Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-03-17
sALE OR u oREAF EAsrERN.

AAo PleSo VI sale -Wah the CoLGon sale
room, Exchange Buildings, and the suc
tioneer, the Hon. Joseph Cunard (oH tn
hrm Of Cunsrd, Wilson & Co.. The room
was densely packed though not with bid
deTs, as it afterwards turned ont. At hal
past two, the hour fixed for the sale, the
proceedings we're commenced by Mr.. Will
son reading the conditions of sale, thS
principal Of which were that 10 Der cent
deposit upsn the purchase money should
at once be paid into the Liverpool Bank,
to be returned il the title were not made
out to the satisfaction Of the purcha5er,
and that all claims upon the vessel up to
the present time should be discharged by
the sellers. The Hon. ]. Cunsrd then
made few PREDATORY observations, re-
marking that he was about to offer to the
greatest mercantile shipping community
the greatest ship that existed in the world.
and probably the greatest that ever would
be sold without restriction or reserve, and
she would be knocked down to the highest
bidder, Whatever the amount offered. The
biddings must not be less than 81, 900, and
ne hoped gentlemen would bid quickly.
Might he start at 100000, or even s1O0,-
OOOi No sign was made, and the suc-
tioneer left bidders to offer what they
liked. After pause Of two or three min
utes, and when the people began to think
that no offer whatever would be made, Mr..
Yates-who attended ss the represen tative
Of thenewly formed Great Eastern Steam
ship Company-made q bid Of e20 900.
10000" repeated the suctioneer time
after time; but no response was made to
his appeals whether the ship was really to
60 for that figure, and his reminder that
she had cost 100000 only produced a
burst Of laughter from those who were
lucky enough not to be numbered among
her shareholders. Equally futile were his
earnest repeiitions Of the assurance that
he was bound to knock the vessel down 10
the highest bidder, and that she would Ger
tsinly be sold for the sum offered unless
sn advance were msde. Everybody kept
his head and eye motionless, lest It should |
be suspected that he intended to give the |
ned or wink, which to the auctioneer
would represent an advance Of aLOOO. |
This lasted perhaps for i've minutes, when |
out Of the crowd came q voice. almost |
sepulchural in its tone, offering s25,O
Who was it2 Nobody knew. A gentle
mon seated upon one Of the front benches
was asked if he had made the bid. "No,"
he replied with nervous anxiety, as though
frightened at the very thought Of becoming
the owner Of the Great Eastern ait was
some gentleman behind. Then there were
cries Of Name" counter declarations Of
" All right" and Go on"-a voice offer
ing e28,O0O-snd finally it was announced
that the name Of the individual who had
first broken ice was Mr.. john Rae. The
meeting showed their appreciation OF his
boldness by giving 3 cheer. A DELAY of
several minutes here ensued, and when
the patience Of those present was becom-
ing exhausted, everybody was surprised
st the suctioneer suddenly returning to
the original bid Of 100000, and asked if
here was to be no odYsnee upon that. It
was surmised at the time that the offer of
Ar. Rae was not considered satisfactory.
md that afterwards appeared to be the
iase. "GOing at EGO, 0,00O," said the auc-
ioneer. snd was on the point Of bringing
ioWn the hammer, when Mr.. Magee ex-
laimed just in time to stay his hand.
GuineasI" and there was another cheer
he bid was taken at G21, 900; and Mr..
Yates Immediately offered e22,OO0. The
anne weary process Of asking for bids was
gain gone through without result and
he vessel was again just on the point of
eing knocked down, when Mr.. Magee in
exposed With-"You said you would take {
wink or q nod p Mr.. Cunsrd: "Yes."
Ir. Msgee; al am Winkingp TGreat
aughteT. The wink was taken to mean
,2S, 900, and Mr.. Yates directly followed :
up By offering e25,000. The auctioneer
lsde another attempt to obtain an advance
pom that reminding those present that &
he sum would not pay for the spare gear
the vessel but all his appeals were in
ain, and the hammer descended for the 3
lird time without any further offer being o
sde.
There was q call for the name Of the
and Mr.. Yates replied, HThe Q
reat Eastern Steamship Company Lin.
ed, and after slight cheer the assembly .,
spersed, speculsting upon the low es- :.
EN- into which Mr.. Bruners last great =
had fallen. As we have al
ssdy stated, the new company have taken e
P 8 number Of the bonds Of the old COM
any to the extent of Els, 900; but as it is, :,
ley have got the ship dirt cheap, and
,me &40,0 900 below what they had them
lives anticipated 1t has not been deter e
lined, we believe, to what purpose the ship
i'll be applied. There is some talk Of
gain employing her between Liverpool
nd New York; while it has also been sug-
sstcd that she might be serviceably en-
aged in laying the new electric cable
,rOss the Atlantic.