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diff --git a/40948.txt b/40948.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 7b4d7c8..0000000 --- a/40948.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6202 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's The Atlantic Telegraph, by William Howard Russell - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The Atlantic Telegraph - -Author: William Howard Russell - -Release Date: October 5, 2012 [EBook #40948] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH *** - - - - -Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images available at The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - -[Illustration: THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH - -BY W H RUSSELL, LLD - -ILLUSTRATED BY ROBERT DUDLEY - -DEDICATED BY SPECIAL PERMISSION TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS - -ALBERT EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES - -DAY & SON LIMITED 6 GATE STREET LONDON - -R. Dudley] - - - - -THE ATLANTIC - -TELEGRAPH - -(1865) - - - - -THE ATLANTIC -TELEGRAPH -(1865) - -by -W. H. RUSSELL - -NAVAL INSTITUTE PRESS - - - - -International Standard Book Number 0-87021-806-9 - -Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 75-184620 - -First published in 1865 - -Published and Distributed in the -United States of America by the -Naval Institute Press - -Printed in Great Britain - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - -Weighing anchor off the Maplin Sands, Nore, July 15, 1865 ii - - OPPOSITE PAGE - -The reels of gutta-percha-covered conducting-wire conveyed -into tanks at the works at Greenwich 14 - -Valentia in 1857-1858 at the time of the laying of the former -cable 15 - -Trinity Bay, Newfoundland: Exterior view of Telegraph House -in 1857-1858 26 - -Telegraph House, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland: Interior of -messroom, 1858 27 - -H.M.S. Agamemnon laying the Atlantic telegraph cable in 1858: -A whale crosses the line 30 - -Coiling the cable in the large tanks at the works at Greenwich 31 - -The cable passed from the works into the hulk lying in the -Thames at Greenwich 38 - -The old frigate with her freight of cable alongside the Great -Eastern at Sheerness 39 - -Paying-out machinery 40 - -Coiling the cable in the after-tank on board the Great Eastern -at Sheerness: Visit of H.R.H. The Prince of Wales on May 24 41 - -Foilhummerum Bay, Valentia, looking seawards from the point -at which the cable reaches the shore 44 - -The cliffs, Foilhummerum Bay: Point of the landing of the -shore end of cable, July 22 45 - -Foilhummerum Bay, Valentia, from Cromwell Fort: The -Caroline and boats laying the earth-wire, July 21 48 - -The Great Eastern under weigh, July 23: Escort and other -ships introduced being the Terrible, the Sphinx, the Hawk, -and the Caroline 49 - -Chart, showing the track of the steamship Great Eastern on -her voyage from Valentia to Newfoundland 56 - -Splicing the cable (after the first accident) on board the Great -Eastern, July 25 57 - -View (looking aft) from the port paddle-box of Great Eastern: -Showing the trough for cable, etc. 62 - -The forge on deck; Night of August 9: Preparing the iron -plating for capstan 63 - -Searching for fault after recovery of the cable from the bed of -the Atlantic, July 31 72 - -In the bows, August 2: The cable broken and lost: Preparing -to grapple 73 - -Getting out one of the large buoys for launching, August 2 80 - -General view of Port Magee, &c., from the heights below Cora -Beg: The Caroline laying the shore end of the cable, July 22 81 - -Interior of one of the tanks on board the Great Eastern: -Cable passing out 86 - -Launching buoy on August 8, in lat. 51° 25' 30''; long. 30° 56' -(marking spot where cable had been grappled) 87 - -Forward deck cleared for the final attempt at grappling, -August 11 92 - - - - -THE - -ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH. - - -I shall not detain the readers of this brief narrative with any sketch -of the progress of electrical science. There are text-books, -cyclopædias, and treatises full of information concerning the men who -worked in early days, and recording the labours of those who still toil -on, investigating the laws and developing the applications of the subtle -agency which has long attracted the attention of the most acute, -ingenious, and successful students of natural philosophy. For the last -two centuries the greater number of those whose names are known in -science have made electrical experiments a favourite pursuit, or turned -to them as an agreeable recreation from severer studies. The rapidity -with which electricity travels for considerable distances through -insulated conductors soon suggested its use as a means of transmitting -intelligence; but the high tension of the currents from friction -machines, and the difficulty of insulating the conductors, were -practical obstacles to the employment of the devices, some of them -ingenious, recommended for that purpose from year to year. Otto Von -Guericke, and his globe of sulphur; Grey, with his glass tube and silken -cords; and Franklin, with his kite, were, however, the precursors of the -philosophers who have done much, and whose successors may yet do much -more, for the world. It is not easy to decide whether it is the man who -gives a new idea to the world, or he who embodies that idea in a form -and turns it into a fact, who is deserving of the credit to be assigned -to any invention. A vague expression of belief that a certain end may be -attained at a future period by means then unknown does not constitute a -discovery, and does not entitle the person who utters it, verbally or in -writing, to the honour which is due to him who indicates specifically -the way of achieving the object, or who actually accomplishes it by -methods he has either invented or applied. The Marquis of Worcester -certainly did not invent the steam-engine; neither did Watson, Salva, -Soemmering, or Ronalds, or any other of the many early experimentalists, -discover electric telegraphy. But there is a degree of credit due to -those who, contending with imperfect materials and want of knowledge, -persist in working out their ideas, and succeed in rescuing them from -the region of chimæras. The inventions of one render capable of -realisation the ideas of another, which but for them had remained dreams -and visions. The introduction of a novel product into commerce, or the -chance discovery of some property in a common material, may draw a -project out of the limbo of impracticabilities. A suggestion at one -period may be more valuable than an invention at another, and -adaptations may be more useful than discoveries. Indeed, when the -testimony on which men's reputations, as finders or makers, rest, is -critically examined, a suspicion is often generated that there have been -many Vespuccis in the world who have given names to places they never -found, and taken or received credit for what they never did. - -If any person takes an interest in determining who was the inventor of -electric telegraphy, he should study the works and mark the improvements -of the natural philosophers of the last as well as of the present, -century, and he can then arrive at some result without exciting national -jealousy, or injuring individual susceptibilities. Humboldt assigns the -credit of making the first electric telegraph to Salva, who constructed -a line 26 miles long, from Madrid to Aranjuez, in 1798. Russia claims -the honour of having invented aerial telegraphic lines, because Baron -Von Schilling proposed a line for the Emperor from St. Petersburg to -Peterhoff, below Cronstadt, in 1834, and was laughed at by scientific -Muscovites for his pains. But the Baron certainly did transmit messages -along wires supported by poles in the air. The Count du Moncel, in his -recent "Traité de Télégraphie Electrique," gives to Mr. Wheatstone the -palm as the original inventor of submarine Cables, to which award, no -doubt, there will be some dissent. Mr. Wheatstone, however, as early as -1840, brought before the House of Commons the project of a cable, to be -laid between Dover and Calais, though he does not seem to have had at -the time any decided views as to the mode in which insulation was to be -obtained. In 1843, Professor Morse, detailing the results of some -experiments with an electric magnetic telegraph between Washington and -Baltimore, in a letter to the Secretary of the United States, wrote: -"The practical inference from this law is that a telegraphic -communication on the electric-magnetic plan, may with certainty be -established across the Atlantic Ocean. Startling as this may seem now, -I am confident the time will come when this project will be realised." -But for the experiments and discoveries of Oersted, Sturgeon, Ampére, -Davy, Henry, and Faraday, and a long list of others, such suggestions -would have remained as little likely to be realised as the Bishop of -Llandaff's notions of a flying-machine, or the crude theories of the -alchemists. He who first produces a practical result--something which, -however imperfect, gives a result to be seen and felt, and appreciated -by the senses--is the true [Greek: poiêtês]--the maker and -inventor, whom the world should recognise, no matter how much may be -done by others to improve his work, each of those improvers being, after -his kind, deserving of recognition for what he does. A year before -Professor Morse wrote the letter to Mr. Spencer, he took some steps to -show that which he prophesied was practicable. In the autumn of the year -1842 he stretched a submarine cable from Castle Garden to Governor's -Island in the harbour of New York, demonstrated to the American -Institute the possibility of effecting electric communication through -the sea, and submitted that telegraphic communication might with -certainty be established across the Atlantic. Later in the same year he -sent a current across the canal at Washington. But that was not the -first current transmitted under water, for as early as 1839, Sir W. -O'Shaughnessy, the late Superintendent of Electric Telegraphs in India, -hauled an insulated wire across the Hooghly at Calcutta, and produced -electrical phenomena at the other side of the river. In 1846, Col. Colt, -the patentee of the revolver, and Mr. Robinson, of New York, laid a wire -across the river from New York to Brooklyn, and from Long Island to -Coney Island. In 1849, Mr. Walker sent messages to shore through two -miles of insulated wire from a battery on board a steamer off -Folkestone. - -It was in 1851 that an electric cable was actually laid in the open sea, -and worked successfully; and the wire which then connected Dover with -Calais was beyond question the first important line of submarine -telegraph ever attempted. In the year 1850, Mr. Brett obtained a -concession from the French Government for effecting this object,--an -object regarded at the time as one purely chimerical, and decried by the -press as a gigantic swindle. The cable which was made for the purpose -consisted of a solid copper wire, covered with gutta percha. When tested -by Mr. Woollaston, it was found to be so imperfect from air holes in the -gutta-percha, that the water found its way to the copper wire,--an -imperfection which was however shortly repaired. This cable was -manufactured at the Gutta Percha works, on the Wharf Road, City Road, -under the superintendence of the late Mr. Samuel Statham; was then -coiled on a drum, and conveyed by steam-tug to Dover, and in the year -1850 was payed out from Dover to Calais. The landing-place in France was -Cape Grisnez, from which place a few messages passed, so as to comply -with the terms of the concession and test the accuracy of the principle. -The communication thus established between the Continent and England -was, after a few hours, abruptly stopped. A diligent fisherman, plying -his vocation, took up part of the cable in his trawl, and cut off a -piece, which he bore in triumph to Boulogne, where he exhibited it as a -specimen of a rare seaweed, with its centre filled with gold. It is -believed that this "pescatore ignobile" returned again and again to -search for further specimens of this treasure of the deep: it is, at all -events, perfectly certain that he succeeded in destroying the submarine -cable. - -This accident caused the attention of scientific men to be directed to -the discovery of some mode of preserving submarine cables from similar -casualties, and a suggestion was made by Mr. Küper, who was engaged in -the manufacture of wire ropes, to Mr. Woollaston and to Mr. T. R. -Crampton, that the wire insulated with gutta-percha should form a core -or centre to a wire rope, so as to give protection to it during the -process of paying out and laying down, as well as to guard it from the -anchors of vessels and the rocks, and to secure a perfect electrical -continuity. - -Mr. Crampton, who had already accepted the contract for laying the cable -between England and France, and had given up much of his time to the -study of the subject, adopted this idea, and in 1851 he and several -gentlemen associated for the purpose laid the cable between Dover and -Calais, where it has since remained in perfect order, constituting the -great channel of electrical communication between England and the -Continent. It was made by Wilkins & Weatherly, Newall & Co., Küper & -Co., and Mr. Crampton. The exertions of the last-named eminent engineer -in laying the first cable under water, and his devotion to an object -towards which he largely contributed in money, are only known to a few, -and have never been adequately acknowledged. - -The success of that form of cable having been thus completely -established, several lines of a similar character were laid during the -following years between England and Ireland and parts of the Continent: -one, 18 miles long, across the Great Belt, made by Newall & Co.; one -from Dover to Ostend, by the same makers and by Küper & Co.; one from -Donaghadee to Portpatrick, by Newall & Co.; one from Holyhead to Howth; -and one from Orfordness to the Hague. - -The superiority of a line with wire-rope cover to other descriptions of -cable was illustrated in 1853. At that period the Electric and -International Telegraph Company determined upon laying down four wires -between England and the Continent, but they rejected the heavy cable, -and adopted the suggestion of their engineer to use four separate -cables of light wire. The cost of maintaining these light cables from -injury by anchors, &c., was so great that they were picked up, and heavy -cables of great strength were substituted, which have given no trouble -or anxiety, and have always been in good order. - -The Old World had twelve lines of submarine cable laid ere the United -States turned their attention to the uses of such forms of telegraph. -Italy had been connected with Corsica by a line 110 miles long, and -Denmark had joined one of her little islands to the other, ere the Great -Republic gave a thought to the matter. But there were excuses for such -indifference. The Telegraphic system, to which Morse, Bain, House, and -others, had given such development, although the first line was not -constructed till 1844, extended rapidly all over the vast extent of the -Atlantic and Gulf States. The people were on the same continent, the -land was all their own, their greatest rivers could be traversed by -wires; and so it was that, whilst Mr. Morse was engaged in protecting -his patents, and the Americans, self-contained, were not looking beyond -the limits of their shores, a British North American Province took the -first step which was made at the other side of the Atlantic to lay down -a submarine cable. In 1851-2 a project was started in Newfoundland, to -run a line of steamers between Galway and St. John's in connection with -a telegraph to Cape Ray, where a submarine Cable was to be laid to Cape -Breton, and thence the news was to be carried by means of another cable -from New Brunswick to Prince Edward's Island. The Roman Catholic Bishop -of Newfoundland is stated to have been the original proposer of a scheme -for connecting the island with the United States, but the credit of -actually laying down the first submarine cable at the other side of the -Atlantic belongs to Mr. F.N. Gisborne, an English engineer. He had been -previously engaged in the telegraph department at Montreal, and had some -knowledge of the subject, but he happened to be in London at the time of -Brett's success. On his return to America he applied himself to get up a -Company for the purpose of facilitating telegraphic communication -between Europe and the United States. After much difficulty the Company -was formed, and an Act was passed by the Legislature of Newfoundland, in -1852, conferring the important privileges upon it, in event of the -completion of the project in Newfoundland, which are now possessed by -the Atlantic Telegraph Company. Mr. Gisborne was superintendent and -engineer of the Company, and he set to work with energy to construct a -road from St John's to Cape Ray, over a barren and resourceless tract of -400 miles, and made a survey of the coast line, during which he was -exposed to great hardships. He succeeded at last in laying an insulated -cable, made by Newall & Co., from New Brunswick to Prince Edward's -Island across the Straits of Northumberland, 11 miles long, in 22 -fathoms of water; but was not successful in a similar attempt to connect -Newfoundland with Cape Breton. Meantime the Company became involved in -pecuniary difficulties, and Mr. Gisborne, early in 1854, on the -suspension of the works, proceeded to New York, where he hoped to find -money to enable him to carry out the telegraphic scheme among the keen -speculators and large-pursed merchants. Through an accidental -conversation at the hotel in which he was staying, he obtained an -interview with Mr. Cyrus Field. He laid his plans before that gentleman, -who had no desire to resume an active career, having just returned from -travelling in South America, with the intention of enjoying the fortune -his industry and sagacity had secured ere he had arrived at the middle -term of life. But Mr. Field listened to Mr. Gisborne with attention, and -then began to think over the project--"To lay these submarine cables so -as to connect Newfoundland with Maine?