Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-03-19
From the London Times. Feb. "a
The Leyiathan.

es she had progressed towards her final desti-
nation-the water. The fact however is
that very little has been done in the way of
actual progress since the vessel was foated
off her cradles. and she still remains moored
stem and stern in the centre of the river.
little below the old building yard. from which
for so many months she kept out the light
and air, and in which for so many weeks grave
fears were entertained that she would remain.
a permanent adornment of the rivers bank.
But though as we have said, nothing worth
speaking of in the way of work. has been
done about the Leviathan herself very
great deal has been perfected, and we believe
tho arran gcmonts are boing made for her final
completion and fitting out for SEA. With re-
gard to this point, great deal of misappre-
hensiOn appears to exist with the public as
to the total outlay necessary to fit her out,
and the time it will require to get her ready
in all respects for a sea-going service.
AS far as the first named subject is concern
ed, we believe we shall be found correct in
stating that the total cost of completing her
fittings, putting on board stores, &c, and max
ing her in all respects ready for sea, will not
exceed Gl20.000, and that the time acquired
to do this will certainly not extend beyond
the month of July. -Four months is estima-
ted as being the utmost time necessary to fit
her, but circumstances have arisen, such as
the company being obliged to give up posses
sion of the yard at Millwall, which may oc-
casion hindrances that will probably delay
her completion till the time we have stated.
In order, however, to insure the work being
done in the shortest space of time, and at the
lowest rate consistent with good workman
ship, it has been decided to sub-divide what
remains to be done about the vessel among
several contractors. Thus the building of
the cabins and saloons will be given to one
person, while another contracts for the decks,
bulwarks, &c. third for the rigging, fourth
for the boats, fifth for the internal fittings,
and so on. BY this arrangement of course
every part will progress simultaneously, and
each be effected at the lowest cost and in
the best style.
No less than 10 anchors are now required to
hold the monster vessel at her present moor
ings-fve at the stem and five at the stern, and
each with lengths of cable attached, varying
from 40 to 100 fathoms. When first anchored
in the river eight sufficed to hold her; but dur
ing half gale which blew shortly after her
launch she dragged at the stern in such man
ner as to swing more into the tde-ways and
required two of Trotman's largest patent an
chors in addition to the others, since which she
has been brought up effectually, and nov APP
parently nothing short of hurricane would
be sufficient to move her. AS the fittings of
the ship progress, pair of powerful shears
will be fitted on deck for the purpose of hcist-
mediate shafts, heavy boats. standing rigging,
and other portions of her equipment which
are too ponderous TO raise by ordinary means.
The masts are at present being made at Mill
wall in pieces, and good deal of the main
masts has already been completed, though of
course they will not be put together until they
are actually on board.
There are to be six masts in all, three square
rugged and three rugged with fore and aft sails.
III aSfG wi no of nlatpc pf
wrought iron one inch in thickness, and rivet-
ed together in the same manner as the sides of
the ship, or a steam-bOiler of the strongest deS-
cription. They will vary in height from 1870
to 40 feet from the keel to the truck. each
will be three feet four inches in diameter at the
deck, and each will weigh from 80 to 40 tons
exclusive of yards or rigging. Each mast
rests on a square column of plate iron which
reaches direct from the keel to the upper deck,
and is riveted and built into all at the success
sive decks through which it passes. In case of
it ever becoming necessary to cut away the
masts at the base of them all at about three
feet above the deck will be fixed a peculiar
apparatus, which, workingb by means of pow
criul screw, it is made TO compress two sides
of the mast together in such manner as to
completely crush them in, and let the mast fall
over the side Immediately. As, however, all
the masts will he stayed by the usual standing,
rigging, which, in the case of the Leviathan,
will be all of wire rope and of the most mas
sive kind other precautions have to be taken
in order to get rid of the masts when necess
sary.
To effect this, then, all the shrouds and stays
are fastened at the ends through iron rings in
such a manner that as far any exertion of
strength or skill is concerned, n single man
would be sufficient to cast loose all the fasten-
ings of each mast in five minutes though I'M
til the rings are opened the sides might be
torn from the ship before they would yield an
inch All the main and tOp-mast yards of the
square-riggcd mast Will be also of iron plates.
The main yard will be 100 feet long or about
40 feet longer than the mainyard of our larg-
est line of battle ships, about four times the
strength of any mainyard yet constructed,
and several tons lighter than IL it was made
of wood, rs is usually the case.
We have said that the Company are about
to remove their plans and materials to anoth-
er yard on the Surrey side of the river, and
such is the fact, and all the works of Mllwall
are in the chaotic state which usually portends
a change of location even in small establish
ments, and which, of course, displays itself in
tcn-fold intensity in a yard where the lar
gest ship of which the world has ever seen or
heard has Just been turned off to its moorings.
But great as is the change which these prep
arations make and imply ii is really nothing
To what the absence of the Leviathan herself
from the yard has already occasioned. In
fact il seems at the first glance Us if one whole
side of the yard had been taken away, or
swept into the river by some extraordinary
food tide. The debris, too. Of the launching
apparatus, the piles OF gigantic timbers, mass
es Of rails, hydraulic rams, screw jacks, iron
drums, chain cables, groups of piles, wind
lasses, &c. all huddl,d together in inextrjca-
BILE confusion. give TO the whole place the as
pect of some gigantic workshop which has sud-
denly been levelled with the earth, aud ruined
by some tremendous catastrophe. We believe
no attempt will be made To draw out any of
the many hundred piles driven into the earth
for one purpose or another during the course
of the uIch. More with view Of satisfy
ing scruples on this subject than with any
other object some one or two have been (" ex-
tracted.' but the efforts required 10 draw
them involves such heavy labor that the wa
gcs of the workmen employed amounted TO
more than double the value of the piles them
selves.
They will therefore be suffered 10 remain
where they are, only saving of the upper
most parts level with the earth. In one por-
ton of the yard the men are employed night
a I'd day Ia turning the monstrous intermediate
shafl for the paddle-cngincs. This shaft is
probably for ills size the finest specimen OF
io-ged iron that has ever been produced ai
aay works. Ii was made At Glasgow, and in
the rough weighed some 81 tons. This is the
third that has been forged for the paddle-er-
gin # the Leyiathan- In both the former
on, when the manufacture was almost com
pleted. such flaws were discovered In their
substance as made them worthless; and from
the immense size Of the shaft, and the neees-
sity for its being of the most perfect strength
and solidity throughout, considerable anxiety
was at one time entertained AZ Ia the possibill-
~ OF getting one made al all in time for the
starting OF the vessal next autumn All
doubts have, forever been set at rest by the
arrival of the present shaft, which Is now be-
ing completed Ia the turning lathe. There
are nat many iathes IN the kingdom Of sai,i-