The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, 'WEDNESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 5, 1859.

TILE GIk)EAT EAS7'EIiN.

(From the Special Cories poudent.of the TirneB.)
WEYMOUTH, OCT. 4.
Amid all the hurry of preparation, and almost
while it was yet uncertaie as to the extent of the
actual repairs required, it has been suddenly de-
cided that the Great Eastern shall start from this
port on her trial trip on the Bth inst. A few days
since it was all but formally resolved that the great
ship should go round to Southampton, there to
undergo what we may term a thorough refitting,
without which all on board knew she could never
go to sea with safety. The real friends of the
undertaking rejoiced in this step, as one likely to
result in proper time being given for the vessel to
be thoroughly equipped for sea, in accordance with
the regulations of the Board of Trade, and all the
preparations were accordingly made for mooring
the Great Eastern opposite Netley Hospital by the
6th or 7th. At the last moment this arrangement
has been set aside, and it has been decided that,
ready or not ready, the vessel goes to sea on her
trial trip on Saturday next. One of the reasons
assigned for this course is the necessity of keeping,
faith with the public. Yet the public are not al-
lowed to be present at a trial trip which they have
paid their money to see.
This exclusion of the passengers, hsivever, is cer-
tainly not due to any act of self-denfal on the part
of the Great Ship Company, but solely to a wise
precaution of the Board of Trade, which resolutely
withholds from the Great Eastcin her certificate to
carry passengers till the reasonable alterations
which have been suggested have been carried into
effect. As yet few, if any, of these suggestions have
been attended to at all, so the ship remains anc:
will remain without a passenger certificate till the

Board of Trade are satisfied that all that human

skill and foresight can achieve has been done to
render her perfectly safe. Nevertheless, without
passengers the great ship can go on her trial trip at
once, which seems strange enough when-we regard
the matter in its proper light. If Brown, Jones;
and Robinson want to travel, the all-complaisant
Board of Trade steps in and sees that the vessel
which takes these illustrious voyagers on board is
duly provided with all that can promote their com-
fort or insure their safety. Not so, however, with
the firemen, sailors, and stokers, who go to earn
their bread, and who are actually shipped on board
the vessel through the agency of Government officers
on their behalf. Apparently the Board of Trade
cannot interfere; though, when the Great Eastern
clears out of this port on Saiurday nest, she will
have a larger number of human beings on board—
firemen, sailors, and others—than any passenger
steamvessel that ever quitted the shores of this
kingdom. The mere coasting round to Holyhead
however, in truth, affords no chance of risk, and foi
many reasons connected with the machinery of the
ship, it may be regarded as a necessary step that
this short voyage should be undertaken at once.
When we have said this much, however, we have
said all, and it would be merely deceiving out
readers if we stated positively that because the
Great Eastern arrives at Holyhead as per advertise-
ment, therefore she will start for America with the
same punctuality. The Great Eastern can scarcely
leave Holyhead on the 20th, and if she could do sc
the Board of Trade will not let her until all their
urgent requirements for the safety of passengers
have been complied with to the very letter. About
a week since an article on this ship informed our
readers of some of the principal improvements which
had been suggested, or were likely to be insisted
on, by the Board of Trade. Few, if any, of these
alterations have yet been carried out, and to com•
plete them all will be a work of such time as ren-
ders it quite impossible that the vessel can be read)
by the 20th, or during the month of October at all.
The two forward boilers, which were injured by
the explosion, have been repaired, but not by
replacing the damaged plates with new ones, as
the Board of Trado insisted, but by putting
patches on those which were most bent and strained.
A patched boiler-plate may possibly be as strong as
a new one, but in these cases the wisest economy is
to put the matter beyond all doubt. Contrary tc
the expressed wish of the directors and the Board
of Trade, Mr. Scott Russell has positively refused
to do this, and insisted on patching the boilers
until the vessel goes round to Holyhead. The bilge
and injection pumps, to make the engines self-
feeding, and so do away with the most objectionable
arrangement of leaving the boilers dependent for
their feed-water on the donkey engines, was ano-
ther matter recommended by the Board of Trade.
The value of this suggestion is clear to all ,and cer
tainly before the ship leaves Holyhead the directors
if they are wise, will see that it is properly carried
out.

