, 1860-06-13


The public interest in theuode1taking. 60 often
excited, 50 often disappointed, is therefore once
more beginning to revive aud da-perhaps super
stitious--belefi is generally entertainea that the
good ship has done all her tribulttion, and may
henceforth LOOK forward to q safe and prospef-
ous career. 4 distinguished and practical man
once said that if thing be good in itself-that
T.: in ita first conception-stt takes great deal
Of subsequent laundering or casualty to spoil
1t, and certainly the series Of mi.fortunes and
tsiais through which the Great Eaatern has
passed have been sufficient to establish IS some
thing almost auperhuman In accuracy the
scheme Of the eminent engineer who has so re-
Gently passed away from among US. Almost
from the very moment when the FIRST piece Of
iron Of which her keel is composed was laid
down, the levistban ship has been q child Of
casualty and mishap. All the original plans
aud drawings were destroye ed: the enterpfieipg
Mr. Coach. who WAS the soul and main-spring
Of the original undertaking, was suddenly car
ried of By cholera; there was bankruptcy Of
contractors, and dreadful and fatal accidents
among the men and the calamities of ihe ship
yard eliminated ia the riessitudes Of the pro-
tracted launch, which, in addition to- much Of
Lesser misfortune, inflicted upon the nation the
loss Of its two greatest engineers. It is now
generally known that 1t was The harassiug duties
and disappointments Of that trying month
which completely broke down the health and
spirits Of Mr. Brunei, and that Mr. Stephenson.
during his chiTalrous and valuable endeavors
to get his professional rival out Of his difficulty,
caught the severe cold which ultimately termi.
mated in his death.
The terrible explosion which sigualized the
frat trial trip Of the vessel IL still fresh in the
public memory, and hardly less remembered in
her subsequent escape from the tremendous
gale at olyhead, when abe Was driven within
tlTe feet Of the rocks, and WAS only sared from
utter destruction by the skill and courage Of
her late lamented commander, and the extzaor-
dinary tenaeit7 Of her anchors. But pephaps
the misfortune which stru:k deepest into the
public mind was the death Of the gallant Harri-
son, who, after life passed in the most immi-
nent hazards, il all latitudes-after having
watched over the Tessei from the driving in Of
the first triEet-havingc carried her safs1 1y through
launch. and explosion, and storm, was at last
Gus dispensatlon of Providence. BY M accident
in Southampton waters, almost within hsud-
reach Of the quay, and in the agonized view Of
thousands Of helpless spectators
Nothing. could more conclusirely prove the
intrinsic vitality Of the undertaking, or the e1-
traordinaty perseverance, Of The English char
acter, than the simple fact that the GreAt East
e1n has survived these repeated shocks, aud
nov rides proudly in Southampton waters,
while the whole Of her vast interior rings again
with the clangor Of the worAmen aud the per-
sading din Of prepat alton for the approaching
voyage to New York. The new Board Of Direc-
tors-"ho, we are happy to learn. work most
exertions, and Mr. Bold. the general manager,
resides in the ship, where he deyotes himself
entirely to the preparations for sea- An i'm.
mensity Of shfpWrigh,s' work has been done by
Ar. Lupgley, Of Depttord; the cabins have been
reconstructed, and the well known grand saloon
restored to all its original sp'endor. This last
work, It should be observed, WIS done By 3ir.
Scott Rassel1. Part Of Mr. Lungley'a work has
bean to throw the lwo large dlnin rooms into
one, and to paint the panels in graiaed satin
wood in place Of the original whita and gold,
the latter cofors having been found to show the
least damp or exudatlon Of rust from the iron
l.work. The Interior has been strengthened
throughout with stanchions, in compliance with
the requirements of the Board Of Trade ind
tunnel mas been made through the coal d bunk
era, not only for the purpose Of ventifntinE the
Goals and obTiating the risk Of spontaneous
combustion, but OF making communication be-
tween the stoke holes, and thus enabling the
stokers to pass from one to the other without
the trouble and fatigue Of ascending to the deck.
The system of water-taght bulsheads-probabl
the best security for the safety Of the ressrl,
and which Was very imperfect Oh the occasion
OF the trial trip-3s now complete according to
tue original .plan, aud hns all been carefully
strengthened, under the directions Of thu Board
Of Trade. In engines. both screw md paddle,
|
are making very many important alterations,
under the supervision Of Messrs. Field, OF
the firm Of MaudslAy & Field, and M:. Penn,
who are constantly la oommuzication with Mr.
MLennan, the chief engiut er OF tho ship. Tho
donkey engines, the breaking down Of which
was the PRIMARY cause Of the great explosion,
are to be superseded by ordinary feed pumps,
aud the great piston rods. about which soma
apprehensons were felt in consequence Of their
great length, viii be strengthened By central
stanchaons. Il IS expected that through all
these various Improvements an increase Of two
Knots wlil be obtained in The speed, and in Or
derthat they may be completed as soon as pos
slble, Messrs. -, Of Greenwich, have under
tax. a portion of The work. 4 new Trotnan
anchor has been supplied in place Of thai which
was lost at Holyaead, the Directors believing
that the strain which the aucGor bore on that
occasion was sufficient to establish it as the
most tenacious holder in the world. The great
est e1ertlous are Of course being made to have
eFer. thing ready By the Y!h u June. but there
are many persons. we'll qua itied to judge, who
are very doubtful as to whether all will be CON.
pleto oy that time. Perhaps, If tho departure
were 6xed for month later, no harm would be
done, ns, if the ehip sail in the beginning Of
June. she viii probably arrive at New York in
the height Of the American dog-dars, when the
thermometer ordinarily stands at 120 degrees,
and will not improbably rise 50 degrees higher
on board black. painted iron ship. However,
curiosity overcomes mauY inconveniences, and
it is further to be remembered that it will be
the time Of Year whea all the country pcople
pour into tawp to make their summer pus-
cbases.
With respect to the new commander, Capt.
Vine Hall, there is universal concurrence Of
testimony as to his fitness for the important
post to which he has been appointed. For
many years be commanded steamships in tue
Aeditelranean, Cape, Australia, South Ameri-
ca. India, DC.
It has been generally reported TINT Capt.
Ccnstock had undertaken to pilot the Grea.
Eastern into Now York; but ne believe the fact
to be that one Of the regular pilots of that port
is coming orer to England expressly for the
purpose. 1t is not expected that there will be
much difficulty, as there ia plenty OF water, but
that it will be possible TO take the great ship
quite up to the Battery.