The New York herald., 1845-02-21

y, tie hedrt al the age OF 40. Inc Earl OF 81.
Germans died on the 18th ult, at his seat, Port
Eliot, ST. Germans, Cornwall, in his 18th year. and
is succeeded IN the peerage by his eldest son, Lerd
Eliot, Secretary for ireland, whose elevation causes
On the 18th ult, Sir c. F. Williams expired at his
residence in Hyde Park.square, of an affection OF
the heart. Captain ]. Gascoyne, r.. N. expired on
Thursday last, at Carlton Lodge, Clifton, at the age
OF 78 years Mrs Martin, neither of the Rev. G.
Martin, chancellor +, Of the diocese Of Exeter, and
at Torqaay, on Sunday, the 18th uIt. The Marquis
OF slgo a,ed' On Inc gun u a in Mn ;ne pm year o.
the distinguished poetess, died, on Tuesday last,
suddenly, at Cork. On the 9Th, Elizabeth, Arch
duchess Of Russia, was delivered OF female child,
still-born, and early the next morning her Imperial
Highness expired under severe attack of spasms
at the heart. Lady Mary Bagot, eldest daughter
Of the Earl and Countess of Mornington, and widow
of the late Right Hon. Sir Charles Bagot, the late
Governor General OF Canada, died on Saturday.
THE GREAT BRITAIN STEAM SHIp.-This stupen-
dous ship, after number OF trial trips, was ap-
pointed, by the directors Of the Company, to un.
dertake the voyage from Bristol where she was
built and fitted out to London, in order as well to
severe test as possible, as to afford opportun
ty TO the population of the vast metropolis Of in
specting the hugest machine In the form of ship
that has floated on the waters of our globe since
the time of Noah. On Thursday, at four o'clock,
the passengers, to the number OF about I40 hav.
ing embarked, the vessel was got underweigh, and
after some delay caused by fouling an anchor with
some wreck she fairly started on herpassage about
seven o'clock. Immediately upon starting, gale
arose, which continued till five the next morning,
when the wind chopped round to the N. and w
The vessel was repeatedly struck by very heavy
seas, and, in consequence. Of having no cargo,
rolled most awfuly At this time, she1 progressed
at the rate Of six and half knots peri hour, with
only three sails set and heavy cross sea running
Shortly afterwards she was struck by sea OF such
tremendous force, that Two of the dead lights
in the bow, with their frames, which were
rivetted to the ship, were forced in, which
caused the water ate es to flow into the forward
some slight damage In other respects was done; but
it was found, on examination, that no material IN
jury had been sustained. 1t was considered by
many that her immense length 1927 feet) might
cause her to labor heavily in rough sea but the
testimony of those on board goes to establish the
fact, that she was as buoyant and easy as any ship
could be under sach circumstances. 1t IS probable
| that had paddle wheel vessel been in company
with the Great Britain during this Storm that she
/ would have been immeasuraby distanced by the
latter, account OF the rolling OF the vessel caus
/ ing the paddles to be so much out of the water
The ship Steers well as the smallest boat, for,
without canvass, with high ind and heavy sea, ,she
| answered her helm most perfectly. The weather
being somewhat hazy, and the wind blowing hard
from the S. and w., the gallant barque pursued her
onward course, having but one-tenh of her canvas
spread, and anchored in the Downs at half pas
eleven on Sunday morning, strong 5 +. wind
sprung up while the vessel was passing Mar
gate; and when the Great Britain entered the
Thames, the wind was blowing most furious
ly. Though the rlver was crowded with vessels
Of all sizes, she held on her way at full speed,
fiood.tde at the time running; and the only da-
mage done was to brig, which dragged her an
chors, and had her bowsprt carried away, by CON-
ing against the steamers side. Upon arriving al
Woolwch, the speed was slackened, and at a quar-
Ter to four the vessel arrived off Blackwall. The
Waterwitch, a large and powerful steamer which
was passed by the Great Britain at the More, ar
rived at Blackwell one hour and eight minutes after
sl--e- has tka f,,ils
answered, aad even more than answered, the ex
pectatIons of her designers. During her passage
round from Bristol, she has withstood the most
dreadful gales for it was remarked by Capt. Hos
ken, Cate Of the Great Westerly "ihat tive two voy
ages might be made across the Atlantic with
ont encounterlng any thing SO severe" The
Great Britain is now lying off the Black
well pier for the inspection of visitors, where
she will doubtless be a great object of at
| traction for some time to come. Her average
speed, on Saturday, was twelve statute miles pei
hour and she performed in Is hours and 55 minutes
320 nautical miles, or about 800 statute miles :
During the entire voyage the engines made
| 54,473 revolutions, with l63, ,4l9 revolutions OF
the Archimedean screw propeller; and the
| greatest rate OF speed at which she went al
any one time was thirteen and two-thrd knots
The Great Britain, under the disadvantage Of ha-
wing the worst description OF screw for her propel
| Ter, is on all hands, acknowledged to have per-
formed her passage against the very trying circum
stances of wind and weather, far better than if she
had been fitted with paddle wheels Her screw
vas known to be an inferior one, and the inventor
Of the principle had objection to it, on account
of its having too many threads but the directors
of the Great Western Steam Company have deter
mined on replacing it by another, which they have
ordered to be manufactured. When it is substitu-
ted for the imperfect one, and the projected aera
ions are made to her bows, namely, The filling up
the hollowness with sponsors, we confidently pre-
dict that, not only will this extraordinary ship be
rendered perfectly safe and much easier in heavy
sea- but that her velocity through the water will be
aoed n a n
progress a voyage will be more uniform well
rapid than has ever beer made by any other yes
sci. During the passage up Channel this day very
interesting experiment was tried with new electro
galvanic instrument for registering the speed Of
vessels. 1t consists Of a dial plate which may be
placed in the cabin or any other convenient part Of
the ship. BY the agency OF an electric current the
space passed over, and the speed of the vessel in
knots per hour, is registered this dal attached
to one of Massy's ordinary fans, and immersed with
it in the water is an apparatus. which, every time
the "a n has made certain number OF revolutions,
and consequently, when the vessel has passed
through given space, brings the ends OF two wires
in contact These wires connect the fan with
galvanc battery and clock movement IN the vessel
Whenever contact is procured by the fan, and the
circuit is thus completed for the electric current,
lndces on the dial of the clock movement
acted upon by means OF electro-magnets and regis
ter the speed and distance passed over by the ves-
sci The instrument is exceedingly simple and the
fan may remain in the water during a whole voy.
age, her indices registering continually the speed
and distance passed over a comparison was made
between Massy's common log and the new one,
and they were found to agree exactly with each
other.
during the recent trip Of the Great Britain steam
ship, dinner was given on board to upwards OF
li0 visitors.
The chairman said IT must be source Of grea,
satisfaction TO them all TO be in vessel which he
trusted was destined to promote the commercial
intercourse between Great Britain and the United
States of America He would give sThe Health
of the President of the United States," and he
would only add his hope that the friendly relations
which for some time existed between the United
States and this country would, under his auspices,
be preserved. The toast wasdrunk with much en-.
thusIasm
Capt Crosse Gan American,) in reply TO the toast,
said he was much obliged to them for the honor
they had Just paid his country. He was quite un-
| prepared 10 address them at any length, and he
would merely say that no one could more heartily
wish that the hopes expressed by their chairman
would be realized (cheers.) He hadgreat pleasure
Gl tk..It