Year: 1859

! her river tolls, were cast adrift at Chap
mans Head, more speed was put on the
vessel, and in ten minutes she set at rest
| forever all doubt as to her being the fastest


vessel beyond comparison in the world.


1t has already been stated that the proper
sea going trim of the Great Eastern is a
little over four feet down by the stern. In
stead of this she is at present six inches
down by the head, while her whole draught
Of water is too light to allow the proper
immersion to her paddle floats, and no less
than four feet of her screw blades are out
of the water


Any one at all acquainted with steam
ships will see that an attempt at the real
speed under such circumstances was out
of the question. Yet even in this trim
enough was done to show the marvellous
power which this vessel will possess when
fully ready for sea. At sea, the Great
Eastern intended to work at twenty lbs. of
steam the paddle going fourteen revolutions
and the screw fifty three. To-day the
pressure of steam WAS under eighteen lbs,
the paddles never actually reached nine
revolutions, and the screw only twenty
seven. Yet even when not employing
two-thirds of her power, and in the worst
trim against strong tide, she ran from
the Lower Hope light to the More light
ship, distance Of fifteen statute miles, in
two minutes under the hour. Calculating
from this data, it will be found that work
ing her to her ordinary sea-going power,
will give her, even in her present trim, an
average Of from eighteen to nineteen miles
an hour.


During the time that the vessel was
going at this speed of thirteen knots, or
fifteen miles, the engines worked with an
ease that, when their size and power are
considered, was perfectly astounding
There was scarcely any vibration on the
vessel, and SO far as could be gathered
from outward objects, one might much
easier have imagined ones self writing in
Partisan saloon than in the state cabin
Of the Great Eastern flying down to the
More. One thing connected with the YES
sci is as remarkable as her other charac-
teristics Even when going thirteen knots
an hour, there was an utter absence Of
" swell' in her wake-eyen less, as far as
could be judged from the deck, than is
made by the ordinary penny steamers and
not one half as much as was thrown up by
our own tugs.


Tie More Light was reached at half past
II O'Clock to-day, and the anchor let 20 in
eight fathoms, with forty eight fathoms
from the hawser hole. Before anchoring
the vessel was put about, and went com
pletely round under steam in less than
three quarters of mile. In few min
utes afterwards Admiral Harvey came
alongside in his yatch, Tipping his ensign
as he approached, as every single vessel,
man of,war or merchantman, which has
yet met the Great Eastern has hitherto
done. In an hour afterwards the ship was
surrounded by yachts and sailing boats Of
all kinds During the run down from
Gravesend the fixing of Mr.. Dangley's
steering apparatus was completed, and
worked to perfection. Capt. Comstock
was, as on the previous day, at his post on
the bridge, directing the steering by the
signal Indicator. Capt. Harrison and the
pilot were on the starboard paddle-box,
and Mr.. Scott Russell directed the engines