--Good. To run a line of steamers -from St. John's to Galway?--Certainly. It would shorten the time of -receiving news in New York from Europe four or five days." And so the -brain worked and thought. Then suddenly, "But if a cable can be laid in -the bed of these seas--if the Great Atlantic itself could be spanned?" -Here was an idea indeed. Deep and broad seas had been traversed in -Europe, but here was one of the great oceans of the world, of depth but -faintly guessed at, and of nigh 2000 miles span from shore to shore! -Would it be within the limits of human resources to let down a line into -the watery void, and to connect the Old World with the New? What a -glorious thought! Was it a vision, or was it one of those inspirations -from which originate grand enterprises and results which change the -destinies of the world? Mr. Field terminated his reflections that night -by an eminently practical measure. Ere he retired to rest he sat down -and wrote two letters,--one to Lieut. Maury, U.S.N., to ask his opinion -concerning the possibility of laying down a cable in the bottom of the -Atlantic; the other to Professor Morse, to inquire whether he thought it -practicable to send an electric current through a wire between Europe -and America. Lieut Maury, in answering in the affirmative, wrote, -"Curiously enough, when your letter came I was looking over my letter to -the Secretary of the Navy on that very subject." And, in fact, on the -22nd February, 1854, Lieut. Maury made a long communication to Mr. -Dobbin, Secretary, United States Navy, from the Observatory, Washington, -respecting a series of deep-sea soundings made by Lieut. Berryman, -U.S.N., brig Dolphin, from Newfoundland to Ireland, in connection with -researches on the winds and currents, carried on for the National -Observatory. It is obvious that Lieut. Maury, as well as many others -probably, had thought of the same idea as Mr. Field. He says, "The -result is highly interesting, in so far as the bottom of the sea is -concerned, upon the question of a submarine telegraph across the -Atlantic;" and he goes on to make it the subject of a special report, in -which occur the following passages;-- - -"This line of deep-sea soundings seems to be decisive of the question as -to the practicability of a Submarine Telegraph between the two -continents, in so far as the bottom of the deep sea is concerned. From -Newfoundland to Ireland, the distance between the nearest points is -about 1,600 miles;[1] and the bottom of the sea between the two places -is a plateau, which seems to have been placed there especially for the -purpose of holding the wires of a Submarine Telegraph, and of keeping -them out of harm's way. It is neither too deep nor too shallow; yet it -is so deep that the wires, but once landed, will remain for ever beyond -the reach of vessels' anchors, icebergs, and drifts of any kind, and so -shallow that the wires may be readily lodged upon the bottom. The depth -of this plateau is quite regular, gradually increasing from the shores -of Newfoundland to the depth of from 1,500 to 2000 fathoms as you -approach the other side. The distance between Ireland and Cape St. -Charles, or Cape St. Lewis, in Labrador, is somewhat less than the -distance from any point of Ireland to the nearest point of Newfoundland. -But whether it would be better to lead the wires from Newfoundland or -Labrador is not now the question; nor do I pretend to consider the -question as to the possibility of finding a time calm enough, the sea -smooth enough, a wire long enough, a ship big enough, to lay a coil of -wire 1,600 miles in length; though I have no fear but that the -enterprise and ingenuity of the age, whenever called on with these -problems, will be ready with a satisfactory and practical solution of -them. - -"I simply address myself at this time to the question in so far as the -bottom of the sea is concerned, and as far as that the greatest -practical difficulties will, I apprehend, be found after reaching -soundings at either end of the line, and not in the deep sea. * * -Therefore, so far as the bottom of the deep sea between Newfoundland, or -the North Cape, at the mouth of the St. Lawrence, and Ireland, is -concerned, the practicability of a Submarine Telegraph across the -Atlantic is proved." - -Professor Morse, in 1843, indicated his conviction that a magnetic -current could be conveyed across the Atlantic, and his reply to Mr. -Field was now given with increased confidence to the same effect. Thus -encouraged, Mr. Field took measures to form a Company to purchase the -rights of the Newfoundland Company, and to connect Newfoundland with -Ireland by means of a submarine telegraph across the Atlantic. He -entered into an agreement with Mr. Gisborne for the purchase of the -privileges of the Company for 8000_l._, under certain conditions. Then -he put down the names of ten of the principal capitalists in New York, -and proceeded to unfold his project to each in succession; and having -secured the adhesion of Mr. Cooper, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Roberts, Mr. White, -and the advice of his brother, Mr. D. Field, he called a meeting of -these gentlemen at his house on 7th March. Similar meetings took place -at his residence on 8th, 9th, and 10th, and after full discussion and -consideration it was resolved to form "The New York, Newfoundland, and -London Telegraph Company," of which Peter Cooper was President; Moses -Taylor, Treasurer; Cyrus Field, C. White, M. O. Roberts, Directors; and -D. D. Field, Counsel. Mr. C. Field, his brother, and Mr. White were -commissioned to proceed to Newfoundland, to obtain from the Legislature -an act of incorporation, and set out for that purpose on March 15th. On -their arrival at St. John's, the Governor convoked the Executive -Council. He also sent a special message to the Legislature, then in -session, recommending them to pass an act of incorporation, with a -guarantee of interest on the Company's bonds to the amount of -50,000_l._, and to make them a grant of fifty square miles of land on -the island of Newfoundland, conditional on the completion of the -Telegraph. - -After some little delay, the Legislature, with one adverse member only, -granted the valuable privileges to the Company which were subsequently -transferred to the Atlantic Telegraph Company. They constitute, in fact, -a monopoly of telegraphic rights in Newfoundland, the value of which was -enhanced afterwards by similar concessions from the state of Maine, Nova -Scotia, Prince Edward's Island; and liberal encouragement from Canada. -There is much to be said against concessions, and monopolies, and -patents, on abstract grounds; but it is quite clear that in certain -circumstances men will not venture money and spend time, without the -prospect of the ulterior advantages such protection is calculated to -ensure. The Government has, however, informed Colonial and Provincial -Legislatures that in future Her Majesty will be advised not to give her -ratification to the creation of similar monopolies. By their chartered -rights the new Company obtained the exclusive privilege for fifty years -of landing cables on Newfoundland and Labrador, which embraces a coast -extending southwardly to Prince Edward's Island, Cape Breton, Nova -Scotia, the State of Maine, and their respective dependencies; and -westwardly to the very entrance of Hudson's Straits. The Company also -secured a grant of fifty square miles of land on the completion of -Telegraph to Cape Breton; a similar concession of additional fifty -square miles when the Cable shall have been laid between Ireland and -Newfoundland; a guarantee of interest for twenty years at 5 per cent. -on 50,000_l._; a grant of 5000_l._ in money towards building a road -along the line of the Telegraph; and the remission of duties on the -importation of all wires and materials for the use of the Company. - -The Company also obtained from the Legislature of Prince Edward's -Island, in May, 1854, the exclusive privilege for fifty years of landing -cables on the coast; a free grant of one thousand acres of land; and a -grant of 300_l._ currency per annum for ten years. - -From Canada the Company obtained an Act authorising the building of -telegraph lines throughout the Provinces, accompanied by the remission -of duties on all wires and materials imported for the use of the -Company. - -Nova Scotia, in 1859, gave the Company a grant of exclusive privilege, -for twenty-five years, of landing telegraphic cables from Europe on the -shores of the Province. - -The State of Maine accorded the Company a grant of the exclusive -privilege, for twenty-five years, of landing European telegraph cables -on the seaboard. - -From Great Britain eventually the Company obtained an annual subsidy of -14,000_l._ sterling until the net profits of the Company should reach 6 -per cent. per annum, on the whole capital of 350,000_l._ sterling, the -grant to be then reduced to 10,000_l._ sterling per annum, for a period -of twenty-five years; two of the largest steamships in the navy to lay -the cable, and two steamers to aid them; and a careful examination of -the soundings by vessels of the Royal Navy. - -From the United States the Company obtained an annual subsidy of $70,000 -until the net profits yielded 6 per cent. per annum, then to be reduced -to $50,000 per annum, for a period of twenty-five years, subject to -termination of contract by Congress after ten years, on giving one -year's notice. The United States government also granted the steamship -Arctic to make soundings, and steam-ships Niagara and Susquehanna to -assist in laying the cable. A government steamer was also ordered to -make further soundings on the coast of Newfoundland. - -Long ere the Company had been placed in possession of such beneficial -rights, and obtained such a large amount of favour, Mr. Field, who threw -every energy of body and mind into the work, and was entrusted by his -brother directors with the general management of affairs, proceeded to -carry out the engagements the Company had entered into with the local -legislatures. It has been said that the greatest boons conferred on -mankind have been due to men of one idea. If the laying of the Atlantic -Cable be among these benefits, its consummation may certainly be -attributed to the man who, having many ideas, devoted himself to work -out one idea with a gentle force and a patient vigour which converted -opposition and overcame indifference. Mr. Field may be likened either to -the core, or to the external protection, of the Cable itself. At times -he has been its active life; again he has been its iron-bound guardian. -Let who will claim the merit of first having said the Atlantic Cable was -possible, to Mr. Field is due the inalienable credit of having made it -possible, and of giving to an abortive conception all the attributes of -healthy existence. - -The first step in the great enterprise, now fairly inaugurated, was the -connection of St. John's with the telegraphic lines already in operation -in Canada and the United States. - -Mr. Field was despatched to England, as there were no firms established -for the manufacture of submarine cables in the United States, to order -the necessary work to be done, and to raise money. He previously ordered -specimens of cable to be made, so that when he landed in England they -were ready for his inspection; and soon after his arrival he entered -into a contract with Messrs. Küper & Co. (subsequently Glass, Elliot, & -Co.) for a cable to be laid across the Gulf of St. Lawrence. He held -interviews with eminent engineers and electricians, among whom were Mr. -Brunel, Mr. (now Sir C.) Bright, Mr. Brett, and Mr. Whitehouse, -respecting his larger project, which led to extended and valuable -experiments. The cable for Newfoundland was formed in three strands, and -had three conducting wires; and Mr. Field undertook to lay it, under the -direction of Mr. Canning. In August, 1855, the first attempt was made; -but off Cape Ray a violent gale arose, and it was deemed necessary by -the master of the vessel to cut the cable. This disappointment was not -in the least a discouragement. Another contract was made by Mr. Field -with Messrs. Küper & Co. to make and lay a cable at their own risk, -which was executed by Mr. Canning in the Propontis the following year. -The station is at Point-au-Basque, near the western extremity of -Newfoundland, and the telegraph runs across the island to Trinity Bay. - -The opportunities for scientific experiments afforded by the manufacture -of these cables were not neglected. The possibility of transmitting -signals under water without fatal loss of power from the increased -length of circuit was the first fact determined. The attention of the -experimentalists was then directed to ascertain whether, having regard -to existing theories, it would be possible to carry even a single -conductor across the Atlantic without the aid of a cable so ponderous -and so costly as to render it useless in a commercial point of view. A -series of direct experiments were at once undertaken, which resulted in -the establishment of the following facts:--first, that retardation of -movement, in consequence of increasing distance, did not occur at a rate -which could seriously affect a cable across the Atlantic; secondly, that -increased dimensions in insulated marine conductors augmented the -difficulties in obtaining velocity, so that bulk in a cable would not be -requisite; and, thirdly, that a velocity and facility which would -satisfy all mere commercial and financial requirements in a line -crossing the Atlantic, might be attained in the largest circuits. The -next step was to actually make signals through 2000 miles of wire. This -was accomplished through the kindness of the directors of the English -and Irish Magnetic Company, who placed at the disposal of the -experimentalists 5000 miles of under-ground wire. On the 9th of October, -1856, in the quiet of the night time, the experiment was tried -successfully. Signals were distinctly and satisfactorily telegraphed -through 2000 miles of wire, at the rate of 210, 241, and 270 per minute. - -There was still a matter of the last importance to be determined. Was -the state of the bed of the Atlantic really such as to warrant the -conclusion that a wire 2000 miles long could be deposited and remain -there without injury? - -Mr. Field, in order to ascertain this fact, obtained from the government -of America the assistance of Lieut. Berryman, U.S.N., in the steam-ship -Arctic, who succeeded, in July, 1856, in taking soundings across the -Atlantic at distances varying from 30 to 50 miles, and, by means of -scoops, or quills, bringing up specimens of the bottom, which, upon -microscopic examination, proved to be composed of fine shells and sand. - -As capital was needed for the execution of the enterprise which the -confidence of moneyed men in the United States did not induce them to -supply, and as it was desirable to enlist the support of the capitalists -of Great Britain, Mr. Field was now authorised to form a company, with -branches in both countries. Having secured the services of Mr. Brett, -Mr. (now Sir C.) Bright, Mr. Woodhouse, and others, on the 1st of -November, 1856, as Vice-President of the New York, Newfoundland, and -London Telegraph Company, he issued an elaborate, able, and -argumentative circular in London, headed, "Atlantic Telegraph," and made -a tour through the great towns, addressing meetings in support of the -project. - -On the 6th of November, 1856, the prospectus was issued, with a nominal -capital of 350,000_l._, represented by 350 shares of 1000_l._ each, and -within one month the entire of the capital had been subscribed for, and -the first instalment of 70.000_l._ paid up. - -One hundred and six shares were taken in London, eighty-eight in the -United States, eighty-six in Liverpool, thirty-seven in Glasgow, and the -remainder in other parts of England. Mr. Field stood as subscriber of -88,000_l._, and represented all America. - -But it was not only from the public of Great Britain the project met -encouragement. Ere the new company was formed, Mr. Field (13th -September, 1855) addressed Lord Clarendon, requesting aid, and -protection and privileges, and on the 20th November received a reply -from the Secretary to the Treasury, engaging to furnish ships for -soundings, and to consider favourably any request for help in laying the -Cable, to pay 14,000_l._ (4 per cent. on capital) as remuneration for -Government messages, till the net profits were 6 per cent., when the -payment was to become 10,000_l._ for twenty-five years, and the Royal -assent was given to the Act of Incorporation of the Company July 27th, -1857. - -Mr. Field received far more encouragement in Great Britain, in -Parliament and out of it, than he did at home. His bill was nearly -rejected in the United States Senate, and it is stated only twenty-seven -shares of the first stock were at first subscribed for in the States. On -the motion of Mr. Seward, a resolution was passed in the Senate, United -States, on the 23rd December, in compliance with which the President -transmitted a copy of an application from the New York Office of the New -York, Newfoundland, and London Telegraph Company, dated December 15th, -in which the Directors set forth "their earnest desire to secure for the -United States Government equal privileges with those stipulated for by -the British Government in a work prosecuted thus far with American -capital," and then recounted the terms agreed to by the Lords of the -Treasury. On January 9th, 1857, Mr. Seward introduced a bill in the -Senate to give and receive precisely the same privileges on the part of -the United States Government. It was violently opposed, was only carried -by one vote, and was not approved till March 3rd following. - -The money being now forthcoming, the Provisional Directors of the -Company proceeded to order the Atlantic Cable. Mr. Field was anxious -that the order should be given to the firm which had manufactured the -St. Lawrence Cable, but the Board thought it would be better to divide -the contract, and on the 6th December, 1856, they entered upon -agreements with the Gutta Percha Company for the supply of 2,500 miles -of core, consisting of copper wire, with a triple covering of insulating -substance, at 