The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-29 00:00:00

SUN, LONDON

ah(?ad, but the vessel had now great way on her,
44..1d could not be easily stopped on what seemed her
road to destruction. Just as the screw began to tell:
an immense mass of wreck wood fouled it and
brought the machinery to a dead stand. Not a
second could be lost in waiting till-it cleared, so the
steam was at once turned into the paddle engines,
which were driven round at great speed, though the
floats got hurt among the mass of wreck, and the
great ironwork, of the wheels was bent in many
places. To avoid this and the serious damage it
might occasion, the screw was set to work again
the instant it was freed, but it was seldom able to
revolve more than a few moments without becom-
ing, jammed, again, when the paddles. were again
resorted to. But for the Great Eastern's double
engines very little could have been done. The an-
chor svhich.was let, go "bit" .at once, and as much
scope was given to the cable as dare be let out
when the vessel had driven back so far and the
lee shore loomed so close astern. Still, for a time,
the position contiued dangerous in the extreme, as,
in spite of both wind and steam, the great ship lay
open to the sea rolling dangerously for such a place,
and making way as if nothing would hold her. At
last she brought up, though she seemed to make
desperate efforts to break from the grip of hew new
holdfast—tugging and rolling to her chain as
though she would pull up a mountain. Fortu-
nately both chains and anchor held fast, as they
did before in heavy weather at Portland, when two
screw colliers, each with 800 tons of coals on board,
two brigs, two dummies, and a large galliot, all
hung on to the Great Eastern, riding at the same
single chain and anchor. After one or two more in-
effectual efforts to break away, her head at last
swung round, and she rode lightly to the gale as
before, In this last struggle some of the links of the
chain cable were actually dragged cut one-third
longer, and one which passed under the sharp bows
of the vessel was bent nearly double. The cable on
the port bow was then hove in, when it was found
that the shank of the anchor, after bending con-
siderably, had been torn_ in half about a foot below
the crown, showing good anchor and holding
ground both.
From this time (about 12 o'clock) the glass began
to rise fast, and the worst of the gale was over,
though it still came down occasionally in wild and
heavy gusts, rendering every precaution necessary
in the way of full steam power, for with such a ship
and such a sea none knew what next might happen.
Soon after one o'clock two schooners came upon
the coast ; one with good way on her stood right
down upon what remained of the breakwater, un-
aware of the fact that much of it had been swept
away, and that the head which they ran for was far
inside a dangerous reef of breakwater debris, on
which :even the Great Eastern herself would be
beaten to pieces in an hour. Fortunately, both
vessels saw their danger when almost on the
breakers, and - one weathered safely round the
awful shoal. The second, in trying to recover her-
self, lost way and drove too much in shore, and for
the next two hours had to struggle with the gale,
poised between life and death, and hundreds look-
ing on at the unequal contest with breathless inte-
rest, but unable to aid in any way.
Happily for the little ship and all onboard, she
fought a successful, though arduous battle. One
minute she seemed carrying on well, and hope beat
high as with her little rags of sail she faced the
storm, and, all hid with foam, broke doggedly
through the great antagonists which rose around
on all sides. Another minute, and, reeling over
under the effects of a tremendous wave, she fell off
before the wind and again drove rapidly towards
the dismantled breakwater, over which the sea was
now roaring in a succession of cataracts. Twice did
she seem overpowered, amid these fearful breakers,
and yet again emerged, her little black hull rising
sharp and clear above the line of foam. Her utter
destruction appeared almost impossible to avert,
and Captain Harrison had ordered 12 hands to be
ready for lowering away in one of Gladstone's
boats, in order that no effort might be spared to
save those on board, when the little vessel made
another effort, aided by a momentary lull, stood
further out to sea, weathered the dreadful reef,
and reached the harbour. From this time out
the gale continued to decrease in violence,
so that in the afternoon the Great Eastern
again screwed ahead, and dropped a-second anchor
more under the lee of the breakwater, and rode se-
cure. Then, and then only, was Captain Harrison
enabled to leave the deck, and take that rest which
was so much needed after his labour and long
anxiety.
In the evening the wind went round to the north-
west, and then, sheltered by the breakwater, the
Great Eastern rested quietly, though still with all
steam ready. To-day (Thursday) the weather is fine
and mild, and steamers were again able to come
alongside. On shore the gale appears to have done
considerable damage, and, as we are informed,
chimneys were blown down and houses unroofed at
Holyhead. Part of the line between Bangor and
Conway has been completely washed away by the
dash of the sea, and the engincering triumphs of
the late Robert Stephenson have been laid waste in
hideous gaps. At these places the surf seems to
have swept in with awful violence, carrying before
it both the sea wall and the outer line of rails.
Thus at present the long railway trip to Holyhead
is diversified by having to dismount and continue
the journey by coach round the steep headland of
Penmaenmawr. The company have done their ut-
most to remedy a disaster which was no f ult of
theirs; but' the mountains of North Wales afford
but few facilities for remedying mishaps of any kind
so the primitive inhabitants of these districts are
occasionally refreshed by the sight of first-class pas-
sengers struggling up a mountain road under a heap
of carpet-bags, or looking with anxious excitement
after their luggage, which comes after-them in carts.
It has been many years since any easterly nip has
ever done such mischief. The place where passen-
gers to London re-enter the train is about three
miles beyond Conway, and if the officials there
showed a little more alacrity the company would
be saved some blame and the public unnecessary
delay.

