Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-09-28
THE GREAT rAsrERS
rRrr OF rnE GREAT EASTERN rRor eRkKxwicu TO rrH.

aud stability Of the ship itself the Gr,sf E,, for a.
irst time cast on her moorings yesterday morning. and
IN The course OF lev hours safely towcd Pur
feet IL originally intended that the departure should
have taken place Tuesday last and all announced conf
IDENTITY that the preparation for would be complete
that date As usual however the thousand and one
odds and ends which finished because not found
wanting t the last to be done and pro
badly OF all the busy hours which have been appended on
.ne completion OF this vessel none were ever ac
lively employed than those OF Tuesday aud Tuesday night
Almost all trades had their on board ana
apparently branch of manufacture was differently
pursued At once decks and saloons numbered UT
with bales OF bedding piles Of furniture and mssses al
crockery smiths were busy CLOSING rivets up- with
canor from which the size Of the shin was no nr
lection, plate from Elkingtons being slowed away
men were busy hanging costly chandeliers from Defies
every one seemedin hurry and struggled and Stumbled
amid confused mixture of shavngs and forc. .nx;ls
guns, anchors cables barrels aud hawsers Below the
confusion was not much less, though made IN OF differ
eni materials and at the first glance IL seemed hard !,
believe that the chaos of sofas dinner furniture mirrors
chandeliers and carpetng would he in their proper
places by the morning. aud form the fittings of rich and
well-furnished saloons Such, however was really ,he
case. Mr. Parry to whom the contract for furnish;n
the fittings OF the ship had been entrusted worked will
the most interchangeable energy, and during few short
hours immense progress was made. The noise howey-
er, was pretty continuous, that on the whole lively
night was the result and few had got sufficiently accns
toned 10 'he tremendous din TO require calling when the
DAY began TO break, aud the tramp and If possible in
increased stir IN the ship announced that the hour of de-
parture was drawing near. Mr.. Atkinson tho
pilot 10 whose ~eilknown care aud skill this
noble vessel was entrusted, came on board the pre
vious night and his assistants soon after dawn rs
terday. Just as faint gray light began TO braak
upon the river the Preparations for getting under weigh
were made Several powerful tugs were in attendance
ia" four principal being named curiosly enongh
the Iictorid, Napoleon, AHiahes and True Briton Mo-
wing the Grodf Eastern, however. not an affair of
casting out tow-rope and going ahead There was of
course, the usual routine amount of shouting ana ,a,
pcable orders and and fussng about the
tugs before all was in readiness Moorng after mooring
was then slipped of. Captain Harrison and the nilot
took their places the starboard paddebox Mr. Sott
Russell remained the bridge direct the action of
the engines both of which (screw and padde) wore mn
DER steam captain Comstock one of the ablest Amer
can naVgatos who brought the General 1do.irdl over
to this country, stood aft 10 transmit directions to the
men at the wheel as Mr.. Langeys new steering appara
tus was not completely fitted Mr.. Prouse the chief OF
hcer took charge of the fore part of the shin and t ali
the other officers allotted stations either to trans
init directions or signals TO the tugs Precisely at /,
quarter past the last moorngs let GO but as At
this time the sweep of the tide had turned the great
ships bows IN so as to point rather in shore of the Sea
mems Hospital ship il necessary to turn her slowly
astern, to get sufficient to round the very sharn
cure of the river below Greenwich The screw engines
started first working beautifully without noise heat or
even apparent vibration aud when the paddle
came into play ieu revolutions sufced to get her head
round to the point required Then the order given TO
go ahead slowly, ami for the first time the Great Eastern
started into notion and with the slow majestic beat of
her huge paddles moved grandy down the river The
general public had evidently put but little faith in the
NOuld eaNe the YESTERDAY
so that until the preparations made for actually
leaving there was little stir upon the river Gradually
however. as the steamtugs began to move about and
get their tow ropes n il seemed suddenly 10 break unon
the amphibous population at both sides of the stream
that they were about 10 lose vessel whose presence has
made Depuord and the Isle of Dogs famous throughout
the world Then ensued an extraordinary scene Thou
sands upon thousands OF people rushing TO the
river side from all points Boats of every kind and size
were launched crowded to the waters edge aud the
stream and It's banks seemed suddenly instinct with life
hos AuVaW.a IL Il
&c lune outbursi of enthusiasm and delight Even the
wan and sickly inmates OF the Seamens Hospital shin
turned out upon the deck crowded the ports with their
worn faces TO give shout or wave can 10 the vessel
which swept 80 grandy by The first turn al Green
~ch showed Captain Harrison and all the officers of the
vessel that the great ship thoroughly under COM
mand As river steamboat and that the only difficulty
70 ne overcome or rather To contend against her
length ia turning the sharp curves of the river AZ ae
Wch Blackwell and Woolwich The vessels draupbt WAS
u feet 10 inches aft and 22 feet inches forwar-abou
the very worst trim in which she could have left her
moorngs being down by the head five inches instead of
some i've feet down by the or "a feet NAV ap
pear no great depth of water but when il is recoected
that this the minimum required AZ the turning and
over length OF 500 feet which than the breadth
Of the Thames Westminster il will be seen AT once
that these angles were II FIRST regarded with certain a.
