n all human
probability every soul on board would have perished."

It has been said that if the ship had been more deeply laden she would
have weathered the gale more easily. This, if true, is an argument in
her favour. But in viewing the whole circumstances of this and previous
disasters, we cannot avoid being deeply impressed with the fact that the
_Great Eastern had not up to that time had fair play_. In her
construction and general arrangements there have been some grave, and
numerous more or less trivial errors. From first to last there has been
a good deal of gross mismanagement; but the _Great Eastern_ cannot, with
justice, be pronounced a failure. Latterly she has done good service in
laying ocean telegraph-cables, a species of work for which she is
pre-eminently well adapted. It is possible that she may yet live to
ride out many a wild Atlantic storm, and perchance become the first of a
race of ponderous giants who shall yet walk the deep,--to the utter
confusion of timid croakers, and to the immense advantage of the world.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

CURIOUS CRAFT OF MANY LANDS.

"Many men, many minds," runs the proverb. "Many nations, many ships,"
is almost equally true. A nation may show its individuality in the
fashion of its marine architecture as much as in any other direction--
as, for instance, in its national dress, dwelling-houses, food,
amusements; and an ethnologist in studying a people's characteristics
may do wisely not to overlook its ships and boats.

Even in Europe, where an advanced civilisation may be supposed to be
slowly smoothing off national characteristics and peculiarities, and
gradually blending and amalgamating diverse national customs, there
still exists a considerable disparity in the marine architecture of
different states; while between the ships of Europe and those of some
parts of Asia the gulf is certainly broad enough, so that about the only
point of resemblance between an English ironclad and a Chinese junk is,
that both are manifestly better adapted for the sea than the land. We
now propose describing some of the more curious craft peculiar to
various nations, beginning with Europe:

The Dutch galliot is a somewhat peculiar craft to the eye of an
Englishman; heavy and clumsy-looking beyond doubt, but a good sea-boat
notwithstanding. The galliot looks much the same, whether you regard
her from stem or from stern, both being almost equally rounded. Keel
she has sc