New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-03-03

Our readers have all heard and read Of the mann
moth steamship recently launched upon the Thames,
in England the grandest conception OF marine arch
lecture ever shaped into reality. The inst impress
sions experienced upon reading description Of this
vessel are suggested by its enormous dimensions
heretofore uhheard Of and nndreamed Of 10 the bis
tory of navigation But the wonder by no means
iimfnshes when we consider the details Of her
structon, the novelty Of proportioning steam ma
chnery sailing gear ETC.. to such vast hull, and the
science and ingenuity that must be required to make
her numberless and multiiarious internal arrange
ments harmonic.
The length over all of this monster of the deep is
six hundred and eighty feet, rather more than
one-eighth Of mile Her width seems scarcely
proportional 70 this enormous length, being but
eighty-three feet, though much greater width
would probably have rendered her altogether un-
wieldy and unmanageable by any process of hand
ling and steering now known. The hull is built en-
trely Of iron, with depth Of sixty feet from deck
to keel it is divided transversely into ten separate
compartments OF sixty feet each rendered perfectly
watertight by bulkheads and having no openings
whatever, lower than the second deck, while two
longitudinal walls Of iron, thirysx feet apart ira
verse three hundred and fifty feet of the length Of the
ship. Up to the water line the hull is constructed
with an inner and outer shell. too feet ten inches
apart, each equally firm and substantial, and
strengthened at intervals Of six feet by horizontal
ribs Of iron. An English paper furnishes the follow
ing information regarding the motive power Of this
magnificent vessel;
The distinguishing feature in the character Of the
Great Eastern, in addition to her vast size, is the
combined application Of steam power, through the
paddle wheel and the screw The engines are very
considerably larger than any hitherto made for marine
purposes, and their actual power will be very far
greater than their nominal power. The vessel will
have ten boilers and FIVE tunnels and each boiler can
be cut off from its neighbour and used or not as de-
sired. The boilers are placed longtndinally along
the center of the ship and entirely independent of
each other Every boiler has ten furnaces, and that
gives TO the whole the large number Of hundred
furnaces. The fuel intended 10 be used will be anth
race coal The tunnels about 100 feet in height,
measuring from the floor Of the boilers to the top Of
the tunnels.
In addition to the motive steam power, the wind
will to considerable extent be made available, and
for this purpose ii Is proposed to provide the vessel
with seven masts. The center will be the principals;
these will be crossed by yards as in line OF battle
ship, the others will be proportionately smaller in
size. The vessel will spread $500 SQUIRE yards of
canvas, her sails being OF efficient but simple char
icter She carries no bowsprit and will have no
.prtsail
The Leviathan is expected TO average, under steam
hone, a rate of eighteen miles an hour, aud under
adorable circumstances would probably attain
much greater speed. Fancy this immense mass "a
'essel which, il placed IN Camp street would reach
rom the Crescent Office to Canal street) laden with
'ast quantities Of freight and swarmng with thou
ands Of passengers, driven over the ocean by wind
md steam at rate Of speed kept up night and day,
md scarcely ever sackening in fair weather foul
or all the storms that blow from the four quarters Of
be globe could not turn aside from her course ship