The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-11-15
The Steamship Great Eastern.
PREPARATIONS FOR HER LAuNCH-sTATE OF THE
WORK ON BOARD.

rapid progress towards completion greater and
greater Eastern STILL For nearly four years she has
loomed in dim immensely over the river side like
some pre-Adamite leviathan; for nearly four years
che has stood an iron enigma, exciting and battling
all conjecture as to how she to be got down to
the water, and how she was to be managed and con-
trolied when in it. To the majority OF Londoners
she has been little else than colossal sailors folly,
as little likely TO be moved from the place in which
she rose the banks of the Thames itself in which
II was generally believed the Great Eastern was
destined to remain permanent ornament,
reproach to mariners, and beacon OF warn
ing to future enterprising companies of all
kinds. IL WILL however, relieve the minds OF
our readers to know for certain that whatever other
fate may be in store for this gigantic undertaking,
the vessel is at least not doomed to remain where
she has been for so long The hours of the Great
Easterns stay on land are now numbered; each day
diminshes more and more the connection between
the shore and the ship, and on Tuesday next soon
after daybrcak it will be finally sundered, and the
Great Eastern launched into that element on which
her appearance will be the orerunner Of new era.
II only within the last few hours that the hour for
the launch has been decided on, and the morning OF
the Sd definitely fixed. Until recently it was quite
impossible to say when the launch really would take
place, for, in spite OF the labors of 100 men, who
have worked without cessation day and night, so
much was to be done that at one time further post
pOncment seemed inevitable. Only by the constant
care and untiring energy OF all connected with the
works has this delay been prevented and the novel
difficulties presented in the construction of the
launching ways overcome within the allotted time
just now the Great Eastern has reached her cul-
minating point of preparations. During the next
few days they will cease and determine altogether;
but at present they are rampant, and in the great
chaos which rcigns upon and around the vessel iron
and paint, wood work and shaving5 seem to struggle
for her mastery and possession. IL is almost hard to
say which most prcdominates. Judging from the
state OF his clothes his return the viser il apt 10
give hasy verdict in favor of the paint though his
recollections of the works-the gonglike uproar
IN Iptxf
ing Of iron goes on--the endless variety of steam
and hand saws always at work, and the amount of
timber either sawed or being sawn-leayes him after
all in perplexed state to say in which branch the
Great Eastern IL most progressing. Since our last
notice the whole exterior of the hull, from deck to
keel has been re-painted and finished off according
to the appearance she is intended to present when
i'll the water This change has made great improve
ment: instead Of red, manageable looking pile,
heavy and awkward to the eye, her beautifully mo-
delled form, and slender tapering bows are now
brought forth in all their perfect symmetry. She il
painted three colors-red lead up to the 20 feet
light load water ine for Is feet above this up to the
heavy low water line, copper color and the remain
der (32 feet) up to the top, black The mere paint
ing of the vessel slight as the fact may appear when
mentioned, involves labor Of no common magnitude,
for the painted surface of the Great Eastern is inside
ard outside nearly 100 600 square yards in extent or
more than "a acres. The number of tons of paint
which II requires Is calculation Oh which we dare
not venture. As regards the preparations for the
peculiar construction of the launching ways over
which the vessel will glide into the water Perhaps,
however brief repetition Of the main plan on which
they made may not even now be without interest
TO many Of readers. Two launching "ways,"
or broad and powerfully built tramways. have been
constructed by the railway contractors, Treadwel
K Co., running from under the fore and after
portions of the vrsscl down into the river at
low water spring mark. Each Of these ways
il 800 feet long by 10 WIDE and the distance be-
tween the two is also about 100 feet. To guard
against the shifting nature Of the river mud both the
ways are constructed with unusual solidty and
strength. The foundation OF each is formed upon
seven rows of piles, the four outside rows being
driven at three feet intervals, and the three inner
rows ut six feet. These piles are all forced home TO
the gravel Of the river bed 20 that they graduate
from length of 81 feet under the ships bottom to
10 feet at the low water mark.
To both sides Of the heads Of the rows of piles
strong timbers, inches by IL inches securely
bolted, and the whole area OF the way covered
with concrete to thickness OF two feet Above
the concrete longitudinal timbers OF great strength
arc secured at intervals Of three feet six inches
from centre tn centre, and run the entire length
Of the way" Over these again are placed
transyersc timbcrs OF the same solidity, but
only three feet apart, which are bolted toge
Their and again bolted down TO the walings 10
keep them fixed under the pressure they will have
To bear and prevent them floating az high tide On
thee transverse timbers but running straight from
the vessel TO the waters edge, are screwed railway
metals at intervals OF eighteen inches apart. They
the ordinary solid bridge rails used by Mr.. Bru-
mel on the permanent way of the Great Western
Railway, and are, Of coarse, Of the strongest kind
The rails complete the ways" which, thus resting
on a bed Of piles and concrete, form massive road
Of crossed and recrossed timbers stretching from
der the Great Eastern TO low water mark ut an nci
nation of one in twelve. Down the railway metals
on these ways" then, the ship will be slowly low
cred in the water cradles, which constructed
under her Tho cradles are, of course. of the
width as the ways over which they are to run.
They are made Of large balks OF timber, wedged
and driven in with ponderous machine
like battering ram, 20 az 20 perfectly it the
ships bottom. The timbcrs are principally laid
athwartships, with longitudinal beams and shores
fastened to the outer Sides All are rivetcd u.
gether with iron bolts and screws and loaded with
iron ballast 10 prevent their floating with the vessel
The bottom Of the iron cradle consists Of iron bars
inches wide and inch thick, placed at inter
walls Of foot apart and with their edges carefully
ground of, ~ to offer no resistance to the railway
metals Of the ways over which they will have 20
bass. Both launching ways rise slightly at the
centre where the piles driven at wider intervals
In order to allow for the depression which Is certain
to be produced by the passage Of such an enormous
weight their surface. Before the launch all the
metals Of the ways will be thicky coated with
composition Of tafiow and black lead, ~ to offer
no obstruction from friction.
The chief points on which the energies OF Mr..
Brunei arc now concentrated arc first, IN overcome
tho momentum Of such mass down an inclined plane
Of in L. and prevent her, when once in motion,
dasbing entirely away secondly, II stopped from any
cause upon the ways TO overcome the resistance OF
her enormous weight and provide sufficient pur.
chase from the water 10 pub her slowly into motion
again. The latter is quite secondary consideration
for Il Il upon the strength and good working OF the
check tackle that everything will depend A. far
human ingenuity aud skin can forescc the strain
which IL 10 come upon this tackle. danger has been
provided against, and the whole apparatus forms the
most pondcrous system Of check tackle that has
yet been constructed. VS. have already explained
what the cradles are and how the tmbers Of which
they are composed are wedged Ia by means Of
huge hatterug ram till the whole il crushed into
compact mass. boted together with massive iron
rods TO the centre Of each oi these cradles i ia ten
ed the iron sheayc ~ which the check tackle at
tached. These sheaves or pullcys have been cspe-
ciay made for this work. they are Of solid cast iron,
and weighing : tons each One sllcaye will be fast
ened 60 each cradle and wrought iron chain cables Of
the largest sire Connect these with two other sheaves
each OF which & sccmred " "drum.r which pays