40_l._ per mile; and also with Messrs. Glass, Elliot, & -Co., of East Greenwich, and Messrs. Newall & Co., of Birkenhead, -respectively, for the supply from each of 1,250 miles of the completed -Cable for 62,000_l._ Within six months from that day, namely, on the 6th -of July, 1857, the entire Cable was completed. - -The policy of dividing the contract for the manufacture of the Cable was -questioned at the time. When one portion of the Cable was to be made at -East Greenwich and the other at Birkenhead, how was it possible that -there could be any uniformity of supervision, any integrity of design, -or any individual responsibility? Again, how was it possible that the -textile strength or conducting power of the Cable could be tested as -satisfactorily as would have been the case were its manufacture -entrusted to one firm? And, as it happened, the twist ran from right to -left in one half, and from left to right in the other half of the Cable. - -Before the prospectus was issued, every attention was paid that the -characteristics of the Cable should be suited to its work; that it -should not be too dense, lest its weight should render it unmanageable -in the sea--nor too light, lest it should be at the mercy of the -currents as it went down. It was decided that it should weigh a ton per -mile, should be just so much heavier than the water which it displaced -in sinking, and of such structure as could be easily coiled and yet be a -rigid line, while its centre should be composed of wire capable of -conveying electrical symbols through an extent of more than 2000 miles, -and should retain complete insulation when immersed in the ocean. It was -a subject of close and anxious inquiry how to obtain a Cable of this -form and character. No fewer than sixty-two different kinds of rope were -tested before one was determined on. - -In the Cable finally adopted, the central conducting wire was a strand -made up of seven wires of the purest copper, of the gauge known in the -trade as No. 22. The strand itself was about the sixteenth of an inch in -diameter, and was formed of one straightly drawn wire, with six others -twisted round it; this was accomplished by the central wire being -dragged from a drum through a hole in a horizontal table, while the -table itself revolved rapidly, under the impulse of steam, carrying near -its circumference six reels or drums each armed with copper wire. Every -drum revolved upon its own horizontal axis, and so delivered its wire as -it turned. This twisted form of conducting wire was first adopted for -the rope laid across the Gulf of St. Lawrence in 1856, and was employed -with a view to the reduction to the lowest possible amount of the chance -of continuity being destroyed in the circuit. It seemed improbable in -the highest degree that a fracture could be accidentally produced at -precisely the same spot in more than one of the wires of this twisted -strand. All the seven wires might be broken at different parts of the -strand, even some hundreds of times, and yet its capacity for the -transmission of the electric current not destroyed, or reduced in any -inconvenient degree. The copper used in the formation of these wires was -assayed from time to time during the manufacture to insure absolute -homogeneity and purity. The strand itself, when subjected to strain, -stretched 20 per cent. of its length without giving way, and indeed -without having its conducting power much modified or impaired. - -The copper strand of the Cable was rolled up on drums as it was -completed, and was then taken from the drums to receive a coating of -three separate layers of refined gutta percha; these brought its -diameter up to about three-eighths of an inch. The coating of gutta -percha was made unusually thick, for the sake of diminishing the -influence of induction, and in order that the insulation might be -rendered as perfect as possible. This latter object was also furthered -by the several layers of the insulating material being laid on in -succession; so that if there were accidentally any flaw in the one coat, -the imperfection was sure to be removed when the next deposit was added. -To prove the efficacy of the proceeding, a great number of holes were -made near together in the first coating of a fragment of the wire, and -the second coat was then applied in the usual way. The insulation of the -strand was found to be perfect under these circumstances, and continued -so even when the core was subjected to hydraulic pressure, amounting to -five tons on the square inch. The gutta percha which was employed for -the coating of the conducting strand, was prepared with the utmost -possible care. Lumps of the crude substance were first rasped down by a -revolving toothed cylinder, placed within a hollow case, the whole piece -of apparatus somewhat resembling the agricultural turnip machine in its -mode of action. The raspings were then passed between rollers, macerated -in hot water, and well churned. They were next washed in cold water, and -driven at a boiling-water temperature, by hydraulic power, through -wire-gauze sieves, attached to the bottom of wide vertical pipes. The -gutta percha came out from the sieves in plastic masses of exceeding -purity and fineness, and those masses were then squeezed and kneaded for -hours by screws, revolving in hollow cylinders, called masticators; this -was done to get the water out, and to render the substance of the gutta -percha sound and homogeneous everywhere. At each turn of the screw, the -plastic mass protruded itself through an opening left for feeding in the -upper part of the masticator, and was then drawn back as the screw -rolled on. When the mechanical texture of the refined mass was perfected -by masticating and kneading, it was placed in horizontal cylinders, -heated by steam, and squeezed through them by screw pistons, driven down -by the machinery very slowly, and with resistless force. The gutta -percha emerged, under this pressure, through a die, which received the -termination of both cylinders, and which at the same time had the strand -of copper wire moving along through its centre. The strands were drawn -by revolving drums between the cylinders, and through the die. They -entered the die naked bright copper wire, and issued from it thick, -dull-looking cords, a complete coating of gutta percha having been -attached to them as they traversed the die. Six strands were coated -together, ranging along side by side at the first covering. Then a -series of three lengths of the strand received the second coat together. -The third coat was communicated to a solitary strand. The strand and -its triple coating of gutta percha were together designated "the core." - -[Illustration: F. Jones, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley - -London, Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -THE REELS OF GUTTA PERCHA COVERED CONDUCTING WIRE CONVEYED INTO TANKS AT -THE WORKS AT GREENWICH.] - -[Illustration: R. M. Bryson, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley London, -Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -VALENCIA IN 1857-1858 AT THE TIME OF THE LAYING OF THE FORMER CABLE.] - -The copper strand was formed and coated with gutta percha in two mile -lengths. Each of these lengths, when completed, was immersed in water, -and then carefully tested to prove that its continuity and insulation -were both perfect. The continuity was ascertained by passing a voltaic -current of low power through the strand from a battery of a single pair -of plates, and causing it to record a signal after issuing from the -wire. A different and very remarkable plan was adopted to determine the -amount of insulation. One pole of a voltaic battery, consisting of 500 -pairs of plates, was connected with the earth; the other pole was united -to a wire which coiled round the needle of a very sensitive horizontal -galvanometer, and then ran on into the insulated strand of the core, the -end of which was turned up into the air, and left without any conducting -communication. If the insulation was perfect, the earth would form one -pole of the battery, and the end of the insulated strand the other pole, -and the circuit be quite open and uninterrupted; consequently no current -would pass, and the needle of the galvanometer would not be deflected in -the slightest degree. If on the other hand there was any imperfection, -or permeability in the sheath of gutta percha, a portion of the -electricity would force its way from the strand through the faulty -places and surrounding water to the earth, a current would be set up, -and the needle of the galvanometer deflected; the deflection being in -proportion to the current which passed, and therefore its degree would -become a measure of the amount of imperfection. - -When about fifty of the two-mile lengths of core were ready, these were -placed in the water of the canal which ran past the gutta percha works, -and were joined up by their ends into one continuous strand of 100 -miles, the joints being covered with gutta percha. The hundred-mile -length was then put through a careful scrutiny in the same way that the -smaller portions were tried,--and next it was halved, quartered, and -separated into groups of twenty, ten, and finally two miles, and each of -these were again separately examined, and tested in comparison with -similar lengths previously approved. - -Whenever separate lengths of the gutta percha covered core were to be -joined together, the gutta percha was scraped away for a short distance -from the ends, and these were made to overlap. A piece of copper wire -was then attached by firm brazing, an inch or two beyond the joint on -one side, tightly bound round until it reached to the same extent on the -other side, and then was there firmly brazed on again. A second binding -was next rolled over the first in the same fashion, and extended a -little way beyond it, and finally several layers of gutta percha were -carefully laid over, and all round the joint by the agency of hot irons. -If the core on each side of the joint was dragged opposite ways until -the joint yielded, the outer investment of the wire unrolled spirally as -the ends were pulled asunder, and so the conducting continuity of the -strand was maintained, although the mechanical continuity of the strand -itself was broken. - -The two-mile coils of completed and proved core were wound on large -drums with projecting flanges on each side, the rims of which were shod -with iron tires, so that they might be rolled about as broad wheels, and -made to perform their own locomotive offices as far as possible. When -the core was in position on these channelled drums, the circumference of -the drum was closed in carefully by a sheet of gutta percha, which thus -constituted its core-filled channel a sort of cylindrical box or packing -case. In this snug nest each completed coil of core was wheeled and -dragged away to be transferred to the manufactory, either at Birkenhead -or Greenwich. - -The core-filled drums, having arrived at the factory of the Cable, the -drums were mounted by axles, and kept ready so that one extremity of the -length of core might be attached to the Cable as it was spun out, when -the drum previously in use had been exhausted. During the unrolling of -the core from the drum, it was wound tightly round by a serving of hemp, -saturated with a composition made chiefly of pitch and tar, the winding -being effected by revolving bobbins as the core was drawn along. This -hempen serving constituted a bed for the external coat of metallic -wires, and prevented the insulating sheath of gutta percha from being -injured by pressure during the final stage of the construction. Each new -length of core was attached to the Cable by precisely the same operation -as that used at the gutta percha works in joining the two-mile coils for -testing; shortly before an old drum was exhausted, its remainder was -rapidly pulled off and placed in the joiner's hands, so that it might be -made continuous with the core on a new drum, before the outgoing Cable -began to draw upon it. - -When the core was covered in with its great coat of hemp and tar, and -carefully gauged to ascertain the equality of its dimensions everywhere, -it was ready to be turned into the completed Cable. This final operation -was effected as the core was drawn up through the centre of a -horizontally revolving wheel or table. The table turned with great -rapidity, and carried near its circumference eighteen bobbins or drums. -Each of these drums was filled with a strand of bright charcoal iron -wire, and had two motions, one round its horizontal axis, and one round -an upright pivot, inserted into the revolving table, so that it -delivered its strand always towards the centre of the table as it was -carried swiftly round by the revolution. The iron strand was of the same -diameter as that which was used for the copper core. There were also -seven iron wires in each strand, exactly like those for the copper -strand. Eighteen iron strands were thus firmly twisted round the central -core, as the "closing machine" whirled. The core, acted on by the -rollers of the machinery, rose through the middle of the table, and went -up towards the ceiling. The iron strands danced round it, as it went up, -in a filmy-looking spectre-like cone, which narrowed and grew more -matter-of-fact and distinct as it ascended, until it glittered in a -compact metallic twist, tightly embracing the core. The eighteen strands -of seven-thread wire were used for this metallic envelope in place of -eighteen simple wires of the same size as the strand, because by this -means greater flexibility and strength were obtained for the weight of -material employed. - -Each strand machine worked day and night, and in the twenty-four hours -spun ninety-eight miles of wire into fourteen miles of strand. There -were several strand machines at work in the factories, and these every -twenty-four hours made 2,058 miles of wire into 294 miles of strand. As -much as thirty miles of Cable were made in a single day. The entire -length of wire, copper, and iron employed in the manufacture, amounted -to 332,500 miles, enough to girdle the earth thirteen times. - -As the closed Cable was completed, it was drawn out from the wall of the -factory, and passed through a cistern containing pitch and tar, and was -then coiled in broad pits in the outer yard (each layer of the coil -having been again brushed over with pitch and tar), and there remained -until embarked on board the vessel which conveyed it to its final home. -At both the Greenwich and Birkenhead works, four Cables, each three -hundred miles long, were simultaneously in process of construction. -These were finally united together into one continuous rope, as the -Cable was stowed away in the vessel which carried it to sea. - -Such is a description of the Cable finally adopted, and which when -completed weighed from nineteen hundredweight to one ton per mile, and -bore a direct strain of from four to five tons without breaking. - -The next question which arose for consideration was, how the Cable was -to be laid in the ocean. The Great Eastern, then known as the Leviathan, -alone could embrace it within her gigantic hold; but then the vast -fabric had never been tried. She might prove a failure, and in doing so, -involve that of a far greater and a far more important experiment. - -It was then determined that the responsibility should be divided, and -the burden be entrusted to two vessels of smaller dimensions. The -British Government placed at the service of the Company the Agamemnon -line-of-battle ship, and the government of the United States of America -sent over the Niagara. - -The Agamemnon was considered to be admirably adapted for receiving the -Cable, by reason of her peculiar construction; her engines being -situated near the stern, and there, being amidships a magnificent hold, -forty-five feet square and twenty feet deep between the lower deck and -the keel. In this receptacle one half of the Cable was distributed round -a central core in a compact, single, and nearly circular coil. She lay -moored off the wharf at Greenwich, and the Cable was drawn into her hold -by a small journeyman engine of twelve-horse power, the rope running -over sheaves borne aloft upon the masts of two or three barges, so -moored between the wharf and the ship as to afford intermediate support. -The Niagara, though not by construction well adapted for the Cable, was -rendered so by judicious alterations at Portsmouth. She arrived in the -Mersey on 22nd June, and was regarded with much curiosity and interest -in Liverpool, where Captain Hudson and his officers received every -attention. The Cable was coiled on board her in three weeks. Cork -Harbour was selected as the place where these vessels should rendezvous, -and make all final arrangements; from whence they were to proceed to the -completion of the task, piloted by the U.S. frigate Susquehanna and H.M. -frigate Leopard, both paddle-wheel steamers of great power. - -Within the barony of Iveragh, in the county of Kerry, on an island six -miles long by two broad, lies the village of Knightstown and harbour of -Valentia, the most westerly port in Europe. It is at the southern -entrance of the open bay of Dingle towards the sea. Doulas Head on the -east, and Reenadroolan Point on the west, mark the entrance to the -narrows. It can boast of two forts erected by Cromwell. The -Skelligs--two picturesque and rugged pinnacles of slate--pierce the -surface of the sea about eight miles S.W. of the harbour; and one of -these, the "Great Skellig," crowned with a light-house, towers to a -height of 700 feet. - -It was decided by the Company that the Niagara should land the shore end -in Valentia, and pay it out till her cargo was exhausted mid-way, where -the Agamemnon was to take up the tale and carry it on to Newfoundland. -The time best adapted for depositing the Cable in the ocean was -determined after much thought and deliberation. The result of Lieutenant -Maury's observations was, that in the months of June and July the risk -of storms is very small, unless immediately on the coast of Ireland, -while the records of the Meteorological Departments, both in England and -America, showed that for fifty years no great storm had taken place at -that period. It was finally arranged to adopt