The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-09-24
APPROACHING LAUNCH OF TIE GREAT
EASTERN
From the Lirerpool Albion.

FROM the IlVerpool Aloloh-
1t is now more than three years since the lofty
walls of iron, forming the sides of the Great
Eastern, first began to excite the wonder of
voysgers up and down the Thames; aad as che
approaches completion, the public interest in
creases. Enormous size. which is naturally the
distinctive feature that first strikes the observer
ia, however, one of the least of the marvels that
belong to the joint production of Mr.. Scott Rus
sell and Mr. Brunei We have the assurance
OF the former that the Great Eastern is built
upon precisely the same model as every vessel
he has constructed since his discovery of the
wave-line, twenty two years ago. In the won
derful ship which now towers some seventy
feet above the level of the Isle of Dogs, dwarf
ing every passing vessel by her inormous pro-
portions, we have only an extension of the
lines upon which Mr.. Russell built the little
Wave, of u tons. This may relieve those who
regard the big ship" as too much of q novelty,
aud still leaves sufficient food for wonder in the
knowledge that she is about the eighth of mile
in length, and more than twice the length of
the Great Britain, which, dozen years ago,
was the largest iron ship then built or thought
of. But her breadth is much less, in proper
ton to her length, than that of the vessel Just
named, (being 81 feet "over ALP q point of
difference which affords the best ground for the
antcipations entertained Of the speed with
which she will cross the Atlantic.
Granting, then, that the mammoth ship is
merely extended copy of all other iron
steamers built on the wsve-line principle let
rs see what are the zone or two exceptions
so modestly alluded to by Mr.. Russell last week
before the British Association at Dublin. The
most prominent, in reality, though feature
which escapes unprofessional visiters, is the
cellular construction of the upper deck, and the
lower part of the hull, up to the water line, or
about thirty feet from her bottom, which is as
fat as the floor of room. This system, while
itgives greater buoyancy to the hull, increases
her strength enormously, and thus enables her
to resist almost any outward pressure. Two walls
OF iron, about sixty feet high, divide her longi.
tudinally into three parts, the inner containing
the boilers, the engine rooms, and the saloons,
rising one above the other, and the lateral diyis.
ions the coalbunkers, and, above them the
side cabins and berths. The saloons are sixty
fee, in length, the principal one nearly half the
width of the vessel, and lighted by skylights
from the upper deck. On either side are the
cabins and berths, those of the first class being
commodious rooms, large enough to contain
every requirement of the most fastidous of
landsmen. The thickness of the lower.deck
will prevent any sound from the engine rooms
reaching the passengers, and the vibration from
being at all felt by them. Each side of the
engine rooms is tunnel, through which the
steam and water pipes will be carried, and also
rails for the economizing labor in conveyance
OF coal. The berths of the crew are forward
below the forecsste, which it is intended to al.
propriste to the officers, whose apartments are
at present only marked by few uprights, rising
ten or twelve feet above the main deck. Below
the berths of the seamen are two enormous
cavities, for cargo, of which 5000 tons can be
carried, besides Goals enough for the voyage to
Australia, making about as many tons more.
The weight of this huge ship being II coo
tons, and coal and cargo about $4,000 tons
more, the motive power to propel her twenty
miles per hour must be proportionate If the
visiter walks aft, and looks down q deep chasm
near the stern, he will perceive an enormous
metal shaft, one hundred and sixty feet in
length, and weighing sixty tons. This extends
from the engine room nearest the stern to the
extremity of the ship, and is destined to move
the screw, the four fans of which are of proper.
tionate weight and dimensions If, next, he
walks forward, and look over the side, he will
see a paddle-wheel considerably larger than
the circle at Astleys; and when he learns that
this whee! and its fellow will be driven by four
engines, having a nominal power of Loon
horses, and the screw by nominal power of
], 500 horses, he will have no difficulty in con.
ceiving = voyage to America in seven and to
Australia in thirty-fve days The screw en-.
gines, designed and manufactured By Messrs.
james Watt Il Co., are far the largest ever
and, when making fifty revolu.
tons per minute, will exert an effective force
of not less than 5000 horses. 1t is difficult to
realize the work which this gigantic force would
perform, if applied to the ordinary operations
of commerce; it would raise $4,000 gallons
of water to the top of the Monument in one
minute, or drive the machinery of forty of the
largest cotton mills in Manchester, giving EN-.
ployment to from 10000 TO 900 operatives.
There are four cylinders, each about twenty-five
tons, and eighty four inches in diameter. The
crank-shaft, to which the connecting rods are
applied, weigh about thirty tons. The boilers
are six in number, having seventy.two furnaces.
aad an absorbent heating-surface nearly equal
in extent to an acre of ground. The total
weight exceeds l 200 tons, yet so contrived that
they can be set in motion OF stopped by sin.
gle hand.
Sails will not be much needed for. in ca
reering over the Atlantic at twenty miles per
hour, with moderate wind, they would rather
impede than aid but in the event of a strong
wind arising, going twenty five miles per hour
in the course Of the vessel sails may be used
with advantage; and the Great Eastern is pro-
square.rigged, the others carrying fore and aft
sails only. The larger masts will be iron tubes,
the smaller, of wood. The tunnels, of which
there will be FIVE, alternating with the mssts, are
constructed with double castings, aud the space
between the outer and inner castings will be
filled with water, which will answer the double
purpose of preventing the radiation Of heat to
the decks, and economizing coal by causing the
water to enter the boilers in a warm state.
Her rigging will probably cause most disturb
ance of ideas to nautical observers, for, besides
the unusual number of mssts, she will want two
most striking features of all other vessels
namely, bowsprit and 6gure-head.
Another peculiarly is the absence of poop.
The captains apartment is placed smidships,
Immediately below the bridge, whence the
orders to the engineer below, helmsman at the
wheel, and lookout man at the bows. In iron
vessels, great precautions being necessary to
prevent the compass from being nhuenced by
the mass of metal in such attractive proximity,
various experiments have been made with the
view of discovering the best mode Of overcom-
ing this. II was originally intended to locate
the compass upon a stage, forty feet high but
this plan has been abandoned, and standard
compass will be affixed to the mizen mast, at
an elevation beyond the magnetic influence of
the ship.
Whatever misgivings may be felt as to the
length and the weight she will carry amidships,
will be set at rest before she even touches the
water by the mode of launching-an operation
az great novelty as the ship herself. The
plan hitherto has been to build the vessel on an
inclined plane, and at right angles with the wa
ter but In the case of the Great Eastern this
was impossible, on account of her great length,
to say nothing of the expense of building q yes