Launching a Giant

Like a great many things associated with the Great Eastern the launch was a disaster. Under a tumult of grinding iron, workers being thrown from screaming windlasses, gears stripping, huge chains snapping, crew leaping from their river barges in fear of their lives, fleeing workers and screaming spectators, the 12,000 tons of ship moved, during her launch, only a few inches. 2 workers died during the first failed launch attempt of the Great Eastern bringing the total deaths up to 7.

The task of moving the Great Eastern into a better position for a renewed launch attempt was a Herculean task that Brunel had not vouched for. Robert Stephenson, another famous Victorian inventor and creator of the Rocket, even left his deathbed to offer help and advice to Brunel.

On the 31st of January 1858, over 2 months after the initial launch attempt and with no cheering crowds and brass bands to send her on her way, the Great Eastern finally slid into the waters of the Thames.

The Great Eastern had been built 330 feet from the Thames and it had cost the Great Eastern Steam Navigation Company £1000 a foot to move the ship slowly down the bank and finally into the water. Along with the launch the ship had cost nearly £1 million and was still far from ready. Once launched there was a myriad of other items such as funnels, furnishings, instruments, saloons, lifeboats and donkey engines yet to be fitted.


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