Lieutenant Maury's views, -"that between the 20th July and the 10th of August both sea and air were -in the most favourable condition for laying down the Cable," and that -the vessels should be dispatched so as to reach the rendezvous in -mid-ocean, where the Cable was to be spliced, as soon after the 20th of -July as possible. It had been ascertained that the distance over which -the Cable was to be laid was 1,834 miles, but 600 additional miles of -Cable were provided, being an allowance of 33 per cent. of "slack." - -Arrangements had been made that when the vessels joined company off Cork -the entire length of the Cable should be temporarily joined up for the -purpose of being tested through its entire length, as also to allow of -some experiments being made to prove the efficiency of the signalling -apparatus. The Cable was arranged so as to come up from the hold of the -ship sweeping round a central block or core planted in the midst, to -prevent any interference of the unrolling strands with one another, or -too sudden turns, which might twist the Cable into kinks; having reached -the open space above the deck, it was to be wound out and in, round four -grooved sheaves, geared together by cogs, and planted so firmly on -girders as to render it impossible that they should be thrown out of the -square. From sheaves accurately grooved the Cable proceeded three or -four feet above the poop-deck, until it passed over a fifth grooved -sheave standing out upon rigid arms over the stern. From this it would -make its plunge into the deep still sea, and as the vessel moved away to -be dragged out by its own weight, and by the hold which it would have -acquired upon the bottom of the sea. The paying-out sheaves were large -grooved drums, five feet in diameter, and set in a vertical plane, one -directly before the other, and having a friction drum geared to them in -such a way that its shaft revolved three times as fast as theirs, the -axis of the drum being encircled by two blocks of hard wood, which could -be gripped close upon its circumference by screw power, so as either to -retard or arrest altogether the movement of the sheaves. The screw was -worked by a crank, at which a trustworthy officer was stationed, to keep -a wary eye upon an indicator near to express the exact amount of strain -thrown upon the Cable at each instant. In the electrician's department -there were to be signals every second by electrical currents passing -through the entire length of the Cable, from shore-end, or from ship to -ship. At the side of the vessels patent logs hung down into the water, -to measure the velocity of the ship. One of these wheels, in the -immersed log, was arranged to make and break an electric circuit at -every revolution, a gutta percha covered wire running up from the -revolving wheel on to the deck of the ship, that it might carry the -current whenever the circuit was made, and record there, upon a piece of -apparatus provided for the purpose, the speed of the vessel. The -brakesman was to watch the tell-tale which would indicate the strain on -the rope, and work his crank and loosen his grip whenever this seemed -to be too great; or tighten his grip if ever the bell ceased to report -that the electrical way from end to end of the Cable was free and -unimpaired. An external guard had been placed over the screws of the -vessels to defend the Cable from fouling in case any necessity should -arise for backing the vessels. The Agamemnon had been jury-rigged for -the service, her heavy masts and rigging removed, and lighter ropes and -spars substituted. In the event of sudden and unforeseen storm, -arrangements had been made to slip the Cable. On the decks of the -paying-out vessels two large reels were placed, each wound round with -two and a-half miles of a very strong auxiliary Cable composed of -iron-wire only, and capable of resisting a strain of ten to twelve tons. -Should the Telegraph Cable be endangered it would be divided, and the -sea end attached to one of the strong supernumerary cords stored upon -the reel; this being rapidly let out, would place the Cable in a depth -of ocean where its safety would be secured until all danger had passed. -In fine, every possible contrivance that ingenuity could devise or -scientific knowledge could suggest, according to the experience then -attained, had been adopted in order to secure success. Those who had -toiled so long with wearied brain and anxious heart, undismayed by -difficulties--not disheartened by failure, hoping when hope seemed -presumptuous, but not despairing even when despair seemed wisdom, now -felt that their part had been accomplished, that the means of securing -the result had now passed beyond man's control, and rested solely with a -Higher Power. - -On the 29th of July, 1857, the U.S.N. frigate Niagara arrived at -Queenstown, having been preceded by H.M.S. Leopard and H.M.S. Cyclops, -which latter steamer had taken the soundings of the intended bed of the -Cable. The Niagara was accompanied by the U.S.N.S. Susquehanna, to act -as her convoy. H.M.S. Agamemnon had already arrived. - -The Earl of Carlisle, Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, ever anxious to give -such encouragement as his presence could afford to any undertaking which -promised to do good, came down from Dublin to Valentia, and attended a -_déjeuner_ given by the Knight of Kerry to celebrate an event in which -the keenest interest was evinced, although the heart of the country was -thrilled by the dreadful intelligence of Indian mutinies and revolt. The -country people flocked to the little island, and expressed their joy by -merrymakings, dances, and bonfires. In an eloquent speech Lord Carlisle -declared that though disappointment might be in store for the promoters, -it would be almost criminal to feel discouragement then--"that the -pathway to great achievements has frequently to be hewn out amidst -perils and difficulties, and that preliminary failure is ever the law -and condition of ultimate success." These were prophetic words; in -others, still to be fulfilled, "Let us hope," he said. "We are about, -either by this sun-down or by to-morrow's dawn, to establish a new -material link between the Old World and the New. Moral links there have -been--links of race, links of commerce, links of friendship, links of -literature, links of glory; but this, our new link, instead of -superseding and supplanting the old ones, is to give them a life and -intensity they never had before. The link which is now to connect us, -like the insect in a couplet of our poet, - - 'While exquisitely fine, - Feels at each thread and moves along the line.'" - -If anything could overcome the tendency of men to vaticinate, it surely -would be the sad history of the last few years in the United States. The -condition of affairs in that lamentable period is illustrated by another -passage of his lordship's speech, which also points out the inestimable -value of the telegraph as a conservator of peace. "We may as we take our -stand here on the extremest rocky side of our beloved Ireland, leave, as -it were, behind us the wars, the strifes, and the bloodshed of the older -Europe, and pledge ourselves, weak as our agency may be, imperfect as -our powers may be, inadequate in strict diplomatic form as our -credentials may be; yet, in the face of the unparalleled circumstances -of the place and the hour, in the immediate neighbourhood of the mighty -vessels whose appearance may be beautiful upon the waters, even as are -the feet upon mountains of those who preach the Gospel of peace--as a -homage due to that serene science which often affords higher and holier -lessons of harmony and goodwill than the wayward passions of man are -always apt to learn--in the face and in the strength of such -circumstances, let us pledge ourselves to eternal peace between the Old -World and the New. Why, gentlemen, what excuse would there be for -misunderstanding? What justification could there be for war, when the -disarming message, when the full explanation, when the genial and -healing counsel may be wafted even across the mighty Atlantic, quicker -than the sunbeam's path and the lightning's flash?" At that moment Great -Britain was just disengaged from a war with Russia and a war with -Persia, and was actively engaged in a war with China, and with mutinies -in India. France was preparing to deal Austria a deadly blow; America -looked pityingly across the Atlantic, and wondered at our folly and our -crimes. - -On August the 5th, 1857, the shore end of the Cable was secured in the -little cove selected for the purpose in Valentia, on the cliffs above -which a telegraphic station had been erected, and was hauled up amidst -the greatest enthusiasm, Lord Carlisle participating in the joy and the -labour. - -On the evening of Friday, August 7th, the squadron sailed, and the -Niagara commenced paying out the Cable very slowly. About four miles of -the shore Cable had been payed out, when it became entangled with the -machinery, by the carelessness of one of the men in charge, and broke; -all hands were engaged in trying to underrun and join the Cable, but it -was too rough, and the Niagara came to anchor for the night. Next day a -splice was mode, the ship resumed her course, and at noon on Sunday, -August 9th, 95 miles had been payed out. The paying-out gear proved to -be defective in the course of the 10th. On the evening of Tuesday, the -11th, all signals suddenly ceased. The Cable had broken in 2000 fathoms -of water, when about 330 nautical miles were laid, at a distance of 280 -miles from Valentia. At the time the ship was going from three to four -knots, and was able to pay out 5 to 5-3/4 miles per hour, the pressure -shown by the indicator being 3000lb., but the strain being no doubt much -greater. - -This loss proved fatal to the first attempt to lay the Atlantic Cable, -as on consultation among the officers and engineers it appeared to be -unwise to renew the attempt with only 1,847 miles on board the ships, or -an excess of 12 per cent. on the quantity required by the whole -distance. - -Nothing daunted by the failure, Mr. Field started off at once in H.M.S. -Cyclops for England, and, on his arrival, urged the immediate renewal of -the enterprise; but it was resolved by the directors in London to -postpone it to the following year. An addition to the capital of the -Company was proposed and agreed to. The greater part of the autumn was -devoted to preparations for the renewed efforts of the Company. The part -of the Cable which was left was landed at Keyham, 53 miles of the -shore-end were recovered, and the Company again applied to the British -and American Governments for the services of the same vessels which had -been previously lent to them. Messrs. Glass, Elliot, & Co., were -entrusted by the directors of The Atlantic Telegraph Company to -manufacture a further length of 900 miles, to replace that which was -lost or damaged, thus making a total of 3,012 miles of Cable, so as to -guard against accidents by giving an allowance of 40 per cent. of slack. -The paying-out apparatus was also improved, so that the engineer in -charge alone should control the egress of the Cable, instead of using -the hand-wheel, which, upon the former occasion, had caused much danger -in rough weather. - -The manufacturers of the machinery were Messrs. Easton & Amos, of -Southwark, under the superintendence of Mr. Penn, Mr. Field, Mr. Lloyd, -Mr. Everett, and Mr. Bright. - -The important part of the apparatus consisted of Appold's -self-regulating brake, so adjusted and constructed as always to exert a -certain amount of resistance, regulated by the revolution of the wheels -to which it was applied. More than this fixed amount of resistance, -whatever it might be, it could not produce, no matter whether the -machine was hot or dry, or covered with sand; neither could it be worked -at less than this amount. It was made of bars of wood laid lengthwise -across the edge of the wheel, over which it lapped down firmly, and to -which it was held with massive weights fixed to the ends of levers, -which regulated the degree of resistance to the revolutions of the -wheel, and which, of course, enabled those in charge of the machine to -fix the pressure of the brake. In the new apparatus the brake was -attached over two drums connected with the two main grooved wheels, -round which the actual Cable passed in running out. The latter were -simply broad, solid, iron wheels, each cut with four very deep grooves -in which the Cable rested, to prevent it flying up or "overriding." It -passed over these two main wheels, not in a double figure of eight, as -in the old ponderous machine of four wheels, but simply wound over one, -to and round the other, and so on four times, till it was finally payed -down into the water. Thus, the wire was wound up from the hold of the -vessel, passed four times over the double main wheels, connected with -the brake or friction drums, past the register which indicated the rate -of paying out and the strain upon the Cable, and then ran at once into -the deep. The strain at which the Cable would break was 62 cwt., and to -guard against any chance of mishap, not more than half this strain was -put upon it. The brakes, as a rule, were fixed to give a strain of about -16 cwt., and the force required to keep the machine going, or about 8 -cwt. more, was the utmost that was allowed to come upon the wire. - -The brake of the paying-out machine used on the occasion of the first -attempt was capable, by a movement of the hand, of exerting prodigious -resistance. In the new machine any one could in a moment ease it, until -there was no resistance at all beyond the 8 cwt. strain on the wire. - -At a few feet from the paying-out machine, the Cable passed over a -wheel, which registered precisely the strain in pounds at which the coil -was running out. Facing this register was a steering wheel, similar to -that of an ordinary vessel, and connected in the same way with compound -levers, which acted upon the brake. The officer in charge of the -apparatus stood by this wheel, and watched the register of strain or -pitch of the vessel, opening the brakes by the slightest movement of his -hand, and letting the Cable run freely as the stern rose. The same -officer, however, could not by any possible method increase the actual -strain on the Cable, which remained always according to the friction at -which the brake was at first adjusted by the engineer. - -All was ready for the expedition before the time indicated, and the -directors and the public looked with confidence to the result. Instead -of landing a shore-end at Valentia, and making a junction of the Cable, -it was decided that the ships should proceed together to a point midway -between Trinity Bay and Valentia, there splice the Cable, and then turn -their bows east and west, and proceed to their destinations. - -On Thursday, the 10th of June, 1858, H.M.S. Agamemnon and U.S.N.S. -Niagara, accompanied by H.M.S. Valorous and H.M.S. Gorgon, left -Plymouth, the two former having previously made an experimental cruise -in the Channel with the Cables, which were very satisfactory, in all -respects. - -Experienced mariners gazed with apprehension at their depth in water as -they left the shore. It was, however, such glorious weather as to cause -some anxiety lest there should be no wind, and that the stock of coals -might be exhausted before their mission was accomplished. Before -midnight, however, a gradually increasing gale gathered to a storm, -while the barometer marked 29°. For seven consecutive days the tempest, -so eloquently described by Mr. Woods in the _Times_, continued, the -Agamemnon under close-reefed topsails striving to reach the rendezvous, -Lat. 52° 2', Long. 33° 18', rolling 45 degrees, and labouring fearfully. - -On the 19th and 20th the gale reached its height. The position of the -ship, carrying 2,840 tons of dead-weight, badly stowed, had become most -critical, from her violent lurching as she sunk into the troughs of the -sea, and struggled violently to right herself--the coal bunkers gave -way, and caused alarm and confusion. Were the masts to yield, the ship -would rock still more violently, the Cable would shift, and carry every -one with it to destruction. Captain Preedy had but two courses open in -order to save the ship without sacrificing the Cable--either was fraught -with peril--to wear the ship, or to run before the gale and risk the -chances of being pooped by the monster seas in pursuit. - -On the 21st the Agamemnon was enabled to bear up for the rendezvous in -mid-ocean, which she reached on the 25th, after sixteen days of danger -and apprehension, her companion, the Niagara, having passed through the -dreadful ordeal with less danger and difficulty. - -At half-past two o'clock on the 26th, the Agamemnon and Niagara first -spliced the Cable; it however became foul of the scraper on the latter -ship, and broke. A second splice was immediately made, and the vessels -started. The Agamemnon had paid out 37-1/2 miles, when suddenly the -continuity of the electric current ceased, and the electricians declared -that the Cable had broken at the bottom. As the Niagara was hauling in -the Cable, of which she had payed out 43 miles, it snapped close to the -ship. - -On the 28th, the third and final splice was effected. The Niagara -started N.W. 3/4 N. At 4 p.m. on the 29th, when 111 miles had been paid -out, the electricians on board reported that continuity had ceased. The -cause was soon known. The Agamemnon had run 118 miles, and paid out 146 -miles of Cable, when the upper deck coil became exhausted. Speed was -slackened, in order to shift the Cable to the lower deck, when suddenly -it snapped, without any perceptible cause, under a strain of only 2200 -pounds. The weather was calm; the speed moderate--about five knots; the -strain one-third less than breaking strain; everything favourable; and -yet the Cable parted, silently and suddenly. The Niagara had to cut the -Cable, as she had no means of recovering the portion payed out, and lost -144 miles of it. - -On the 12th July, the Agamemnon, after an eventful cruise of -thirty-three days, reached Queenstown, having left the rendezvous on the -6th, whither she had gone in the hope of meeting the Niagara. A special -meeting of the Company was called, and the expedition was