MECHANICS AND USEFUL ARTS. 25 



the saloons, is the handsome and roomy entrances and the spacious stairs, 

 so unlike the cramped-up companion and stair-way so often found on board 

 ship. The first-class saloons and sleeping cabins are in the fore part of the 

 centre of the vessel, the second class abaft them, and the third class still 

 further aft, which arrangement is the reverse of that generally adopted. 

 The largest saloon is nearly one hundred feet long, thirty-six feet wide, and 

 thirteen feet high. Above it are two other saloons, one above sixty feet 

 long, and a smaller one, about twenty-four feet long; both are twenty-five 

 feet wide and twelve feet high; the smaller of the two is for a ladies' 

 cabin. The sleeping cabins are about fourteen feet long by seven or 

 eight feet wide, by seven feet four inches high, quite large rooms ; each 

 room is ventilated by two brass scuttles of fourteen inches in diameter. 

 There are, besides these, six other saloons, Avith their different sleeping 

 cabins, all of the same height as those we have described, and nearly as 

 lurge. The total length thus occupied by the cabins is three hundred and 

 ten feet. 



The separate compartments into which the hotels for the accommodation 

 of passengers are divided, are as distinct from each other as so many differ- 

 ent houses; each has its splendid saloons, its bed-rooms or cabins, its 

 kitchen and its bar; and the passengers are no more able to walk from 

 the one to the other than the inhabitants of one house can communicate 

 through the parti- walls with their next-door neighbors. The only process 

 by which visiting can be carried on, is by means of the upper deck, or main 

 thoroughfare of the ship. The saloons, together with the sleeping apart- 

 ment, extending over three hundred and fifty feet, are located in the middle 

 instead of extreme aft, according to the usual arrangement. The advan- 

 tage of this disposition of the hotel department must be evident to all those 

 who have been to sea, and know the advantage of a snug berth, as near as 

 possible to the centre of the ship, where its transverse and longitudinal axes 

 meet, and where, of course, there is no motion at all. The passengers are 

 placed immediately above the boilers and engines; but the latter arc com- 

 pletely shut off from the living freight by a strongly arched roof of iron, 

 above which, and below the lowest iron deck, the coals are stowed, and pre- 

 vent all sound and vibration from penetrating to the inhabitants in the 

 upper stories. 



There are tAvo large holds, devoted exclusiA-ely to cargo, one at each end 

 of the cabins. They are both sixty feet long, and are the whole depth and 

 breadth of the ship; each is capable of holding one thousand tons of cargo. 

 The total quantity of space appropriated to cargo AA'ill be regulated entirely 

 by circumstances. It AA-ould be quite easy to stOAV six thousand tons in the 

 hold and various other unappropriated places. The creAv and officers are 

 berthed forward. The captain has a splendid suite of rooms, Avithin easy 

 distance of the paddle-boxes. 



The Great Eastern has twenty ports on the lower deck, each five feet 

 square, to receive railway wagons. She has also sixty ports on each side, 

 two feet six inches square, for A'entilation, and an abundance of dead-lights. 

 The lower ports are sixteen feet above the water Avhen the ship is loaded. 

 The bulwarks are nine feet six inches high fonvard, and slope down to 

 above five feet high amidships and aft. The massive wrought-iron deck is 

 covered Avith teak planking, placed about six inches distance from the iron. 

 The Aveight of the Avhole ship Avhen voyaginir, Avith every contemplated ai'ticle 

 and person on board, is estimated at not less than twenty-five thousand tons. 



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