Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-10-02
GrAaf Eastern,

The accounts recently received from England OF the
progress of this mammoth steamer intensely n'efesC the
American public The certainty OF ner Colpleton, ana
that within short time is now universally adnited
80 bor nronort;ons character and finish now paipa
hIo to the eve Without going into detail, which would
M an endless task we may form some idea OF her by al
I5no merely to the wneralities which belong to her
design and structure. Her upper and lower decks may
be estimated by the acre. and fifteen hundred Worken
anoved about her are out of speaking distance and APP
near as but handful The state cabins are as large as
the parlors of New York house of twenty-five lee1
front and they open upon regular squares au oteeIo ID
if city built. They will be found by numbers ngn'eu ~
Gas Company on board the ship, DC lnoicaIeu o1
directory for the use Of passengers anu Ne +bo
night by regular police The saloons INTO WINCH 'c
passengers can enter from the streets, Tor recreao VI
from curiosity will be as large as most OF those louo IN
our best hotels being in fact equal IN Size 10 the main
deck of line OF battle snip .,..
Her nonuIaton will be 400 those resident permanent
" nm board but 10000 travellers can be accommodates
nj 3 time should so many desire to make voyage IN
company Two hundred and fifty tons OF coal per day
will be the fuel required to keep her in NOTION and when
the whole power Of the combined engines IS working 1t
is the the ship were dragged along ny A1OUo
stout horses, or $500 men.
There is on board this ship, according to this caIcu
ation force enough to drive all the machinery IN Man
chester to lift column of 100000 gallons OF water ZOO
feet high in minute. We can hardly comprehend now
her plans were ever arranged by ordinary minds, or
those accustomed only to the usual details OF engineer
ing. The idea of combination of paddle engines and
screws was bold One outstrpping apparently, all the
necessities and requirements OF the case. The paddle
engines are OscatOrs Of n inches diameter and IA IN
ChCs stroke working up with Is pounds OF steam, and
IL strokes per minute to the power of 5000 horses.
The boilers are in sets, each having about 5000
square feet of tube surface. Small auxiliary high pres
ure engines placed near the large Ones like servants
near their masters, to do the small work of the ship
drive the pumps hoist sails and various other little mat
tera to save time and number of the The screw
engines consisting of four cylinders of "a inches diane
ter and feet stroke work up with Is lbs. pressure and
45 strokes per minute to the power Of 1880 horses but
with Is lbs of steam and SIS strokes per minute to the
power of $500 horses These also have some mechan
cal attendants in the shape of two auxiliary high engines
to do the small business of the screw.
But the most curious thing about her is the fleet
steamers and yachts she will carry board to be use
IN accidents at sea- for the safety OF the paSen
gers. Astern her padde-boxea will hang two screw
steamers each of which will be one hundred feet long
sixteen feet BEAM forty horse power and one hundred
and twenty tOnS-almOSt equal to large Albany slOOp
And besides this, there will be whole feet of yachts
decked, mastedand rugged complete ready for regatta
or a cruise to life.
Her anchors, cables masts, all on the same magnl
fcent scale and the very ways on which she is to b.
launched are being constructed if they were to b.
the foundations of fortress Some anxiety is felt b.
scientific to the probable action of the needle OF
board such Of iron but probable the plan of DR.
ScOresby will be resorted to- we'll also that Of tn
Astronomer Royal The first is to carry STANDARD
compass about 80 feet above the deck, and the other t.
place fixed magnets, the compass, that they ma
neutrase the action of the ship and leave it free to ODE
"the directive force Of the earths polarity"
1t would be curious thing, however, If this grea
steam leviathan afoat and ready to SAIL it shou
be found that her compasses not to be trusted
that their variation could not be calculated The secret
of magnetism and electricity only beginning to b
disclosed but knowledge of them is increasing ever
day, and have doubt that not ony navigators will
be able to trust implicitly to the needle board ro
ships, but that magnetism will dictate by its force in
tensy and variation the precise position where the oh
is at the moment. This is an inference Of GU
own, from facts which have recently come within on
knowledge.
The Great Eastern may be considered the master pec
Of naval architecture and hcruture expectedt
decide some great questions If successful in all respects
she will be initiated, and thousands will be travelling
bout together the world as groupes Of families nov
do Some ports that have been famous will fall int
Decline deep water determining their value Sailin
vessels will become curostes population will tend
that happy country where life s most agreeable an
healthfu and where there is most prosperity and FREE
DOM The face Of the civilized globe will be affected
the substitution Of these great steamers for the sma
craft of 5000 TONS and the strength of nations will
changed well the balance Of power. Such at leas
are the theories Of come very sensible persons.
Nc,c York Mirror.