ordered to go -to sea. There was still quite sufficient Cable remaining, and it was -determined to make another attempt immediately. The way in which the -Cable parted on the third occasion was the only thing calculated to -create doubt and apprehension. The two other breakages might be -accounted for, and guarded against for the future, but there was -something in the latter not so easy of explanation, and which seemed to -point to some mysterious agency existing in the depths of the ocean, -beyond the perception of science or man's control. - -At midnight on the 28th of July, 1858, the Agamemnon and Niagara once -more met in mid-ocean, and on the following morning spliced the Cable, -which was this time destined to tend so much towards solving the great -problem. On the 30th, 265 miles had been paid out. On the 31st, 540 -miles. On the 1st August, 884 miles. On the 2nd, 1256 miles. On the 4th, -1854 miles; and on the 5th, 2022 miles. The Agamemnon now anchored in -Dowlas Bay, Valentia, and preparations were made to join the ocean and -shore ends. On the same day, at 1·45 a.m., the Niagara anchored in -Trinity Bay, Newfoundland, and in an hour after she received a signal -across the Atlantic that the Cable had been landed from the Agamemnon. - -Mr. Field at once telegraphed the news to the New York press, and the -intelligence flew all over the Union, where it was received with the -most extraordinary manifestations of delight. The information was -received more equably in England. - -On the 7th of August, many an anxious heart was lightened by reading in -the _Times_ the following telegram:-- - - "VALENTIA, _August 6th._ - - "End of Cable safely landed, close by pier, at Knightstown, being - carried on the paddle-boxes of the Valorous--expect to be open to - public in three weeks." - -Mr. Field's dispatch to the Associated Press of New York was followed by -two to the President, to which Mr. Buchanan sent a suitable reply. A -message was sent to the Mayor of New York also, to which an answer was -returned next day. - -On August the 9th the telegraphic wires reported that "Newfoundland -still answered, but only voltaic currents." - -On the 10th it was stated "Coil currents had been received--40 per -minute easily"--followed by the modest words, "Please send slower for -the present." - -On the 14th a message of 14 words was transmitted, and on the 18th the -Directors in England thus spoke to their brethren in the other -hemisphere: "Europe and America are united by telegraphic communication. -'Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, goodwill towards men.'" -This message occupied 35 minutes in transmission. It was rapidly -followed by a message from the Queen of England to the President of -America, which occupied 67 minutes in transmission, and was repeated. -The text was as follows:-- - - "TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, WASHINGTON: - - "The Queen desires to congratulate the President upon the - successful completion of this great international work, in which - the Queen has taken the deepest interest. - - "The Queen is convinced that the President will join with her in - fervently hoping that the Electric Cable which now connects Great - Britain with the United States will prove an additional link - between the nations whose friendship is founded upon their common - interest and reciprocal esteem. - - "The Queen has much pleasure in communicating with the President, - and renewing to him her wishes for the prosperity of the United - States." - -[Illustration: R.M. Bryson, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley - -London, Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -TRINITY BAY, NEWFOUNDLAND. EXTERIOR VIEW OF TELEGRAPH HOUSE IN -1857-1858.] - -[Illustration: G. McCulloch, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley - -London, Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -TELEGRAPH HOUSE TRINITY BAY, NEWFOUNDLAND. INTERIOR OF "MESS ROOM" -1858] - - THE REPLY OF THE PRESIDENT. - - _"Washington City, August 16, 1856._ - - "TO HER MAJESTY VICTORIA, QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN: - - "The President cordially reciprocates the congratulations of Her - Majesty the Queen on the success of the great international - enterprise accomplished by the science, skill, and indomitable - energy of the two countries. It is a triumph more glorious, because - far more useful to mankind, than was ever won by conqueror on the - field of battle. - - "May the Atlantic Telegraph, under the blessing of Heaven, prove to - be a bond of perpetual peace and friendship between the kindred - nations, and an instrument destined by Divine Providence to diffuse - religion, civilisation, liberty, and law throughout the world. In - this view will not all nations of Christendom spontaneously unite - in the declaration that it shall be for ever neutral, and that its - communications shall be held sacred in passing to their places of - destination, even in the midst of hostilities? - - (Signed) "JAMES BUCHANAN." - -On the same day a message was received from Mr. C. Field, consisting of -38 words, which occupied 22 minutes in transmission. - -The mighty agency which had been made subservient to the dictates of -man, had touched the hearts of two nations by expressing mutual esteem -and respect, but had not yet exercised its higher prerogatives. On the -21st of August it flashed tidings of great joy, and brought relief to -those who, but for it, would have languished in very weariness and -pining. The Europa and Arabia, each thickly freighted with human lives, -had come into collision in mid-ocean. So much was known, but there was -nothing to appease the anxiety of those whose friends and relatives were -on board. Fourteen days must elapse before the arrival of the next -steamer. Within fourteen hours, however, the Atlantic telegraph wires -allayed intense dread and anxious fears: "Newfoundland.--Europa and -Arabia have been in collision--one has put into St. John's--no lives are -lost--all well." - -On the 25th of August it was announced that "the Cable works -splendidly," and shortly after the New York journals recorded how the -entire continent had gone mad for very joy, how feasting was the order -of the day, and how American intellect had achieved the greatest -scientific triumph of the age. - -On the 7th of September, 1858, the following letter appeared in the -_Times_, addressed to the editor:-- - - "_September 6th_, 1858. - - "SIR,--I am instructed by the Directors to inform you that, owing - to some cause not at present ascertained, but believed to arise - from a fault existing in the Cable at a point hitherto - undiscovered, there have been no intelligible signals from - Newfoundland since one o'clock on Friday the 3rd inst. The - Directors are now in Valentia, and, aided by various scientific and - practical electricians, are investigating the cause of the - stoppage, with a view to remedying the existing difficulty. Under - these circumstances no time can be named at present for opening the - wire to the public. - - "GEO. SAWARD." - -Such was the foreshadowing of the great calamity that was so soon to -follow. Public excitement became intense. The market value of the -Atlantic Telegraph Stock assumed a downward tendency, and fell rapidly. -But the projectors had not been idle. A rigid inquiry had been -immediately instituted by Professor Thomson, Mr. Varley, and Sir Charles -Bright, which enabled them to arrive at a conclusion that the fault must -lie on the Irish coast. Consequently the Cable was underrun for three -miles, cut and tested; but no defect being found, it was again spliced. -During all this period its electrical condition had become so much -deteriorated that such messages as passed required to be constantly -repeated. - -So matters went, hope and fear alternating, until the insulation of the -wire became suddenly worse, and at last the signals ceased to be -intelligible at Newfoundland altogether. Scientific inquiry tended to -show that the fault lay about 270 miles from Valentia, at the mountain -range which divides the depths of the Atlantic from the shallow water on -the Irish shore. This steep range, or sloping bank, which, on being -sounded, showed a difference of 7,200 feet in elevation in a distance of -eight miles, had been crossed by the Agamemnon an hour before the -expected time, and it was said a sufficient quantity of slack had not -been thrown out, so that the Cable was suffered to hang suspended in the -water. But this was of course mere conjecture, and the failure most -probably was precipitated by injudicious attempts to overcome defective -insulation by increased battery power. - -The conclusions finally arrived at by the Scientific Committee appointed -to report as to the causes of the failure of the Cable were, first, that -it had been manufactured too hastily; secondly, that a great and unequal -strain was brought on it by the machinery; and thirdly, that the -repeated coilings and uncoilings it underwent served to injure it. To -such causes was the failure to be attributed, not to any original defect -in the gutta percha. - -Mr. Varley stated his opinion that there must have been a fault in the -Cable while on board the Agamemnon, and before it was submerged; but -none of the theories accounted for the destruction of a Cable on which -half a million of money had been expended, and which (if successful) two -governments had contracted to subsidise to the gross amount of -28,000_l_. yearly. Thus were annihilated, silently and mysteriously, -all those hopes which had survived so many disappointments, and which -for a moment had been so abundantly realised. - -But in England, as no ebullitions of joy had been indulged in when -success seemed certain, neither was there now any yielding to despair. - -In the month of April, 1860, the Directors of the Atlantic Telegraph -Company sent out Captain Kell and Mr. Varley to Newfoundland to -endeavour to recover some portion of the Cable; their efforts showed -that the survey which had been taken must have been very insufficient, -and the ground was much worse than was expected. They recovered five -miles of the Cable, and ascertained two facts, namely, that the gutta -percha was in no degree deteriorated, and that the electrical condition -of the core had been improved by three years' submersion. In 1862 -several attempts were also made to recover some of the Cable from the -Irish side, but with no practical advantage; and in consequence of -violent storms the attempt was abandoned. - -The great Civil War in America stimulated capitalists to renew the -attempt; the public mind became alive to the importance of the project, -and to the increased facilities which promised a successful issue. Mr. -Field, who compassed land and sea incessantly, pressed his friends on -both sides of the Atlantic for aid, and agitated the question in London -and New York. - -On the 20th of December, 1862, the Atlantic Company issued its -prospectus, setting forth the valuable privileges it had -acquired--amongst others, the exclusive right to land telegraph wires on -the Atlantic coast of Labrador, Newfoundland, Prince Edward's Island, -and the State of Maine--and invited public subscriptions. The firm of -Glass, Elliot, & Co., sent in tenders to provide a Cable at a cost of -£700,000; a sum of £137,000, being 20 per cent. upon the capital of the -Company, to be paid to them in old unguaranteed shares of the Company, -provided they were successful. - -On the 4th of March, 1863, a large number of the leading merchants in -New York assembled in the Chamber of Commerce in that city, for the -purpose of hearing some new and interesting facts relative to the -Atlantic Telegraph enterprise. The many advantages which would arise to -America were apparent, and, among others, was the improvement of the -agricultural position of the country by extending to it the facilities, -already enjoyed by England and France, of commanding the foreign grain -markets; as well as the avoidance of misunderstandings between America -and other countries.[2] - -Since 1858, what was a mere experiment had become a practical reality. -The Gutta Percha Company had prepared no less than forty-four submarine -Cables, enclosing 9000 miles of conducting wire, which were in daily -use, and not one of which had required to be repaired, except at the -shore end, where they were exposed to ships' anchors. At the meeting in -New York, Mr. Field read a letter from Glass, Elliot, & Co., in which -they offered to undertake to lay the Cable between Ireland and -Newfoundland on the most liberal conditions. The terms which they -proposed were,--First, that all actual disbursements for work and -material should be recouped each week: secondly, that when the Cable was -in full working order, 20 per cent. on the actual profits of the Company -should be paid in shares to be delivered monthly, while at the same time -they offered to subscribe £25,000 towards the ordinary capital of the -Company. The English Government also agreed to guarantee interest on the -capital at 8 per cent., during the operation and working of the Cable, -and to grant a yearly subsidy of £14,000. Mr. Field further directed the -attention of the meeting to the line to San Francisco (a single State), -as evidence of what business might be expected. The estimated power of -the Cable was a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 18 words per minute. If -it were to be worked for sixteen hours per day for 300 days in each -year, at a charge of 2_s._ 6_d._ per word, the income would amount to -£413,000 a year, which would be a return of 40 per cent. upon a single -Cable. After the failure of the last Cable a Commission of Inquiry, -consisting of nine members, had sat for two years, and, by their report, -afforded valuable information. The British Government had also -dispatched surveying expeditions, which reported most favourably as to -Newfoundland. In reference to the objection, that in case of war the -Cable would be under the sole control of the English Government, it was -to be remembered that it would be laid under treaty stipulations. - -After a lengthened discussion on various matters connected with the -project, it was proposed by Mr. A. Low, and unanimously resolved, "That, -in the opinion of this meeting, a Cable can, in the present state of -telegraphic science, be laid between Newfoundland and Ireland with -almost absolute certainty of success, and will when laid prove the -greatest benefit to the people of the two hemispheres, and also -profitable to the shareholders. It is, therefore, recommended to the -public to aid the undertaking." - -[Illustration: R. M. Bryson, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley - -London, Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -H.M.S. "AGAMEMNON" LAYING THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH CABLE IN 1858. A WHALE -CROSSES THE LINE.] - -[Illustration: R. M. Bryson, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley - -London, Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -COILING THE CABLE IN THE LARGE TANKS AT THE WORKS AT GREENWICH.] - -Messrs. Glass, Elliot, & Co. had long successfully manufactured Cables -in accordance with all the improvements that had taken place in -machinery, as well as in the manufacture of gutta percha, since the -laying of the Cable of 1858. Their experience as contractors in laying -lines might be estimated by the report of the Jurors of the Exhibition -of 1862. They had been identified with the history of submarine -telegraphy from its earliest existence, and now, having previously -incorporated the Gutta Percha Company, they accepted the offer made by -capitalists of influence and became absorbed in "The Telegraph -Construction and Maintenance Company," of which Mr. Pender, M.P., was -chairman, and Mr. Glass managing director. - -The British Government were willing to assist by subsidy and guarantee, -and there lay the Great Eastern, the only vessel in the world suited for -the undertaking, seeking for a purchaser. The huge ship, which cost -£640,000, was chartered by the Directors of the Telegraph Construction -and Maintenance Company, who seemed bent upon solving the problem of its -existence, and on showing what great things it was destined to -accomplish. Captain James Anderson, an accomplished officer of the -Cunard line, was asked to take the command, and received leave to do so, -and it was with satisfaction the Directors learned his willingness to -undertake the task. - -In May, 1864, a contract previously entered into was ratified, providing -that all profit should be contingent on success, and that all payments -were to be made in unissued shares of the Atlantic Telegraph Company. A -resolution was also passed, authorising the raising of additional -capital by the issue of 8 per cent. guaranteed shares, of which Glass, -Elliot, & Co., were to receive 250,000_l._, and also 100,000_l._ in -debentures. The form of the Cable selected was similar in its component -parts to that of 1858, but widely different in the construction and -quality of the materials. It had been reported on most favourably by the -Committee of Selection, and was at once accepted by the contractors; the -Directors of the Company recognising the assiduity and skill of Mr. -Glass in the investigations as to the best description of Cable. - -The following official account[3] states so minutely every particular -connected with the Cable during the process of formation, down to its -shipment on board the Great Eastern, that no better description can be -given:-- - -It differed from the Cable of 1857-8, as to its size, as to the weight -and method of application of the materials of which it was composed, as -to its specific gravity, and as to the mode adopted for its external -protection. - -For the same reason as before, the copper conductor employed in the -Cable was not a solid rod, but a strand, composed of seven wires, each -of which gauged ·048 parts of an inch. It was found practically that -this form of conductor, in which six of the wires were laid in a spiral -direction around the seventh, was a most effectual protection against -the sudden or complete severance of the copper wire. - -The severance, or "breach of continuity," as it is usually called, is -one of the most serious accidents that can happen to a