THE FIRST PASSAGE OF THE GREAT EASTERN. We have now
the details of the passage and arrival of the Great Eastern at New York, where she was safely moored, after a run of ten and a half days. The whole passage was a success. Leaving her pilot behind as :he cleared the Needles, she steamed easily ahead in weather " wet and thick," which cleared up as she went down the Channel, amidst crowds of smaller vessels, who instantly altered their course and bore towards her, their crews lustily cheering the Premier of Ships. At eleven o'clock at night she passed the Lizard light, " as it shed a-pale gleam over the rocks and foam beneath it." Steering a very southerly course, the Great Eastern stood well out to sea, and her crew and passengers saw no more of Old England. Next day, Monday, was bright and warm :— " As the sun shone down on that huge expanse of deck, passengers were fain to leave it and cong,regate on seats in front of the paddle-boxes, where a breeze faintly played. We were in blue water already, and the waves had a solemn beauty as they rose up no crisp and cool-looking, their deep blue sides fringed with a little ridge of *bite which sparkled in the sun like diamonds. It was a regular spring day at sea, and seemed to gladden the hearts of the porpoises who kept rolling and plunging alongside the ship and taking great leaps out of water, as if they, too, wanted to have a good look at the vessel, which was marching on so steadily and trampling the great waves into foam and spray beneath her." One of the passengers' equal to the occasion, had provided himself with skittles, which probably for the first time were played on board ship ; after the ship had run 300 knots, her paddle revolutions were increased from 8 to 9, and those of the screw from 27 to 33. The glass fell, rain came on, then wind, fog, and rain together. Towards night the ship began " to dash through the waves at a tremendous pace, leaving a wake of foam behind her so broad and white over the angry water, that it seemed as if the mark of her track would never leave the ocean." Night fell ; the wind again changed, and went round to the North East, so that it was necessary to get in the square sails again. But this was not easily done
The storm yelled and moaned through the rigging,, drowning every other sound, and the huge mass of canvass, wet, heavy, and as stiff as a hoard, flapped and ' slatted ' with a noise like thunder, and, escaping every minute from the men who swarmed upon the yard, blew out afresh with a fierce uproar, as if bent on doing battle with the wind. It was late at night before this canvass was well housed in, by which time it was blowing a hard gale, the night dark as pitch, with a thick rain pattering on the decks, and the wind hissing and howling through the shrouds with a wailing hum that was mournful to hear.'
When morning came, an attempt was made to ascertain the ship's motion by getting the stern in a line with the horizon. But the Great Eastern rolled, easily, but still rolled ; doors banged ; chains moved without the aid of muscular or spirit-rapping agencies ; tinkling sounds announced that crockery and glasses had come to grief;" stray casks and booms "fetched away," and had to be brought up smartly by a bulk head. And now we have the Great Eastern in face of her first Atlantic peril
Those lords of the deep—the great waves of the Atlantic—always ready to rise on the slightest provocation, soon showed themselves through the darkness, rear- ing their huge dark bulk above the sea, and rolling their heavy undulations swiftly towards the ship. It was curious to watch the easy swing with which the Great Eastern baffled these dangerous pursuers, sidling over them one after another with a slow gentle roll, and letting them slip from beneath her at the other side quite sub- dued, and shorn of half their might. Some, however, were too quick, and struck her before she rose ; but all in vain. You could never detect that she even vibrated or felt the shock, and the great mass of water recoiled from her iron sides in a shower of foam and spray, beaten back and foiled as if they had struck a moun- tain."
In the midst of all this, screw and paddles worked with perfect order ; the former going 33 and 34; the latter from 9 to 10. From two to four on Tuesday, it blew hard, and the ship's motion increased,.but never so much as to justify a sailor in calling it "rolling," nor was it equal to her motion when off the Land's End last November. From Monday noon till Tuesday at noon, the run was 296 nautical miles ; 13i miles an hour. The wind freshened, and the paddles could not be got to go more than 9, nor the screw more than 35 revolutions. Here a want of steam was evident. The weights had been taken off the valves, and the boiler pressure reduced from 25 pounds to 20 pounds. The paddles in consequence made 3i revolutions less than they did last year. Next day's run only showed 276 knots or 111 per hour.
