, 1865-07-21
DEPARTURE OF THE GREAT EAST
ERN FROM THE MIDWAY.

L AONoIJ AAASNN5 SN~
Of the Atlantic telegraphic cable should
be safely coiled away on board the Great
Eastern before Midsummer-day, the ship
ment of the whole was successfully COM
pleted on the previous day, and on Satur-
day afternoon the Great Eastern left her
moorings at Saltpan Reach, near Chatham,
for the More, where she will remain tor
some ten days or a fortnight longer, be-
fore she proceeds to Valencia to com
mence the undertaking in which SO great
an amount of interest is taken. Every
facility has been given by the Govern
ment TO ensure, as much as it can be en-
sured, the success Of the expedition, the
resources of the dockyard at Sheerness
having been placed at the disposal Of the
promoters Of the undertaking by the Adj
miralty. Steam was got up OF board at
an early hour on Saturday morning, and,
notwithstanding that the machinery of
the Great Eastern has not been brought
into use for considerably more than
twelve months, the engines worked with
remarkable speed and regularity, while
they were stopped and started within a
very few seconds after the word was
passed.
At halfpast 10 on Saturday afternoon
the order was given for starting the Great
Eastern, and she Immediately commenced
moving down the Channel towards Gar
rison Point and the More Light. At this
time her draught of water was "a feet,
and it was this circumstance, together
with the fact that she was obliged to be
moored stem and stern to prevent her
swinging and consequent grounding, which
rendered it necessary that she should be
removed to anchorage in deeper water.
The spot accordingly selected for her was
one about five miles below the More Light,
where there would be a depth of at least
seven fathoms at low tides. BY dlrec-
ton of the Government the Porcupine,
surveying steamer, had been previously
engaged in making q survey Of the chan
mel from the Midway to the More, and
marking out the route by buoys and boats,
so as to prevent the possibility of any I'M
toward occurrence.
On the Great Eastern passing the vari-
Gus vessels of war in harbour the crews
crowded the rigging, and saluted the
steamer with loud cheers. On board the
Formidable, "a, flagship of Vice-Admiral
Sir G. Talbot, Commander-ln-Chlef the
Marines pTcSoulcu dIIIS ; WhIC Ou pOdlu
the Cumberland, 70, the band, as the
Great Eastern steamed past, played alter
nately 'Rule Britannia and "Hail Co.
lumbia." The paddIe-wheels made about
six revolutions per minute, and the screw
rather more, and this speed was main
tanned until the harbour was cleared.
On rounding Garrison Point the large
concourse of spectators who were assem-
bled vociferously cheered as the Great
Eastern passed. Accompanying the steam
CIR were the Vived, Locust, and Sheer
ness, Admiralty steamers, with three pri-
vate steamers, the Porcupine standing
about half a mile in advance TO show the
way to be taken.
At a few minutes after 2, the anchorage
ground below the More and the Mouse
Lights was reached, and the Great East
ern brought up, the whole of the opera
lions connected with her removal from
her old to her new anchorage having
been effected without the least accident.
There are still upwards of 1000 tons of
Goals to be placed on board to complete