submerged Cable, -when unaccompanied by loss of insulation--owing to the great difficulty -in discovering the locality of such a fault. Even the best description -of copper wire can seldom be relied upon for equality of strength -throughout, and in some instances an inch or even a less portion of the -wire will prove to be slightly crystallised, and consequently incapable -of resisting the effects of coiling or paying out if brought to bear -upon the part, though no external difference be at all apparent between -the weak portion and the remainder of the sample. By proceeding, -however, as in the present case, the conductor was divided into seven -sections, and the risk of seven weak places occurring in the same spot -being exceedingly remote, the probability of a breach of continuity in a -strand conductor was almost _nil_. - -The weight of the new conductor was nearly three times that of the -former one--being 300 pounds to the nautical mile against 107 pounds per -knot to the conductor of 1857. The adoption of this increased weight had -reference to the increase of commercial speed in the working of the new -Cable expected to accrue therefrom, and was founded upon the principles -of conduction and induction, now well understood, which consist in the -law that the conductivity of the conductor is as its sectional area, -while its inductive capacity (whereby speed of transmission is retarded) -is as its circumference only; and, as the maximum speed at which the -original Cable was ever worked did not exceed two and a-half words per -minute, it would follow by calculation, taking into account the -thickness of the dielectric surrounding the present conductor, that, -using the same instruments as in 1858, a speed of three and a-half to -four words per minute might be expected from the new Cable; but it was -stated by the electricians that owing to the improved modes of working -long Cables that have been discovered since 1858, an increase of speed -up to six or even more words per minute might be secured by the adoption -of suitable apparatus. - -The purity of the copper employed, a very important item, affecting the -rate of transmission, had been carefully provided for. Every portion of -the conductor was submitted to a searching test, and all copper of a -lower conductivity than 85 per cent. of that of pure copper was -carefully rejected. - -The covering of the conductor with its dielectric or insulating sheath -was effected as follows:--The centre wire of the copper strand was first -covered with a coating of gutta percha, reduced to a viscid state with -Stockholm tar, this being the preparation known as "Chatterton's -Compound." This coating must be so thick that, when the other six wires -forming the strand were laid spirally and tightly round it, every -interstice was completely filled up and all air excluded. The object of -this process was two-fold; first, to prevent any space for air between -the conductor and insulator, and thus exclude the increase of inductive -action attendant upon the absence of a perfect union of those two -agents, and, second, to secure mechanical solidity to the entire core; -the conductors of some earlier Cables having been found to be to some -extent loose within the gutta percha tube surrounding them, and thereby -much more liable to permanent extension, mechanical injury, and -imperfect centricity than those in which the preliminary precaution just -described had been made use of. The whole conductor next received a -coating of Chatterton's Compound outside of it; this, when the core was -completed, quickly solidified, and became almost as hard as the -remainder of the subsequent insulation. It was then surrounded with a -first coating of the purest gutta percha, which being pressed around it -while in a plastic state by means of a very accurate die, formed a first -continuous tube along the whole conductor. Over this tube was laid by -the same process a thin covering of Chatterton's Compound, for the -purpose of effectually closing up any possible pores or minute flaws -that might have escaped detection in the first gutta percha tube. To -this covering of Chatterton's Compound succeeded a second tube of pure -gutta percha, then another coating of the compound, and so on -alternately until the conductor had received in all four coatings of -compound and four of gutta percha. The total weight of insulating -material thus applied was 400 pounds to the nautical mile, against 261 -pounds in the Cable of 1857-8. - -The core, completed as described, and which had previously and -repeatedly been under electrical examination, was at length submerged in -water of a temperature of 75 deg. Fah., and so remained during -twenty-four hours. This was done that the subsequent electrical tests -for conductivity and insulation might be made under circumstances the -most unfavourable to the manufacture, from the well-known fact, that the -insulating power of gutta percha is sensibly decreased by heat. It also -ensures uniformity of condition to the core under test, and, the -temperature in which it was tested being higher by 20 deg. than that of -the water of the North Atlantic, there was plenty of margin against any -disappointment from the effects of temperature after submersion. At the -expiration of the term of soaking, the coils of core submitted to that -process were expected to show an insulation of not less than 5,700,000 -of Varley's standard units, or of 150,000,000 of those of Siemens's -standard. This of itself was a very severe test, but no portion of the -core showed a less perfection than that of double of either of the above -high standards. - -Having passed this ordeal, and having been tested on separate -instruments and by a different electrical process by the officers of -the Atlantic Telegraph Company, in order to verify the observations of -the contractors, the core was tested for insulation under hydraulic -pressure, after which it was carefully unwound from the reels on which -it had been wound for that purpose, and every portion was carefully -examined by hand as it was rewound on to the large drums on which it was -sent forward to the covering works at East Greenwich, to receive its -external protecting sheath. It was then again submerged in water, and -required once more to pass the full electrical tests above referred to. -Finally, each reel of core was very carefully secured and protected from -injury, and in this state was sent to East Greenwich, where it was -immediately placed in tanks provided for it. In these it was covered -with water, and the lids of the tanks being fastened down and locked, it -remained until demanded for completion. - -The manufacture and testing of the "core" of the Atlantic Cable having -been completed at the Gutta Percha works as described, a telegraphic -line was thereby produced which, without further addition of material or -substance, beyond that of copper and gutta percha, proportionable to any -required increase in its length, would be perfect as an electrical -communicator through the longest distances and in the deepest water, in -which element moreover it appears to be chemically indestructible, if -the experience of some fourteen years may be taken as evidence. At this -point, however, the final form to be assumed by the deep-sea Cable was -subject to important mechanical considerations, which came into play -across the path of those purely electrical; and upon the manner in which -these considerations are met and dealt with, depend, not merely the -primarily successful submersion, but the ultimate durability and -commercial value of deep-sea Cables. - -The problem in the case of the Atlantic Telegraph enterprise may be thus -stated. Given a submarine telegraph core like that already described, -constructed on the best known principles and perfect as to its -electrical conductivity and insulation--it is required to lower the same -through the sea to a maximum depth of two and a-half miles, so as not -merely not to allow the insulating medium to be torn or strained, but so -as not even to bring its normal elasticity into play against the more -tensile but perfectly inelastic material of the conductor. For if the -core were lowered into very deep water like that referred to without -further protection, even supposing it to escape actual fracture by the -adoption of extraordinary precaution and by the aid of fine weather, it -is evident that whenever, as would be highly probable, either in the act -of paying out, during the lifting or manoeuvring of the ship, or even -from the effects of its own weight, the gutta percha sheath became -extended to the limit of its elasticity, the copper in the centre would -be stretched to a corresponding extent, and, the tension being removed, -the gutta percha in returning to its original length would pull back the -now elongated copper, which thenceforward would in every such case -"buckle up," and exert a constant lateral thrust against the gutta -percha; ending, probably, in its ultimate escape to the outside, and the -consequent destruction of the core as an electrical agent. Moreover, in -the event of an electrical fault being discovered in any submerged -portion of the Cable during the process of "paying-out" in deep water, -it is of paramount importance towards its recovery and repair, that the -engineer should have such an assurance in the quality and strength of -his materials as will enable him confidently to exert a known force in -hauling back the injured part, without apprehension of damage to the -vital portion of the Cable. - -The solution of this question must therefore be found in adding -mechanical strength externally to the core, by surrounding it with such -materials and in such a manner as to relieve it from all that strain -which it will unavoidably meet in depositing it in its required -position. In the case of the original Atlantic Cable this was attempted -by first surrounding the core with tarred hemp, which in its turn was -enveloped spirally by eighteen strands of iron wire; each strand -consisting of seven No. 22-1/2 gauge wires. The entire weight of the -Cable so formed was, in air 20 cwt. per knot, and in water 13·3 per -knot. Being capable of bearing its own weight in about five miles -perpendicular depth of water, and the greatest depth on the route being -two-and a half miles, its strength was calculated at about as much again -as was absolutely requisite for the work. This was thought at the time -to be a sufficient margin, and certainly in 1858, owing to the greatly -improved machinery employed, this Cable was payed-out with great -facility and without undue strain, although portions of it had been lost -by breaking during several previous attempts in the same summer. -Subsequent investigation and experience, however, led to the conclusion, -that in respect, not only to its mechanical properties, but especially -with regard to its relative specific gravity, and to other points in its -construction, the Cable of 1858 was very imperfect; and, with a view to -ensure every practicable improvement in the structure of their new line, -the promoters of the undertaking, so soon as they found themselves in -funds, during 1863, issued advertisements with a view to stimulate -inquiry into the subject, inviting tenders for Cables suitable for the -proposed work. The specimens that were sent in, as the result of this -public appeal, were submitted to the scientific advisers of the Company, -who, after careful experiments with all the specimens, unanimously -recommended the Atlantic Company to adopt the principle of the Cable -proposed by Glass, Elliot, & Co., whose experience and success in this -description of work are well known. The Committee, however, stipulated -that they should settle the actual material of which the Cable was to be -ultimately composed, and that these should be carefully and separately -experimented on before finally deciding upon it; and in consequence of -this stipulation upwards of one hundred and twenty different specimens, -being chiefly variations of the principle adopted by the Committee, were -manufactured and subjected to very severe experiment, as were also the -various descriptions and quantities of iron, hemp, and Manilla proposed -as components of these respective Cables. The result of it all was that -the Committee recommended the Cable that was adopted as being, in their -opinion, "the one most calculated to insure success in the present state -of our experimental knowledge respecting deep-sea Cables," taking care -at the same time, by enforcing a stringent specification and constant -supervision, to guard against any possible laxity in the details of its -construction. The Cable so decided on weighed 35-3/4 cwt. per knot in -air, but in water it did not exceed 14 cwt., being only a fraction -heavier in that medium than the old Cable, though bearing more than -twice the strain--the breaking strain of the new Cable being 7 tons 15 -cwt. In water it was capable of bearing eleven miles of its own length -perpendicularly suspended, and consequently had a margin of strength of -more than four and a-half times that which was absolutely requisite for -the deepest water. The core having been received from the gutta percha -works, and carefully tested to note its electrical condition, was first -taken to receive its padding of jute yarn, whereby the gutta percha -would be protected against any pressure from the external iron sheath, -which latter succeeded the jute. On former occasions this padding of -jute had been saturated in a mixture of tar before being applied to the -gutta percha; but experience had shown that this proceeding might lead -to serious fallacies as to the electrical state of the core, cases -having been repeatedly found where faults existed in the core -itself--amounting to an almost total loss of insulation--which, however, -were only discovered after being submerged and worked through, owing to -the partial insulation conferred for a time upon the bad place by means -of the tarred wrapping. The Atlantic core, therefore, was wrapped with -jute which had been simply tanned in a solution of catechu, in order to -preserve it from decay, and as fast as the wrapping proceeded the -wrapped core was coiled into water, in which, not only at this stage, -but ever afterwards until finally deposited in the sea, the Cable, -complete or incomplete, was stored, and the water being able to freely -pass through the tarred jute to the core, the least loss of insulation -was at once apparent by the facility offered by the water to conduct -away to earth the whole or a portion of the testing current. - -The iron wire with which the jute cover was surrounded was specially -prepared for this purpose, and is termed by the makers (Messrs. Webster -& Horsfall) "Homogeneous Iron." It was manufactured and rolled into rods -at their works at Killamarsh, near Sheffield, and drawn at their wire -factory at Hay mills, near Birmingham. This wire approaches to steel in -regard to strength, but by some peculiarity in the mode of preparing it, -is deprived entirely of that springiness which prohibits altogether the -use of steel as a covering for the outsides of submarine cables. Ten -wires were laid spirally round the core, and each of these wires was of -No. 13 gauge, and was under contract to bear a strain of 850 to 1,100 -lb., with an elongation of half an inch in every fifty inches within -those breaking limits. The Cable, as completed and surrounded by these -wires, had not the slightest tendency to spring, as would be the case if -the metal were hard steel, and could be handled with great facility. - -Before, however, these ten wires surrounded the core, each separate wire -had to be itself covered with a jacket of tarred Manilla yarn, the -object of which is at once to protect the iron from rust and to lighten -the specific gravity of the mass, while adding also in some degree to -the strength of the external portion of the Cable. The wire was drawn -horizontally forward over a drum through a hollow cylinder, on the -outside of which bobbins filled with Manilla yarn revolved vertically, -and the yarns from these bobbins, being made to converge around the wire -as it issued from the end of the cylinder, were thus spun tightly round -the former. These Manilla-covered wires being wound upon large drums -ready for use, the core, which we left some time back surrounded with -jute, was passed round several sheaves, which conducted it below the -floor of the factory, from whence it was drawn up again through a hole -in the centre of a circular table, around the circumference of which -were ten receptacles for ten drums, containing the Manilla-covered wire. -Between these drums massive iron rods, fastened to the circumference of -the table, rose, and converged around a small hollow cone of iron -through the upper flooring of the factory, at a height of 12 or 14 feet -above the table. The jute-covered core was pulled up vertically, and -passed on straight through the hollow interior of the cone already -mentioned, which latter formed the apex of the converging rods. This -done, the ten wires from the ten drums were drawn up over the outside of -the same cone, and as they rose beyond it converged around the core, -which latter, being free from the revolving part of the machinery, was -simply drawn out; while the circular table being now set revolving by -steam power, the ten wires from the drums were spun in a spiral around -the core, thus completing the Cable, which was hauled out of the factory -by the hands of men, who at the same time coiled it into large iron -tanks, where it was covered with water, and was daily subjected to the -most careful electrical tests, both by the very experienced staff of the -contractors and by the agents of the Atlantic Telegraph Company. - -The distance from the western coast of Ireland to the spot in Trinity -Bay, Newfoundland, selected as the landing-place for the Cable, was a -little over 1,600 nautical miles, and the length of Cable contracted -for, to cover this distance, including the "slack," was 2,300 knots, -which left a margin of 700 knots, to cover the inequalities of the -sea-bed, and to allow for contingencies. On the first occasion 2,500 -statute miles were taken to sea, the distance to the Newfoundland -terminus on that occasion being 1,640 nautical miles; and, after losing -385 miles in 1857, and setting apart a further quantity for experiments -upon paying-out machinery, sufficient new Cable was manufactured to -enable the Niagara and Agamemnon to sail in 1858 with an aggregate of -2,963 statute miles on board the two ships, of which about 450 statute -miles were lost in the two first attempts of that year, and 2,110 miles -were finally laid and worked through. - -The greatly increased weight and size of the Cable would have made the -question of stowage a very embarrassing one had it not been for the -existence of the Great Eastern steamship, there being no two ordinary -ships afloat that would be capable of containing, in a form convenient -for paying-out, the great bulk presented by 2,300 miles of a Cable of -such dimensions. This bulk, and the now acknowledged necessity for -keeping Cables continuously in water, made their influence to be felt in -a very expensive manner to the Company and to the contractors throughout -the progress of the work, even at this early stage. The works at Morden -Wharf had to be to a very large extent remodelled to meet these -contingencies. Eight enormous tanks, made of five-eighths and half-inch -plate iron, perfectly watertight, and very fine specimens of this -description of work, were erected on those premises, and these tanks -then received an aggregate of 80 miles of Cable per week. Four of the -tanks were circular in shape, and each contained 153 miles of cable, -being 34 ft. in diameter and 12 ft. deep. The other four were slightly -elliptical, being 36 ft. long by 27 ft. wide, and 12 ft. deep, and -contained each 140 miles. The contents of all these, as they became -full, were transferred to the Great Eastern at Sheerness, for which -service the Lords of the Admiralty granted the loan of two -sailing-ships, laid up in ordinary at Chatham, namely--the Amethyst and -the Iris.