The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-05 00:00:00

THE LEVIATHAN STEAM-SHIP.

A very general impression seemed to prevail
among the visitors to the attempted launch of
Tuesday that the efforts to get the vessel off would
be renewed with success in the course of yesterday.
Notwi hstanding the rain, therefore, which fell
with unmitigated severity throughout the day, a
number of persons proceeded to the building yaid ;
but it is almost needless to say that, beyond seeing
the gigantic vessel, which, high in the air, loomed
like a dark cloud in the thick mist, nothing was
doing to repay the toil of a visit to Millwall. Ex-
cept where some of the unfinished saloons have
been converted into joiners' shops for the purpose
of proceeding more rapidly with the internal fittings
of the cabins, no work was going forward on the
vessel. All around her was still and silent, and
gave a most desolate aspect to a scene formerly
always so resonant with the noise and bustle occa-
sioned by the toil of nearly 2,000 men.
After it was determined to cease all further
efforts to effect the launch on Tuesday the workmen
were employed throughout the night in taking pro-
per precautions to secure the vessel in the position
in which she at present rests. For this purpose
powerful timber shores were fixed under her stem
and stern bayou d where the cradles support her, and
the massive check tackle which secures her on the
side towards the land bas also been hauled taut, so
that, as far as human ingenuity can foresee, there
is no mechanical possibility of her now slipping and
launching herself without notice.
As might have been antie'patesl, the most vague
and contradictory rumours are afloat as to the cause
which led to Tdesday's failure. Only two of these
are sufficiently probable to demand notice. The
first states that, in consequence of the immense
pressure and friction, the iron transverse bars which
cross the bottom of the cradles have cut into the
railway metals, and so fixed the whole thatt it will
be immovable unless the entire vessel can be raised
up from the launching ways and started afresh.
For this report we are glad to say the re-
sult of a close inspection of the bars leaves 'no
foundation. In fact, the friction, considering
the amount of pressure on the cradles and
bars, seems to have been marvellously slight. The
second report avers most positively that the launch-
ing ways themselves have settled down under the
weight of the ship's stern, and fixed it as it were in a
hole. This also is incorrect, for the ways remain as
firm and rigid as on the first day of their construc-
tion, and up to the present they have received no
cause to be otherwise, since the vessel is still in its
original foundations. But the ways have been so
constructed as to allow for a sinking.
Each " way" of 120 feet wide is formed by three
spans of 40 feet each—the spans resting each upon
rows of piles, and rising in the centre 1/ iu., so that
a considerable depression is provided against. The
real cause of the failure on Tuesday was the accident
which took place at the windlass, and which made
the whole mass of workmen so timid and suspicious
that it was actually unsafe to intrust them with the
execution of details which pre-eminently demanded
coolness and judgment. From the same timidity
also, and from prudential motives, it was considered
better after the accident to remove the men from
the barges which wore moored in the river, and
worked the hauling tackle upon the muiships of
the vessel. These four barges were capable of ap-
plying a downward strain on the Leviathan of 250
tons, which strain was chiefly depended upon to
move her in the case of the hitch which did take
place. When the second attempt was made with-
out the aid of these barges an undue strain came
upon the chains which, fastened at the bow and
stern, pulled towards the river, and at last the
former broke. This, coupled with the accident to
the pin of the hydraulic press, stopped the launch.e
The Leviathan at present rests exactly six inches
lower than formerly, and, taking the mean of her
progress fora and aft, about four feet down the
launching ways. According to the incline of these
ways, the actual lowering of the vessel since she
moved is only four inches, but when the cradles
were fixed Tinder her and,the last supports removed
she settled down two inches mthe cradles themselves.
.From the levels taken it appears that the deflection
in the whole length of the ship since she was left to
support herself in the two cradles is so slight as to
be almost imperceptible. From the forward cradle
to the bows the deflection is some fractional part of
aninch ; between the two cradles amidships none
whatever is perceptible ; and from the aftermost
cradle to the sternpost, where more than 200 feet of
I the heaviest parts of the vessel hang entirely with-

out support from the ground, the deflectiont.
half an inch. From the deck the
nearly 700 feet, eisnole
lit stem ttohsattetrhne, deflection.
arrangements for finail la7uninnchh-
flvroembes
jog the colossal structure on the 2d Dec,y
differ in any essential particular from th will
nethi3oodb
pursued on Tuesday last, but we can speak more
positively as to this in the course of another day,
During yesterday Mr. Brunel and the great ship's.
great captain, the most indefatigable and zealous of
all commanders (Captain Harrison), were down at
Millwall, inspecting the ship, and ascertained that
she was neither strained nor twisted even to the
extent of the moat fractional portion of an inch.
The men injured by the accident at the windlass
are all progressing slowly, though still no hope
exists of the recovery of Donovan, and Stacey re-
mains in a precarious state, Some idea of the fright-
ful violence with which these men were struck may
be formed from the fact that one of the massive
handles of the windlass, of solid iron 13/4 inches in
diameter, which struck the men, is bent and
twisted as if it was formed of lead.

