The Trinity times., 1855-07-28

that the Levathan could not have been built
on the wooden system. The mghtest giants
Of Indian forests, Of fabulous age, in count
less numbers, would not have sufiiced to pro.
duce ship of half her size. Strength enough
could not have been obtained with the most
ponderous masses of timber-work, braccd rs
they might have been with iron and copper
to have floated so mighty load of cargo,
machinery and living beings. Yet the mon
ster of which we are now speakine--so new
in its various appliances of power, so won
derul in its unheard-of uapacity-is com
posed Of plates Of iron less than one inch in
thickness.
The secret Of the great strength attained
by this comparatively small amount of metal
is in the peculiar structure of the hull. 1t is
built throughout in dist'uc, compartments, on
the principle Of the Britannia Tubular Bridge,
and when finished will be in fact a huge tu
bular ship. The principle of the structure
need not here be dwelt upon. 1t will suffice
to explain that the whole Of this vessel will
be divided into ten huge water tight compart-
ments, by means of IRON plate bulkheads car
ried up 10 the upper deck, thereby extending
far above the waterline. In addition to this
great safeguard against accident, the whole
length OF the ship, except where she tapers
oft at either end, is protected by a double
skin OF metal plating, the outer one being
distant three feet from the interior These
double tubular sides are carried to far above
the deepest water mark, and inasnuch as
the transverse bulkheads extend to the Outer
OF these skins, they are divided into many
wa 'er-tight subdivisions, any one or two OF
which, though torn or fractured, and filled
with water, would not affect the buoyancy or
safety Of the ship.
Beside the great transverse divisions before
alluded to, there are two enormously strong
longitudinal bulkhcads of iron running from
stem TO stern, each forty feet from the inner
skin, and carried to ;he upper deck, adding
greatly TO the solldiiy and safety of the vessel
The main compartments thus formed by the
buIkheads, have a means of communication
10y iron sliding doors near the top, easily and
etlectually closed in time Of need. In this
way not only are all the most exposed por-
tions of the skin double klnned but the body
is cut up into "a great number Of very large
but perfectly distinct iire-and water proof com
partments, forming, indeed, so many colossal
iron safes. If We can imagine a rock to
penetrate the double skin, and make its sharp
way into any one of these compartments, it
might fill with water without any detrinleat
to the rest of the ship.
One Of the most terrible caamities that
can betall vessel at sea is undoubtedly a
fire. The iron watertight bulkIrcads would
seem 10 defy that destructive element sutli-
cicntly; but, in order to make assurance
doubly sure the builders are experimenting
with view 10 employing only prepared un-
inhammable wood for the nteror fittings.
Such is the Levalhan. She is to be
launched, unlike aBy other ship, broadside on
to the water by means of hydraulic power,
GsG early IN merit Sp1ag is e@ftcied toBtdEe
hiai MP 10 He UnHed States and back in
less than q fortnight. In contemplating this
Brobdmgnag vessel our small acquaintance
with things nautical dwaris down TO Lillipu-
tan insgnilicance. Before reach ng the Isle
Of Dogs we had imagined that we possessed
some acquaintance with ship boilding and
marine engineering. One of the Levathan
cl Inders was sufficient to eXtIngursh oar pre-
| tensions.
With Brund FOR designers with a Ste
! phensOn for apprOver u Scott Russell for
builder; with Professor Airey in charge Of
the compass, and Sir W. S. Harris looking
after the lightaing conductor, the LeViathan
may well be expected to turn out the hoat
ing marvel Of the age. Fancy the astonish
mcnt of the South Sea Islanders when they
behold her rushing past their coral homes.
NgsTERIoUs TRACK.-ln walking the other
! day in kensington Gardens we observed, tor
| n considerable d stance. "A track of s0meth mo