In one point of view the intended trial trip will
decidedly be of the very greatest use, in fully and
fairly testing the capacity and speed of both sets of
engines. During the voyage to the Nore and from the
Nore to Hastings, when the greatest amount of speed
was obtained the paddle never worked above nand
the screw more than 32 revolutions per minute.
Yet to obtain the maximum speed the paddles must
go 14 and the screw 53 revolutions in the same
time. The Board of Trade, we believe, have sug-
gested, in a way that cannot be overlooked or mis-
taken, that the maximum number of revolutions
shall be obtained from both engines before proceed-
ing to sea with passengers, and for this purpose the
run round to Holyhead will undoubtedly afford great
facilities. The directors, to do them mere justice are
determined that everything shall be put beyond a
doubt, and intend during the trial trip to test the
engines to the very utmost of which they are capable.
Mr. Scott Russell goes in charge of his own engines.
Whether the screw can go 53 and the paddles 14 re-
volutions or not will make very little difference in the
success of the vessel, as it is seen that 12 revolutions
of the paddle and 44 of the screw can be obtained
with the utmost ease and certainty, which alone will
give the Great Eastern a speed of at least 17 knots,
or more than 19 statute miles per hour, and nearly
double the rate of speed at which the sea-going
mails are contracted for. One element 'in the suc-
cess of the Great Eastern seems to have been over-
looked by all, though we believe it will prove a
most important one, and that is her sailing quali-
ties. Though, for her size, she spreads a very small
amount of canvas, yet her captain and all the nau-
tical men who have seen her express a most confi-
dent opinion that, with a fair strong breeze, her
sailing speed will almost equal her steaming. Some
of the sails -are being bent, and all will be ready
before she starts on Saturday. The course of the
vessel from this port will be to the Scilly Isles, and
thence across Channel to the Old Head of Kinsale,
and so on up Channel to Holyhead harbour. It is
hoped and expected that during some part of this
trip, which will last from the Bth to the 11th, an
opportunity will be afforded of testing her sailing
power, and the result of this trial is looked forward
to with much interest. The anchorage chosen for
the great ship at Holyhead can hardly be said to
be inside the breakwater, but rather on a line with
its eastern extremity. Inside the breakwater there
is not sufficient room for her to swing to a single
anchor with safety. The place where she is to lie
is rather open to a heavy swell when the wind is
from the north-east, and this may possibly on some
days make it difficult to bring steamers alongside;
but, on the whole, it is as fine a berth as any that
could have been fixed upon. The arrangements
making for excursionists arc on the most extensive
scale. During one day (the 17th) it is expected
that the ship will be closed to visitors, as on that
day it is rumoured her Majesty will inspect the
breakwater, and of course visit the Great Eastern.
While she is at Holyhead a great deal of work
must be performed. The indiarubber packing be-
tween the flanges of the cast-iron masts has to be re-
moved, and its place supplied with hornbeam ; the
deficient boilers have to be repaired, feed and bilge
pumps fitted to both engines, and fire pumps and

hose attached to the auxiliary screw engines. At
present the only fire hose are those attached to the
pair of auxiliary engines forward, and these have
also to pump the bilge, wash the decks, and work the
steam gear for heaving round the capstan forward.
In fact, these two all-important engines have too
much to do, and in case of anything happening to
them, no fire could be put out or leak checked. It
is to provide against both these dangers that it has
been arranged to fit the auxiliary screw engines
with fire hose, and the chief engines themselves with
bilge and injection pumps. When all these are
fitted the Great Eastern will have pumps enough to
keep -down a leak as big as 20 portholes, or throw
upwards of 20 tons of water on a fire. To-day the new
funnel was got on end and riveted together, so that
for the first time since the explosion the ship has
resumed her natural appearance. In the course of
to-morrow (W ednesday) upwards of 100 able sea-
men will join: as crew from. London. During
Thursday the forward boilers will be tested with
the hydraulic pumps, and the new machinery in
connexion with the forward capstan got into gear
for heaving in a little of the cable.

Mr. Grace's men work incersantly to redecorate
the grand saloon; ,put. this will scarcely be com-
pleted before the arrival of the vessel at Holyhead.
Much work to the lower saloon cabin fittings will
then still remain to be accomplished, but progress
with this is of little moment, as for the first voyage
across the Atlantic there may probably be more
cabins than occupants.

