The New York herald., 1862-12-16
THE GREAT EASTERN.
Inspection Of Her Repairs by Our Mcr.
chnnts-VVhat Yankee Enginecrs Can
ACCOMPLISH &c.

l0
chnnts-Whnt Yankee EnEinecrs Can
Accomplish, sc.
In compliance with invitation from Messrs Rowland
& Aspinwa. agents of the Great Eastern steamship,
select company Of gentlemen proceeded at ten O'Clock
yesterday morning, in steamboat specially chartered
for the purpose to inspect the repairs recently made
upon her under the direction Of Yankee engineers
and machinsts The day was exceedingly pleasant, and
the trip greatly enjoyed by all the invited. Among
the company were the Mcssrs. Howlana & Aspinwall
Judge Cation, OF Illinois Chas H. Haswe, John NJ Weeks
Eratus W. Smith, Chas. W. COPELAND, Captain warlng
Robert Mackey. Loyds agent Wm.- Fl. Bureigh. ard
several other prominent citizens The steamboat arrived
the anchorage OF the Great Eastern or Fort Schuyler
about noon when tho inspection OF thu ship and her re-
pairs immediately commenced, and was prosecuted in
the most searching manner by all who participated. Mos;
of the examiners descended through the shaft thirty five
feet below the surface Of the the caisson fitted
TO the bottom Of the ship and there viewed all the
chncry by which the repairs accomplished express
,ng themselves amazed the simplicity OF the contr
vaaccs well astonished at the character of
the Injuries sa .N Z
AS the circumstances and particulars of the dis
astcr are generally known to the public. brief re
captulton OF the this occasion will not be in
appropriate especially IN view Of the fact that great
many false have been circulated in connection
with the matter and many injurious notions have been
formed in consequence respecting The seawortbncss Of
the ship and her ultimate practical utility. We there
forc proceed to give short Of the accident this
splendid vessel OF Montauk Point and also description
of the work and skill used in repsiring her
The Great Eastern running through Long Island
Sound, after very exceen,passage across the Atlantic
when carly on the morning OF the 9th of August last
rock short distance to the northeast OF
Monta1k Point Sho putting along lesurcly at the
waiting for pilot and what IL a little extraordinary
all the soundngs made By the officers OF the Coast
Survey the rock upon which she touched said not to
IN any OF tho charts prepared for the direction
of our pilots But however this may be. although the
fracture occasioned by the accident OF most form
Gable character. tho Inconvenience occasioncd the
passengers s said have been slight that the cos
ion scarcely perccpble. and did not any Of
the seepers from their slumbcrs.
The REGULAR construction OF the Ieviatban saved her
from compcie destruction on this occasion Had IL not
been for the two skins shells cncasng her sides
fashi,n, the influx Of water through the immense
cash eccasioned by the collision must have been
20 M ra ""u e honrs @ n'e or SUM aonha
armor her salvation as will be shown further
this article well the safety Of the immense cargo
which she carried. AS was however the vessel With
stood the disaster IN splendid anu externally
showed the effect Of her injury than the scratch
OF pin would the OF an clcnhsnt. The cargo
TOO was discharged without being In the least damaged
or even wet. az might naturally be expected.
But to come to the operations succeeding the accident
Az soon as passengers safely landed and the
freight discharged steps taken to ascertain the
tent Of the injury and also to discover plan by which
cascd In iron hects and india rubber air tight clothing
made thorough submarine explorations and reported tho
damage to the big shin be on scale Of greater mahnde
than anticipated The fracture, IN entire length,
represented be eightysix feet while the width
Of the break varied very extensively, some Of the huge
iron plates bcng completely knocked out and others being
bent In all sorts Of shapes and fashions.
Tho services of the distinguished engineers, Messrs
and 70 shsm was es the concociion Of plan for rera
ing her How successful thcy have been in all their
efforts abundanty evidenced yesterday to the salts
The plan adopted bv the Renwicks was that Of the
shc bl, which, At least, was successfully attempted for
the first tuc under their vgant direction at an extra
On iii. occasion the Golfer dam consisted Of scow.
built in the form of fiat cylinder. with tho fat
side spsn, and So accurately SHAPED TO nt 70
where the fracture happened. The dimensions
sf this were los feet IN length Is feet In breadth,
ra y sy % be sns ws
then increasing the size by tho difference between the
inner skin and the outcr one,
the repair the ship s necessary, FIRST . sxpsu that
the Great Eastern built with two complete shells or
skins which are separated by distance o two feet and
nine inches tho Intervening space being divided into
sories Of tubes cells communicating with each other
by man holes Tho fracture occurred in the exterior
ska al tho or the bgc, not the slightest injury
being sustained by tho inner skin notwithstanding ths
extraordinary szc and character Of the injury The iron
ture that IN order 70 restore tho form cf the ship u
became necessary Apply patch OF new plates ninety
three feet long and varying from sx 70 ten and half feet
In breadth. the average being nino feet. In
order 10 get the fracture and apply tho plates
the Golfer caisson Of timber already mentioned
employed, being fitted with two shafts passage ways,
which proceed downwards from above tho water 20 the
bottom IN order to the water from the Interior
Of the cassoD Andrews centrifugal pump, caIobc OF
chargnp three thousand gallons of por minute
worked b. special cnaine, boted the side Of tho
shb, and effected the desired result most admirably.
ono the greatest dlculties encountered make
tho iont between tho gunwale of the cssson and the
chin tight This was done by usng the pressure OF
water through large hose IN groove ARRANGED In the
runwec OF the caisson 10 pack the Joint.
Tho distance IL the fracture 10 The surface Of tho
was carefully nossurcd by lines the lower ends which
were CARRIED down by divers In submarine aro and tho
longitudinal position OF the fracture obtained BY oa
sufing the distances from it, two ends r. cham passed
the ship opposite oDe IT the transverse bulk
heads order TO got the caisson down c It's place
II was ballased with Sufficient iron to sink ". " was
lowered by chains u measured distance. equal % the
proper distance of its upper gnwae from the water 10
then pulled against the ship 10 its proper place by
rha lpnd a ehn Ouunc 10 q nj