Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-12-03

gines of the most improved type
then in existence. Lest this means
should prove inadequate to move
the leviathan through the water at
a sufficient rate of speed, there
were added auxiliary engines which
could churn the waves with two inn
mense paddlewheels. And, as a
final precaution. it was so arranged
that, should propeller break or pad
dies jam, the Great Eastern could
stretch out upon her SIX masts some
1000 yards of sailcloth, and thus
scud before the breeze.
On November 3. 1857, the hulk of
the vessel was already to be launch
ed. A vast crowd assembled at
Millwall Yards, on the Thames river,
to watch the 22,000-t6n monster
take her first plunge in the water.
She was to be launched sidewise,
and not endwise, as was usual.
When cranes were set in position,
the wCrd of the master-builder CIV
en-, and the wedge blocks knocked
away, the vessel gave a mighty
lurch- and settled down about six
inches away from the spot where
she had been resting The crowd
was bitterly disappointed at the ut
ter failure, but the the engineers of
the shipyards were not dismayed -
they worked out another plan for
moving the big ship. Each day
they budged her a little nearer to
the water; sometimes there was a
a progress of ten inches, then per-
haps a standstill of ten hours. But
at length, after three months of
labor, and an expenditure of $780,
600, the ponderous boat slid off into
the water, and casting off her
moorings, foated majestically out
upon the Thames.
Now that the best builders and en-
gineers of England had done their
best on the great hulk, the owners
of the Great Eastern summoned the
most skillful artisans of Europe and
ordered them to perfect the interior
for the army of passengers who
would soon be focking to the vessel.
They bade them construct the finest
of cabins, and thereupon were laid
out within the spacious sides long
rows of staterooms, numerous suits,
and here and there whole apart
ments. Costly furnishings were
lavished upon the salons. Green
marble topped the richly carved
walnut Bullets; mirrors we're gilded
and regilded with heavy coatings;
sofas were stretched with the
choicest of Utrecht velvets. In
every detail Of equipment the East.
ern Steam Navigation Company
showed its generous hand. America
aud the whole world marveled tC
read of her elegance. But wher
the members of this company, which
had expended nearly four millions
of dollars in building the Grear
Eastern, came to look upon theil
marine triumph they were so i'm
pressed with the completeness anC
splendor of her construction tina
they saw a new light. She was to-
good, too fine a ship, too costly they
concluded, for the meagerly devel
oped trade of India or Australia
she must go to America. Ant
forthwith they directed that sh,
ply between England and the Unitec
States.
Accordingly, when, in the Septem
: Der of 1859 it was announced tina
the big ship was soon TO make he.
trial trip, the news was received
with exceptional interest by al
! Americans. Newspapers in TIN
country blazOned her fame in speca
numbers, and little books entitled
, Our Big Visitor" were sold by The
thousand on the street of New York
1t was further announced that i'm.
mediately after her trial trip the
huge liner would proceed to Holy.
head, on the west coast of Wales
and would sail thence with full
passenger list for the port of New
YORK.
The great ship was to be consign
ed to the care of Wells, Fargo &
Company" as agents. Even at this
early period in the history of the
company, the name Wells" anC
"Fargo"-the famous firm of bank.