New-York daily tribune., 1859-09-27

spSarstus which, as have explained, in order 70
ecopomize heat and cool the saloons was proposedo
introduce On board the Great Eastern in the three
tunnels TO the screw engine, and the two forward
fanDels for the paddles. Messs. Bolton and Wau
intTusted with the construction OF the screw en-
gines and boilers, and they q. once firmly refused 70
have any such casing round their funneis or sttacned
70 their engines in any way whsteve' am no, aware
Of the precise reason on which they grounded tner
refusal, though doubtless they rested msihiy on tus
over again and always failed with less of n
con venence disaster. Inc plan, however "as
sdoped for the paddle tunnels, though at abou.
ths time the Collins line OF steamers, which had trled
Abe plan for nearly three years, discarded 1t as often
dangerous and always worthless. The caslngs Oh tne
two forward tunnels Of the Great E.stern held each
about seven eight tuns OF water, and the FORWARD
enc at least IL is nov evident, might have exploded
st any moment during the voysge when the grsnd
saloon was filled with the vsOrs board to listen TO
the admirable Dusic Of the ships band
TIE explosion is thus described by the same CORE
spondent:
"The visitors who were passenger on board num-
b<red about 100 and may readily be believed, 10.
siuded among them some Of the most distinguished
Esvgators engineers, aud scientific men IN Europe ALL
O. usua assembled az dinner at about5l O'Clock
On Friday when before the dessert came on two gen.
tlemen left the Cbsirmans table TO look at the coast
Hastings. Mr.. Campbell, the Marquis OF stafford,
Earl Of Mount charles, Lord Alfred Paget and few
others followed without waiting for dessert The de-
psTtuIe Of these gentlemen from the saloon, az hap
pened broke up the dinner party and instead OF retr-
ing 70 the grand saloon as usual nearly all the VISIT
ogs came deck, and went right forward in the bows
About 80 remained al tablea few on the bridge
with Mr.. Campbell and thus by most mercifu inter
position it happened for the first time during the voy
sge that there was no one sng1n the grand saloon,
and no one the little raises deck round the foremst
funnel. One or two gentlemen were coograt-
alating Mr.. Campbell on the almost marvel:
lous success Of the ship, when in the space OF
Q second there terrific explosion. The for
ward part Of the deck appeared to spring like mne
blowing the funnel up into the air. There was
confused heavy roar amid which came the awful
crash Of timber and iron mingled together with fright
ful uprosr and then all was hidden in rush of steam.
Blinded and almost stunned by the overwhelming con-
cushion, those on the bridge stood motonless IN the
white vspor till they reminded OF the necessity
Of seeking shelter by the shower Of wreck-gass gut
work, saloon ornaments, and pieces of wood, which
began TO fall like rain in all directions. The prolonged
cafter of these they fell prevented any one aft the
bridge from moving, and though all knew 'hst ieaiul
accident had occurred none were aware OF its extent
or what likely next to happen. After a short in,
terval during which the white steam still obtcmed all
aft the funnel, Captain Comstock, who was on the
bridge, tried TO zee what had occurred, but he could
only ascertain, by. peering over the edge Of the
paddle box that the vessels sides were unn-
jured, and the engines stil going. Gradually
then as the steam cleared off, the foremost fun
mel could be seen lying like log across the deck,
which covered with bits Of glass, gliding, frag-
ments of curtains and silk hangings, window frames,
scraps of wood blown into spbnters, and mass of
fragments, which had evidently come from the cabin
6ttrgs of the lower deck beneath the grand saloon.
In the middle was a great heap of rubbish where the
funnel had stood from which the condensed steam was
rushing up in white, and therefore not hot, vapor,
but enough to hide completely all that had happened
below. In another minute all the passengers came
rushing toward the spot. The 30 or 30 who bad re-
mained at table in the saloon next that which blew up
came deck also, and will give your readers some
idea Of the gigantic strength OF the vessel when tell
them that these latter until they actually saw the smash
were almost unaware of the terrific explosion which
had occurred beside them. 1t only the dull, heavy
roar followed by the rafting of fragments az they
raned down on and through the skylghts which
warned them that something dreadful had occurred:
Still more knew what had really happened or what
injury the vessel had sustained. Capt. Harrison, who
was aft at the moment rushed forward, and, seizng
a rope, lowered himself down through the steam into
the wreck Of the grand saloon, and, cahng 10 SIX
men to follow him, began search among the RUNS for
those who might have been below. The only one 10
the apartment was his own little daughter, VINO had
iust arrived at the after part at the moment OF the ex
posion and who completely sheltered by the wrought
iron bukhead had escaped, by miracle, totally un'
hurt Capt. Harrison merely gave the order 10 pass
her ND through the sk lights and continued hs search
This was no easy matter. The wreck and rubbish |
piled in all directions in the ladies' small saloon, for
ward of the funnel made it difficult to move about
The steam hid almost every object; the place was
broken the floor in parts upheaved and rven so as to
show still more frightfu smash in the saloons and
cabins below. Through these apertnres the bright
glare beneath the lower deck of all showed that the
furnace doors had either been blown open or blown |
away, and the funnel being gone, the draught was
down the remains Of the chimney, forcing oct the
flames and ashes in fierce and dangerous stream. |
This as the embers touched water sent up close erf
locating sir--haf steam, haf gas--in wincn ~ was
difficult TO see and almost impossible TO breathe.
In the mean time, most on board, including |
the visitors, took steps to restore order and eonh
dence. AZ l have already said, there were fortu |
nately no holiday tourists there, the matter |
would have been much worse. Some OF the aolest !
engineers and macbinsts were on deck, who could |
pretty well guess what had happened and what worse
might follow A funnel, filed similarly to that which
had blown up, was evidently getting intensely hot and
of those presen knew 10 what extent lis jacket,
or outer casing, had been damaged, or how soon it
might explode. Mr.. Scott Russell, followed by one or
two engineers, at once went below 10 the furnaces OF
these boilers and ordered the steam to be blown of,
the speed Of the engines to be reduced any every pre-
caution taken 10 guard against mishap. Mr. Campbell
remained calm and collected deck, getting the crew
for ard and preventing any unnecessary alarm. Some
OF the instantly went below TO search for those
employed is the stoke holes, whom II was nov evident
must be fearfully injured, if indeed alive Mr. Trot-
man. with one o. two others, went below to the lower
deck cabns where at least known to be COW
cred by the wreck while Capt Harrison came on deck
and ordered the ships course to be altered toward the
land till il could be ascertAined that there no i'm
mediate danger from fire injury to the frame of the
vessel below. The former risk appeared TO be
the most imminent, as the flames We're still
rushing fercely from the furnsce doors. The
hose therefore ordered to be laid on, and IN
slant preparations made for extnguishpg the ires
The hose got at once into play, and stream OF
poured down into the stokehole beneath the
lower deck, in few minutes TO qnench the fire
in the furnaces and put at rest all fear of danger from
that source. Within twenty minutes after the blow |
MP the real and nature of the mshep was known
and the total safety Of AL the engines and after boilers
was definitely ascertained. Fearful as was the explo
sion il was that, owing TO the immense strength
of the ship its violence had been entirely confced to
the compartment in which it had occurred and was
determined TO resume the original course and steer for
Portland. All danger from fire or another explosion