The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-20 00:00:00

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

Shortly after one o'clock the order was given to
commence working the hydraulic presses. The
pumping was continued for about a quarter of an
hour, but no motion whatever was perceptible,
though the creaking of timbers bore witness to the
terriide and all but resistless strain of power to
which it was subj?cted. Then the strain epee the
chains at the fore was commenced. but, even before
it hsd become taut, a link gave way, the two ends
went crashing through the water, and the heavy
lighter rebounded like a floating cork from the po-
sition which it had occupied. The chain which
broke was a 2i inch one, and appeared capable of
bearing any amount of e.rain which human power
could put upon it. The result proved that there
was some flaw in the chain which might in all pro-
bability have been discovered bad it been tested in
the first instance. There appeared to be some
doubt whether it was the chain just mentione 1
which broke, or whether it was another massive
chain attached to the City moorings. This larger
chain weighs three hundred weight per link, and
each link is three feet in length, but one of the
persons in authority doubted whether4t could have
een this one, because it had been in use fir the
last 50 years, and had consequently been often
used. Constant use may be considered by some
persons a satisfactory proof of soundness and great
strength but unprofesfonal minds would he apt to
see in its venerable age a sufficient reason for test-
ing its qualities. When the position occupied by the
hydraulic " rams" was examined, it was fear' 1 that
the backward pressure of the apparatus had been
so great as to remove bodily the whole of the piling
intended to have formed a buttress to the rams.
The solid earth to the depth of several feet was
forced back with the framework of the piles to a
distance of about ten inches, leering a chasm down
to the bottom of the piles as clear as though the
earth had been dug out ; while behind, the ground
was heaped up from the enormous pressure, like
the earth over the new-made grave of a giant.
The heads of the piles, which before the com-
mencement of the operations stood perpendicular,
and to all appearance immovable, were now
sloping, and told in their altered position Low
tremendous must have been the force to which
they had offered a vain resistance. The
appearance presented by the piling of both the
"rams" was the same, and the width of the chasm
showed the extent to which the " ram heads" would
have forced the ship had the piling been sufficiently
strong to have resisted their backward pressure.
The breakage of the chain and the yielding of the
" rams" of course rendered further proceedings
impossible for that day; and Mr. Brunel will, be-
tween this and the 2d of next month, sympathise,
no doubt very feelingly, with one of his great en-
gineering predecessors who a(ked for a fulcrum, on
which he could plant a lever that could move the
world. The solid earth, pile-driven, refuses to
afford this sufficient fulerune ; the time-honoured
moorings and venerable chains are not to bo de-
pended upon, and there is no help for it. The rams
must be multiplied, the chains increased in num-
ber, the power applied to more numerous parts of
the ship, before the tremendous friction of the op-
posing flat surfaces of iron between the " cradles '
and the "ways" can be overcome. Many eminent
scientific men are of opinion that the difficulties of
1 iereleng the Leviathan into the water have been
greatly and unnecessarily increased by the contact
of the iron surfaces under the cradles and the iron
rails on which the ship is to travel. This subject
was, however, we are informed, fully discussed,
and experiments made for the purpose of ascertain-
ing the effects of friction upon flat surfaces of iron,
and it was upon the result of these that the present
mode was decided upon. It certainly does, seem
strange, however, that the same principle of two
opposing metallic surfaces, which has been applied
to facilitate the downward course of the ship,
should also be employed on the brakes of the large
drums, to arrest the vessel in the event of any re-
straining power being necessary. How far this— '
ihe immense friction caused by the pressure of
12,000 tons upon these iron surfaces, may have
interfered with the calculations of the engineers
it is impossible to say ; this, however, is clear,
that the united power of hydraulic rams, and the
tremendous strain of the chain at the bows of the
altp yesterday, failed to move the ship a hair's
breadth, and the monster now remains as firm and
as sseure in its cradles as it did immediately after
the close of the first attempt. We repeat what was
, stated on Wednesday, that there is no reason for
any apprehension on account of the settling down
of the ship, though if it were advanced a few feet
on the ways it is probable that such a contingency
would occur ; at present the vessel stands practi•
cally on the same spot on which it was constructed,
and before the work was commenced piles were
driven into the ground by Mr. Scott Russell so
close that there was ene to every five square feet.
There is no more reason why the huge monster
' should sink into the earth now than at any period
of the five years during which it has been slowly
growing up to its present huge dimensions,, and
' daily gathering those ten thousand tons of iron
which now form its tremendous burden.

A GENTLEMAN APPREHENDED AT BIRKEN.
MEAD, CHARGED WITH EMBEZZLING 15,0001.

In a recent number of the Police Gazette there was a
notice that Mr. W. J. Wright, aged 35, of ♦ery gentle
manly appearance and manners, and speaking several
languages, had absconded frem Oporto, Portugal, on Oct.
29, after having embezzled 15;0001, which he bad re-
ceived on account of his master, Mr. Thomas Porten
Chassereau, merchant, 13, Finsbury-place South, City,
'London. It was further stated that he arrived at South-
ampton from Oporto, Nov. 3, and was moat likely stay-
ing at some hotel in a seaport town. Oa Friday an ad-
vertisement appeared in the London papers, offering a
reward of 1001. for his apprehension. On Saturday, Mr.
Hilliar, the landlord of the Monks Ferry Hotel, found
that a person answering the description of Mr. Wright
was staying in his house, and gave him into custody at

once.
On Monday the accused was brought up at the Bir-
kenhead police-court, before Mr. rfiryans.
Mr. Ceassereau said—From the mysterious way in
which the prisoner left my employment at Oporto, I
thought he had embezzled some money, and brought it
to this country. A small sum of money', about 601., was
found upon him, and he states that that. was lent him by
a friend, to enable him to come to this cuuntry.
Mr. Bryans—Can you say that money js yours ?
Mr. Chassereau—l cannot say that it over belonged
to me. I am inclined to think, from the questions put to
him, that the prisoner has spoken the truth.
Mr. Bryans—Therefore you think he has not defrauded
you of anything?
Mr. Chastereau—No, I can't say be bas.
Mr. Bryans—Do you wish to make any further in-
quiries into the matter I Would you wish a remand to
give titan for further inquiries ?
Mr. Chassereau—No, air ; I have sent out a gentle-
man to Oporto to take charge of the concern, and hope
to hear that things are not so bad there as I anticipate.
Mr. Bryans—Then there is a deficiency ?
Mr. Drew (the clerk)—The prisoner's own admission
on that point is sufficient.
Mr. Chassereau—There is a deficiency • no doubt of
that. The money may have been squandered, or lost
In the way of bu'iness or otherwise. But Mr. Wright
knows best about that.
Mr. Bryaes—Under these circumstances I will con-
sider the charge as withdrawn, and therefore I shall dis-
charge the prisoner.
Mr. Drew—You will discharge him from want of evi-
dence. According to his own admission there is a
deficiency to a large amount.
Mr. Chassereau—There are assets toe to a large
amount.
Mr. Bryans—The prisoner may be discharged.
Mr. Wright then )eft the dock, and retircd.—Liver•
pool Doily Post.