Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-09-26
Tnn MONSTER eREAT EAsrRRN
Interestinq Historical Sketch Of the Vessel

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THE MONSTER GREAT EASTERN.
Interesting Historical Sketch Of the Vessel
Mode Of COnstrucfion-He Dinsnsions--
Her Engines- Saloons and Cabms-Speed
Tonnage ge-eAtcommodatiOa for Passengers.
In view of the fact that the voyage Of the
Great Eastern is to bo made to this country,
and that a natural desire exists for information
respecting her, we proceed to furnish our read
ers with de scription Of her construction, ca
pacity and dimensions in as full aud popular a
manner as we consider may prove useful and
comprehensiblo
The Great Eastern steamship was construct
for the Eastern Steam Navigation Company
incorporated by royal charter, and is intended
to run on the Indian aud Australian route, by
the Cape of Good Hope, though sho is TO make
her frat voyage to America. Tho capital CT
the company was originally $4,000, 900, but has
since been considerably increased and is divid-
ed into shares of 500 each, and is composed
of about 5000 shareholders. She was designed
| by the celebrated English engineer, lsambaud
Kingdom Brunei +. r. S the same who do
| signed the Thames tunnel and other great en-
| klittIluE WOEhh ut lull anu lduult tuktlth
were built by Mlessrs Scott, Russell & Co at
the dockyard at Millwall, on the Thames, and
the screw engines were manufactured 10y james
Watts d Co., Soho Works, birmingham. She
has been about three years in construction, and
her entire cost will not fall far short Of three
million of dollars t15R
THIS LAUNCH.
From the immense size of tho vessel and tn,
/ "A IA Al n
Brunei hal determined TO Iaunch her beam on,
or sideways, and the ways aud cradles were
constructed according to his own design. The
launch was attended with numerous delays and
difficulties. On the 81 of November, 1857, the
monster being ready for launching into her
destined element, the first attempt to get her
into the water was made. 1t was determined
at this time to change her original name, the
"Great Eastern" to that of the "Leviathan,"
and accordingly sho was so named, in duo
form, by Miss Hope, daughter of the chairman
of the company. The attempt TO launch her
failed on ttat occasion, in consequence of the
drawing chains and the hydraulic pressure
pump getting out of order. This time she was
moved six feet down the ways.
Further attempts to move her were made on
the lSlh 2Sth and 30th Of the same month, and
on the 81 of December, but without success.
On each occasion she made little way, but
the united power Of the hydraulic Iams, wind
lasses and steamtugs employed, failed to get
her into the water. The chains snapped, the
massive wire drums of the windlasses were
crushed in like nuts, and the cylinders of tho
hydraulic rams burst from tho immense pres
sure. On the I'd of January, 1858, twenty
one hydraulic rams wero placed in position
ready for renewing the attempt at launching
the Levialhan, and on the 9th the whole ma.
chinery was put to work on her. The monster
moved at the rate of an inch every five minutes
From this till Saturday, tho 3lst of January
the efforts to move her into the river were con-
tinued, on which day she passed fairly into
deep water.
HER DIMENsIoNs,
The hull of the Great Eastern is built entire
ly of iron, and is $50 feet in length, 80 feet in
breadth and So feet in height, from keel to deck;
it is divided transveTsely into ten separate com
partments of 60 feet each, rendered perfectly
water tight by bulkheads, having no opening
whatever lower than the second deck, whilst
two longitudinal walls of iron, 30 feet apart
traverse $50 feet of the length of the ship.
Perhaps the most prominent feature about
her is the cellular construction of the upper
deck and the lower part Of the hull, up to the
water line, or about 80 feet from her bottom
which is us fiat as the floor of room. This
systeyri, bile it gives greater buOyancy to the
hull, increases her strength enormously, and
thus enables her to resist almost any amount
of outward pressure. Two walls of iron, about
go feet high, divided the vessel longtudinally
into three parts, the inner containing the boil
ers, the engine rooms and the saloons, rising
one above the other and the lateral divisions
the coal bunkers, and above them the side
cabins and berths. The saloons are 60 feet in
length, the principal one nearly half tho width
of the vessel and lighted by skylights from
the upper deck On either hand are the cabin,
and berths, those of first class passengers being
commodious rooms, large enough to contain
every requirement Of the most lastdous lands
man. The thickness OF the lower desk will
prevent any sound from the engine rooms reach.
ing the passengers, and the vibration from be
ing at all felt by them. On each side of the
engine rooms is a tunnel through which the
steam and water pipes will be carried; aud also
rails for economizing labor in the conveyance
of coal The berlhs of the crsw ara forward
below the forecaste which it is intended to ap,
propriate 10 the officers. Below the berths ol
the seamen are two enormous cavities for car
90 of which 5000 tons can be carried, besides
coal enough for the voyage TO Australia, max
ing about as many tons more.
The weight of this huge ship being $4,000
tons, and her coal and cargo about $4,000 tons
more, the motive power required to propel her
; twenty miles per hour must be propoHtionate
She is larger by $4,000 tons than any vessel IL
: the world, Her Dimensions, compared will
T other large steamships, are as follows:
LSsggih Br,adh