Thursday was raw, cold, and dull, "a mist ; neither fog nor shower " but a little of both hum, over the ship. The run at noon was found to be 304 knots, nearly thirteen an hour. North winds made a rough broken sea ; and the Great Eastern rolled and pitched, on a small scale ; the motion in her is reduced in proportion to her immense bulk and power, and against a head sea she makes a slow majestic rise and fall, where a small steamer of 3000 tons would "labour, and take in green sea across the bows" :— " It was a floe sight to watch her motion from the bows, splitting the great waves before her into two streams of water, like double fountains, and to look along her immense expanse of deck as she rose and fell with a motion so easy and so regular that the duration of each movement could be timed to the very second." To cheer his passengers Captain Hall, "always genial, and courteous," tonight commenced "a harmonic meeting," and an amateur performance was inaugurated. Betting, the stakes being sixpences and bottles of bitter ale, commenced 'amongst the passengers. Friday the 22d, was fine and calm, and at noon the ascertained run was 280 knots, or less than twelve in the hour. Saturday was warm, close and dull. The consumption of coals now began to tell, as the vessel was gradually lightened of her burden of anthracite. About 270 tons were burned per day • sometimes only230, but with a head wind 300. As the ship neared the banks of Newfoundland, a careful look-out was kept, and temperature of air and water tested every hour. The thermometer in the water fell from 68 to 53 degrees; an un- mistakeable sign of ice. Colder still grew the atmosphere ; and Captain Hall altered his course to the South, although he thereby gave up his last chance of completing the passage in ten days. Sunday brought divine ser- vice; many vessels were sighted, one signalled. "How many days out ? " but before the signals in reply could be hoisted, the questioner was left be- hind. This day'Srun showed 299 knots ; 12i an hour. Increased pressure on the boilers produced a good effect ; they now made 11 and 11 revolutions. Monday brought tropical weather. "The sea on this day was quiet and motionless as a vast blue mirror, and the sun rose up in a rich misty haze, which, melting before his heat, left the sky above like another ocean, so clear and soft in its unfathomable azure. Not a breath was stirring, and all the passengers seemed to yield to the genial quiet of the day as they congregated listlessly in the bows of the Great Eastern, so contented and so idle, looking dreamily over at the little rainbows made as the prow of the huge ship divided the quiet water, or watching the sharks skimming quickly along, and diving far, far down as the shadow of the Great Eastern came over the sea. We were evidently far south, and well in the Gulf Stream, for lumps of the gulf weed, like broken orange peel, came slowly drifting south. By and bye, the heat and calm increased, and groups of little nautili began to rise to the surface, and spreading their rich purple sails in the sun, went drifting away with the stream. But, alas for the happiness of these frail little beauties! they seemed always somehow to steer direct for the paddles of the Great Eastern, under which hundreds passed, though none were ever seen to emerge on the other side. Little coveys of Eying fish, too, kept rising from beneath the bows, now and then, and spreading thew wings and tails, went gaily fluttering along the water, into which, amid the stillness that prevailed, they dropped with quite a splash ; becalmed cotton ships from New Orleans with every stitch of canvass spread, but still as idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean,' were in sight all day, drifting with the Gulf Stream some half a knot an hour, and apparently making it an even question whether they would reach Liverpool this year-or next."
This run was 325 knots, or nearly 13i an hour. Tuesday, the 26th, the ninth day out, ought to have brought the ship to New York, but her long southern detour, to avoid the ice, had added 300 miles to her passage. Noon showed a run of 333 knots : 14 per hour. The paddles now worked easily 12i revolutions, and the screw 33; (their fair proportion ought to have been 40.) At night an Atlantic fog came on, and Captain Hall slackened
speed, lest he should, unnoticed by himself, consign some small vessel to destruction. At midnight, Mr. Murphy, the New York pilot, tried for soundings, and for the first time, since leaving Southampton, the engines stopped. the deep sea line found no bottom at 115 fathoms. An examination by the engineers found everything perfect on board in the mechanism ; no signs of wear were found. Easy speed till five o'clock brought the vessel into soundings of 65 fathoms. Full speed was resumed until twelve o'clock on Wednesday, the 27th, when a run of 250 knots was ascertained. The ship was now found too much down in the stern, so in the course of the day 700 tons of water were pumped in forward, which had some effect in restoring her trim; it was but a makeshift however. Soundings showed 21 fathoms water ; by and bye a light was seen, a dim speck, gleaming now and then as the mist cleared up. Dawn showed the coast; the light-ship was passed at 7.20 a.m. : two guns were fired and the engines stopped, as amid cheers and congratulations the passage ended. An address was presented to Cap- tain Hall, to which he returned, in writing, a modest, frank, sailor-like re- ply. Mr. Murphy was now responsible for the vessel, and he well performed his duty.
" Out carne our American cousins to Sandy Hook in steamers, "those queer-look - ing steamers, very much in appearance like the popular types of Noah's Ark, with the addition of paddle-engines, two or three white cotton reefs, and some 500 or 600 people also in white cotton. These vessels, all decorated with Hags, and swaying to and fro under their crowds of visitors, who cheered, waved handkerchiefs, clap- ped hands, and shouted till one's ears ached, went round and round the ship, and then stopping under the stern their delighted passengers made offers of any thing we might want,—newspapers, cigars, ice, &c. The band of the Great Eastern had hard work that day, standing upon the hot paddlebox (Mount Misery they called it) and playing Hail Columbia!' every minute, in return to the harmonic compli- ments of 'God save the Queen !" Rule Britannia!' &c., which came over the water from all sides."
