New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-05
ENGLAND.
LAUNCHING THE LEvIATHAN.
From The London Tiae', De. IL.

From The London Tiae, De. H.
Yesterday morning this long prOtracted operation
was resumed, and after some four hours hard labor
and dismal succession OF mshaps, during which oye
part after another of the apparatus broke down in the
most ignominious manner, the work was discontnned
and further proceedings postponed sane de. Ihe
causes which led to this fifth signal failure may be
told in the ew words that il almost impossible TO
make the vessel move at all and that IN the EFFORTS 70
do 20 hydraulic rams wndlasses, and CHAINS, though
of the most ponderous and massive construction were
all broken in regular succession, till scarcely anything
of the apparatus was left to continue work. Under
such circumstances, therefore, not even q hope was
entertained of effecting anything, and by Z O'CLOCK
the attempts were abandoned. What makes the mat
ter worse is that nearly every portion of the powerful
gear was broken without producing the slightest
effect in the way Of movement upon the monstrous
vessel. 1t is quite true that when the efforts were
Discontinued the signal board showed that the en-
fire bnlk had been moved 80 inches, but OF this
distance IS inches were made at one slip early IN
the dav, and with comparatively easy or at least
reasonable pressure from the launching apparatus
After this with immense difficulty, and at the cost OF
some parts Of the machinery, another timing move
ment of three inches more was got out OF her. when
she appeared to wedge herself in such manner that
though the most tremendous efforts were subsequent
" made she remained as firm as mountain Some
idea Of the extent to which the pressure was sppbed
may be gathered from the fact that no less than three
hydraulic rams one powerful crab or windlass, and
the doubled chains which drag her toward the nver
both at the stem and sten were ell burst and broken:
that the strain they were subjected TO was some
thing almost unhesrd-of in the history OF me-
chsIics-in fact, the accident which occurred 70 IN,
windass, when a side OF its massive iron drum
round which thechain was cOiled was crushed IN hike
a nut was not only, We believe, never known t
occur before but until yesterday such q breaksg
was considered almost impossible. The men,
u,uaI. under the direction Of Mr.. Brunei were
oil early at their work. but some loss OF
time was necessarily occasioned In getting such
extensive gear into working order, and then at the
ye-. commencement it was seen that the vessel was
sticking fast upon the ways, anu that II moved Of an
the davis work was likely TO be asysIs 0atH An',
was partly attributed to the Levisthan having go
completely OF the one foot in 10 incline Into one in IL,
and no doubt the reduced gradient must TO some e1-
tent have exercised retardiny influence. But the
real reason we fear will be found 10 the fact that the
iron bars OF the cradles and the railway metals OF the
WAYS are both considerably rused, and that this re-
sistapce added 20 The imme friction always caused
by running iron on iron, offers such bar to she iur
her progress Of the vessel will require half the ny
drauic presses in the kingdom 10 overcome Inc nist
Flip was not effected till the pressure applied upon INC
cradles and the strain from the nver exceeded %v0
tuna and then as we have said, she slipped or rathe,
erked down IS inches the Last few inches being ganeu
apparently more from the yibratory MOTION COM
uunicated throughout her entire length than from M
own momentum. From q series Of calculations WHICH
have been made throughout the launch, as TAR a. u
has vet gone it has been sscertalned that the strain
required 10 keep her in motion when started was
only 100 tuns Yesterday, however, the calculations
based on the rapidty with which her momentum al-
minshed showed that the strain required was more
than $50 tuns or one and half greater than u uas
been at any time since the efforts 6rst commenced
After this 3-iDcb clip, tbe greatest eSerrens were