[4] These ships had to undergo very considerable alteration -to render them suitable for the work, portions of the main deck -having to be removed--fore and aft--to make room for watertight tanks, -which here, as elsewhere, were to be the medium for holding the Cable. -The dimensions of the two tanks on board the Amethyst were 29 ft. -diameter by 14 ft. 6 in. in depth, and each held 153 miles of Cable; of -those on the Iris, one was 29 ft. diameter and 14 ft. 6 in. deep, and -held 153 miles, and the other held 110 miles, and was 24 ft. wide, and -17 ft. deep. - -[Illustration: F. Jones, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley - -London, Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -THE CABLE PASSED FROM THE WORKS INTO THE HULK LYING IN THE THAMES AT -GREENWICH.] - -[Illustration: T. Picken, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley - -London, Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -THE OLD FRIGATE WITH HER FREIGHT OF CABLE ALONGSIDE THE "GREAT EASTERN" -AT SHEERNESS.] - -The Great Eastern steamship was fitted up with three tanks to receive -the Cable, one situated in the forehold, one in the afterhold, and the -third nearly amidships. The bottoms and the first tier of plates were of -five-eighths iron, and each tank, when completed to this height, and -tested as to its tightness by filling it with water, and found or made -to be perfectly watertight, was let down from its temporary supports on -to a bed of Portland cement, three inches in thickness, and the building -up and riveting of the remaining tiers was continued. The beams beneath -each tank were shored up from the floor beneath it down to the kelson -with nine inches Baltic baulk timber, and it will give some idea of the -magnitude of the work to state that upwards of 300 loads of this -material were required for this purpose alone. The dimensions of the -fore tank were 51 ft. 6 in. diameter by 20 ft. 6 in. in depth, and its -capacity was for 693 miles of Cable. The middle tank was 58 ft. 6 in. -broad, and 20 ft. 6 in. deep, and held 899 miles of Cable, and the after -tank was 58 ft. wide and 20 ft. 6 in. deep, and contained 898 miles. The -three tanks were therefore capable of containing in all 2,490 miles of -the new Cable. - -The experience gained on board the Agamemnon and Niagara, and the -practical knowledge obtained by the telegraphic engineers, were turned -to good account in erecting the new machinery on the deck of the Great -Eastern for paying-out the Cable. - -Over the hold was a light wrought-iron V wheel, the speed of which was -regulated by a friction wheel on the same shaft. This was connected with -the paying-out machinery by a wrought-iron trough, in which, at -intervals, were smaller wrought-iron V wheels, and at the angles -vertical guide wheels. The paying-out machinery consisted of a series of -V wheels and jockey or riding wheels (six in number); upon the shafts of -the V wheels were friction wheels, with brake straps weighted by levers -and running in tanks filled with water: and upon the shafts of the -jockey wheels were also friction straps and levers, with weights to hold -the Cable and keep it taut round the drum. Immediately before the drum -was a small guide wheel, placed under an apparatus called the knife, for -keeping the first turn of the Cable on the drum from riding or getting -over another turn. The knives, of which there were two, could be removed -and adjusted with the greatest ease by slides similar to a slide-rest -of an ordinary turning-lathe. One knife only was used, the other being -kept ready to replace it if necessary. The drum, round which the Cable -passed, was 6 feet diameter and 1 foot broad, and upon the same shaft -were fixed two Appold's brakes, running in tanks filled with water. -There was also a duplicate drum and pair of Appold's brakes fitted in -position and ready for use in case of accident. Upon the overhanging -ends of the shafts of the drums driving pulleys were fitted, which could -be connected by a leather belt for the purpose of bringing into use the -duplicate brakes, if the working brakes should be out of order. Between -the duplicate drum and the stern wheel were placed the dynamometer and -intermediate wheels for indicating the strain upon the Cable. The -dynamometer wheel was placed midway between the two intermediate wheels, -and the strain was indicated by the rising or falling of the dynamometer -wheel on a graduated scale of cwts. attached to the guide rods of the -dynamometer slide. The stern wheel, over which the Cable passed when -leaving the ship, was a strong V wheel, supported on wrought-iron -girders overhanging the stern, and the Cable was protected from injury -by the flanges of this wheel by a bell-mouthed cast-iron shield -surrounding half its circumference. - -Close to the dynamometer was placed an apparatus similar to a -double-purchase crab, or winch, fitted with two steering wheels, for -lifting the jockey or riding wheels with their weights and the weights -on the main brakes of the drum, as indications were shown upon the -dynamometer scale. - -All the brake wheels ran in tanks supplied with water by pipes from the -paddle-box tanks of the ship. - -The Cable passed over the wrought-iron V wheel over the tank along the -trough, between the V wheels and jockey wheels in a straight line; four -turns round the drum where the knife comes into action over the first -intermediate wheel, under the dynamometer wheel, and over the other -intermediate and stern wheels into the sea. - -[Illustration: From a drawing by R. Dudley London, Day & Sons, Limited, -Lith. - -PAYING-OUT MACHINERY.] - -[Illustration: T. Picken, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley London, Day & -Sons, Limited, Lith. - -COILING THE CABLE IN THE AFTER TANK ON BOARD THE GREAT EASTERN AT -SHEERNESS. VISIT OF H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES ON MAY 24th.] - -This dynamometer was only a heavy wheel resting on the rope, but fixed -in an upright frame, which allowed it to slide freely up and down, and -on this frame were marked the figures which showed exactly the strain in -pounds on the Cable. Thus, when the strain was low the Cable slackened, -and the dynamometer sunk low with it; when, on the contrary, the strain -was great, the Cable was drawn "taut," and on it the dynamometer rose to -its full height. When it sunk too low, the Cable was generally running -away too fast, and the brakes had to be applied to check it; when, on -the contrary, it rose rapidly the tension was dangerous, and the brakes -had to be almost opened to relieve it. The simplicity of the apparatus -for opening and shutting the brakes was most beautiful. Opposite the -dynamometer was placed a tiller-wheel, and the man in charge of it -never let it go or slackened in his attention for an instant, but -watched the rise and fall of the dynamometer as a sailor at the wheel -watches his compass. A single movement of this wheel to the right put -the brakes on, a turn to the left opened them. A good and experienced -brakeman would generally contrive to avoid either extreme of a high or -low strain, though there were few duties connected with the laying of -submarine cables which were more anxious and more responsible while they -last, than those connected with the management of the brakes. The whole -machine worked beautifully, and with so little friction that when the -brakes were removed, a weight of 200 lb. was sufficient to draw the -Cable through it. - -In order to guard against any possible sources of accident, every -preparation was made in case of the worst, and, in the event of very bad -weather, for cutting the Cable adrift and buoying it. For this purpose a -wire rope of great strength, and no less than five miles long, having a -distinctive mark at every 100 fathoms, was taken in the Great Eastern. -This, of course, was only carried in case of desperate eventualities -arising, and in the earnest hope that not an inch of it would ever be -required. If, as unfortunately happened, its services were wanted, the -Cable could be firmly made fast to its extremity, and so many hundred -fathoms of the wire rope, according to the depth of water the Cable was -in, measured out. To the other end of the rope an immense buoy was -attached, and the whole would then be cut adrift and left to itself till -better weather. - -On the 24th of May, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, accompanied -by many distinguished personages, paid a long visit to the Great -Eastern, for the purpose of inspecting the arrangements made for laying -the Cable. His Royal Highness was received by Mr. Pender, the Chairman -of the Telegraph Construction Company; Mr. Glass, Managing Director; and -a large number of the electricians and officers connected with the -undertaking. After partaking of breakfast, the Prince visited each -portion of the ship, and witnessed the transmission of a message sent -through the coils, which then represented in length 1,395 nautical -miles. The signals transmitted were seven words, ="I WISH SUCCESS TO THE -ATLANTIC CABLE,"= and were received at the other end of the coils in the -course of a few seconds--a rate of speed which spoke hopefully of -success. - -On Monday, the 29th of May, the last mile of this gigantic Cable was -completed at Glass, Elliot, & Co.'s works; an event celebrated in the -presence of all the eminent scientific men who had laboured so zealously -in the promotion of the undertaking at Greenwich. When the tinkling of -the bell gave notice that the machine was empty, and the last coil of -the Cable stowed away, the mighty work, the accomplishment of which was -their dream by night and their study by day, stood completed. For eight -long months the huge machines had been in a constant whirl, -manufacturing those twenty-three hundred nautical miles of Cable -destined to perform a mission so important, and yet it would be -difficult to point to a single hour during which they did not yield -something to cause care and anxiety. - -On Wednesday, the 14th of June, the Amethyst completed her final visit, -and commenced to deliver the last instalment of the Cable to the Great -Eastern. - -On the 24th the Great Eastern left the Medway for the Nore, carrying -7000 tons of Cable, 2000 tons of iron tanks, and 7000 tons of coal. At -the Nore she took in 1,500 additional tons of coal, which brought her -total dead-weight to 21,000 tons. - -Mr. Gooch, M.P., Chairman of the Great Eastern Company and Director of -the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company; Mr. Barber (Great -Eastern), Mr. Cyrus Field, Captain Hamilton, Directors of the Atlantic -Telegraph Company; M. Jules Despescher; Mr. H. O'Neil, A.R.A.; Mr. -Brassey, Mr. Fairbairn, Mr. Dudley, the representatives of some of the -principal journals, and several visitors, went round in the vessel from -the Nore to Ireland. - -The whole of the arrangements for paying-out and landing the Cable were -in charge of Mr. Canning, principal Engineer to the Telegraph -Construction and Maintenance Company, Mr. Clifford being in charge of -the machinery. These gentlemen were assisted by Mr. Temple, Mr. London, -and eight experienced engineers and mechanists. A corps of Cable layers -was furnished by the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company. - - _The Electrical Staff consisted of_ - |+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++| - | C. V. de Sauty | Chief. | - | H. Saunders | Electrician to the Malta and Alexandria Telegraph. | - | Willoughby Smith | Electrician to the Gutta Percha Company. | - | W. W. Biddulph | Assistant Electrician. | - | H. Donovan | Do. | - | O. Smith | Do. | - | J. Clark | Do. | - | J. T. Smith | Instrument Clerk from Malta and Alexandria Telegraph.| - | J. Gott | Do. Do. Do. | - | L. Schaefer | Mechanician. | - |+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++| - - _The Staff at Valentia was composed of_ - |++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++| - | J. May | Superintendent. | - | T. Brown | Assistant Electrician. | - | W. Crocker | Do. | - | G. Stevenson | Instrument Clerk from Malta and Alexandria Telegraph. | - | E. George | Do. Do. Do. | - | H. Fisher | Do. Do. Do. | - |++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++| - -All the arrangements at Valentia were under the direction of Mr. Glass. - -Mr. Varley, chief electrician to the Atlantic Telegraph Company, was -appointed to report on the laying of the Cable, and to see that the -conditions of the contract were complied with. Associated with him was -Professor W. Thomson, LL.D., F.R.S., of Glasgow. His staff was composed -of Mr. Deacon, Mr. Medley, Mr. Trippe, and Mr. Perry. - -Several young gentlemen interested in engineering and science were -accommodated with a passage on board. - -At noon on July 15th the Great Eastern, in charge of Mr. Moore, Trinity -pilot, drawing 34 ft. 4 in. forward, and 28 ft. 6 in. aft, got up her -anchor, and at midnight on July 16th was off the Lizard. On Monday, -17th, she came up with the screw steamer Caroline, freighted with 27 -miles of the Irish shore end of the Cable, weighing 540 tons, and took -her in tow. Then a gale set in, which gave occasion to the Great Eastern -to show her fine qualities as a sea-boat when properly handled. Even -those who were most prejudiced or most diffident, admitted that on that -score no vessel could behave better. This trial gave every one, from -Captain Anderson down, additional reason to be satisfied with the -fitness of the great ship for the task on which she was engaged. Next -day, Tuesday, July 18th, she encountered off the Irish coast a strong -gale with high westerly sea, through which she ran at the rate of six -knots an hour. The Caroline, which rolled so heavily and pitched so -vigorously as to excite serious apprehensions, broke the tow rope in the -course of the day, and ran for Valentia harbour, where she arrived -safely, piloted by the Great Eastern; and the Great Eastern, passing -inside the Skelligs, stood in close to Valentia Lighthouse, and sent a -boat ashore to communicate. H.M.S. Terrible, Captain Napier, and H.M.S. -Sphinx, Captain V. Hamilton, were visible in the offing, having sailed -at the end of the previous week from Queenstown for the rendezvous, -outside Valentia. Captain Anderson having fired a gun to announce his -arrival, steamed for Berehaven, in Bantry Bay, and anchored inside the -island on Wednesday morning, July 19th, in 17 fathoms. Here the Great -Eastern lay, preparing for her great errand--perhaps, as it may prove, -her exclusive "mission,"--on Thursday, 20th, Friday, 21st, and Saturday, -22nd July, whilst the Caroline was landing the shore end of the Cable in -Foilhummerum Bay in Valentia. During her stay in Bantry Bay, many -visitors, high and low, came on board the Great Ship, but it was -believed all over the country that she was going to Foilhummerum. The -greater portion of those anxious to see her made the best of their way -to that secluded spot, to which there was once more attached an interest -of a civilised character; for, if country legends be true, there must -have been some regard paid to Foilhummerum Bay by no less a person than -Oliver Cromwell, testified yet by the grey walls of a ruined fort, and -traces of a moat and outer wall, on the greensward above the point which -forms the northern entrance to the lonely bay. This crisp greensward, -glistening with salt, lies in a thin crust over the cliffs, which rise -sheerly from the sea some three or four hundred feet; and for what -Oliver Cromwell or any one else could have erected a fortalice thereon, -may well baffle conjecture, unless the builder, having a far-reaching -mind, saw the importance of watching the most westerly portion of -Europe, or anticipated the day when Valentia would be recognised as one -of the landmarks created by the necessities of commercial and social -existence. Taking advantage of the shelter afforded by a gradual descent -inland of the soil, a few cabins have been placed by the -natives--half-fishermen, half-husbandmen--Archytas-like, spanning land -and sea, and making but poor subsistence from their efforts on both. The -little bay, which is not much above a mile in length, contracts from a -breadth of half so much, into a watery _cul-de-sac_, terminated by steep -banks of shale, earth, and high cliff, furrowed by watercourses; and on -the southernmost side it is locked in by the projecting ledges of rock -forming the northern entrance to the Port Magee