The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-06-29

The arrival of the Great Eastern, at New York,
has demonstrated that she has been able to per-
form a voyage across the Atlantic, and nothing
more 1t has shown that huge vessel may be
built of iron and propelled by a combination of
paddIC-wheels screws and sails; but it has not
shown any great economical or other advantage
to be derived from building huge iron vessels and
propelling them by such a combination. We
have not as yet the exact statistics of her trip
but we know that her voyage was prolonged
beyond the average time of the Cunarders and
that she has not during any part of it exhibited
indications of extraordinary speed for the future
Former experiments, we believe, proved that
whatever results, as regards rapdity of motion
were to be expected of her, must be attained with
no diminHtion of the ordinary per centage of
coal and steam. There is nothing in her model
nor in any Of the new features of naval archi-
lecture which have been introduced into her
construction, which is likely to shorten the
time or lessen the expense of voyage in
her, as compared with the steamers which
have preceded her. Whether any practical
advantage may yet be found in her immense size
and ponderous strength, cannot be certainly fore
seen. Should she establish a reputation for
greater safety than any other vessel afoat, her
ample accommodations may render her such a
fdvorite with passengers as 10 over-balance in
their estimaton her want of unrivalled speed
There are lines of travel on the ocean which will
tax all the space she has at her disposal, and the
thought of passage in such floating microcosm
will probably fill her staterooms in preference to
those of her rivals. STILL she must be regarded
as a great failure if we consider the ideas on
which she was constructed. She was meant to
be vastly more economical, more steady, safer
faster, stronger, and larger than any ship that
ever before fioated-and it is not certain that any
one of these conditions has been fulfilled, except
the last, and that is the one which no one doubted
could be accomplished from the beginning. In
view of all past experience, it seems quite proba-
bic that no great improvement is to be expected
in naval locomotion, while the principal
features which now distinguish our ships
are retained. No mere variation of existing
models will present any marked result. We
have pretty well ascertained the greatest speed
vessel of a given tonnage is capable of making
with a given power. There is very little differ
ence of opinion as 10 the best form to give to that
amount of tonnage, and the most effective mode of
applying the power of propulsion thereto provided
the choice is only among full or hollow bow lines
side wheels, stern screws. Whether any
change in our present ideas may produce better
results, is a question which is at this time under
going very thorough experimental investigation
here So far as the Messrs WNANs have ad-
vanced, the indications of success are altogether
hopeful, and it is quite within the range of proba-
bility that they may be able to solve the problem
of the greatest possible degree of speed which can
be attained at sea-