The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-31 00:00:00

GREAT EASTERN. r. • ,
*.eV
.14
SOUHAMPTON, SATURDAY Ev
As the time approaches for the arrival
strip in the Southampton Waters, the pub 4,4,111
osity and excitement increases, and small :71,1'
boats and other craft are already advertised to cog S
vey visitors to and from the ship at all hours. The
whole of the moorings are now in the river, and the
work of laying them_down_has,commenced. They
have been brought _ .ith Dockyard in
four large lumps, or lighters, hick are all at the
dcstindspot, ready for inimediP-:o action. Several
gentlemen connected with the. :Oa went down at
midday in a steam tug, and were much struck with
the massive nature of the appliances to be employed
iu anchoring the monster steamship. ..- .';,graphic
messages have been forwarded to the chairman of
the Great Ship Company and to Captain Harrison,
stating that the moorings will be laid, and every-
thing ready for the reception of the ship by Tues-
day next.
The ship will be moored 1)) . of the heaviest
class mooring anchors, placed at angles, and
connected in the middle with a large ring and
swivel of the strongest description, to which will
be attached the bridles that the ship will shackle
her chains to. The anchors of the north and south
arms of the moorings are respectively 98 and 97
cwt., with 70 fathoms of chain to each; those of
the east and west arms are eight tons each, with
60 fathoms of chain to each. The chains employed
are the heaviest made. The Admiralty have lent
the moorings, but the whole expense of moving
them from their .place in the dockyard, shipping
them on board the lighters, conveying them to the
Southampton Water, and laying them down, will
be borne by local parties. Two superannuated
master riggers have been engaged for the purpose,
and about 60 men, thoroughly accustomed to this
kind of work, are imployed in connexion with the
removal of the moorings. All the arrangements
have been made by, and are being carried out under
the superinter.dence of Mr. J. R. Stebbing (Presi-
dent of the Chamber of Commerce) and Mr. Philip
Hedger (the Dockmaster), to whose indefatigable
exertions from the commencement the town is
indebted for the removal of the Great Eastern to
these Waters.
• It is expected that the ship will leave Holyhead
on Tuesday next, and arrive herd on Thursday. She
will be able to come to her anchorage at any time ~;.
of tide. Mr. James Bowyer, one of the Southamp- -
ton first class pilots, and whose great experience
has been made available during the negotiations
connected with the facilities of this harbour and the
visit here of the big ship, leaves this for Holyhead
on Sunday morning. He will come up on the
ship, and pilot her into the river to her anchorage
ground.
The channel where the Great Eastern will lie is
750 yards wide between the 5-fathom lines of the
river, and as the great ship will be tautly moored
to the middle, she will ride freely and securely
under all circumstances. There is 30 feet of
water on the 5-fathom lines at low water spring
tides, and not less than eight fathoms of water be-
tween them. Let the big ship swing either way,
no obstruction whatever can occur to the ordinary
navigation of the river, as there will be plenty of
water for the largest class steamships to pass be-
tween her and the 5-fathom lines. Whichever way
she may be riding, there will be 450 feet on one
side, and 1,125 feet on the other.
Much has been said from time to time of the
safety and security of the Southampton Water, and
if additional proof of the fact were wanting, it has
been afforded this week. During the severest series
of gales ever known, when scarcely a single port in
this island has escaped from contributing is quota
to the dread catalogue of nautical calamities, the
whole of the shipping in the Southampton harbour,
including the magnificent mail steamers in dock,
rode in safety, and not a single casualty occurred
in any part of the harbour.

IRELAND.