The life of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Civil Engineer Part 27

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 "

Diameter of wheel 28 feet 9 inches Width of floats 10 feet

CHAPTER IX.

_STEAM NAVIGATION. THE 'GREAT BRITAIN' STEAM-s.h.i.+P._

A.D. 1838--1847. aeTATIS 33--42.

COMMENCEMENT OF THE BUILDING OF THE 'GREAT BRITAIN'--REPORT ON THE ENGINES (JUNE 13, 1839)--EXPERIMENTS ON THE SCREW PROPELLER--ITS ADOPTION IN THE 'GREAT BRITAIN'--COMPLETION OF THE s.h.i.+P--HER VOYAGE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC--STRANDING OF THE 'GREAT BRITAIN' IN DUNDRUM BAY--LETTER TO CAPTAIN CLAXTON ON THE CONDITION OF THE 'GREAT BRITAIN,' AND ON THE MEANS TO BE ADOPTED FOR SAVING HER (DECEMBER 10, 1846)--REPORT TO THE DIRECTORS ON THE SAME SUBJECT (DECEMBER 14, 1846)--APPOINTMENT OF CAPTAIN CLAXTON TO SUPERINTEND THE EXECUTION OF MR. BRUNEL'S PLANS--LETTER TO CAPTAIN CLAXTON ON THE DIFFICULTIES TO BE OVERCOME (DECEMBER 29, 1846)--REPORT ENCLOSING CAPTAIN CLAXTON'S ACCOUNT OF THE ERECTION OF THE BREAKWATER (FEBRUARY 27, 1847)--REPORT ON THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR FLOATING OFF THE s.h.i.+P (MAY 4, 1847)--SUCCESSFUL ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE FLOATING OPERATIONS--SUBSEQUENT HISTORY OF THE 'GREAT BRITAIN'--_NOTE_: DIMENSIONS OF THE s.h.i.+P AND ENGINES.

The Directors of the Great Western Steam-s.h.i.+p Company, encouraged by the success of the 'Great Western,' determined shortly after her first return to England to lay down a second s.h.i.+p of not less than 2,000 tons burden. As they did not at that time contemplate the use of iron, a portion of the timber was purchased, and drawings were put in hand for a wooden s.h.i.+p. The proposed vessel was intended to be in all respects a companion s.h.i.+p to the 'Great Western;' only she was to be of larger dimensions, as it was found that additional cargo s.p.a.ce would be remunerative.

In October 1838, Mr. Guppy (one of the Directors) communicated to the Board the results of some calculations Mr. Brunel had made relative to the cost and efficiency of iron vessels as compared with wooden ones.

Mr. Brunel then suggested that Captain Claxton and Mr. Patterson, accompanied by one of his a.s.sistants, should make a voyage to Antwerp and back in the 'Rainbow,' an iron steam-boat of 407 tons burden, and report on the subject. On receiving their report, which was revised by Mr. Brunel, and which was strongly in favour of the adoption of iron, the Directors resolved to build their s.h.i.+p of that material, and of not less than 2,000 tons measurement, the same size as that which they had intended for their wooden s.h.i.+p. They also determined to erect the shops, and provide the tools for building her themselves.

As in the case of the 'Great Western,' the details of construction were settled by the Building Committee--Captain Claxton, Mr. Guppy, and Mr.

Brunel--who were a.s.sisted by Mr. Patterson.

The preparation of the design occupied some time. In each succeeding drawing an increased size was proposed; at length the fifth design, showing a s.h.i.+p of 3,443 tons burden, was finally approved of. On July 19, 1839, the flat keel plates were laid, and the construction of the hull was commenced.

It will be necessary to enter with some detail into the history of the construction of the engines of the 'Great Britain,' as it has often been stated that it was on Mr. Brunel's recommendation that the Company built their own engines. It appears, however, that Mr. Brunel repeatedly urged upon the Directors the utmost caution and economy, and that they ultimately acted 'against his suggestion.'

When the Directors determined, in May 1838, to build a second s.h.i.+p, they did not entertain any idea of undertaking so great a responsibility as the manufacture of the engines; nor had they any intention of doing so, even when, towards the end of the same year, they resolved to build the s.h.i.+p themselves, and to construct her of iron.

The dimensions of the proposed paddle engines (for at this date the use of the screw propeller was not contemplated) were sent, in November 1838, to Messrs. Maudslay and Field, Messrs. Hall, and Messrs.

Seaward.[125]

Messrs. Maudslay declined to tender, and the negotiations seem to have fallen through at the time; but they were renewed in April 1839, when estimates for engines (with cylinders of 100 inches diameter and seven feet stroke) were again invited from several makers.

The contest lay eventually between Messrs. Maudslay and Mr. Humphrys (whose patent for trunk engines was worked by Messrs. Hall). At Mr.

Brunel's desire they prepared designs for engines with cylinders of 120 inches diameter. He twice induced the Directors to postpone coming to a decision on the subject, in order that Messrs. Maudslay might mature their new patent for double-cylinder engines.

When their tender was placed before the Board, the Directors were of opinion that it largely exceeded the estimate of Mr. Humphrys. Mr.

Humphrys' estimate, however, had been more than once sent back to him for revision, at the suggestion of Mr. Brunel, who expressed doubts as to the possibility of Mr. Humphrys being able to construct his engines within the sum named by him.

Messrs. Hall stated that if they tendered for the supply of engines on Mr. Humphrys' plan, large tools would have to be purchased by them, and the cost charged on the one pair of engines; they therefore strongly recommended the Company to become their own engine makers.

Influenced by these considerations, the Directors determined to adopt the plan of Mr. Humphrys, and to construct their own engines; and they appointed him the superintending engineer of their works.

It appears from a report by the secretary, Captain Claxton, dated March 23, 1840, that 'previous to coming to this decision, Mr. Brunel succinctly laid before the Directors his views of the matter, and his opinion of the great responsibility they would incur if they made their own engines; and doubtless the Directors would have yielded to his suggestions, but for the report of Mr. Humphrys, showing the utter hopelessness of getting the engines made piecemeal in Bristol.'

The following is the report of Mr. Brunel on the subject:--

June 12, 1839.