The three injured stokers are progressing mos.
Favourably, and may be pronounced convalescent

Several additional szbseriptions have been for-
warded to Captain Harrison for the widows and
orphans of those who have perished, many of whom
have been left utterly destitute.

fantry stationed at Chatham, took place by Major-
Gen. H. Eyre, commandant of the garrison. The
whole of the available force of the two battalions
assembled on the general parade-ground shortly
before 2 o'clock ; the Ist battalion under the com-
mand of Col. H. Jervis, consisting of the depots of
the 7th (Royal Fusileers), 24th, 35th, 43d (Light
Infantry), 53d and 77th Regiments; the 2d batta-
lion, under the command of Col. R. N. Phillips,
comprising the depot companies of the 20th, 23d
(Royal Welsh Fusileers), 31st, 52d (Light Infantry),
and 73d Regiments. Notwithstanding the nume-
rous detachments despatched during the last few
weeks from this garrison to India, amounting in the
aggregate to a very little short of 1,000 men, the
battalions are very strong, and number upwards of
2,000 bayonets. On the arrival of the Major-Gene-
ral, attended by several officers of the staff, he pro-
ceeded to make a careful and very minute inspec-
tion of the troops, going. through the companies of
each battalion and passing up and down the front
and rear of each, the inspection occupying the
General same time. The men displayed an exceed-
ingly neat and soldierly appearance, the result of
the inspection proving the high state of efficiency
and discipline of the troops attached to the batta-
lions at Chatham.
Yesterday the depot of the 29th (Worcestershire)
Regiment vacated the tents at Fort Amherst, Cha-
tham, in which it has been encamped during the
summer, and. proceeded to Devonport to join the
British depot battalion at that station.
Yesterday an order was received at Chatham for
quarters to be prepared in Chatham Barracks for
the depot companies of the Ist battalion, 6th Foot,
which will proceed to that garrison from Colchester
to supply the vacancy occasioned by the removal of
the 29th Regiment. The 6th depot will be attached
to the 2,1 battalion, under the command of Colonel
Phillips.
On Monday evening a detachment of the 84th

Regiment, just returned from India, arrived at Shef-
field to join the remainder of the regiment, which
is now stationed there. It consisted of 166 men,
accompanied by seven women and 14 children.
Capt. the lion. W. 11. Herbert was in command,
the other officers accompanying the detachment
biesit..ngslu,rig.
eu ts.
Jenkins,Foster
andand
Quartermaster Griffin,
Nally. The Ensign Knox, As-
s
detachment embarked in the Gertrude at Calcutta
on the 21st of May, and made a very protracted
voyage, during which the cholera broke out, and
proved fatal to nine of the men and one of the
women. Part of the regiment, it will be recollected,
served under General Havelock during his glorious
struggle to relieve the garriscn of Lacknow, among
whom were some of their own comrades.

The B Battery of Royal Artillery, under the com-
mand of Capt. Paget, arrived in Ipswich yesterday
from the Camp at Aldershot. The battery comprises
174 men, and has four 6-pounders and two 12.
pounder howitzers. On Monday all the troops
stationed in the camp at Colchester marched out to
meet the corps while on the way to Ipswich, on the
London road. The force tlyas concentrated com-
prised 12 Indian depots, the Dublin Artillery
Militia, and the Essex Rifles Militia—in all up-
wards of 2,000 men.

The Himalaya screw troopsl►ip, Commander John
Scccombe, on her arrival in England from Bermuda
with the 26th (Cameronians) Foot on board, will
disembark them at Kingstown. It had been origin-
ally intended to place the regiment on its arrival in
camp at Aldershot, but its destination has been since
altered to Kingstown by orders issued from the
Horse Guards.

The 2d Somerset Militia, ander the command of
Col. Pinney, M.P., was inspected on Saturday last
by Col. Longden, C. 13., commanding the 10th Foot.
Nearly 800 men were on the ground.
After having seen the regiment go through se-
veral battalion movements under the commanding
officer, the Major of the regiment was directed to
put the men through the manual and platoon exer-
cise, and some of the captains called out to drill
their companies. The inspecting officer expressed
himself highly satisfied with the efficient manner
in which the several movements, &c., were gone
through, and with the creditable appearance of so
fine a body of mem.
The Tipperary Artillery Militia, numbering 891
of all ranks, were carefully inspected on Monday
by Major-General Sir J. Yorke Scarlett, K.C.8.,
attended by Colonel Noel Lake, C.B.,‘commanding
artillery of the- south-west district. Sir J. Scarlett
ordered the men at once to their guns. He seemed
much pleased with the field-gun exorcise, the strong
able men of which the regiment is composed work-
ing the six-pounders with drag-ropes with almost
as much rapidity as if they had been honed. The
guns of Fort Monckton were next fired, and the

General seemed greatly pleased and surprised at
the accuracy of practice, the target being placed at
a distance of 1,200 yards. The blank firing at
Blockhouse Fort was also in excellent time and

very steady. Having all the officers and men of
the regiment drawn up in quarter distance column
the General addressed them as follows :—" A finer
body of men, more cleanly, more orderly, more sol-
dier-like I have never seen. To Lord Donough-
more, your Lieut.-Col., to your officers, and to
yourselves the greatest credit is due, and to all of
you I have to express my entire satisfaction. I
have seen a great many militia regiments, but I can
truly say I never yet saw one at all equal to this!'

