Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-09-30

The GREAT EAsTERN.-All England. ut the
last accounts, was excited over the success of
the Great Steamship, which has made its
trial trip and Will soon make its appearance
Oh our shores. We copy below the interest
in account, brought by the list arrival, of
its first movements under steam.
The great event Of the week has been the
departure of the Great Eastern Tor sea. The
Nova Scotian brought out news that the YES
sci had proceeded down the Thames as far as
Purieet on the 7th, and anchored there for
the tide of tha following morning. Her de-
partu-e from her moorIngs, accompanied by
| four powerful tugs, two at the bows and two
at the stern, gave rise to the greatest enthu-
siasm on the Thames, winch was continued
at all the prominent points.
Captain Harrison and the most experience
ed Tn mes pilot directed the ships motion.
Mr.. Sc tt Russell was on the bridge. il
recting the action Of the enginrs, both Of
which, screw and paddle were under steam
Captain ComstJck, OF the Collins steamer
| Baltic, stood aft to transmit directions 10 the
men at the wheel, the new steering appara-
tus not being completely fitted.
| The very first move in the river demons
trated that the ship WIS as comp etely I'M
der command as a river steamer, and that
/, the only difficulties to contend with were the
sharp curves in the stream. She steers as
easily as wager boat, and her engines were
found capable Of starting her or arrestins
her motion literally almost hy single mo-
tion of the hand.
The only difficulty experienced was at
Il. tba fnr r,
acute angle, and in the centre Of the channel
at this point bark and schooner bad, unior-
tunatelv anchored. There was an anxious
aud perilous Geliy OF fifteen minutes, but the
danger was passed, and there was no other
serious cause for uneasiness. There was not
| "A single regular seaman on board during the
river trip, the crew not having joined.
There were perfect oyatipns at Greenwich,
BIackwall. Woolwich, and other points,
where immense crowds had assembled.
At Purheet the ship swung round to her
single anchor in beautiful style, and the an
| chor, Trotmans patent, never yielded an
! inch from the spot where it dropped.
! On the Sth the Great Eastern got up steam
| and weighed anchor, and at $40 a. NJ.
started from Purileet for the More. As on
the preceding day, she was accompanied by
tugs, and the enthusiasm along the river
particularly at Gravesend, was very great.
On arriving at Chapman's Head, at the
| top of Sea Reach. the tugs were cast off anc
the great vessel was left to herself. Increased
speed was then got on her, simply to give
her god steerage way and move her engines
readily, but with no view to test her power
In ten minutes, however. says the CORES
pondent of the London Times, she set at rest
all doubts forerer as TO her being the fastes'
uessel 6eyond comparison in the ,corld. En-
loving less than two-thirds of her power,
in her worst trim, being six inches down by
the head, and too high out of water to per
NIT her paddles or screw blades to worl
properly, and ,rith strong tide against her
she ran distance of fifteen statute nuAs n
t,co minutes Under an hour. The engines
worked with astonishing ease, and there wa
scarcely q vibration perceptible.
Before anchoring the vessel was put abou
and went completely round IN less than thre
quarters of mile. At half past twelve, tn
vessel anchored at the More. She was u
leave the More at seven o'clock on the NOR
n1ng of the 9th, and steam away easiiy 10
P,rtland. Dorsetshire, which harbor she e4
pected to reach early on the morning OF tn
10Th.