Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1859-09-21
From the y. o, ricoyunc,
Tho Great Easto,n.

Tho Great Esst0Tu.
The London papers of the sth, urr full of H.
formal celebration Of completion Of the mammoth
steamship
"A banquet was given on board oC the shin
which was hnnOreG by the presence of many of
the members Of both louses, and some of th,
most distinguished engineers aud scientific men
In the kingdom, IL is said that such prosresp
had been made within n short tno that the shin
nov looks a. she will lool; when proceeding {.
sea, and Us she ought % look % liGsp paco with
her reputation "a the lurgest ami inrSt sn.cim m
ot naval architecture that ever n1Rtri Tho deck
has heen pianed and scrubbed 70 m.u.oCwar
whiiencss, und not cy,n " stray ropes end breaks
the wonderful effect produced Gv the immense ey.
panse. Her fleet of small boats (gha. is to say.
about the sigo Of sailing cutters) hang at the
davits, ten on each side. The whole vessel h.,
been painted, the saloons are fn shcd, the cabins
decorated. and even furnished, The mas., are
fixed, aud rgged, with the exception of the yards,
which will b. sent up in day or two. The
three centre square rigged masts are of iron.--
Each is made of hollow wrought iron, in eight
feet length, strengthened inside by dinphragms
of the sumc material. The breaking strain of the
six shrouls to each Of these mas;s is over 800
which gives ample security for the masts being
properly supported, as the weight Of each is onl'
% tons"
The London Gazette gives the following, con-
cerning the celebration:
"'rhe first movement Of the gigantic crauks and
cylinders of the paddle engines was made precise.
Iy at half past one, when the great masses slowly
rose and fell MS noiselcssly as tho engines of
Greenwich boat, hut exerting on their great cvo.
luton was seemed to he an Irresistible power
There was no noise, no vibration. nor The sigh ut
sign of heating, and the tremendous frame Of iyoo
work Sprnng ~ once into life and motion with -
much ease NJ if every rod and crank bad b."a
worked for the last ten Years. The steam in
the boilers was Il pounds; but. as matter of
course. the engines were turned but slowly. never
exceeding six revolution PER minnie. ION win
this slow wmo.iun and tie slight immersion of tie.
paddle RHts, the effect of the enormous power
was mt once yisi5l, uron the shin. The grnat |
moorng Chains astern were tightenei to the nj. /
most. aud it seemed ms if even rrotman $ anchors
themselves would WELD under the strain. Forth
nateIy however, these held fast. and then tie
screw engines were cot irto motion. working the
ship nstcrn, 30 as to countoract the effect OF shr
naidIcs. These latter cnrinos worked with Ne|
same marvellous ease anl freedom: there was no .
noise no sign of hot hearnrs, and the result WIS
ronsiiero3 Sv all cr.,ipanrs M hoard +, h, satia
r. ctnr,. /, .h va.v bi~lcet dorrao ard far bcvond
what conIJ h,yo bann 2ynactoJ
..,yhsn ,bn engines Lnl bcc, t,sfod +o tha r4-
most IN ,yhicl tbev c,nld Lo fried with a vnssri
at her moorinrs, nil the visitors adjourned to the
saloons. w'ere Il magnificent cold collation. had .
been laid out hy M2. QunrtCrm,ino. This. in
snirs Of thc rather rungcot atmosnhrrc which had
been evoked from tic lmlncs By tho movement OF
the screw and ppddias, soon received ample jas
tice. and at its conclusion Mr.. J. +. Campbell. .
tie managing director Of the company, and whg;
from the time Of the first idea Of the ship was
started, cight wears aro has worked uutiringly
to carry it out to its present completion and per
fiction, gave the usual loyal and patriotic tousts
with much force and humor. Thes" were drunk |.
with the utmost enthusiasm, and duly respond q!
to- that of the navy by Sir Charles Napier, and
that of the army hy Gen Bulkrlcv."