The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-14 00:00:00

THE LAUNCH OF THE MERSEY.

Another attempt was made yesterday afternoon at Cha-
tham dockyard to launch her Majesty's large screw frigate
Met sey, 40, which refused to quit the stocks on the previous
day, and the efforts of those employed in the operation were
crowned with complete success, the Mersey being now safely
afloat alongside the dockyard. The failure in the attempted
launch on Thursday afternoon appeared to take every per-
son by surprise, as such a circumstance had not been known
to occur at Chatham dockyard for a very great number of
years; and even now no satisfactory reason for the non-
launching of the vessel can be arrived at. It was not until
after 4 o'clock on Thursday afternoon that the efforts to go t
her olf the stocks were abandoned, and Mr. Laire, the mas-
ter shipwright, reluctantly gave the orders to discontinue
the attempts that day. and issued directions to shore up
to prevent her rushing down the " ways" into the river
in a sudden tit. Itzunediately the huge vessel was made
secure a minute examination of the ship, the " ways,"
the cradle, and, indeed, every other part of the ship,
was instituted, in order to ascertain why the hitch
had occurred. It was at first supposed that that part
of the slip which had been recently added had sunk in some
minute degree so as th affect the incline of the " ways," but
on examination not the slighre.t sinking, even to the mi-
nutest past of an in inch, could be detected, a satisfactory
proof of the excellent manner in which the ship had been
constructed by Messrs. Rigby, the contractors. The" ways"
were then examined, and these were found to be in perfect
order, the " camber" of tke vessel being even a trifle more
than is usually the case in consequence of the itutwenae
length of the Mersey. The only conclusion arrived at to ac-
count for the hanging of the ship was that of adhesion, a fea,
ture not altogether unknown in the launching of large yea-.
sels, the supposition being that the great weightof the /ler•
sty—lncreased too by 100 tons of machinery which had been
put on board—had caused her to adhere so tightly to die
" ways" as to require a force of no ordinary description to
lift her and give her a slight start. Several gangs of ship-
wrights were accerdinely employed up to a late hour
on Thursday night, commencing again at four o'clock
yesterday morning, in putting down additional blocks
and screws to ease her off. Four large hydraulic
presses were also borrowed from the yards of Messrs.
Foord and Sons and Mr. Gill, at Rochester, to be used
in the attempt to move her, the Government este-
blishment at Chatham being without any machinery of that
description. Several large talus were alse placed at the stern
of the ship to exert their force on the sullen mass.
The time decided on is make the second attempt tioiclhautnimche
the Mersey was 3 o'clock in the afternoon, at
there was sufficient water to float her off. At ttiat IsTautriotleri.
Laire and Mr. Finchatn, the master Shipwrights
themselves at the head of the vessel; Mr. Cheesenian, her
builder, sof-he-intending the operations of the men below. At
a given signal the dog-shores and blocks were simultaneously
knocked away, and the pressure from the four hydraulic
presses brought to bear against the vessel's stern. The ship-
wAsseta at tee same moment forced the rams by means of
powerful wedges, against the ship, which could no longer
resist the tremendous force applied, and in about five
minutes the cry arose, " She's off," and in an instant
afterwards the large vessel was seen gliding down
the " ways " into the waters of the Medway, which '4l°
appeared to be so reluctant to enter. laowithstand-
ing the disappointment many thousands had to endure the
previous day there was egain an Immense number of specta-
tors present, as it was pretty well known that the Ship could
not resist the force about to be used in getting her off the
tocks. As the Mersey floated into the river those on shore
and on board the vessel loudly cheered. After the launch,
aaother examination of the " ways" and slip was made, but
no fault whatever mild be found in either to account for the
Waite in the first attempt, which, as we prev:ously stated,
was doubtless caused by adhesion.
Tue Mersey will he masted and jury-rigged at Chatham,
after which site will be navigated to Portsmouth to be made
ready for sea, it being understood that she is to form one of
the Channel Fleet of large line-of-battle ships and frigates.
She is pierced for the following powerful at 'lament :—Main
deck, 28 10-inch Rung, each 84cwt. and 0 feet 4 inches in
length; upper deck, 12 68., peunderpivots, each 93cwt. and
10 feet in length. From the power of tier engines (1,000-
horse), she is expected to attain a great speed afloat. The
next vessel to be launched at Chatham dockyard is the
Charybdis, 22, screw corvette; to be followed by the Hood,
tit-gun lice-of-battle screw steamer.

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