More than twenty trials were made between that date and the following October, when the ‘Rattler’ went to sea, and Mr. Brunel could not of course any longer personally superintend the experiments; but, except on one or two occasions when his place was supplied by an assistant, all the trials that were made during the first year were conducted in his presence, and he transmitted the results from time to time to the Admiralty.[137]
The performance of the ‘Rattler’ was found to be satisfactory; and the position of the engines and screw being below the water line was so pre-eminent an advantage, that in 1845 the Lords of the Admiralty ordered more than twenty vessels to be fitted with the screw;[138] and since that time it has gradually superseded the paddlewheel for ships of war.
The services which Mr. Brunel rendered to the country during the whole of these proceedings were given entirely without pecuniary recompense, and in the face of opposition and discouragement; but he had the satisfaction of knowing that he had been mainly instrumental, not only in introducing the screw propeller into the mercantile navy, but also in securing its adoption in Her Majesty’s fleet.
CHAPTER XI.
STEAM NAVIGATION—THE ‘GREAT EASTERN’ STEAM-SHIP, FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE UNDERTAKING TO THE LAUNCH.
A.D. 1851—1857. ÆTATIS 46—52.
INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS—THE AUSTRALIAN STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY—STATEMENT OF MR. BRUNEL’S PROJECT OF A LINE OF LARGE SHIPS (JUNE 10, 1852)—ADOPTION OF HIS PLANS BY THE EASTERN STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY—EXTRACT FROM A LETTER DESCRIBING THE SCHEME (JULY 1, 1852)—LETTER TO J. SCOTT RUSSELL, ESQ., ON THE FORM AND DIMENSIONS OF THE GREAT SHIP (JULY 13, 1852)—REPORT ON MODE OF PROCEEDING (JULY 21, 1852)—REPORT ON ENQUIRIES RELATING TO THE DRAUGHT AND FORM OF THE VESSEL (OCTOBER 6, 1852)—REPORT ON THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO CONSIDER MR. BRUNEL’S PLANS (MARCH 21, 1853)—TENDERS INVITED FOR THE SHIP AND ENGINES—REPORT ON TENDERS (MAY 18, 1853)—PREPARATION OF THE CONTRACTS AND SPECIFICATIONS—EXTRACTS FROM MR. BRUNEL’S MEMORANDA (A.D. 1852, 1853, 1854)—LETTER ON HIS POSITION AND DUTIES AS ENGINEER OF THE COMPANY (AUGUST 16, 1854)—LETTER ON AN ARTICLE IN A NEWSPAPER (NOVEMBER 16, 1854)—REPORT ON THE UNDERTAKING (FEBRUARY 5, 1855)—ARRANGEMENTS PROPOSED FOR OBTAINING ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATIONS—LETTER TO G. B. AIRY, ESQ., ASTRONOMER ROYAL (OCTOBER 5, 1852)—APPOINTMENT OF MR. WILLIAM HARRISON TO THE COMMAND OF THE SHIP—MEMORANDUM ON THE MANAGEMENT OF THE GREAT SHIP (OCTOBER, 1855)—LETTER ON THE DUTIES OF THE CHIEF ENGINEER (MARCH 19, 1857)—SUSPENSION AND RESUMPTION OF THE WORKS.
MR. BRUNEL’S earlier labours in connection with the progress of Ocean Steam Navigation have been described in the chapters on the ‘Great Western’ and ‘Great Britain’ steam-ships.[139] The ‘Great Eastern’ is but the result of the application, under different circumstances, of the same principles which had guided him in his previous under-takings, the practical working out of the ‘idea which he had frequently entertained, that, to make long voyages economically and speedily by steam, required the vessels to be large enough to carry the coal for the entire voyage at least outwards; and, unless the facility for obtaining coal was very great at the out port, then for the return voyage also; and that vessels much larger than had been previously built could be navigated with great advantage from the mere effect of size.’[140]
In 1851, four years after the release of the ‘Great Britain’ from Dundrum Bay, Mr. Brunel became again connected with the construction of steam-ships. In that year he was consulted by the Directors of the Australian Mail Company upon the class of vessels which it would be advantageous for them to purchase, in order to carry out their contract for the conveyance of the mails to Australia. He advised them to have ships of from 5,000 to 6,000 tons burden, in order that they might only have to touch for coal at the Cape.
Some of the Directors would not hear of so startling a proposition; but they nevertheless asked Mr. Brunel to become their Engineer; and he retained the post till February 1853. Two ships were built under his direction by Mr. J. Scott Russell—the ‘Victoria’ and the ‘Adelaide.’
It was, no doubt, his connection with the Australian Mail Company that led Mr. Brunel to work out into practical shape the idea of ‘a great ship’ for the Indian or Australian service, which had so long occupied his mind; and it appears that in the latter part of 1851 and the beginning of 1852 he devoted much time and thought to the subject. He collected facts relating to the trade with India and Australia which demonstrated the advantages to be gained by a rapid and direct communication for the conveyance of passengers and troops, as well as of merchandise. It was with these enlarged views that Mr. Brunel entered upon the construction of the ‘Great Eastern.’ He writes in February 1854, ‘In February and March 1852 I matured my ideas of the large ship with nearly all my present details, and in March I made my first sketch of one with paddles and screw. The size I then proposed was 600 × 70, and in June and July I determined on the mode of construction now adopted of cellular bottom; intending then to make the outer skin of wood for the sake of coppering.’
In the spring of 1852 he communicated the results at which he had arrived to Mr. John Scott Russell, Captain Claxton, and other scientific friends, and also to several Directors of the Eastern Steam Navigation Company.