Part 27 (1/2)
The history of the 'Great Western' steam-s.h.i.+p has been interrupted by this examination of Dr. Lardner's propositions. The weight at one time attached to his opinions, the sinister influence they exercised over the early efforts of those who differed from him, and the great and enduring importance of the points at issue, have made it necessary to refer to them at length.
The s.h.i.+p had been steadily proceeded with, notwithstanding the adverse criticism of philosophers, and she was launched on July 19, 1837. On August 18 she left with a tug-boat for London to take her engines on board, and arrived in the Thames after a pa.s.sage of four days, four-fifths of the way under sail.
When anch.o.r.ed in the river she was crowded with visitors, who, according to the newspapers of the day, were astonished at 'her magnificent proportions and stupendous machinery.'
The engines were at length completed, and received in every detail Mr.
Brunel's constant supervision.
Extraordinary efforts were made to get the s.h.i.+p back to Bristol and to start her on her voyage across the Atlantic before the departure of the 'Sirius'--a vessel of about 700 tons and 320 horse-power, bought by the St. George's Steam Packet Company in order to antic.i.p.ate the 'Great Western.'
At length the 'Great Western' left Blackwall for Bristol, at 6.10 A.M.
on Sat.u.r.day, March 31, 1838, having on board Captain Claxton, Mr. Guppy, Mr. Brunel, and many other persons interested in her success. All went well at first, but at about half-past eight o'clock a very alarming fire broke out. The felt which covered the boilers had been carried up too high, and the red lead which fastened it became hot; oil gas was generated, and it burst into a fearful flame, setting fire to the beams and under part of the deck. The s.h.i.+p was immediately run ash.o.r.e on a mud-bank not far from the Chapman Beacon, while Captain Claxton, Captain Hosken (the commander), and Mr. Pearne (the chief engineer) endeavoured to extinguish the fire.
Captain Claxton went below through the engine-rooms, and forward between the boilers to the fore-hatch, and in a stifling atmosphere of burning paint and felt he directed the nozzle of the fire-hose against the flames. While he was at work, something heavy fell on him from above. On recovering from the blow, he stooped down, and found the body of a man, who was lying insensible, with his head covered to the ears with the water which had collected on the floor. Captain Claxton called for a rope, and the almost lifeless body was hauled up. It was not till he went on deck some time afterwards that he learnt that the person who had fallen on him was Mr. Brunel, and that he had saved the life of his friend.
It appeared that Mr. Brunel was going down to Captain Claxton's a.s.sistance by the long ladder which reached from the fore-hatch to the keelson, and put his foot on a burnt rung. He fell about 18 feet, striking an iron bar in his descent. Had he not fallen on Captain Claxton he must have struck the keelson or floor and been killed, and had not his head been raised at once he would have been suffocated by the water into which he fell. He was so severely hurt that he could not move, and he was laid on a sail on deck until the fire was extinguished, and then lowered into a boat, and landed on Canvy Island, where he remained some weeks. Although his sufferings were very great, he was able, within three days of the accident, to dictate a long letter to Captain Claxton on the state of the s.h.i.+p and engines.
The fire was soon got under, the s.h.i.+p resumed her voyage to Bristol, and anch.o.r.ed at Kingroad in the afternoon of Monday, April 2, to the great surprise of the good people of Bristol, who had heard that she had been burnt in the Thames. Their astonishment was increased by finding no outward signs of the disaster; but, as a fact, the deck above the boiler was charred a fourth of its thickness, and so remained till the s.h.i.+p was broken up.
The 'Great Western' started on her first voyage to New York on Sunday, April 8, at 10 A.M.,[124] and struck soundings off Newfoundland on the ninth day. She arrived at New York at 2 P.M. on Monday, the 23rd, having consumed three-fourths of the coal she had taken on board.
She found that the 'Sirius' had arrived before her; but under all the circ.u.mstances the palm was due to the 'Great Western,' for the 'Sirius'
had left Cork eight hours before the 'Great Western' left Bristol (which lies a whole day's run further from New York), and had only arrived at New York in the morning of the day in the afternoon of which the 'Great Western' came in; and, what is after all the most important point for comparison, the 'Great Western' had nearly 200 tons of coal left, while the 'Sirius,' when she dropped her anchor at Sandy Hook, had not only consumed all her coal, but also all the combustible articles which could possibly be thrown on the fire, including (to repeat the well-known anecdote) a child's doll!
The 'Great Western' was received at New York with well-deserved honour.
According to the journal of one of her pa.s.sengers, 'Myriads were collected, boats had gathered round us in countless confusion, flags were flying, guns were firing, and cheering rose from the sh.o.r.e, the boats, and all around loudly and gloriously, as though it would never have done. It was an exciting moment, a moment of triumph.'
The s.h.i.+p started on her return home on May 7, 1838, with sixty-eight pa.s.sengers on board. She made the voyage in fourteen days, although twenty-four hours were lost by a stoppage at sea.
After this she ran regularly between Bristol and New York till the end of 1846. In April 1847 she was sold to the West India Mail Steam Packet Company, and became one of their best vessels.
At length in 1857 she was broken up by Messrs. Castle, of Vauxhall.
Among those who went there to take a farewell of her before she finally disappeared was Mr. Brunel; thus he saw the last of his famous s.h.i.+p.
NOTE (p. 235).
_Dimensions of the 'Great Western' Steam-s.h.i.+p._
Feet Inch Length from fore-part of figurehead to after-part of taffrail 236 0 Length between the perpendiculars 212 0 Length of keel 205 0 Breadth 35 4 Breadth over paddle-boxes 59 8 Depth of hold 23 2 Draught of water 16 8 Length of engine-room 72 0 Tonnage by measurement 1,340 tons Displacement at load draught 2,300 ”
_Dimensions of Engines, &c._
Diameter of cylinders 73 inches Length of stroke 7 feet Weight of engines, wheels, &c. 310 tons Weight of boilers 90 ”
Water 20 tons to each boiler 80 ”