The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-09 00:00:00

THE GREAT EASTERN.

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
WHITSTABLE, SEPT. 9.
The Great Eastern got under way at 9.15 a.m.
Wind fresh.

MARGATE, FRIDAY, 11 A.M.
The Great Eastern is steaming grandly pasl
Margate. Distance eight miles from shore.

NORE LIGHT, THURSDAY, SEPT. 8.

After her first short run the Great Eastern re.
mained at her anchor off Purfleet for the rest o:
the night, and slowly resumed her progress down
the river at a quarter to 9 o'clock this morning.
Her stoppage at Purfleet was a sad disappoint-
ment to many thousands who had been collecting
at Gravesend all day in the firm belief that she
could or would stop nowhere else. Her slight
detention at Blackwall Point, however, prevented
this, and it became absolutely necessary from the
state of the tide to bring up at once at Long Reach.
The distinguished arrival threw Purfleet into a
state of uncommon excitement. Every one within
moderate reach of it by road or rail hurried to the
little village till it was thronged to the water's
edge. Gravesend, also, seemed most unwilling to
yield up its share in the great occasion without an
effort, and before long crowded boats steered round
and round the ship, the passengers cheering them-
selves till they were hoarse again, while the bands
played "See the Conquering Hero comes," "Rule
Britannia," and all sort of musical welcomes. For
the rest of the evening there was a constant repeti-
tion of such visits. Not a vessel passed that did
not turn up hands to cheer, while many, as they
came down the river, dressed in flags from stem to
stern. It was not until night had fallen that the
Great Ship was fairly left alone, and began swing-
ing round to her anchor with the rising tide. The
night. was a little puffy, and seemed inclined to
become more so, but the wind fell as the moon rose,
and the weather eventually settled down into a
dead calm. It took upwards of an hour for the
tide to turn the ship fully round, and at low water,
as she lay across the river for a short time in turn-
ing, she might almost be said to have stopped
the navigation with her colossal bulk. During the
night she swung twice again, and by daylight was
lying with her head fair for the resumption of her
course down the river. It seems almost incredible
that a ship of such a size could have swung in any
part of the Thames, but only nautical men can ap-
preciate the fact of her doing so in a strong tide way
with a single 6-ton anchor, which was crossed and
recrossed no less than three times without the chain
fouling it or the anchor being disturbed in its hold.
At about half-past 8 this morning the vessel was
again underway. The Marquis of Stafford had
joined during the night, having travelled all the
way from Scotland to witness the Great Ship's first
effprts. Lord Alfred Paget also came on board be-
fore starting. One turn a little below Long Reach
required to be carefully rounded, but with the depth
of the water and greater breadth of the river this
was accomplished with comparative ease. Just after
passing it, a little brig, which was quite safe when
she was sailing uo, appeared frightened at the Eight
of the huge vessel, and, altering her course, stood
almost across the path of the Great Eastern, and
was within an ace of being run down. As the ves-
sel approached Gravesend multitudes of people
could be distinguished along the shore. Gradually
as she came nearer and nearer the air rung with
their cheers, and the river was covered with boats
of every shape and size crowded with people, all
shouting or waving hats and handkerchiefs. There
was something almost affecting in the spontaneous
enthusiasm and delight with which all seemed to
hail the release of the noble ship from her long
thraldom in the river. No matter whether it was a
Hamburgh or Rotterdam steamer with half
foreigners on board, or a fishing smack with a
couple of men in the bows, none seemed too high or
too low to do her honour, and her voyage down the
river was one continued scene of vociferous welcome.
Off Gravesend and in front of the thronging piers
and terraces were several large troopships with de•
tachments on board for India. The crews were in
the shrouds of these ; the soldiers, grouped in pic-
turesque masses, stood on deck. From all, the Great
Ship got a welcome which was worth a long journey
to see, and which, triumphant as may be her recep-
tion in the States, is never likely to be surpassed,
nor often equalled. With the parting cheers s! ill
floating across the water Gravesend was left be-
hind, and the two tugs ahead began to go at greater
speed as the Lower Hope was passed. Soon the
water began to change its tint from dirty black to
muddy green, the cool air came fresher across the
reaches, and those on board rejoiced at last at the
long wished-for approach of sea water. The tran-
sition was marked in the usual disagreeable manne
by the boilers " priming," as it is termed, and
throwing showers of muddy water from the steam
pipes over all the deck. This unpleasant inaugura-
tion, however, was soon over as sea water was
fairly gained, and preparations were made for cast-
ing off the tugs and leaving the Great Eastern for
once and for all upon her own resources.
The change, as may bs readily imagined, made
no difference, the wanderer thus cast adrift being
better able to take care of herself than any vessel
that has ever yet floated or the world seen. Still,
as the event marked the commencement of what

we believe will be a long and triumphant career,
and one which will inaugurate a new era in ocean
steam ships and ocean navigation, it deserved to be
marked. The tugs were cast off at the Chapman's
Head, at the top of Sea Reach, the passengers with
the ship's band being. assembled aft and the crew
forward. The National Anthem was played as the
smoky auxiliaries left her head to her own control

passengers cheering from one end of the ves
sel, while the crew swarmed into the shrouds for-
ward to return the compliment. Thus the tugs
were let go, after having performed their arduous
duty under the most difficult circumstance in a way
that commanded the admiration of the most expe•
rimiced pilots on board. As soon as the vessel was
left to herself an increased amount of speed was
dot(en her. This was done, not in the least with
i)w of
testing her power, but literally only
to give her good steerage way and move her
engines easily. Throughout the whole court e
down the river the paddle engines had nevta-
been rn'wed at. a greater speed than from four
to six revolutions per minute, and. the screw at
from twelve to eighteen. In fact, neither engine
s,to
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valuable little aids, which had realised the fable of
the Mouse and the Lion, and freed the Great
Eastern from all her river toils, were cast adrift at
Chapman's-I-lead, more speed was put upon the
vessel, and in 10 minutes she set at rest for ever all
doubt as to her being the fastest vessel beyond
comparison in the world. It has already been
stated that the proper sea-going trim of the Great
Eastern is a little over four feet down by the stern.
Instead of this she is at present six inches down by