The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1859-10-15

III ever good wishes should be offered up for
the succ' IS Of any enterprise, generous indeed
ought to be our gratitude to those who are stri /.
wing to shorten voyages by sea, and solve the
problem of whether vessel six times larger
than any ship ever yet built, could be run with
out subsidy, and steady enough to drive away
all dread Of sea-sickness. As. Regards speed, tho
trip round to Weymouth from the More, proved
that the Great Eastern was q very fast ste amer,
but the terrible explosion on board prevented q
fair trial Of the full power Of the screw and pad
die wheels. The true test will bs tho excursion
tiip into the broad sreling waves cf tho At
lantic Ocean. Short channel seas will not AZ
feet her steady motion, when under command
Of the helm. 10 far this Nautical query has
been settled, but vessels Of 1000 tons 20 through
tho small chopping waves Of the narrow part Of
the British Channel with eqnai ease. That the
Great Eastern will span the crssts Of two long
rolling seas OF mid ocean without straining
amidships Is another point to be set at rost. In
ordinary weather she may sit ON three waves,
and II she does so, pleasant indeed will be the
VOYAGE with the wind ahead, astern, OF even
point OF two abaft tho beam. But II ever she
crosses the ocean with a side wind and heavy
swell, in falling into the trough 1t IL likely she
may heel over till brought up wit h the sponsors
and psddlew heels. The roll Of such sbip, when
she Is 'rocked by the bilows" will be disagree
able in the extreme. Like all screw yes scls, she
has got dead weight along the floor VI the kel
son, which, acting like tho lead In China figure,
niust ten upon Der lmmobtiNy, eesides which,
her masts and yards though light for 30 huge
monster, are solid enough to help the motion
Of rolling.
Again, her draught OF water, though sufficient
for In. shore navigation, Is dsproportioned to her
bulk in the sea, for her length is eight times her
breadth, ard he draws but a trins mora than
the 120 gun line -of-battlc-ships Of onc-sixth Of
her tonnage. Her iron build will make great
difference in her favor, as compared with timber
cor structcd ships; yet, for such a tremendous
hull, II Is doubted whether her hold In the water,
as contrasted with her height and supctincum-
bent weight Is sufficient to give her the req uirci
solidi'y to do away with all motion Of u swaying
or pitching nature. She IL flat where there should
lie keel aud as II Il notorious TO scafaring men
that vesselsof this build generally roll more than
others with keel, this may yet prove a defect
II has been taken for granted that a leviathan
like tie Great Eastern is independent Of this
common appendagc to ships bottom, and one
which improves its weatherly qualities. Should
this turn out correct, and tho force of her move
meDts show us that high velocity coupled with
magnitude can dcfy winis ard waves, a triumph
will have been gained. But on the other hand,
should her Commander wish to take advlntag age
VI fair wind, ard spread her thousands Of yards
u canvas, and the ship make lee-way, then tho
old system Of keel may come into IA shiOn again.
lie Great Eastern, II must 10 remembered, i,
full-rigge1, six-mastod ship.