The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1859-11-29
The Great Eastern.

A lengthy correspondence in the London
Times, giving an account Of the third trial trip
of the Great Eastern, which letter j. republished
in the Albany Journal, the following conclusions
are arrived at, viz: "She makes only 10 IL
knots an hour. rolls Ike other craft, and burns
up 500 tons Of Goals per day" These facts con-
duce to bring her down to ordinary hrs'-class
steamers, with allowance for power, cos, Of
building, and Of running.
The events of the trip are e1citinely, and often
amusingly, told, and the narrator has doubtless
often smell salt water before. He thus describes
the first indications which aroused suspicious
that even the Great Eeastern could "roll:"
The movement, which was not SO much at
first a movement with the ship itself as kind OF
vague uncertainty about the level of the cabin
floors, continued 10 increase. Doors banged 10
without apparent cause, chairs seemed suddenly
endowed with the desire 10 get rid of their oecu-
pants, coats and cloaks swung suddenly about as
If they themselves were walking, and glasses slid
toward one another with gentle tinkle. Walk
| ing all at once became matter of strategy and
careful forethought, and the power Of locomo-
ton seemed suddenly transferred from the pas
senger TO the fiat candlestick in his cabin, the
erratic movements of which he was at times
unable TO control or overtake.
All this, Of course, was most unusual i'll a YES
| sci of such known steadnes. as the Great East
ern, and the novelty was accounted for in q
variety Of ways. Some thought it was three
waves OF unusual magnitude which had taken
| the Great Eastern awkwardiy, some that II va;
due to the light trim Of the ship, TO which very
! great deal 10 doubt, was really owing, Will,
II IL L.
rolled at all The latter proposition was, how
ever soon found no be quite untenable as the
vessel continued her course, steadily swaying
from side TO side with an easy jovial swagger, a.
much like other ships under the same crcum
stances az was consistent with her size. At :
o'clock in the morning the motion was unrnis
taxable, and seats buckets, and such small ware
| occasionally began TO fetch away, rambling
across the deck with hollow sound, amid which
now and then a sharp little crash from the mess
room below showed where stray decanters auC
cups aud sauccrs were making short cruises o
their own and coming 10 grief accordingly
From to in the morning tie weather fresh
ened' considerably, though the ireshening infiu
ence was by no means extended to the visitor:
on board The squalls were sharper, and the
moaning roar through the rigging hoarser anC
more sustained, while as the channel opened on
the long heavy swell began TO set in from the
Atlantic in deep irregular heaves which seemed
to astonish the ship, AS under their influence che
rolled considerably.
Between and O'Clock the waves began t.
strike now and then against the vessels bow:
with heavy thump, surging up into the hswst
holes in crowd of spray and water, but always
thrown back or turned aside by the lofty bacl
hull which strobe over them. At last came on,
bigger than the rest kissing ominOusly out Of tn.
thick darkness. 1t struck the Great Eastern
with loud boom, and sent its green water in
heavy lump clear over the forward bulwarks
capsizing one man and drenchng another wht
happened to be near where it dashed inboard
Such mark of INSTRUMENTATION on the part o
those waves over which the Great Eastern wa
to dominate with triumphant success was o
course variOusy accounted for.