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

THE 0 REA T BRITAIN.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sin,—Your readers will recollect that my letter of the
2d inst. was considerea 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 clearly. In the Times newspaper of the
12th inst., there is a report from W. Billinton, Esq.,
C.E., woo 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 in those plans which he condemns, but
contents himself with saying that contractors may be
found to lift the ponderous vessel. No w 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 :
then at the top of these pillars I should carry tie-beams
from the one to the other, forming a quadrangle, and
using such other tie-beams or chain-work as might be
required to secure the vertical position of the pillars; and
from the top of the pillars on the starboard to the oppo-
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, there 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 pillars, which could after •
wards be taken also. Since the above 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 2,1; 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
it 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 •
mint 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 up _)n 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-
c, a 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 reclaimed
land, which might be made to support a much larger po-
pulation than that which too 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 extensionof the latter. Inthe prospect us
of the society before ue, the failure of the Scottish and Irish
cottar system is attributed to bad husbandry—the posses-
si, al 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
from 31 to 5 acre allotments of land, in circumstances
apparently not more favourable than are afforded in the
Highlands, are comfortably supporting families of average
size where a proper system, of husbandry has been
adopted, the society will seek the improvement of
the crofters and small holders of Scotland by the
introduction of the system recommenJed by W.
Blacker, Esq., of Armagh, in his essay on im-
proving the condition of the labouring classqs 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 comfort, which might, at this time, have per-
vs led 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 suoceptible of vast improvement, no one will venture
to dispute. Many efforts 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 may be
more justly attributed to an
m from ex-
cessive destitution of the ordinary comforts of life,
discouraginginthe
iralisati nioankingandeffi
is p v tove m
er inste
.
scale the
m
of evo
They require not only to be told ho w they may cultivate
their land, so as to remunerate themselves, but they re.
quire to be shown how it may be done, by persons
similarly circumstanced to themselves, and, accordingly,
one of the great efforts of the society will be to estab-
lish a model allotment, whenever a proprietor is anxious
to convert a destitute population on his estate into a
comfortably-housed, well.fed, and well-remunerated
tenantry. We undereitand that in conformity
with the suggestion .of one of our principal
Highland proprietors, the objects of the society
have been generalised, and that the establishment
of infant and self supporting agricultural schools,
the improvement of the residences of the labouring
classes in general, as respects cleanliness and sanatory
principles, and the saving of life from boating accidents,
which are so corn mon on mir coasts, are additional fea-
tures of the society to the objects already adverted to—
viz., the improvmment of the fisheries and collar hus-
bandry of the. country. Adequately supported, as we
hope this soci.ety will be, by our aiistocracy and gentry,
and energetically and systematieally carried on by the pro-
moters, tha Scottish Society for the general improvement
of the labouring classes cannot fail of proving highly be-
neficial in its operations. Its promoters must not be die •
couraged by repulses and disappointments at the outset.
—lnverness Courier.

A VALUABLE FIELD Or TURNIPS IN AYRSHIRE.—
Mr. Cuthbert, of Ochiltree, whose improvements on his
Property in the vicinity of that village are changing the
character of the place, has a small field of turnips of
three acres and one rood in extent, for which he has
been offered 801. This shows what can be done by
skill anti a little judicious outlay.—Edinburgh Weekly
Register.