mount OF anxiety and distrust moves of the We,
sH however showed that she perfectly in hand She
steered as easily wager boat and her engines were
found capable of starting her into motion or arrestip
her progress literally almost by single movement Of The
hand Al Greenwich, both sides of the river an Inn
mense multitude had collected but it was at Blackwell
mat the hrst really great ovation made The news
OF her departure had spread far and fast and from the
deck OF the great ship the shores could be seen at Black
wall Point literally darkened by people Every house
was crowded and the roofs covered with spectators the
mashoue was occupied the pier swarmed the tops and
yards oil the vessels in the docks seemed alive As the
great ship approached the enthusiasm seemed TO pass the
bounds which ordinarily mark such displays with Eng
Ishmen. The dense mass cheered shouted waved hats
shawl, handkerchief with an abandon of rra,6cation
tr,I,,
reception aud all seemed TO have, Engshmen share
IN the hnest swites strongest and handsomest shin
winch the world has yet seen. There but one draw
back on the enthusiasm and happiness Of those who were
on board which caused by the Absence of the er,
nent man to whom the conception Of the shin was due
Mr. Brunei severe illness prevented his being present
at the first triumph of the grandest idea which bas v
been originated in naval architecture
Blackwell Point was, indeed, the turning point in the
fortunes oil the Great Eastern. The river this place
forms an acute angle round which the tide sweeps will
strong but most unequal force. The admirable manner
IN which Captain Harrison and the pilot Mr. Atkinson
managed the ship the power and regularity with which
the engines worked would, If left unobsructed have
soon got the vessel round this place Rut of rours
right IN the centre Of the river a bark the 6;,,f,5
was moorcd while little beyond her Law schoSns in
such manner as enectualy to block the a" fair way
do"n the stream The tugs were signaled TO get the
Greai Eafsrs head round and tried 10 do 80 but The
strain was too much, the critical moment Two Of
TIE hawsers parted, and for few minutes the noble ye
sci wa beyond doubt in perilous position as the
-
towards shore. Nothing hut the great power Of her own
engines saved her here, though it delicate matter
TO use them properly. IL necessary Instantly 10
counteac tue influence Of the tide and get her head of
shore; but, at the same time do 90 In such manner
as would not give way enough to take her on shore on
the opposite side Of the river Fortunately this was C
eced fresh hawsers passed 10 the tugs the b,rk
the cause OF oil the porl shipped her anchor and after
an anxious delay Of 10 or 10 minutes the Greof
Eastern worked slowly around and turned the point of
dagger This was great relief 10 all on board and 10
none more 20 than Messrs. Campbell and Jackson the
managing directors, both OF whom had been ineesasnuy
occupied the previous day and night in looking 10 AFT the
Arrangements for the first departure The moment the
point was safely passed carrier pigeons were sent no
from the vessels and the shore spread the welcome
news
Al WoolFich there Of course a tremendous con.
course OF spectators Every spot which could and doubt
less many which could not command view Of the shin
we're thronged The DOckyard the Arsenal every place
was covered The Yisgdrd had her name in the sbrouds
who welcomed the safe arrival Of the vessel with regu
lar three times three" which was echoed back from
both sdes Of the river by almost countless multitude
~ E very probable that another such ship NAV pass down
the Thames but seems not possible that the same amount
Of interest can be unaffected in other vessel again no
matter what their size.
Once past Woolwich, al the difficulties we're over
The tug continued their assistance but the vessel was
20 perfectly under control that while the tide was pt