THE
.LOSS OF NET MAJESTY'S SLOOP

HERON.

Tho following is a narrative, furnished to the
Board of Trade by Mr. Thomas Blackie, of the
barqua Irlam, of Liverpool, relative to his falling in
with and saving Captain Truscott and 24 others,
part of the officers and crew of her Majesty's late
sloop Heron.

On the 9th of May last, when in lat 5.20 N., and
long. 14.55 W., the weather at the time settling
down after a perfect hurricane, wind S.W.—at 1
p.m. saw a boat full of men right astern of us, some
of them perfectly naked ; I ordered the ship to be
laid to. On the boat rowing up alongside, and in-
quiring who they were, found that her Majesty's
sloop Heron had foundered, and that the boat's
crew, consisted of Captrin Truscott, the gunner,
and boatswain, and part of the petty officers and
seamen of the sloop. Got them all on board. Capt.
Truscott stated they had been eight hours without
food or water, the thermometer standing at this
time 90 in the shade. Their first cry was, " Give
us water; our tongues are parched." Captain Trus-
cott, the gunner, and the boatswain, were shown
down tomy cabin ; the seamen were accommodated
in the forecastle ; all those that were naked and re-
quiring clothes were provided from my stock ; every
restorative and refreshment were administered to
them that the ship afforded. Capt. Truscott being
anxious to ascertain if there were any other sur-
vivors, requested me to go back to the bearings
where the Heron had foundered, in the hope of
saving some of the cre immediately complied
therewith. Steering S.W. by,W.S.W., the same
day, at 8 p.m., as I. was going up out of my
cabin, I fancied I heard a voice calling for help.
I immediately ordered and assisted to lower tho
quarterboat. I sent five hands in her. They
pulled round and round the ship at a distance of
about 700 yards. I kept the ship's bell striking.
A truly awful silence prevailed fore and aft, the sur-
vivors looking at each other with looks not to be
described. It was the death knell of their ship-
mates. This was continued for two hours. The
boats's crew not finding any person, returned to the
ship at 10 p.m. I remained about the spot until
noon of the following day. Finding our search .
fruitless, I then bore up on our course for Sierra
Leone, where we arrived on the IGth, at 3 30 p.m.
Captain Truscott proceeded in my boat to her Ma.
jesty's ship Trident. In about half an hour after
the Trident's launch came alongside, and the officers
and seamen left for the Trident, taking her Ma-
jesty's sloop Heron's boat with them. Commander
Lord Edward Cecil, in commaed of her Majesty's
screw steam sloop Surprise, and Commander F. A.
Close, in command of the paddlewheel steam vessel
Trident, the senior officer on that station, came on
hoard the Irlam. A few days after Commander
Close gave me a certificate for saving the lives of
the survivors. The following is a copy:—
" H.M.S. Trident, Sierra Leone, May 21.
" This is to certify that Mr. Thom as Blackie,
master of the barque Irlam, of Liverpool, received
on board his vessel, in lat. 5 20 N., long 14 55 W.,
Commander W. 11. Truscott and 24 men, being the
stn.% ivors from H.M. sloop Heron, which foundered
at sea in a tornado, 200 miles from the nearest land.
Further, that Capt. Blackie bo; e up out of his course,
and proceeded to the spot of the dreadful catas-
trophe, with the hope of saving more of the Heron's
ship's company. Captain Blaekic treated the dis-
tressed survivors with the greatest kindness and
humanity, and he deserves the utmost regard and
thanks from every officer and man in the "Royal
Navy, for the noble part he performed on the above
occasion.--F. A. CLOSE, Commander and Senior
Officer of the Northern Division."
The sufferings of Captain Truscott, his officers
and men, appeared to have been very great, although
only exposed for eight hours, from want of water
and the extreme hest, which had blistered and
burnt their skins all over their bodies. Had not a