to work them with a screw
sufficiently powerful to lift a weight of 20,000 tons.
Having thus securely, and of more than sufficient
strength, arranged the whole apparatus, I would attach
to the ship at low water as many boats, or other floating
bodies, as I 'could procure, and with the rising tides I
would gradually apply the combined powers every fol-
lowing tide until I had succeeded in lifting the ship out
of the sand, and if the water should then be found
insufficient to float her, I would anchor a number of
boats at a short distance from her to break off the sea
and storms, till the next spring tides afforded me a suffi-
ciency of water; making in the mean time such repairs
as would enable me to tow her to sea; and should the
vessel when raised from the sand be capable of floating
herself, t ere would be no difficulty in allowing her either
then or at any other time to carry away without danger
the whole of the tackle and top part of the framework,
leaving behind only the metal pit ars, which could after •
wards be taken also. Since the ab we appeared in your
paper of the 4th inst., I have been honoured with the
opinion of many scientific gentlemen, who all concur in
saying that my suggestions are appropriate; and as the
ship is now lying on a limestone rock, there would be
no difficulty in finding solid foundations for the metal
pillars. And it is quite clear from Mr. Billinton's state-
ment that before she leaves the place she must undergo
some repairs, which cannot be made until she be lifted
up for that purpose; and it would appear from Mr. Bil-
linton's survey that she is in a much more favourable
position to be lifted by this plan than what it would
from a perusal-of my letter of the 2d; and had Mr. Billing-
ton in his report favoured us with the quantity of water
drawn by the Great Britain, and also with the weight of
her engines, the contractors with whom he leaves the
ta'k would have been able to say whether her engines
would require to be removed in getting her to sea;
whether she could, when repaired, be towed out, and
whether her own steam power would not carry her out;
and, finally, whether she would not have to be moved on
what a contractor would call a gantry. The answers to
all these questions would remain blank in their estimate
if they had no information but that which is furnished
by Mr. Billinton's report. There would be no difficulty
whatever in carrying out my suggestions, and as the
weather is so very favourable, the advantage ought, if
possible, to be taken, as it would be a great risk to allow
her to remain on that dangerous coast all the winter.
I have, Sir, the honour to be, your obedient servant,
EDWARD SANDS. C.E.
Sheffield, Nov. 13, 1846.

SOCIETY for the IMPROVEMENT of

COTTARS.
We learn with much pleasure from a correspondent
that a society has been formed for the general improve •
meat of the labouring classes in Scotland, of a similar
description to the society in England, which has proved
highly beneficial wherever it has been fairly brought to
bear upon a destitute population. In the northern half
of Scotland, the masses now threatened with famine,
unless extraneous aid be supplied, are chiefly dependent
on husbandry and fishing, and to improve the circumstan •
ces of these classes are two of the objects contemplated,
by the promoters of the institution alluded to. It is true
as has been lately stated in the Times, that the High-
lands abound with spots of waste but easily reclaims I
land, which might be made to support a much larger po-
pulation than that which ton often proves a burden to
the proprietors and the rate-payers, and a source of just
commiseration and alarm, as at this time, to every
right-minded person in the empire • but proprietors,
finding that large farmers are profitable occupiers, and
that small holders are very unprofitable ones, are natu-
rally averse to any exteinsionof the latter. Inthe prospectus
of the society before us, the failure of the Scottish and Irish
cottar system is attributed to bad husbandry—the posses-
sion of more land than the crofter can cultivate by manual
labour, and too little capital, land, and skill, to allow
of horse labour remunerating, it being an axiom in
farming, that land cannot afford a pair of horses if much
under 40 acres. Founding upon indisputable facts, that
fby averagevvor.
from 3i to 5 acre allotments of land, in circumstances
Highlands, are comfortably supporting
apparently not more favourable than are afforded in the
adopted,sinizterowduhce introduction
the
ea properosfoei
tehtye sway3i.ssltlteemms e
eokf husbandry
the
aimprovementm
recommendedi ls °
the crofters and small holders of Scotland by the
Blacker, Esq., of Armagh, in his essay on im-
proviug the condition of the labouring classes of
Ireland—the efficiency of which has been proved
by raising the small tenantry of the Earl of Gosford,
under his charge, from extreme destitution to compe-
tency and comiort, which might, at this time, have per-
vaded the destitute peasantry of Ireland and Scotland,
had similar means been adopted. That the husbandry
of the crofters of Scotland is still very poor, and that it
is susceptible of vast improvement, no one will venture
to dispute. Many eff ,rts have been made by individual
proprietors to produce an alteration, but generally with
trifling success. Instead of attributing the tendency of
the Highland peasantry to cling to old abuses as a result
of some occult principle inherent in the Celtic race, we
believe it maybe more
attributed to an ex-
cessive destitution of the
ordinary
comforts of life,
discouraging them makingfrom efforts to rise
in the scale of civilisation
to and improvement.
justly
They require not only to be Idhow they may cultivate
their land, so as to remunerate themselves, but they re-
quire to themselves, and, accordingly,
well-remunerated
to be shown how itl may
na
obne dino.snee,sbtyatepeirnstoonas
similarly circumstanced
the society
t wherever a proprietor is anxious
estab-
lish oafmthodeegiraetatottmeff
eoer,,s of society will be to
to convert a destitute population
tenantry.of one of
with the suggestion
wei
understand
four principal
the objects Highland proprietors,
d thatj 3 o the society
have been generalised, an
.the establishment
comfortably-housed,
of • fent and self supporting agricultural schools,
In
ent of the residences of the labouring
the ,improvement
respects cleanliness '
and sanatory
classes in general, as.
of life from
principles, and the savionog boating accidents,
our • t Loas s, are additional fea-
tureswhich are so common
society to the objects already adverted to—
viz., the improvement of fisheries and cotter hus-
bandry of the country. Adequately supported, as we
hope this
society will be, by our aristocracy and gentry,
, and systematieally carried on by the pro-
moters,and energeticall). .
Society for the general improvement
of improvement
the Scottish
cannot fail of
of the labouring classes calntn proving highlybe. be-
neficial in its operations. ! promoters. must not dis -
repulses and disappointments at the outset.
couraged by
—lnverness Courier.

A VALUABLE FIELD OF TURNIPS IN AYRSHIRE.'
Mr. Ctl,fdpn, of Ochi!me, whose, impr)veinents on his
property in the vicinity of that village are ehanging the
character cf the plue, has a sula.ll field of turnips of
three sleres p,,na ono r,-,d irs xtent, to? ulii, hhe Las
been uffcr,d 80/. rids shows what eau be done oy
skill and a little judicious outlay.—,e4Ourgli W tali/
Register.