Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

76 ENGINEERING WONDERS OF THE WORLD. very difficult to fair them, and keep them in their proper Difficulties with the Ways. The Launch. position until they had been securely fastened. Time and again they rose to the surface, and eventually heavy weights had to be cast and laid on them, these weights remaining in position until a day or so before the launch, as the very rough weather which is often encountered would otherwise most probably have displaced everything and caused a calamity. Violent storms are often experienced, and a 6-foot sea is not infrequent on the Baikal. The waves roll in with such force that much damage is often caused along the coast-line. A number of rough pontoons had to be built, filled with stones, and sunk at the stern of the vessel, so as to form a breakwater. But for them the heavy seas would have carried away all the stern supports. June 29, 1899, was the date fixed for the launching ceremony, and as the time drew near there was much suppressed excitement amongst the natives. The launch formed the sole topic of conversation. Many and varied were the arguments set forth as to how the vessel was to be transferred from her present position and placed in the lake. On the morning of the launch the ship and yard buildings presented a gay appearance with their brightly-coloured flags of all nation- alities, the British and Russian being most prominent. People flocked into the village from the surrounding districts, from Irkutsk, and from over the lake, all anxious to see the wonderful ship which was going to forge its way through the ice and carry the trains across the Baikal Sea. They had never even imagined that such a thing could be possible ; and now that the “ monster ” had been built on the very shores of the lake, they looked at it in wonderment, and crossed themselves piously as they waited patiently for the cere- mony to commence. The Natives of Baikal. being Tartars are either de- settled in the The weather was beautifully fine, and by midday everything was in readiness. The “ daggers ” were then relieved of their weight, and the ship glided gracefully down the ways and out into the Baikal Sea—a most suc- cessful launch. No drags or check-ropes were necessary here, as there is a clear, uninter- rupted course of forty miles before the other side of the lake is reached. The three following days were proclaimed as holidays, and as a natural sequel to the launch the whole of the village was in a state of drunken- ness for the remainder of the week. A few words here about the villagers may be interesting. The natives proper of this district are Bouriats, a very hardy race, whose principal occupation is hunting and fishing ; but the major- ity of the inhabitants of List- venitchnaia are a very mixed lot, a fair proportion of them and Caucasians. These people scendants of exiles who have country, or are themselves exiles whose term of banishment has not expired, and whom their passports prevent from returning to Kussia. After they have done a term of imprisonment or labour, according to their crime, they settle down in the Siberian villages for the remainder of their exile, and have to provide for them- selves, as they receive no support from the Government. These people supplied the ma- jority of the labour employed in the building of the ship. After the launch the Baikal was towed over to Baranschick, which is at the mouth of the Angara, and was then the terminus of the railway. At this place a good deal of work had been in progress for several years on an open-ended dock or harbour, projecting into the lake, to provide shelter for the vessel while loading and discharging. The railway ran right up to the head of the dock, and the cars were embarked over a hinged gangway on to the carriage deck.