DEATB OF MR. MACKAY THE "BAILIE NIOOI
.lARVIE" OF SIR WALTER SCOTT.

The public will learn with regret the death of Mr.
Mackay, the only great Scottish actor, which took
place about noon on Monday, at his residence in
Edinburgh. Mr. Mackay was in his 71st year, hav-
ing been born in the High-street of E iinburgh, in
October, 1787. He left that city for Glasgow when
only nine years of age; but long afterwards, when a
claim was set up for him as a genuine son of St.
Mungo, he hastened to refute the calumny, making
affidavit before a justice of the peace that he was "a
real Edinburgh gutter bluid." He finally returned
to his native city about the end of 1818, and took
the leading Scotch parts in the series of playa from
the Waverley Novels, on which his fame chiefly
rests. Some years ago, when fulfilling an engage..
ment at the Adelphi Theatre, he had a shock of
paralysis, and from that time till his lamented de-
cease, though still. able to go about, he could not
trust himself again upon the stage.
It was in the impersonation of the characters of
Sir Walter Scott that Mr. Mackay chiefly excelled,
and the opitaionef Sir Walter of him in thess is, per-
haps, the greatest tribute that could be paid to his
talent. Speaking of his performance of Bailie Nicol
Jarvie, in " Rob Roy," be said—" One would think
the part wade for him, and him for the part."
Some two or three years afterwards, on Mr. Mac-
kay's visit to London, we find the author of Wa-
verley writing to Mrs. Joanna Baillie, regarding
his appearance in "Rub Roy." "He is completely
the personage of the drama— the purse-proud conse-
quential magistrate, humane and irritable in the
same moment, and the true Scotsman in every
turn of thought and action. In short, I never saw
a part batter sustained." "The English," he
also wrote to Lord Montagu, " will not enjoy
it, for it is not broad enough or sufficieutly carica-
tured for their apprehensions, but to a Scotsman it
is inimitable." And again, as to his friend Terry,
Scott wrote—" The man who played the Bailie
made a piece of acting equal to whatever has been
seta in the profession. For my own part, I was
actually electrified by the truth, spirit, and humour
he threw into the part ; it was the living Nieol
Jarvie; conceited, pragmatical, cautious, generous,
proud of his connection with Rob Roy, frightened
for him at the same time, and yet extremely desir-
ous to interfere with him as an adviser. The tone
in which he seemed to give him up for a lost man,
after having provoked him into some burst of High-
land violence, Ah ! Rab ! Rala !' was quite inimi-
table. I do assure you I never saw a thing better
played,"
The opinion of Sir Walter, however, was net
confined merely to private life. On the night of
Feb. 23, 1827, Sir Walter avowed the authorship
of the Waverloy Novels. Toe occasion was the festi-
val of the Edinburgh Dramatic Fund; and after the
memorable admission he craved a bumper in the
following terms :
" I would fain dedicate a bumper to the health
of one who has represented several of those cha-
racrers of which I bad endeavoured to give the
skeleton with a truth and liveliness for which I may
well be grateful ; I beg leave to propose the health
of my friend Bailie Nicol Jarvis; and I am sure that
when the author of Waverley and Rob Roy drinks
to Nicol Jarvie, it will be received with the just
applause to which that gentleman has always been
accustomed—nay, that you will take care that on
the present occasion it shall be PRO-DI-GI-OUS."
" Mr. Mackay—' My conscience My worthy
father the deacon could never have telieved that
his sou would bat sic a compliment paid to him by
the Great Unknown 1"
" Sir Walter Scott—
Mr. Baili3.'"

,‘ The Small Known now,

Amidst the affliction and distress of his after years
Sir W. Scott, says his biographer, derived pleasure
from his own cre ttions as reflected in the acting of
Mr. Mackay. "He dwelt with extreme delight,"
writes a visitor to Abbotsford at that time, " up in
Mackay's performance of the Bail;e and Dominie
Sampson, and appeared to taste them with all the
fresh and disinterested enjoyment of a common
spectator."

In private life Mr. Mackay was highly esteemed
by a numerous circle. Ho had a fund of, queer
stories, which he used to narrate with such humour
is made him a treasured guest.
In his death Scotland has lost her greatest, if not
our only national actor, for on no one of his succes-
sors in the samo parts has his mantle fallen. His
acting was the true and living expression of Scottish
life and character, blending its dry, caustic humour
and heart-moving pathos with the skill of a master.
He was rich in the homely phrase of native dialect,
which in its Doric purity hadquite a charm as it fell
from his lips. Mr. Mackay has left two sons, one
of whom has adopted his fatter's profession.
Edinburgh Paper.