Ainong the valleys and mountain passes of North
Wales the gale appears to have raged with dread-
ful fury. Trees have been uprooted, rocks set roll-
ing down the sides of the mountains, and cottages
unroofed or entirely destroyed.
Tuesday or Wednesday next is the date at present
fixed Lr the departure of the Great Eastern for
Southampton ; the latter is most likely to be the
day, as the tides will then suit better for taking the
vessel through Spithead, and up to her moorings in
Southampton Water. The spot selected for her
winter berth is about half a mile distant from the
new military hospital at Netley, and some two and
a-half miles from the town of Southampton.
The moorings which are being laid are chains of
4 inches square, and, of course, of the best con-
struction. The vessel rides to a swivel on what is
termed a " bull ring," the mooring chain being laid
in the form of a cross, up and down and across the
stream. The chains going up and down are secured
by tWo iron mooring lumps of eight tons each, with
two shackles of three tons more, backed by two an-
chors of 98cwt. each without the stock. Those across
the stream, where no tideway is to be dreaded, are
secured with anchors. Light as the Great Eastern
rides, she must be well secured to rest safe' in a
strong tide way.
It has been stated. repeatedly that it was by a de-
cision of the Board of Directors that it was an-
nounced that the Great Eastern should leave Eng-
land for America on the 27th inst., and that this
sudden change of destination from the United States
to Southampton argues great infirmity of purpose
on the part of the directory. We believe that no
Board resolution was ever passed that she should
leave on the 27th. It was merely hoped that she
would be able to leave this month, and the idea was,
given up for the very best of all reasons—namely,
that when the company' surveyors and arbitrators
came to inspect the ship they at once emphatically
declared that she was not in a fit state to cross the.
Atlantic. In the face of such a declaration there
was, of course, no alternative but to postpone the
sailing sine die. That this decision was a wise one
none can doubt, and. it is sincerely to be hoped that
no divisions in the councils of the directory may
arise to set aside a resolution which is not only prudent,
bill actually necessary. Many may question the
propriety of having a body of directors to manage
the affairs of a single ship, and nothing but the
most perfect unanimity on all matters concerning
the welfare of the undertaking will reconcile the
public to such administration: As regards the ac-
tual departure of the Great Eastern for America it
will make very little difference if the directors
decided that she should start for the United States
on this day week, for the whole question as to the
date of sailing now rests with the Board of Trade.
Until their requirements have been complied with no
passenger certificate will be given, and the precau-
tionary measures which they insist on arc only
likely to be completed at Southampton, and cannot
possibly be done in less than two months at the
earliest. Fire hose have yct to be fitted to the
auxiliary engines aft, more sails have yet to be
bent, spare spars, extra boats, and feed pumps to
the engines have all to be completed. The fixing
of the wheel and tiller chains must be alterel, east-
iron stanchions placed amidships beneath the iron
upper-deck, and some apparatus or another devised
fur warming the saloons. The cold on board the
vessel during the last few days has been very
severe, though, of course, a mere. trifle to what
must have been endured if the Great Eastern had
started for America this winter. In fact, it is not
too much to say.that without some means of in-.
creasing the temperature in the forecastle and be-
tween decks scarcely any officers or men could have
been found hardy enough to venture across the
Atlantic at this season of the year. American