The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-07-23
A FLOATING CITY.
ADAPTED FROM JULES VERNE.

The Great Eastern, the stea nship brot
80 prominently into public notice at the
successful laying of the Atlantic cable, is
che subject Of the present sketch. 1t Is
more than slip; it is floating city, or
as has been said, a bit of country torn
from English soil, and going to WELD
itself to the American Continent. Il is a
microcosm, and carries a world with it.
This steamship was advertised to sail
from Liverpool for New York on the Goth
of March, 1867. In the evening the last
preparations were finished, and on the
morning of the 26th, the flags of England,
France and America displayed on the
mast-heads gave notice that the ship was
ready to sail.
Capt Sir Jamef Anderson mad chosen
the time for starting when the tide was
coming in, as he WAS SO more certain to
handle his ship wl:h safety in the midst
of The vessels which crowded the river,
whose narrowness did not allow the Great
Eastern to turn. AS the tide was coming
in strong, 1t was very difficult matter to
get the anchors up.
At quarter ia It one all was finally ready.
The captain and pilot mounted the bridge.
One mate stood by the signal apparatus
of the screw, another by That of the pad
dies Between them was the steersman,
at the wheel of the steam-steering appara-
tus.* AS q matter Of precaution, in case
of failure Of the steam, four sailors stood
by the ordinary steering apparatus in the
stern.
The great ship started and threaded It's
way among the numerous vessels and
steamboats, which covered Mersey, obedi-
emit to the slightest movement Of the pi-
lots hand. Ships OF seven hundred tons
appeared by her side like toy boats, and
the Cunard emigrant steamer, TTipoli,
seemed like an ordinary barque. Soon
the shouts and cheers which greeted the
vessel became more and more rare, the
country trenched upon brick walls, villas
appeared, and at the light house on the
left bank of the Mefsey, the final cheers
saluted the passing ship. At four o'clock
the ship stopped, took on the second doc
tor from tug, and sent back the pilot.
A strong southeast wind blew the flags
out without wrinkle, but in spite of the
head wind the Great Eastern neither roll
ed nor pitched. Darkness came on, and
Holy head point was finally lost in the
night.
On board the ship to my great surprise,
L met my old friend. Fabian McElw1n,
Captain in the British army, travelling on
a furlough of year, and fresh from tiger
hunting in Indian jungles. He introduced
me to his friend and fellow traveller, Cap
tain Archibald Corsican, likewise OF the
Tud;an army, a tall fellow of six feet, with
a blonde beard and long mustache, head
erect, and shoulders we'll thrown back--a
thorough soldier. These two told me that
they had planned to sail in the China, OF
the Cunard line, but that when McElwin
saw my name on the Great Eastern's list,
they changed their plans, in order to have
me fora companion on the voyage across
the Atlantic. Two days had passed with
out special events, and I found Captain
McElwin, whom / had noticed to be pre-
ternaturally sober and melancholy, watch
ing the waves astern Of the ship, churned
into foam by the screw and paddles. Said
he: