Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1859-12-05
ThtGrrat Easfern ii The CALI. .

lnElHTtut EdSttfH III 9nt uulEs
TheLondon Times correspondent
on board the Great Eastern gives a
long account of the effect on the
steamer ofthe late great gale. Capt.
Harrison and the whole crew were at
their posts ready to run the ship ont
if necessary. Between 2 and B.
o'clock the wind almost equaled the
force Of q hurricane, at,times jerking
at the lnasts as if it would snap them
them Of at the deck. making the.
Great Eastern tremble perceptibly
throughout her immense length and.
breadth, as if some giant hand were
shaking her. Captain Harrison's
Waterproof coat was on its way along
the deck, blown to ribbons off him,
and he himself at last carried before
the gale, and blown down and tRaa
bled along. with such violence as to
receive some severe contnsions. The
saloon skylights were blown up, and
wind and rain poured intoTthetsaloon.
The upper wood Wotkswas leaking at
everya Sea. and the lower decks soft
and splashing<from the drippings.-4
AT 6, O'Clock the breakwater works
were giving way, portions Of the
wreck once or twice fodling the
lscrew, and it was found necessary TO
swing ,by one anchor: At,l0.50 a.
Em.,. it sprang up like cork ont OF
1.-THE water. and in another moment
1.-THE Great Eastern was adrift, rolling
and stumbling Ikea drunken ship to.
.wardsbehore.. e. u. s I
So qniet and orderly was every,
Thing when this most alarming Incl
dent took place, that very few knew
what had really happened, though all
could pretty well guess by the heavy
ttlnrches of the vessel something had
Indeed gone wrong, Capt. Harrison
and Mr. kettf were forward, and III
an instant an was ready for letting Sc
i a second heavy anchoK, while wore
was passed 10 go ahead with thu
Escrew, fof the great ship furchips
| from sideIto side, was milking rapid
| ly for, shore The second ancho or wa
let 60 and the screw moved ahead
] but the Vessel had now great: way OF
| her, and could not be easily stopped
:. on what seemed her road to destruc
3tion.I just as tile screw began TO tel
H an itiAnefBe nnassI6f wreck and WOO
fouled it. and brought the nrachiner,
4 to dead stand Not a second tpulc
Y be lost ID waiting til it cleared, 81
fthe steam}was at once turned into til,
paddle engines, which were driver
round at speed though the floats so
i hurt among the mass of wreck, ant
1.-The great iron work Of tile wheel
/ was bent ia many places. To avoi'
lEthis, and the serious damage it Nigh
"A occasion, thef screw was set-to worl
Eagafn the instant it was freed, bat
was seldom able to revolye more tia
ia few moments without becotntn
III jammed again, when, the paddle
\ were again resorted. to. But tn
Great Eastern's double engines vel,
II little coFld have been done. Thefar
/ cltor which was LET gol s'bit' at once
II and as muth scope was given 10th
!. cable as dare be. let out, when th
|. vessel had driven back So far, an
) 1.-THE ]ee.shore doomed so ,closeGasterr
II Still for a time opposition tontir
b ned dangerous Id the extreme, as i
? spite offbotll with wind and steam
/ the great ship lay open to the SC
| rolling dangefousl y for such a placl
I land making way as il. nothing woul
Fhold her. At last she brought nj
L Though she seemed to make desperaI
4 efforts to break from the grippe Of hi
| lnew holdfastz4hough Juggling an
rolling to her Chains as though 81
] would pull up a mountains. Forta'
/ lately both chain and anchor he
/. FAST as they did before in the heay
Y weather at Portland, when two screV
. fcofIiers, each with 500 tuns Of co
h pn board two bfigs, two dummies al
i i and u. large galliot. all hunaon Il
1s Great Eastern riding at the san
e single chain and anchor. After OIL
! {or two more Intellectual efforts
3 break away. her head at last swur
!. round, and she rode lightly to Il
!. Igale as before. Intthe last strugg
loIsome Of the links Of the chaiHzcah
\ we're actually dragged out onesthil
il Longer, and Eone which passed ind
er THE sharp bows ofthe vessel Was be
# nearly double.