The penny press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1859-1860, 1859-11-01
Description of the Great Eastern--A
Tourney Along her Main Deck.

gives the following description oil this man.
vessel from her main deck: 1 .
In tho extreme angle of her bows, we find
ourselves standing two feet above the main
deck, on wedge-shaped grating Of wood,
thirty five feet long, and tapering to twenty
feet wide toward the stern. From this little
watchman's platform over fifty people can
look over her bulwarks at time, while
hundred more may have comfortable stand
ing room. Looking over her sides from a
hight of some forty feet---as far as from the
third story window of city house--we see
her sharp prov gracefully penetrating the
surface of the water, but we cannot trace her
hollow lines far, as her sides bulge out at q
wider angle above the water-mark. From
the enormous cat-heads, Immediately aft,
hang on each side two ponderous anchors,
from which depend section of the massive
cables-the charms on the vest-chain of the
leviathan-but each link is about the size of
dnner-platter, and the iron of which il is
forged as large in diameter as the top Of q
drinking goblet. Two hawse- holes, eighteen
inches in diameter, are formed in the very
prov of the ship, and two more on each side,
q little further back. The cables pass through
them.
Looking aft, as from houses in Twenty
third-street, away across Madison-square to
Twenty sixth street, for the great ship would
reach fromione of these streets to the other, we
sec vast expanse Of houses, avenues, lanes,
spires, chimney and people, whilo furlong
away are the bulwarks, and the wheel-house
in the distance. Stepping from this platform
to the main deck, we find the bulwarks 30 high
that we can not look over them, butsthey taper
down some four feet as we pass astern. They
are lined throughout with oiled teak wood, re-
sembling black walnut. Thirty. six feet fur
ther aft is oapstan, the shaft Of which passes
down through this deck and two others, where
it may be geared If required To one Of the aux
illary engines. On all Of these decks, and on
the same shaft, is also q capstan, put In or out
Of gear by q clutch, each capstsn having levers
for fifty men. 1t requires the three fully man
ned-one hundred and fifty men--to raise tho
anchor without steam power. The engine
gearing is as large and heavy as that required
to drive flour mill. Some fifteen feet further
back is the first mast, a mere wooden spar,
thirty inches in diameter, with fore and aft
sails. The standing rigging is entirely Of wire
rope.
The whole deck is,wood, but under this, COW
ering large portion Of the ship, is another of
iron. The deck is here some 40 feet wide.
Next came two immense hatchways leading to
the forecastle and the warehouses, and then the
forward donkey or hosting engine-house, IS
by u feet, which is erected in the middle of the
deck. 1t contains complete pair of steam
engines and a boiler, with hosting apparatus,
capable Of loading in merchandise on both
sides Of the ship. There are at least IA en-
gines on board, exclusive of some dozen used
only for pumping. This engine-house, like
all other houses, and all the woodwork on
deck, are Of teak. We next come to the second
mast, which is Of hollow iron 4 feet in diame-
ter, and square.rigged. It's inside is ss large
as an ordinary well, and much deeper. 1t is
used also as condenser for part Of the
steam, especially that from the auxiliary en-
gines. About 200 feet from the bow is another
house 80 feet wide, and extending some 10
feet fore and aft. This is the entrance to the
ladies' saloon, or the forward compartment Of
the grand decorated saloon. 1t is the one
which was blown into splinters by the explo-
sion, the fatal chimney being Immediately be-
hind it.
It will be seen behind the second mast There
are four other entrances to the passenger de-
partments-all nearly alike. They are some
seven and a-haf feet high, paved with colored
tiles. The inside is painted to resembles light
oak, and the ceiling is light blue with gilt
stars. The stairway consists of seventeen easy
steps, with clear space Of four feet in width
The balusrades are Of teak, spiral, and vely
graceful. Wide green leather-co covered seats
surround the sides of the building. There is q
second fight Of stairs below these. From this
entrance, in the middle Of the ship, raised
sky light deck, two feet high and thirty wide,
extends back about eighty.fve feet. The area
Is equal to that Of large city house. Near
its corners are four shafts or iron boxes, four
feet square, with iron ladders, extending to
the bottom of the ship, into the boiler-rooms or
stoke-holes. You look over into them as from
the roof Of fve-story house into narrow
street below.
They lead to the fatal cavern where the poor
fellows were scalded to death at the time Of the
explosion, And you see the grim figures Of men
fitting about in the lurid glare of tho furnace
fires. At the back end of this raised deck, Just
forward Of the paddle boxes, is tho after-en-
trance to the decorated saloon. The descrip-
ton Of the forward entrance applies to it also,
as well as to all the others. Through the mid
engine chimneys, from the four forward boil
ers. They are about six and half feet in
diameter, and some thirty feet high, but their
feet. On each side of the same deck, parallel
to the length Of the ship, Is q row of skylights,
five feet wide, shaped like the gable end Of q
house. They throw food Of light into the
grand saloon, and, in fine weather, all that is
required into the saloon below 1t. The clear
space on each side of the raised deck, between
it and the bulwarks, averages eighteen feet in
width, and It affords an unbroken promenade
nearly an eighth Of mile long, and az wide
as an ordinary parlor.
Behind the after-entrance to the grand saloon
rises the iron mainmast, square rigged. The
middle portion Of the deck here is covered with
various arrangements for belaying-ropes &C.,
and with skylights to the engineers rooms
below. Immediately in front Of it, nine feet
high, is bridge extending between the out
sides of the paddle-boxes. It is one hundred
and twenty feet long and three feet wide.
Stairs lead up to it near each paddle box.
The bridge is also carried along the insides Of
the paddle.boxes, which rise some eighteen
feet from the deck, and Immediately behind
them is another Cross bridge like the first, all
together giving walk round Of some three
hundred feet. Here and on the wheel houses
the officers are stationed to give orders. Bells
communicate to the screw and paddle engine
rooms, and an apparatus, yet TO be described,
to the men at the helm. By door at the side
we can look in at the great wheel itself. And
what tremendous, but light expanss of rods
ii is, with its network Of red arms and braces,
and its thirty huge floats, thirteen feet long
and three feet deep. Unlike most paddle
wheels, it's shaft has no outside bearing on the
guard, but is wholly supported by a great
L - l. Il II