THE DELIVERANCE OF THE GREAT BRITAIN.
THE rescue of the Great Britain steam-ship from the rocks and waves of Dundrum Bay may be viewed as a national triumph. Courage to encounter difficulties, energy in attacking them, and perseverance to struggle on through adverse circumstances, are distinguishing traits of British character ; and in the delivering of that leviathan from its bed of rock and sand, exposed to the fury of a tempestuous sea, the success of these national character- istics operating under the guidance of dynamical skill, is proudly manifested. The many efforts, fruitless before the last, might almost have justified despair. The enterprising conductors of the work had latterly no public sympathy to cheer them on. The public had indeed become weary of the very name of the Greet Britain and the attempts to float it. For some time past, general estimation had devoted the ship to destruction, and all further endeavours to save it were considered but foolish waste of time, and "throwing good money after bad." But these continued failures and disheartening influences had no effect on the daunt- less and skilful engineers. Every reverse, instead of discouraging, only served as an additional lesson how to improve in their next essay ; and thus, by the help of their very disappointments, was the mighty ship dug out of the sand, poised on levers, and hauled into deep water. Who does not sympathize with the exultation which each man as he worked the capstan must have experienced when he felt that the ship was yielding to his pull ? Still more enviable must have been the feelings of the directors of the work when they saw their labours at length about to be crowned with success. The hearty cheers given by the crews of the Ships as the Great Britain floated out to sea, should resound from every spot when British enterprise, perseverance, and skill, are valued. Had the last attempt been unsuccessful and the ship -abandohed, the merits of those who so long persevered might not have been less, but the failure would have had a depressing influence far beyond the sphere of Dundrum Bay. As it is, their triumph will give a stimulus to exertion, and encourage to perseveranci even in cases apparently hopeless.
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