Part 43 (1/2)

Soon after the launch of the 'Great Eastern,' efforts were made to obtain funds for finis.h.i.+ng her, and Mr. Brunel proceeded to prepare designs with the view of obtaining tenders for the execution of the decks, skylights, fittings, rigging, &c. He obtained advice from persons thoroughly conversant with this cla.s.s of work; and a specification was carefully prepared, providing for the completion of the s.h.i.+p in a perfect manner.

Meanwhile it had been considered that, large as the s.h.i.+p was, she might be profitably employed in the American trade, and that it might be expedient to run her on that line for a few voyages before placing her on the Eastern route. Captain Harrison went to America to examine the harbour at Portland, and brought back a favourable report of it.

All efforts to raise the funds for finis.h.i.+ng the s.h.i.+p proved unavailing; and it was determined to reconst.i.tute the company.

The new company, which was called the 'Great s.h.i.+p Company,' was formed towards the end of the year 1858. In the beginning of December, Mr.

Brunel was compelled by ill-health to go to Egypt for the winter. On leaving England, he strongly urged the Directors on no account to fail to make a strict contract, distinctly defining the work to be done, and the manner of its execution, as provided for by the specifications he had drawn out. But his advice was not followed.

After Mr. Brunel's return to England in May 1859, he continued to give the greater part of his time to the s.h.i.+p. The difficulties which he had to encounter were certainly neither fewer nor less vexatious than those which had arisen at earlier periods in her history; but they were the last with which he had to contend.

On September 5 he left her in the morning, feeling the commencement of the illness which ten days afterwards terminated fatally.

The s.h.i.+p left her moorings on September 7, and with the a.s.sistance of several tugs steamed down the river. She stopped for a night at Purfleet, and again at the Nore, and then left for Weymouth.

On the voyage a serious accident happened, which was made the subject of much misrepresentation.

Round each of the funnels of the paddle engines was what was termed a water-casing, or jacket, consisting of an outer cylinder, about 6 inches from the inner cylinder which formed the funnel. The top of the annular s.p.a.ce between the cylinders was at about the level of the deck. From it a stand-pipe was carried up, which, after rising to a certain height, was turned over, and the end brought down into the stokehole. The object of this arrangement was to heat the feed-water before it entered the boiler, and at the same time to keep the saloons cool, through which the funnels pa.s.sed. The arrangement of the stand-pipe gave this advantage, that when the head of water in the heater and stand-pipe together became equivalent to the pressure in the boiler, the water could be run into the boiler by gravitation. The stand-pipe at the same time, being open to the air at the top, formed a safety-valve to the water-heater.

For the purpose of testing the joints of the jacket with water pressure, while the s.h.i.+p was being finished, a stop-c.o.c.k had been placed on the stand-pipe, which unfortunately had not been afterwards removed. While the s.h.i.+p was proceeding down Channel, the donkey feed-pumps were not working well, and to ease them it was thought better to cut off the water-heater, and to force the water direct into the boiler. The communication of the water-heater with the boiler was therefore cut off; and, as was afterwards ascertained, the stop-c.o.c.k at the top of the water-heater had been also closed. The water confined in the heater soon produced steam, and when the s.h.i.+p was off Hastings the casing exploded.

The funnel was thrown up on to the deck, and a body of boiling water and steam was driven down into the boiler room, severely injuring several of the firemen, who afterwards died.

That the effects of this accident were confined to one compartment of the s.h.i.+p, was due to the complete protection afforded by the transverse bulkheads.

After she arrived at Weymouth the funnel was repaired; but as an outcry was raised against the water-heaters, it was thought desirable, from deference to public opinion, to discontinue their use; although this accident had not in any way proved them to be objectionable, and they are now generally adopted.

While the 'Great Eastern' was at Weymouth Mr. Brunel died.

Many visitors went in the s.h.i.+p when she left Weymouth on a trial trip to Holyhead. At Holyhead she lay in a somewhat exposed situation; and the sudden storm came on in which the 'Royal Charter' was lost. The great advantage of having both paddle and screw was now, for the first time, felt. A portion of the temporary staging erected by the contractor at the breakwater was carried away, and drifted down upon the s.h.i.+p. During the gale her engines were kept going, in order to relieve the strain on the cables. The timbers of the staging got foul of both paddlewheels and screw; but, as it was always possible to keep one of the engines at work, the s.h.i.+p was saved from drifting.

The season being now too far advanced for a profitable voyage to America, the s.h.i.+p left Holyhead and went to Southampton Water for the winter, where several alterations and additions were made.

In Mr. Brunel's report of February 5, 1855, printed above, at p. 315, he describes the leading features of the 'Great Eastern' as she was then being constructed, but a more detailed account of them will fitly precede the history of her career as a pa.s.senger-s.h.i.+p.

The main arrangements of the s.h.i.+p are shown in the woodcut (fig. 16, p.

397).[173]

The s.h.i.+p is 680 feet long, 83 feet wide, and 58 feet deep. Her gross tonnage is 18,915 tons. She is divided into water-tight compartments by ten bulkheads (_a_ and _b_), all of which, except two (_b_), extend completely across the s.h.i.+p, and up to the upper deck. These two are complete to 6 feet above the 28-foot water line. In addition there are partial bulkheads (_c_), which form the ends of coal bunkers, and aid materially in strengthening the flat bottom of the s.h.i.+p. The more remarkable parts of the construction of the s.h.i.+p will be understood by means of the transverse section. The bottom is made double, and between the two skins are webs, running longitudinally. Mr. Brunel considered that the double skin would greatly diminish the chance of such an accident occurring as would cause any of the compartments to be filled with water. The material being arranged in the direction of the length of the s.h.i.+p is all capable of taking part in the strains that are thrown on the bottom, as well as on the top, by forces tending to bend the s.h.i.+p.

Mr. Brunel also made the upper deck cellular, in order to resist the compressive strain that would come on it when the s.h.i.+p was heavily loaded in the middle of her length. Great additional strength to the s.h.i.+p, considered as a girder, is given by two longitudinal bulkheads, 36 feet apart, extending for 350 feet. These bulkheads, with the sides of the s.h.i.+p, form the vertical web plates of the girder. Her structure resembles the tubes of the Britannia bridge; the cellular top f.l.a.n.g.e being connected with the cellular bottom f.l.a.n.g.e by plate-iron webs.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 16. _Longitudinal Section_

_Plan showing Machinery and Coals_

_Mids.h.i.+p Section showing Cabins and Boiler Room._

'GREAT EASTERN' STEAM-s.h.i.+P