The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-10 00:00:00

THE LEVIATIIAN.

Yesterday the work of impelling the vessel forward
was entirely suspended, as on the previous day, when,
through the fog, and the great point of clearing the
monster from the shipyard, owing to the company being
liable after that period to a monthly fee rental of 1,0001.,
having been gained, operations were suspended at an
early hour in the forenoon. However, there was plenty
of work to be done during the whole of yesterday, and a
large body of men, undei the immediate surveillance of
Mr. Brunel and his assistants, were engaged making
ective preparations for the resuming. of launching opera-
tions on either Friday or Saturday at the outside.
While the preparations were going on yesterday for
the renewal of launching operations, an inspection of
the machinery used as the impelling power, let to the
elucidation of many important points, and the clearing
up of such matters in connexion with the scientific
principle upon which the hydraulic and other pres-
sure is applied, which:have not yet been laid before
.the public, and consequently the question is in every
mouth, "llow is this hyelraulic power used, and how do
they make the monster take such sudden starts ?" In-
deed this subject has been most inexplicable as up to the
present time placed before the public, considering the
peculiar, although, when minutely examined, the beau-
tifully simple process exhibited in the operations. First
of all, there is a &stern into which is pumped some five
gallons of water, this is forced through an iron inch-pipe
into acy tinder, and then acting on api :ton 7 inches in
diameter, this is driven forward against a heavy ram
which, in its turn, presses against the vessel's cradles
and impels the ship forward, when several such hydrau-
lic apparatuses, Ogether with innumerable screw-jacks,
each worked by 9 or 12 men, and the hauling power
obtained at the stem and stern by means of two power-
ful enginee, are brought to bear together.
Thus it will be seen that the process, although bring-
ing about such a mighty moving power, is simple in the
extreme. Toe hydraulic power is something wonderful
to contetnpla'e ; and, as an instance, an incident which
occurred t ) Mr. Delaney, an assistant at the present
operations, mieht be alluded to. This person was en-
gae,ed some time task in some hydraulic operations,
when a fissure was detected in the pipe leading from the
cistern int) the cylinder through %which the water was
forcing its way. Mr. Delaney placed his finger over the
tiseure, and iteme'!iet ly the water, like a sharp 'metre-
meat, penettiVed through the flesh. The pain caused,
as descr.bed by Mr. Delaney, was such as would be
occasioned by a sharp needle. To increase the weight
of the liyiraulic power and keep down the cylinders in
the present operations, it has been found necesary to
place several hundreds of heavy iron bars, each in fact
weighing 2 cwt., oa the top of the cylinders.
In censcquence of the suspension of operations yes-
terday, a number of visit-r), who bad special orders,
were a levied to ge) over the vo.istl and inspect her
oxtiaoriinary dirak.o .101)3, and the greatest civility was
observed by all the company's officers and workmen.
Since the commencement of operations the vessel, up
to Tuesday morning, has been muoved 103 feet 9 inches
at the fore-cradle.

Shares in Shares
Quarter ending Total. Receipts.
progress. completed.
• X s. d.
Dec. 25, 1856 144 54 198 10,786 19 5
March 25, 1857
June 25, 1857
Sept. 30, 1857 147 109 255 15,917 11 5
Totals, Fifth Year 822 280 1,102 56,052 10 8
Totals of 1853, 1854,
1855, and 1856 10,516 1,998 12,514 256,504 17 9
----
Grand Totals to 1857 11,338 2,278 13,616 312,557 8 5