Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-05-01
From .hs London Observer.
Tha Great Eastarn.

Thcrc appears to be no doubt whatever that
tho great ship will be ready 10 try its powers on
tho Atlantic BY the latter end Of NAV. The CON-
tracts for the works necessary 10 ft the ship for
sen have been taken, and they are being prose.
cuted with the utmost vigor. Mr. Scott Russell
has now nothing whatever TO do with the ship;
bis contracts have come to an end and even the
intarminable arbitration upon the differences be
tween tho Company aud himself have. ID 10 under
stood. beenbroughtt TO acose by sheer weariness Of
all tho parties; and something like uompromse
of all matters in dispute has BEEN or will probably
shortly be. agreed anon on both sides.
The works necessary " DO completed before the
start Tor America are mainly those which are re.
quired to DO performed by the Board OF Trade
before tho grant OF the necessary certificate under
tho Passengers Act. But. in order that nothing
should be wanting TO make tho Great Eastern as
perfect aud as complete NJ possible IN every 10
tartment. most careful examination OF the ma
chnery has been made by Messrs. Penn and
Field. ara tho hull aud fitting have been most
carefully looked into by eminoDbship surveyors.
The result of all this examination has been 10
show how greatly exaggerated were nil those do
scriptions OF her imperfeos state which many
persons from various motives, had circulated
with respect tn this magnificent ship. ,,
Every suggestion made by "competcnt' parties
has been adopted by the new Board Of Directors,
and tho whole expense Of the works. including
thoso that ARE actually necessary. and others
which may he considered as improvements, will
not exceed f20.000. Tho works which have beon
taken In hand include the building OF new store
rooms ON board, soma additional stanchions to
support tho cargo deck, some alterations in
the kavits for hanging the boats, and some
additional supports to the sides Of tho coal-bun-
kers
One rather heavy affair is the construction Of n
tunnel for the passage Of the crew, engineers aud
others through tho coal-bunkerr. This has in.
volvcd a considerable amount Of labor. and %, 600
tons of coal have had 10 be removed In order 10
get Mt the work. Those tunnels will be fitted
with water-ght doors at each OF tho compart.
menis and will be used for giving increased vens
taton. and afford facilities for testing the TEN.
perature of tho coal in the "bunkers''--an imp0r-
tant consideration. when II is considered that
some 10, 900 tons of coal slowed away in those
parts Of the ship.
Some alterations are. also to be made In the
packing of tho iron mnsts, the india-rubber hither
to used being about to be replaced by horn.bean,.
some loss elastic substance. In addition TO the
squadron Of twenty small boats, with which the
ship IL at present provided, there will be two 9TH
Of unusually large size. equal in fact to mode
rate sized schooners, their dimensions being 50
feet in length by l3 in width. Their saloons and
| cabins. which were unfinished when tho ship left
the Thames. are also to be completed before tho
| Atlantic trip.
| The panking of tho deck will remain uu-
| changed, through admitted on all hands to be a
piece of notorinsly bad workmanship upon very
bad timber. In addition to tho improvements \
mentioned there are number of small details re-
qured to be attended to in the engines and ma
chinery
The Board have appointed Mr.. Thomas Bold.
one OF tho late directors to t o post of General
Manager. No appointment of Captain of the
ship has yet been made, but the general opinion
appears to DO that Captain Ninehnll, Supcrinten-
dent oI the Mediterranean Steam Navigation,
Company will be appointed