New-York daily tribune., 1858-02-19

when she would have entirely settled Il, oua..c,
70 the supremacy Of the river snd put the Great E.s
| ern Steam Navigation Company INTO the Ga.ette in
i half al hour.
| Netting of this kind, however, was to be svcr..
| hended yesterday The weather was fre clear, an
calm with scaroe,y any breeze and what litte tbs,.
vas all in favor Of the vessel and high tide Ths
| tide ran up with unusual swtness and az the aooS
relieved the weight upon the launching ways som. Of
tie hydraulic machines were set to work FOR the ast
time to pasn lne monster as lar as possible into the
low rate Of pressure that short time gave an sd
vance of ~ iLches, which showed that moro than
half the oIadles were quite pushed OF the wsys ard
rested on the river bottom. At II the men in
| the row boats stationed alongside observed that
| she 70 longer rested on the crdles-that she
wac, in fact. aHoat, but, Of course, ths transi-
| ton was 50 gradual that few we're awaye OF il
until the tugs began steaming ahead and showed that
| at last she fairly under way Then the cheer,
which from the yard and from the decks from
the boats in the river and the crews OF the shps at
anchor up and down the stream, spread the great
news far and wide and thus uRder the most favorable
circumstances the LeyisthsA commenced her first
voyage on tie Thsmes.
Two powerful tug. boats were at her bows and two
were fastened astern Other steamers also were in
attendance, and rendered their ad but tie efforts OF
the four we have mentioned were mainly instrumental
in managing her, At Grst the efforts OF those ahead
scenes to have little effect and when at length some
way was made on her, il was abruptly checkedby one
of the paddewhees foung the cisdles. II took some
time 70 clear her Of this obstacle bait al Last il was
accompaniment ntT ufdu let SWING parity round
with the tide, and the steamers began moving her
slowly but very slowly, forward, clear Of the cradles
These, as our readers are aware, composed of
immense baks of timber, on which the vessels bot.
tom rested, and which her weight alone kept down.
The police therefore had 10 take unusual precautions
Yesterday to keep all boats clear OF her While the
wrecks OF the cradles plunged up in tremendous
es as each wss released by the onward movement OF
the Leyiathap.
II was curious TO see these huge groups of beams
emerge from the tiver rising rapidly from the surface
of the water 20 or 10 feet with slow, heavy move
msnt, and then falling over with great crash that
churned the water into foam around them. Some bro
ken and spinteIed by the violence with which they
were thrown against each other formed loose tange
oftmber work. and went slowly drifting up the river in
little islands which rose some four or hive SECT from
the water Others, hong after the great mass had
hoated up came plunging TO the surface, falling about
in way that showed the necessity OF the precautions
taken By the police ard the certain destruction thst
would have overwhelmed ahy boat within their reach.
Soon after the cradles cleared and the surface
of the river covered with their fragments the Levi8
than fouled the bsrges which, moored with tremendous
chains were formerly used to pull her downward to-
ward the river. On this OCCASION to judge from the
liberal proers Of advice from all sides everybody on
deck seemed emnently skilled in dealing with I'M
practicable barges, and 1t was quite refreshing to hear
how the men u the barge were desredt TO undo moor
ing chains and cast of h8ysers which il has been the
business Of the last three months to faten and ryet
firmly; but at last Capt Harrison got hearing, and
under his directions every Iemonstranee which
dse-hsmmers and axes could urge on the re-
fidctory tackle havipg been used in vain, II was
decided to scutte the barge. The expedtent was OF
course decisive and the Leviithan was again got
under way and brought slowly down to her moorrngs
opposite Deptford. Here she was instantly made Iast
stem and stern to the Government moorings IN tue
center of the river at part where even at low vaer
she will have almost double the depth to float her.
By the time she fairly mOored the news ot her
being atioat had spread up and down the ny nyer ana
the Thames was almost covered with small boats,
which rowed around her, and some OF which were
laden TO the water edge with men, women, and ehi
dren. Fortunately, no accident took place, anu the
tiny feet that followed in the wake OF the Levathan,
and which made the banks Teecho their prolonged
cheering, quietly dispersed before rightfan
CAPTURE OF AN AMERICAN SLAYER BY A
BRITISH CRUISER - GREAT SUFFERlNGS
AMONG THE SLAVES.
From The London Ti~e,, Fes.S.
The following is an extract from letter dated from
Hor AAjosty's ship Sappbo, Sept. w. 'c~s, va nonauo
"Snce my last letter to you in August, crcum-
stances have happened of the most stirring KIND;
never on this notorious coast has humanity been more
outraged, or the energy and compassion OF British
seamen morn called for or shown. We continued
cruising looking in at the different stations, until the
lGth when at daylight we saw a schooner u anchori
we made sail for her she slipped her cable and seered
along the beach. We followed in the Sappho as near
as the depth of the water would allow. The wind was
light, SO the commander took 70 the ooats anu soon
came up with her; she proved to be schooner OF
fully 80 tuns quite prepared FOR the reception OF
slaves, and had arrived the preceding day on the
coast. The captain had lsnded-probably with the
pecs for the purchase Of his cargo, as only twenty
eight doubloOns found, rolled up IN maa gar
teTs. who looked foolish enough VIXEN the masei-at-
arms hsuled them of. We took the schooner 10
Loando to land the saYe crew then inding her not
ssaworthy we made target Of her to exercise our
men, and burned her. This gave Us sonnet hung to tax
about until we returned to LOando on the 10Th there
we found the Castor, with the Admiral on board from
the Cape he sailed for Shark Point, where the snpS
otad Gorc m artla We lett the fOll0W.
ing day; at Q in the morning ot the 18TH, In thck
INST with rain closed with schooner; Wnue
boarding her the weather cleared, and Afge snip
was eeen cose to the land. Directly our boats returned
We made all sail in chase, tho ship making al sah
to avoid us, and the chase became very ssciting.
The captains said were gaining, and 80 tnsy
must have thought on board the ship, as ne
tackled in shore and we after him. then he bore away
running along the edge of the surf and by help OF ns
large sails was drawing ahead. BY this time We were
cure lie was one Of the large American siaVe-sMps,
the captain took boat we'll manned and armed ana
pulled TO windward to cut him of when ne wouiu oe
obliged 10 tack of shore another boat was sent 10 zee
ward the master the only officer on board oelng is
in charge. The ship was not more than q mile anu
half distant close to the surf. Seeing the trap au VI
him. and that he could not escape, ne ran ms sniP
ashore. We anchored in four fathoms; the master
took the whale-boat close TO the ship ana was s'Gn
the breakers with all her sails happinS ABOUT anu ga
peared to be full Of slaves the master and crew n
abandoned her with their boats LEAVING sos
lean colors flying. Then We all eeheld .oresu.ui ,
scene; the slaves forced their way from bs'ow yenP
ed overheard, and soon disappeared in tbe rollers;
was terrible TO zee them. Our officers ana men, t
gardless Of their own lives, pulled through the SUI.
leeward Of the ship, but her heavy urchns ,oa
time prevented their boarding; when they sace .Ser
the scene was hOrrifying the slaves still forcing the
way up from the slave decks with !oad yes, oxsy
to and fro and continuing to throw themselves
board. All attempts to pacuy them Me'L vLnsl nre,
paratons could be made for their safety We wsIe
Told by one of the slaves who could spsakk