“It is a question of much interest to determine what amount of speed this power will impart to the vessel. Messrs. James Watt & Co.’s anticipation is that the speed of the vessel will be about seventeen miles per hour, and from that to eighteen miles seems to be about the limit engineers have hitherto predicted. But we believe that these anticipations fall very short of what the real speed will be, and which we do not hesitate to predict, will turn out to be between twenty-four and twenty-five miles per hour.” (“Illustrated London News,” 23rd May, 1857).
On Tuesday, 3rd November, 1857, the first attempt was made to launch the Great Eastern. The hour named for commencing the launching operations was 11 o’clock, and was kept fairly punctually. The chief machinery for moving the hull was boxed off, and nearly altogether out of sight. The vessel’s name, Leviathan, was given by Miss Hope (who afterwards became the Duchess of Newcastle), the daughter of the Chairman of the Great Eastern Steam Navigation Company, and the name displayed upon a board; the change of name from Great Eastern to Leviathan occasioning a good deal of surprise. After the customary bottle of wine was smashed against the vessel’s bow, a “fortissimo obligate” of sledge hammers resounded above and around—then ceased. The great ship moved for a few feet, then stopped. The congregated thousands waited in suspense, when suddenly a terrific report was heard. One of the powerful drums used in the launch had cracked. An order had been misunderstood; the after-winch handles were turned the wrong way; the heavy iron handles revolved wildly, striking down the men, fracturing their arms and legs, and with a fatal result in one instance.
A second attempt was made to launch the Leviathan on Thursday, 19th November, 1857, but the efforts were even less successful than on the first occasion, for despite all the mechanical power brought to bear on her she would not move an inch.
On Monday, 11th January, 1858, launching operations were resumed at Millwall, and the monster ship was moved riverwards to the extent of 20 feet. On Tuesday a further advance was made until a little after 3 o’clock in the afternoon, when, having moved 16 feet 10 inches aft, and 15 feet 1 inch forward, it was thought desirable to suspend operations. At high water on the latter day the ship was water borne to the height of 7½ feet, which had the effect of diminishing the resistance to the extent of 4,000 tons. The yard and river banks were crowded with spectators on the following day (Wednesday), in the expectation that the ship would float, but she was only moved another 2½ inches. On Thursday the Leviathan was pushed down the full extent of the ways, and there left for the next spring tides.
The completion of the launch of this stupendous and beautiful vessel took place on Sunday, 31st January, 1858, under the most favourable circumstances, and unattended with a single accident, the high tide lifting the vessel clear off the ways.
It is incomprehensible how so eminent an engineer as Brunel should have made such a mistake as to attempt to force so huge a fabric broadside on into the river. The costly experiment added £120,000 to the cost of the ship, and practically ruined the company.
From the commencement of the company’s operations, the directors were hampered by the failure of many of the shareholders to meet the calls upon their shares when due. To add to these difficulties, Messrs. Scott Russell & Co. (the builders of the ship), in 1855, found themselves unable to meet their obligations, and to complete the construction of the Great Eastern.
At the half-yearly meeting of the company, held on the 15th February, 1856, the chairman reported that the failure of Mr. Scott Russell would be a cause of some delay, and of some increased cost in the completion of their vessel, which would be undertaken by the company’s engineer, Mr. I. K. Brunel. Twelve months later it was announced that calls to date amounted to £606,000, of which nearly £200,000 remained unpaid, owing to a number of other shareholders, in addition to Mr. Scott Russell, having become insolvent.
The opening months of 1858 saw the Great Eastern successfully launched, but the Great Eastern Steam Navigation Company had not the funds necessary for her equipment. During the year the company was wound up by the sale and transfer of the ship to a new company for the sum of £160,000—
“All the capital had been expended, the public refused to advance any more money, and if the directors wished their ship to be anything but a helpless, unfinished carcase on the waters £300,000 more must be found to make her ready for sea. To the exertions of Mr. Campbell (the present chairman of the Board), and to Mr. William Jackson (the eminent and well-known contractor of Birkenhead), we believe is greatly owing the pleasant result of our being at length able to announce that the Great Eastern is ready for sea. But one still more remarkable aid was forthcoming, and which we could hardly believe, only that we have it on the best authority—it was a subscription of no less than £50,000 of the supplementary capital, in sums of £1 to £5, by persons in the humblest ranks of life (domestic servants, costermongers, greengrocers and labourers)—who tendered their money avowedly without any expectation of profit, but solely that they might hear of the great ship, which they looked upon as the pride of England, being fairly afloat on the deep waters. Such a fact at once took the vessel out of the category of mere commercial undertakings, and more than anything else stimulated the brave men who were her projectors to renewed exertions for her ultimate completion.” (“Illustrated London News,” 13th August, 1859).