Year: 1859

should be found either that the Eastern only saves
We No then very safely conclude that she will not an.
swer az commercial speculation and that she viii be the
FIRST and last Of her kind the Great Eastern does
such vessel viii ever pay for they obtain her from the
original shareholders at onehird onefourth the
tha she has cost and at very much less than the price
at which any such vessel can be built in future


The Great Eastern will sove way other ques.
non OF The utmost practical importance, namely, that
OF tho limits OF steam power and machinery in producing
speed IN sea voyages Since the steamers OF the British
and North American Royal Mail Company began to cross
Tue ocean from Europe TO America, the duration Of the
voyage has been shortened from about fourteen days 10
been found necessary increase the size of the vessels
used from 200 to 1850 tong, aud to increase the
steam power in the same or in somewhat larger
proportion. The finest steamers now In use on
this line (Which instance because it is
the best and swest in exsence) understood to have
cost upwards Of Ei50 400 each learn from the
letters OF Sir Samuel Cunard Bart. recently published
that he and his partners think possible 10 produce
greater rate Of speed than that attained at present by
building larger steamers at cost Of GOO 900 each But
from these Steamers costing f200 900 each and counting
say about 900 TONS TO the Great Eastern which has cost
from E600 000 to S70o 00of not morcand which
from TO is 600 TONS the interval prodgious and
every must look with the strongest interest
whether the results attained at all adequate TO this
prodgious increase Of expenditure II they found to
be but few months will elapse before other Great East
erns will be commenced and shall see as great change
IN ocean navigation during tRe next twenty years as
we have seen ia land communication since the intro
ducon of railways want Of capital never stands in
the way Of real improvements this country. We have
found upwards Of three hundred millions of money TO
form our railways and have lent, perhaps, half
much as that to foreign nations and our colonies 70
form theirs the speed OF ocean communication be
doubled be even increased wenty per cent by
mere investment Of capital in large steamers there is
doubt that the capital will be found The first point,
however is to get the five and twenty ATTY per OF
additional speed. Barring accidents, we shall know in
few days, or at most IN few weeks whether such
of speed be obtained by any Of expen-
dture; and knowing that shall be able To judge
whether on the point Of entering suddenly on a
great revolution in navigation, whether shall
have to go on IN the course of Improvement step by step
as for the last twenty years.


CAPTAIN HARRISON, OF THE GREAT EASTERN.


fFrcm the London Illustrated Times Sept TO-


il is quite safe TO say that the main subject Of interest
at the present moment is the Great Eastern steamship
and in connection with it our readers will doubt be
ged TO be told something Of the history anecedents and
qualifications OF the experienced to whose skill
and Judgment the great Ship with her immense passenger
and stowage Accommodations is hcncefor;h be conded
AT very early age Captain Harrison whose nautical pre-
deciions We're absolutely irrepresslbe, selected, in
somewhat self wicd manner, the profession he has
since followed. He afterwards apprentice din regular
course and that the was cut out by nature to
mand ships rather than in them may be gathered
from the remarkable fact that before he out of his
time he captain Of vessel 1t was in the East and
West Indies, and on the coast Of Seut, America that
the earlier years Of his passed. Here for
some eight years he was in command Of freetraders,
sailing ships, and in the course of the numerous
squabbles among the rival Powers In the last named
region, was than once III action, handling his ship
on all occasions good officer and courageous
Subsequently 70 this period he went into the service Of
the Cunard line Of Atlantic steamers and continued in
this position for the fifteen years Immediately preceding





Great Ship Company During this period he successively
commanded tho following well known vesses:--Acadia,
Britannia, Hibernia, Cambria America, Africa and
Arabia and during this period that he acquired his
great celebrity as an Atlantic navigator and when
collected that during the earlier portion OF the time ndi
Gated every Cunard steamer crossed the times
and during the latter portion less than fourteen times
year, it will be readily understood how Captain Harri
sons voyages to and from England and America number
something hundred and eighty. He says him
ssm a a counted t up 70 one hundred and hity-se
all be3ri Oh natl ural sk
pefence complete self possession, and ready presence
Of mind OF these We call to mind Of the appo-
SITE leaving New York after the prevalence OF
heavy soathwost gales Which bad slted up the bar to
the extent VI foot or two and the Africa, slip
lie was then In command being very deeply laden the
vessel touched the bar as she was passing it, The
pilot in charge called out Instantly to stop her." Our
readers should be at nautical men and commercial
TO appreciate fully the nature Of the calculations
which in second Of time was necessary for the cap
this kind are on the bar now and II we stop the
chances hundred TO one that the ship is total
wreck in few hours but all the nsuranccs will be SAFE
the other hand Jam her shall the ship,
but by taking her out OF the pilots hands shall avoid the
insurances" The result was that within tenth of the
time occupied in writing the above these calculations had
been all made, and eco ahead, full speedi was the
order; the ship touched twice more, but brought
safely across, and came into port strong and sound.


III was during his command the Cunard line that
Of the gentlemen connected with the direction Of the
great ship and also with that of the Grand Trunk line in
Canada having frequent occasion 10 the Atlantic
had opportunities OF observing the abilities OF Capt Har
rson and the result overture to take charge Of





inssament Of the captain from November 1855, but
certain honorable considerations highly crcdabe TO him
and bearing on understandings between him and his
ployers induced him TO postpone the engagement and
the last day Of the year 1865 his engagement with the
Cunard line ceased, aud with the year 1856 that with the
Great Eastern began; since which time-and certainly
during the launch and during the last two three
months at rate long before the ship out Of the
contractors handsome r the hardest worked
board has been the captd3. The ordinary routine
of vessel Of such bewderng size would have sup
posed enough, and than enough for captain
going but when adds this the frequent condolences Of
directors and other officials the unceasng inquiries of the
gentlemen connecedwih the press. the thousand and
small deliberations Of small vsers thinking them
selves great and the everlasting udercurrent Of
silly chatter inflicted by the thousands Of other visitors
who all seemed to consider the captain merely put
there TO foolish questions ones only wonder is
that either the mans brain his urbaniiy has given
way.
We may add that Captain Harrison is in the very
prime Of singulary vigorous manhood, little than
midway between forty and fifty; his eye qnick, sharp
and penetrating his head voice. and general bearing de-
noting rapid perception and quick rination; his
remarkably stiaghtforward honest and courteous
for sailor Taking him all in ALL there is perhaps,
living TO whom the great speculation could have
been so judciously ntrustedno man who can
denty Say to his passengers as the pamsel bright and
bold Of eye said TO Thalaba,


~ kenw the ocean paths


Wilt thou go with mefn





GI,fx, Helen A. Miller.