At two o'clock, the ship fired two guns, and got under weigh; "she took a short turn, before offering at the shallow to get a good way on her, and in case of touching might easily push her way through the sand. She drew 2.5 feet of water, as her stern touched slightly and turned up the sand, but be- fore one could well perceive it the danger was over." The voyage up the harbour commenced with "three tremendous cheers" for Mr. Murphy. The scene must be described by the graphic pen of the special correspondent of the Times :— " With it also commenced such a scene of excitement and enthusiasm as outdid even the great demonstration of that morning when the Great Eastern first left. her moorings in the Thames. The spit at Sandy Hook was crowded with visitors, who stood bareheaded in the fierce sun as they cheered and waved their hats to the ship. The bell at the lighthouse was clanging madly in honour of the occasion, and sig- nal flags of every hue and colour were drooping in the sun, though still giving an air of festivity and animation, even to the arid spot over which they were expected to flutter. As the harbour opened out, it could be seen covered with a perfect fleet of yachts, which now, favoured with a slight breeze, were skimming across the still water from all directions towards us, thew flags waving, their crews cheering and shouting a welcome till they were hoarse again. Great ferry-boats, and coaeting steamers, looking for all the world like a street of houses floating out to sea, with their three tiers of windows and regular cotton roofs, came rolling slowly down— decks, roofs, and windows all crowded with eager heads, the ladies waving hand- kerchiefs and clapping hands—the men shouting and cheering—all seeming wild with exultation and delight. Past the shores of Staten Island, and on to the Nar- rows, the Great Eastern continued her stately way ; every minute increased the ex- citement, and adding scores to the numbers of yachts, pleasure-boats, and steamers swarming round. In vain the band of the Great Eastern played Hail Columbia!' in vain the bands of the other steamers essayed Rule Britannia!' music was drowned and shouted down with cheers. . . . . It was a heart-stirring welcome, and one which even now that it is past and done one cannot recall without a feeling of emotion and astonishment. . . . . Every minute brought down fresh steamers, each seeming more crowded and more enthu- siastic than the others, and every minute added to the thousands who lined the shores and stood bareheaded, cheering under an almost tropical sun. Off Fort Hamilton the high compliment of a salute of fourteen guns was given—the first time that ever a merchant-vessel has been saluted in America. To this distinguished honour the Great Eastern responded by stopping, and dipping her ensign replied gun for gun in a regular and seamanlike style. A Goi ernment vessel, the chief re- venue ship, next saluted and dipped her flag, and this honour was similarly ac- knowledged. From this time it was almost one continued roar of artillery, ringing bells, blowing steam whistles, shouting and clapping hands, till one was almost dizzy with the whirl and wild confusion of uproar and excitement. As she came through the Narrows, New York could be seen dimly through the smoke and hot haze, red, dry, and baked-looking in the summer sun, with the-shore lined with thousands and tens of thousands of people, and the water so covered with boats of every size and shape, that it seemed a mystery how ever the Great Eastern was to get through them all, This difficulty, however, was solved by the simplest of all methods—viz., that the GreatTastern.kent her course, and everything else took care to keep out of her way. As New York loomed nearer and nearer, the jangle of joy- bells could be heard from the steeples. What had seemed at a distance but a dark line along the shore grew more and more distinct, and showed at last to be dense masses of human beings shouting and waving hats as if they were possessed. Not only, too, were the shores thus lined, but even the roofs of the stores and houses far and near, the rich green hills on the opposite bank, the very masts and yards of all the vessels in the harbour seemed literally black with countless swarms. Right in the middle of the Hudson lay the Niagara at anchor as the Great Eastern steamed up, and the former, hitherto the largest vessel in the world, seemed dwarfed to the dimensions of a cock-boat as the huge hull of the great ship tow- ered high over the waters, reaching almost half-way up the mast of the fine fri- gate."
A little time more to turn and fix the vessel, and Mr. Murphy brings her up alongside the wharf where she now lies moored as safely as one of Cunard's packets. Crowds assemble at her side and cheer Captain Hall, the pilot, the directors, the passengers, and for everybody and everything connected with the noble vessel. She waste be shown on Monday the 2d instant ; her first visitors were to be the Japanese Princes and Ambassadors ; a visit which provoked from one candid American, thinking aloud, the expression "that if the Japanese did go to see the big ship, they would think the Eng- lish the greatest people after all." Two fatal accidents occurred on the evening of her arrival, one to a man sent into the wheel, who, miming his step, fell striking his head against one of the iron bars. A sailor was also drowned while drunk.
The American visitors are in rapture with the vessel; there are excep- tions to every rule, and we have an amusing exceptional instance :— "The Japanese Princes did not visit the Great Eastern as was at first expected or intended. On their way down to the Niagara, however, they passed close to the big ship, when, I tun informed, their attention was adroitly occupied by a patriotic American, who, pulling out a picture of the Adriatic, showed it to them as the por- trait of a vessel which, though not quite so large, was a quicker and a better sea- boat than the Great Eastern. Occupied with an examination of this, the big ship was safely passed without close inspection. It was a master stroke of policy, and may possibly restore the balance of superiority in favour of our cousins in the minds of the Japanese."
The exhibition of the ship does not promise to be successful commercially, probably not more than 2000/. a month. The charge is a dollar, which the Ziew York journals unanimously condemn as extortionate.
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