TILE GREAT EASTERN.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 20900, 6 May 1887, Page 3

TILE GREAT EASTERN.

After a chequered existence of nearly thirty years, writes the London Echo, the ( treat Eastern is at last to he put to the work for which she was designed by ]',r.,nd. Intended for the Australian trade, calling occasionally, or'regularly, nt Calcutta, according to her freight, it should be remembered that the great ship lias never had an opportunity of exhibitleg her capabilities, for Brunei died before she started on her first voyage, and no one seems to have understood the vessel as he did, although he left minute directions for both captain and engineer. Probably, had her designer lived, the career of the Great Eastern might have been as successful as that of the Great Britain, and it will be remarkable in t e history of ship building if, after all theso years,' the London and Australian Steamship Company should make the big ship pay. An alteration is, it appears, to be made—one which probably Brunei would sanction now-a-days —fot it is stated that her paddles will be removed and she will he fitted with new triple expansion engines, and rely solely on a screw propeller. By this means, and the use of strain at a much higher pressure than was used 30 years ago, the greatest economy in coal will be effected, and it is hoped to get a speed of 20 knots an hour. The vessel has beautiful lines, planned by Scott Russell himself, and is said to have done fourteen knots frequently with the inadequate engine power, which her designer thought stiflici lit, Steam vessels have been wonderfully developed in the last quarter of a century, and they are now Httcd with engines capable of developing a power which never entered into the imagination of Brunei's period. One disadvantage the Great Eastern has, and alwavs had—there are few ports which she can visit when fully laden, for though she is not so very much longer than some of tin: more modern vessels (603 feet), she isn't feet deep and draws 30 feet of water ns,l maximum, her gross tonnage being 10,000 tons, or more than double that of any other merchant vessel. In the Even! of a collision she is probably the safol vessel "{La’, for she has 10 bulkVuls c■ ir i d to the upper deck, and, "hit is of as much importance, strong enough to re ist the pre-sure of the water ‘hon'd a v of her romp-r! menta become tic;. ]f' in in two both pirl.s would 11 id a’(l any tvo of the 0 mipar m nts 'ihg t 1,. (| imaged whhoti stri’ti Y Ml ■ , 1,.. s f ( ey .if the si-ip To ih ive Mil-; 1 a cess. 1 IhiouJi the water a’. 20 " > an !i nr ui 1 require somfhiug like h,i on horse power, the fastest At’anfic liters tnV.iur more than 13 OX) horse )' nvei-1 ) imi lie >m average of 10 kurus; hn evi u if her new own- v» are di-up- !" nti'i 1 in (lie -peid u'lai icd, it. inn‘t be : -.-Uid t!inl tLev iune eu ugh ma «ri-»1

hr Mm purchase nu tiev paid, and "'ilh sna-igc luck may at 1 .st ju-ove that the bffit Eas’ern is not a gigantic failure.