| Description | Written from 49 Camden Road Villas, London. The letter sets out Cousins' rough plan for launching the Great Eastern since he is concerned that Brunel's plans and machinery may not match his expectations. Cousins suggests erecting a wall, strengthened by an embankment at a distance of six inches around the ship which is filled with sufficient water to float the vessel and building a lock with a flood gate longer than the ship as well as excavating two canals, one inside the lock and one outside and then using this lock gate to float the ship into the canal before floating it into the river.
At the bottom of Folio 253 is the beginning of a letter addressed from the Admiralty, dated 3 November 1857 which has been crossed through in red ink. |