The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1861-10-08

by the London Times Of tho 10Th Ilt., va
learn tho exact cause OF the disaster. The rud.
Der was of insufficient power to steer tho vast
ship in a gale. She lay rolling in tho trough,
uumanagcablc, according to two different ac-
counts before the rudicr pin brokoi
"Wc were pushing ahead with the gale on
our port bow, and when 40 tried to put her head
to wind her huge broidsidc exposed to the gale
| proved more than her Na,t pO Ser could control.
She could not bo brought hoad to wind, nor
| could She bc turned 20 sail with the wind, aud
10 she lay IN the trough Of the sol, until in the
| ~tuicndous Efforts to put her right her ru1ler
head broke abJvs; the rudicr post, all Of mN--
siNe iron, yielded; then the wheeis Cihesc por-
hap, ~eie not equal to their task) gave way
one alter another and so this great, strong,
and powerful chip was at the morcy Of tho
waves, n log upon the billows,"
A third tells the story as VIZ had Il at first,
adding the significant fact that tho officers con-
ccalod the breaking IT tho rudder and kept the
gangs at tho wheel, steering in duo form, to
prevent panic; so that whether tho unman-
agcsblity ol tho ship was tho cause or the conso.
quencc Of brOaking tho ruldor, is not quito cor
! tain.
As to tho ship HERSELF for strength she has no
equal. During all the fury Of tho gale and tho
terrible rolling In tho trough Of tho sea ia an
equinoctill gale, which broke up tho Atlantic
into ono surface Of mountainous waves, not a
riNct has started anywhere, not butt of plate
eau ba discovered as shaken; the ship has m do
] may safely say, no water in her hull, anl
really seems as lf tho great idet were re,l,zed
In the construction Of a ship not to ba broken up
| by winds or waves.
Tho engines aro also untouched the huge
! paddle-engine, worked with a noiseless regular
| ity and precision which surprised ALL aud oven
showed no symptom" rtGSA"SS' shaking. SS %pEiRRs
screw engines, tho efficiency Of which has so
contributed to our safety. Exposed as thoy
were 10 the disasters which bafel the rudd,r,
which at ono time illppcd back upon the screw
and prevented its working, they woro in full
working order, and wcro always ready to do
| duty when tho repairs of the rudder called for
| their aid. There ara also the dOnksv engines
throughout the ship, contributing essential So
curty because they cIn clear each compartment
Of water in case OF need.
A letter in New York paper denies that
thero were more than two or three broken limbs
on board, but tho T.mC5 writers adhere to the
report Of 27.
The following extracts from a passengers
report, gives further Wow Of the succession of
events - "a
This morning wa have a fresh ga, with
good ses. NoOn.--A heavy gale wind from
north TO west soa, ren,ndoIs. We roll very
heavily, and ship m Iny seas. nos begin to |
understand tho true meaning Of gale IN the |
Atlantic. The captain looks anxious, bat the |
passengers have faith in the "bg ship This |
'rolng' is fearful and qu TO up'ets all persons' |
notions of tho stealiness Of the Great Eastern.
One Of our cows has her log broken; in a short
time they are both rolled 10 death. Two
o'clock. Things look worse. The captain tries
| TO put our he al to the wind. The port paddle
| ui, With n IA in lhn ai
| The jib Is s.t, presume to aid in Steering but
| il Is blown to ribinls in few moments. The
rolling increases the deck presents an angle Of
! 40 degrees, and none but exp iriencod soamcn can
walk about. Attention is suddenly drawn to tho
toIis; they arc suspandsd ON either side. but
mostly on fixed dsvits. The heavy rolling
brings the boats in violent contact with the
waves. The tacklng Of the longbolt becomes
deranged; a mau and boy enter 1t TO remedy
the evil, but the wind strikes the boat and gives
the occupants lorcibls ejectment--happly upon
deck ard in moment It is h0atng lar away
from us. Four other boats share similar tato in
rapid succession. Continued efforts are made 10
| bring the ship to the wind. watch the men AZ
! tho wheel there is almost an army Of them.
| They arc Cou ending with an element whose
| power they are indeed familiar with, but cinnO
| fully estimate They still stanl TO their post,
and we still have hope. ij-)ur position is
becoming Indeed critical A tremendous sea has
Just struck our stern. II has br. ken her rudie
head and done serious damage 10 her stern-pos,
Still, we are not quite at the mercy of the waves
wo have our screw, AMI we have oar stlrboarl
| paddle.
The napping of the rud lcr-held Is double
misfortune. II allows the rudder to swing round
upon the screw, and entirely prevents Il from
being worked. The ship has begun to drift
into the trough Of the sea. Another effort is
made with tho remaining paddle TO turn its
head. The effort is too much-this paddle now
gives way, and at last we are 90 p. MI at the
entire mercy Of tho waves.
The Great Eastern was tossed about as If she
had been all cggshell. B'oken n'ses and black
eyes were to bO seen everywhere. Two cows
bad been, very inn ropeily accommodated Just