Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-01-28
SUCCESSFUL PROGRESS IN THE LEVI.
ATHAN'S LAUNCH.

The process of launching the Leviathan du-
ring the week ending the 9Th inst, has been
eminently successful. The London Times of
the 9th says
hydraulic machines are joined with supply pipes
IN groupes of three. the pressure was got upon
the cradles so equally that the Leviathan after
rest OF nearly three weeks, slipped at once
tor two or three inches and in short slips of the
same kind she continued tO progress throughout
the day At o clock, when work was discon-
tinued she had made 29 slips in all-in lengths
varying from 2 to ) inches each, according as
the pressure was great and the ca icity of the
timber threw her off with more or less force
Her whole progress was feet 81 inches aft, and
5 feet inch forward. The reason Of this great
difference between the progress of the stem and
stern is, because the forepart of the vessel is
always so much in advance AS to have twisted
the cradles on the ways. Yesterday, therefore
almost the whole Of the pressure was applied
on the aft cradle, and the difference of position
between that and the forward one in great
measure removed. There seems no reason to
doubt that if the tackle which hauls her towards
the Thames could have been used, the result of
yesterdays work would have been some 30 or
4O feet, as 1T Is the strain applied upon the i'm
mense chains across the river which keeps her
in motion for three or four feet when once the
rams have started her. As it was. however, in
consequence of the accident which happened
the day before, when the steam barge, with all
the gear for hauling in the chains was sunk by
a bark, nothing could be done with the river
tackle. This portion of the launching appara-
tus is under the charge of Captain Harrison,
who has exerted himself so indefatigably since
the accident happened that the damage will be
almost entirely repaired by to-day, when 80
tons strain will be ready at the stern and 20
at the bows. In addition to the admirable ar
rangemept Of joining the rams ia threcs, each
machine is now fitted with a pressure-guage
which records the exact weight per circular
inch on each ram. Each ram also, though near
ly all are capable of bearing n pressure Of four
or five tons to the inch, has been gagged, and
the escape-yalve so weighted "a to let out the
water at pressure of 30 cwt tO the inch. With
these precautions it is next to impossible that
they can now be burst. The united pressure Of
all the II rams now fixed, and working at 80
cwt the circular inch, would amount to no less
than 4,Ooo tons, which, the resistance of the
Leylathan has never yet been known to exceed
909 tons, II, OF course, more than double they
are likely ever to he wanted to exert From a
record Kept yesterday of the pressure upon the
! rams when each slip was made il seems that the
average strain required to move her was I 300
tons The variations above and below this
| standard. however, were constant and occur.
| red in most unaccountable manner Some
! times she slipped when the register barely
| showed 1000 tons pressure and then, probably.
| at the next movement force Of 700 tons was
exerted before they could get her to move an
inch. The fires in the braziers in the cradles