Part 29 (1/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: [Fig. 14.]]

And now for the screw of which I am constantly thinking, and in the success of which for the 'Great Britain,' remember, I am even more deeply interested than you.

If all goes well we shall all gain credit, but '_quod scriptum est manet_,' if the result disappoint anybody, my written report will be remembered by everybody, and I shall have to bear the storm--and all that spite and revenge can do at the Admiralty will be done!

The words 'better sailing qualities than could be given to the ”Polyphemus,”' which I used in my first report to the Admiralty, I believe have never been forgotten.

Well, the result of all my anxious thoughts--for I a.s.sure you I feel more anxious about this than about most things I have had to do with--is first that we must adopt as _a principle not to be departed from_, that all mechanical difficulties of construction must give way, must in fact be lost sight of in determining the most perfect form--if we find that the screw determined upon _cannot_ be made (but what cannot be done?), then it is quite time enough to try another form; though even then _my_ rule would be to try _again_ at making it....

The 'Great Britain' was built wider than the locks through which she would have to pa.s.s, as it was supposed that the Dock Company would allow them to be temporarily widened.[132]

After a good deal of discussion, negotiations were satisfactorily concluded, and the requisite alterations were made: the s.h.i.+p pa.s.sed through into c.u.mberland Basin, and the upper lock was restored to its original state in a few days.

On December 10, everything was ready for her pa.s.sing into the Avon through the lower lock. A steam-tug commenced towing her at high water, but, before she had moved half her length in the lock, it became evident to Captain Claxton, who was on board the tug, that there was not an inch to spare; she was touching the lock walls on either side--in fact, she had stuck between the copings. Upon this he gave orders to haul her back again as quickly as possible. This was hardly effected before the tide began to fall; a few minutes later, and the s.h.i.+p would have remained jammed in the entrance.

As the tides had pa.s.sed their highest, it was necessary immediately to widen the lock, in order not to lose the spring tide; and this was accomplished under Mr. Brunel's superintendence, just in time to get the vessel through that night.

Mr. Brunel described this occurrence in the following letter, written to excuse himself from keeping an important engagement in Wales:--

December 11, 1844.

We have had an unexpected difficulty with the 'Great Britain' this morning. She stuck in the lock; we _did_ get her back. I have been hard at work all day altering the masonry of the lock. To night, our last tide, we have succeeded in getting her through; but, being dark, we have been obliged to ground her outside, and I confess I cannot leave her till I see her afloat again, and all clear of her difficulties. I have, as you will admit, much at stake here, and I am too anxious about it to leave her.

The 'Great Britain,' after making several experimental trips, sailed for London on January 23, 1845, and, although she experienced very severe weather, made an average speed of 12? knots an hour.

The excitement caused by her arrival at Blackwall was very great.

Thousands of persons flocked to see her, and she was honoured by a visit from Her Majesty and His Royal Highness Prince Albert.

She left Liverpool on her first voyage on August 26, and arrived at New York on September 10, having made the pa.s.sage out in fourteen days and twenty-one hours. She made her return pa.s.sage in fifteen days and a half.

She started again in October, taking sixteen days and a half across. On her homeward pa.s.sage, she broke her screw, and got home under canvas after eighteen days of rough weather which fully tested her sailing qualities.

The experience of these voyages showed that the supply of steam from the boilers was defective; the necessary alterations were carried out during the winter months, and the s.h.i.+p was fitted with a new screw.

In the beginning of 1846, everything seemed to promise well for the success of the 'Great Britain.' She started on May 9, with her full complement of pa.s.sengers and cargo, but again an accident happened, which prevented this pa.s.sage from affording a trial of her steaming power. On May 13, the guard of the after air-pump broke; but up to that time her speed had averaged eleven and three-quarters knots.

She returned from New York in thirteen days and six hours, against adverse winds for ten days, with a speed varying from eight and a half to twelve knots. On one day of her voyage, June 13, she ran 330 knots in the twenty-four hours, or nearly sixteen statute miles an hour. This was said to have been the quickest pa.s.sage which had, up to that time, been made under similar circ.u.mstances of wind and weather.

She left Liverpool again at the beginning of July, and arrived at New York in thirteen days and eight hours, or, deducting stoppages, in twelve days and eleven hours--the shortest pa.s.sage then and for some time afterwards recorded. Her homeward pa.s.sage was accomplished in thirteen days, including a stoppage of eighteen hours to repair the driving chains which had been damaged.

She started again from Liverpool on her outward voyage on the morning of September 22, 1846, having on board 180 pa.s.sengers (a larger number than had ever before started to cross the Atlantic in a steamer), and a considerable quant.i.ty of freight. A few hours after her departure, and at a time when it was supposed that she was rounding the Isle of Man, the s.h.i.+p ran ash.o.r.e, and all immediate efforts to get her off were unavailing. When daylight came, the captain found, to his surprise, that she was in Dundrum Bay, on the north-east coast of Ireland. The pa.s.sengers were landed safely when the tide ebbed.

Captain Claxton, the managing Director of the Company, went at once to the s.h.i.+p. He found her lying at the bottom of a deep and extensive bay; the ground on which she rested had an upper surface of sand, but underneath this were numerous detached rocks. The s.h.i.+p had settled down upon two of them, and had knocked holes in her bottom. Her head lay NW., leaving her stern and port quarter exposed to a heavy sea, which, at Dundrum, always accompanies southerly gales.

When Captain Claxton got to the s.h.i.+p, he made arrangements for trying to get her off at the next spring tides, which were on the following Monday (September 28); but on the Sunday, a gale of wind from the southward sprung up, and at the night flood-tide the water broke over her; nothing remained to be done but to drive the s.h.i.+p higher up the beach into a position of greater safety. Sails were therefore set, and she was driven forward a considerable distance.

Mr. Patterson was sent by the Directors to Dundrum with Mr. Alexander Bremner (who had had considerable experience in floating stranded s.h.i.+ps), and they endeavoured to protect the vessel by breakwaters.

These, however, were soon carried away; and, after this misfortune, the Directors seem for a time to have lost all hope of saving their s.h.i.+p.