352 



GREAT EASTERN. 



that, in order to handle it, it had to bo slung 

 by ropes from a timber overhead. Mr. Towle 

 had the wrench swung in a proper position, 

 with its outer end firmly lashed in place, and 

 then as the rudder was turning the proper way 

 the wrench was pushed into its hold on the 

 nut, when the onward turning of the rudder 

 screwed the post up through the nut. As the 

 rudder started to turn back in the opposite 

 direction the wrench was removed. By three 

 hours' labor in this manner the nut was screwed 

 back to its place, the last turn carrying away 

 the lashings, and sending the wrench rattling 

 along the iron deck. Meantime, Capt. "Walker 

 had accomplished the great task of moving the 

 massive cable back to the stern. A hole was 

 cut in the upper deck, the cable passed down, 

 and then commenced the difficult labor of wind- 

 ing it upon the collar. 



Besides the rolling of the ship, the rudder was 

 constantly beaten by the waves, turning the 

 collar back and forth with resistless power, 

 and thrashing the massive cable about the iron 

 deck. The chain, too, was enormously heavy, 

 each link weighing some 60 pounds. But the 

 strength, courage, and devotion of the men, 

 overcame all obstacles. The first coil around 

 the collar was secured by lashings of smaller 

 chains, these being passed through the holes in 

 the bottom plate and around the flanges till the 

 holes were filled with the chains. The second 

 coil was secured in the same thorough manner 

 to the first, and the third to the second, till a 

 mass of chain, about 4 feet in diameter, was 

 bound around the rudder. The ends of the 

 cable were now carried around the two stout 

 posts or bits, b 6, figs. 1 and 2, which were pro- 

 vided for holding the stern cable in mooring 



TEMPORARY STEERING APPARATUS OF THE GREAT EASTERN. 



the ship, and connected with tackle for taking 

 up the slack, while smaller chains attached to 

 the two parts of the cable leading from the 

 rudder-post were connected through the tackle, 

 d d, with the steering gear of the lower tiller. 

 At 3 A. M., Mr. Towle informed the engineer 

 that he was ready to steer the ship, and re- 

 quested that steam might be put on, and the 

 screw turned. But all of the next day was lost 

 in waiting for the engineer to test another plan 

 of his own. This was a failure and all the la- 

 bor was lost. It was then 5 o'clock in the af- 

 ternoon, and the captain was again requested 

 by Mr. Towle to order a few turns at least to 

 be given to the screw. The order was given, 

 and the great ship moved off, again under the 



perfect control of her commander's will. She 

 swept around in a graceful circle, and then took 

 up her course for Queenstown. 



The paddle wheels being destroyed by the 

 waves, the vessel was propelled by the screw 

 alone, but she moved steadily on her course, 

 and made nine knots an hour. During the 

 voyage the steering apparatus required con- 

 stant attention, great care being needed, espe- 

 cially to take up the slack in the main cable. 

 If this became loose, a sudden turn of the rud- 

 der would snap off the smaller chain connected 

 with the steering tackle, as if it were a piece 

 of pack thread. The vessel arrived off Queens- 

 town on Tuesday afternoon at 4 o'clock. On 

 the arrival of the vessel, a meeting of the pas- 



