Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-10-10
GREAT EASTERN.


progress of this mammoth steamer intensely inter
est the American public The certainty of her com
petiOn and that within short time, is now uniyer-
sally admitted and her proportions, character ana
finish are now palpable to the eye Without gong
into DETAIL which would be an endless task, we may
form some idea of her by abiding merely to the ge-
neralities which belong to her design and structure
Her upper and lower decks may be estimated by the
acre. and fifteen hundred workmen employed about
her out of speaking distance and appear as but
handful The state cabins as large as the parlors
of a New York house of twenty-five feet front, and
they open upon regular squares and streets as Is city
built. They will be found by numbers, lighted by
q Gas Company on board the ship, be indicated on
directory for the of passengers and be patroI
ed at night by regular Police. The saloons into
which the passengers enter from the Streets Tor
recreation or from curiosity, will be as large as most
of those found in best hotels being III fact equal
in size to the main deck of line of battle ship.
Her population will be 400, those resident perma-
nently on board; but 10000 travellers can be &C.
commodated at a time should so many desire to
make voyage in company. Two hundred and lit
ty 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 it is the same as if
the ship dragged along by 1880 stout horses
or 81 800 men.
There is OF, board this ship according to this cal
cula,ion force enough to drive all the machinery IN
Manchester to lift u column of 200, 600 gallons of
d
comprehend how her plans were ever arranged by
ordinary minds, or those accustomed only to the
usual details of engineering. The idea of a combi-
nation Of paddle engines and screws was q bold one
outstrpping apparently, all the necessities and re-
qurements of the case. The paddle engines are os
cilatorS Of "a inches diameter and IA inches stroke
working up with with Is pounds OF steam, and IL
strokes per minute, to the power of 5000 horses.
The boilers arc in sets, each having about 5000
square feet Of tube surface. Small auxiliary high
pressure engines placed near the large ones, like
servants near their MASTER to do the small work OF
the ship-drive the pumps, hoist sail, and various
other little matters to save the time and number of
the men, The screw engines, consisting of four cyl
ndcrs of 81 inches diameter and feet stroke, work
up, with IS lbs PRESSURE and 40 strokes per minute
to the power of 500 horses, but % lbs of steam
and 55 strokes per minute, to the power OF $500
horses. These also have some mechanical atten-
dants 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 feet
of steamers and yachts she will carry board to be
used in of accidents at sea- for the safety of the
passengers Astern her paddle boxes 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 a
large Albany soop! And besides this, there will be
a whole fleet Of yachts decked, masted and rugged
complete, ready for regatta cruise to save life
Her anchors, cables, mass, are all on the same
magnificent scale, and the very ways which she
is TO be launched being constructed as if they
were to be the foundations of fortress. Some anx-
iety is felt by scientific as to the probable
ton of the needle on board such mass of iron !;
but probably the plan Of DIR. Score>by will be re-
sorted to, well also that of the Astronomer
Royal. The first is to carry standard compass
out 80 feet above the deck and the other to place
fixed magnets, near the compass, that they may
neutraise the action of the Ship and leave it free to
obey the directive force Of the earthS polarity.
1t would be curious thing, however, if this great
steam levlathan were a1oat and ready to sail, it
should be found that heI compasses were not to be
trusted, and that their variation could not be cacula
ted. The secrets of magnetism and electricity are
only beg inning to he disclosed, but know ledge
of them is increasing every day. and we have no
doubt that not only navigators will be able to trust
implicitly to the needle board iron ships, but that
magnetiS,wil dictate by its force, intensity and
ration the precise position where the observer is at
the moment. This is inference of own, from
facts which have recently come within our know-
edge.
The Great Eastern may be considered the master
piece OF naval architecture, and her future is
expected to decide some great questions If success
full in all respects she will be initiated, and thou
sands will be travelling about tog.ther the
world, groups of families do Some sea
ports that have been famous will fall into decline,
deep water determining the value. Sailing vessels
will become curiosi,ies population will tend to that
happy country, where life is most agreeable and
heAthful and where there is most prosperity and
freedom. The faces OF the civilized globe will be af-
fected by the Substitution of these great
for the small craft Of 3.OO TONS and the ength of
nations will be changed we'll the balance Of
power Sucn, at least, the theories of some very
sensible perSons.-[ Ne~ York Hirror