channel. It is so -guarded from wind and sea, that on one side only is it open to their -united action, but as the entrance looks nearly west, the full roll of -the Atlantic may break in upon it when the wind is from that point; and -indeed there is not wanting evidence that the wild ocean swell must -tumble in there with frightful violence. Jagged fragments of masts and -spars are wedged into the rocks immovably by the waves, and the cliffs -are gnawed out by the restless teeth of the hungry water into deep -caves. But then a sea from that point would run parallel with the line -of the Cable, and would sweep along with and not athwart its course, so -that the strands would not be driven to and fro and ground out against -the bottom. Except for a couple of hundred feet near the shore at the -top of this cove, indeed, the bottom is sandy, and the rocks inside the -sand line were calculated to form a protection to the Cable, once -deposited, as the greater part of its course lay through a channel which -had been cleared of the boulders with the intention of rolling them -back again at low water, to cover in the shore end. Lieutenant White, -and the hardy and hard-working sailors of the Coastguard Station at -Valentia, had been indefatigable in sounding and buoying out a channel -from the beach clear out to sea, within which the Caroline was to drop -the Cable. A few yards back from the cliff, at the head of the cove, the -temporary Telegraph Station reared its proportions in imitation of a -dwarf Brompton boiler--a building of wood much beslavered with tar and -pitch, of exceeding plainness, and let us hope of corresponding utility. -Inside were many of the adjuncts of comfort, not to speak of telegraphic -luxury, galvanometers, wires, batteries, magnets, Siemens's and B. A. -unit cases, and the like, as well as properties which gave the place a -false air of campaigning. A passage led from end to end, with rooms for -living and sleeping in to the right and left, and an instrument room at -the far extremity. Here, on a narrow platform, were the signal and -speaking apparatus connected with the wires from the end of the Cable, -which was secured inside the house. Outside the wires were carried by -posts in the ordinary way to the station at Valentia, whence they were -conveyed to Killarney, and placed in communication with the general -Telegraphic system over the world. The Telegraphic staff and operators -were lodged in primitive apartments like the sections of a Crimean hut, -and did not possess any large personal facility for enjoying social -intercourse with the outer world, although so much intelligence passed -through their fingers. But Foilhummerum may in time become a place with -something more real than a future. If vessels from the westward do not -like to make their number outside, there is nothing to prevent their -running into Valentia for the purpose, at all events. On the plateau -between the station and the cliff, day after day hundreds of the country -people assembled, and remained watching with exemplary patience for the -Big Ship. They came from the mainland across Port Magee, or flocked in -all kinds of boats from points along the coast, dressed in their best, -and inclined to make the most of their holiday, and a few yachts came -round from Cork and Bantry with less rustic visitors. Tents were soon -improvised by the aid of sails, some cloths of canvas, and oars and -boathooks, inside which bucolic refreshment could be obtained. Mighty -pots of potatoes seethed over peat fires outside, and the reek from -within came forth strongly suggestive of whisky and bacon. Flags -fluttered--the Irish green, with harp, crown surmounted; Fitzgerald, -green with its blazon of knight on horse rampant, and motto of "Malahar -aboo"--faint suspicion of Stars and Stripes and Union Jack, and one -temperance banner, audaciously mendacious, as it flaunted over John -Barleycorn. Nor was music wanting. The fiddler and the piper had found -out the island and the festive spot, and seated on a bank, played -planxty and jig to a couple or two in the very limited circle formed in -the soft earth by plastic feet or ponderous shoemasonry, around which, -sitting and standing, was a dense crowd of spell-bound, delighted -spectators. In the bay below danced the light canvas-covered canoe or -coracle in which the native fishermen will face the mountain billows of -the Atlantic when no other boat will venture forth; and large yawls -filled with country people passed to and fro, and the bright groupings -of colour formed on the cliffs and on the waters by the red, scarlet, -and green shawls of the women and girls, lighted up the scene -wonderfully. - -[Illustration: T. Picken, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley - -London, Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -FOILHUMMERUM BAY, VALENCIA, LOOKING SEAWARDS FROM THE POINT AT WHICH THE -CABLE REACHES THE SHORE.] - -[Illustration: T. Picken, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley London, Day & -Sons, Limited, Lith. - -THE CLIFFS FOILHUMMERUM BAY, POINT OF THE LANDING OF THE SHORE END OF -CABLE JULY 22ND.] - -It would be gratifying if in such a primitive spot one could shut his -eyes to the painful evidence that the vices of civilisation--if they be -so--had crept in and lapt the souls of the people in dangerous -pleasures. But it could not be denied that the spirit of gambling and -gourmandise were there. Seated in a ditch, with a board on their knees, -four men were playing "Spoil Five" with cards, for discrimination of -which a special gift must have been required; but they were as silent, -eager, and grave, as though they had been Union or Portland champions -contesting last trick and rub. Near them was one who summoned mankind to -tempt capricious Fortune by means of an iron skewer, rotating an axis -above a piece of tarpaulin stretched on a rude table, which was -enlivened by rays of vivid colour. At the end of each ray was an object -of art--the guerdon of success--an old penknife, brass tobacco-box, -tooth-comb, thimble, wooden nutmeg, or the like. A very scarecrow -professor of legerdemain and knavery hid his pea, and challenged -detection, and divided public attention with a wizard who presided over -a wooden circle with a spinning needle in the centre to point to radii, -at end of which were copper moneys deposited by the adventurers, who -generally saw them whisked off into the magician's grimy pocket. An -ancient woman, spinning, and guarding a basket of most atrabilious -confectionery, and a stall garnished with buttons and gingerbread, -completed the attractions of Foilhummerum during this festive time. - -The matter of wonder was, what the people flocked to see, for it must -soon have been known the Great Eastern was not there. The Hawk and the -Caroline, as they went into Valentia, did duty successfully for the Big -Ship, and the steam-yacht Alexandra, belonging to the Dublin Ballast -Board, and H.M. tender Advice, created a sensation as they appeared in -the offing on their way to the same rendezvous. All that related to the -Cable and the laying of it possessed the utmost interest for the country -people, simply because the Cable went westwards across the ocean to the -home of their hopes. Many of the poor people believed that it would -facilitate communications with their friends in the land to which their -thoughts are for ever tending, remembering perhaps the words of Lord -Carlisle when he told them of the advantages the Telegraphic Cable would -confer upon them. - -The village of Knightstown witnessed an unusual influx of visitors, and -those whom the hospitable roof of Glenleam could not stretch its willing -eaves over, found something more than shelter in the inn and in the -comfortable houses which acted as its succursales on the occasion. But -there was in the midst of all the pleasurable excitement of the moment a -tinge of dissatisfaction, because the people had persuaded themselves -that if they were not to see the Great Eastern in the harbour, they -would at least have H.M.S.S. Terrible and Sphinx, and the satellites of -the Leviathan in their anchorage, and all they beheld of the men of war -was their smoke and faint outlines on the distant horizon. - -The Terrible and Sphinx might have coaled in Valentia, and waited there -for the arrival of the Great Eastern, of which they could have heard by -telegraph, instead of towing colliers to Cork and going into Berehaven, -where there is no telegraph. Now, as to this harbour, let it be admitted -at once that its entrance is only 180 yards broad. But the "Narrows" of -Valentia Harbour is like a very short neck to a bottle, and after less -than a ship's length, the channel enlarges sufficiently to allow several -vessels to sail abreast in water which is never rough enough to prevent -the passage of boats to Begennis or Renard Point. Indeed, Capt. Wolfe's -report to the Hydrographer to the Admiralty expresses an opinion that -the Needles' passage is more intricate and dangerous. The Skelligs on -one side and the Blasketts on the other mark the approach very -distinctly. Inside, there is 600 acres, or more than a square mile, of -harbour, with good holding ground, having a maximum of six furlongs and -a minimum of three furlongs water. - -The disappointment caused by the cautious indifference of the Terrible -and Sphinx to the advantages of lying snugly inside Valentia Harbour was -felt acutely. The Knight of Kerry, who has taken such an interest in the -undertaking, and all the inhabitants, regarded it as a mark of distrust -in the safety of the anchorage and in the facility of access to it, -which was without any justification, and some ascribed it to less -creditable influences and objects; but no one could believe that the -officers in command of the ships kept out at sea in such weather, -wearying the crews and wasting coals, without direct orders, or that -they would hesitate to run in, if left to themselves, as soon as it was -evident the point of rendezvous ten miles from shore was not intended as -a permanent station. The harbour had been visited by H.M.S.S. Stromboli, -Hecate, Leopard, Cyclops, the U.S. frigate Susquehanna, and many large -merchantmen, including the Carrier Dove, a vessel of 2,400 tons. - -On July 19th a channel was made down the cliff to the beach for the -shore end of the Cable, which was carried down in an outer case through -a culvert of masonry, and deposited in a cut made as far into the sea as -the state of the tide would admit. On the 21st an "earth" Cable, with a -zinc earth, on Mr. Varley's plan, was carried out into the bay from the -station, and safely deposited outside the channel marked for the Cable. -The Caroline went round from Valentia to Foilhummerum, and on July 22nd -the shore end of the Cable was carried from her over a bridge formed of -twenty-five yawls belonging to the district, amid great cheering, and -hauled up the cliffs to the station. The safe arrival of the terminal -wire in the building, in the presence of a large assemblage, took place -at 12·45, Greenwich time, and as the day was fine, the scene, to which -the fleet of boats in the bay gave unusual animation, was witnessed to -the greatest advantage. - -When the excitement caused by the landing of the Cable was abated, the -Knight of Kerry was called on to speak to the people assembled outside -the Instrument Room, and said:--"I feel that in the presence of so many -who have taken an active and a useful part in this undertaking, it may -seem almost presumptuous in me to open my mouth on this occasion; but -from the very beginning I have felt an interest which I am sure the -humblest person here has also felt in the success of this the greatest -undertaking of modern times. I believe there never has been an -undertaking in which, not to speak disparagingly of the commercial -spirit and the great resources and strength of the land, that valuable -spirit has been mixed up with so much that is of a higher nature, -combining all the most noble sentiments of our minds, and the feelings -intended for the most beneficial purpose, which are calculated to cement -one great universe, I may say, with another. I do not think we should be -quite silent when such an undertaking has been inaugurated. It has been -discussed whether this ceremony should be opened with a prayer or not. -Whether that shall be done or not, I am sure there is not a person -present who does not feel the utmost thankfulness to the Giver of all -Good for having enabled those who have taken an active part in it to -bring this great undertaking to what I am sure will have a happy issue. -I do not think anything could be fitly added to the sentiment of the -first message which was conveyed, namely--'Glory to God in the highest, -on earth peace, good will toward men.' I shall not detain you with -another word, but will only ask you all to give the heartiest cheers for -the success of the undertaking. I will also take the liberty of asking -you, when you have done that, to give three cheers for a gentleman who -has come here at great inconvenience, and has done us very great honour -in doing so, and who deserves them, not only from his position and -character, but also from the interest which he has always shown in this -undertaking. I call upon you to give three hearty cheers for Sir Robert -Peel." - -[Illustration: G. McCulloch, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley London, -Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -FOILHUMMERUM BAY, VALENCIA FROM "CROMWELL FORT" THE CAROLINE AND BOATS -LAYING THE EARTH WIRE JULY 21ST.] - -[Illustration: T. Picken, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley - -THE GREAT EASTERN UNDER WEIGH JULY 23RD. (ESCORT AND OTHER SHIPS -INTRODUCED BEING THE TERRIBLE, THE SPHINX, THE HAWK & THE CAROLINE)] - - -The meeting responded very heartily to the call, and when silence was -restored, Sir Robert Peel said: "Gentlemen, as the Knight of Kerry has -well observed, this is one of the most important works that this country -could have been engaged in, inasmuch as it tends to draw us together in -a link of amity and friendship with a mighty continent on the other side -of the Atlantic. I trust, as the Knight of Kerry has so justly observed, -that it may tend not only to promote the peace and commerce of the -world, but that it may also lead to a union of feeling and to good -fellowship between those two great countries; and I trust that as it has -been so happily inaugurated to-day, so it may be successful under the -exertions of those who have taken part in it to-day and for some time -past. Gentlemen, I think the progress of this undertaking deserves that -we should pay the highest compliment to those who have been actively -engaged in carrying it out to the stage at which it has arrived. We are -about to lay down, at the very bottom of the mighty Atlantic, which -beats against your shores with everlasting pulsations, this silver-toned -zone, to join the United Kingdom and America. Along that silver-toned -zone, I trust, may pass words which will tend to promote the commerce -and the interest of the two countries; and I am sure we will offer up -prayers for the success of an undertaking, to the accomplishment of -which persevering industry and all the mechanical skill of the age have -been brought to bear. Nothing has been wanting in human skill, and -therefore for the future, as now, let us trust the hand of Divine -Providence will be upon it; and that as the great vessel is about to -steam across the Atlantic no mishaps or misfortune may occur to imperil -or obstruct the success of the work which has now been so happily -commenced. I ask you all to give a cheer in honour of my noble friend -here, the Knight of Kerry, who has just begun the work." - -The demand was enthusiastically complied with, for the Knight is an -immense favourite with all the dwellers in his little dominion. - -Sir Robert Peel then said: "Now, gentlemen, probably one of the first -messages that will be sent by this Cable will be a communication from -the Sovereign of this great country to the great ruler of the mighty -continent at the other side of the Atlantic. I will ask you to give -three cheers for her Majesty the Queen." (Cheers.) Sir Robert Peel in -conclusion, said: "I give you, with hearty good will, health and -happiness to the ruler of the United States, President Johnson." (The -toast was received with loud cheers.) - -Mr. Glass, who was called on to acknowledge the hearty reception given -to his name and the Company's, said: "On behalf of myself and those -connected with me in this undertaking, I beg to return you thanks. I am -glad that our labours have been appreciated by those around us. I assure -you that the work that has been so far completed has been a source of -great anxiety to us all; but that anxiety has been relieved very much by -the fact that we have now landed a Cable which we one and all believe to -be perfect. I believe that nothing can interfere with the successful -laying of the Cable but the hand of the Almighty, who rules the winds -and waves. So far as human skill has gone, I believe we have produced -all that can be desired. We now offer up our prayers to the Almighty -that He will grant success to our undertaking." - -The Doxology was then sung, with which this part of the proceedings -closed, and the electricians busied themselves with securing the shore -end confided to their charge in its new home. - -At 2 o'clock in the afternoon the Caroline, towed by the Hawk, and -attended by the Princess Alexandra and Advice, proceeded to sea, veering -out the shore end of the Cable in the channel marked by Lieutenant -White, and at 10·30 p.m. buoyed the end 26 miles W.N.W. of Valentia, in -75 fathoms of water. A message was sent through the Cable to -Foilhummerum, and a dispatch was forwarded to the Great Eastern, in -Bantry Bay, to come round with all speed. This order was obeyed with -such diligence that her appearance off the harbour of Valentia was -reported in Knightstown soon after 7 o'clock next morning, July 23. -H.M.S. Terrible and H.M.S. Sphinx were in company. The Hawk, which -returned from the Caroline in the course of the night, got up steam and -left Valentia Harbour about 10 o'clock a.m., July 23, with a party of -visitors and passengers for the Great Eastern, among the former being -Sir R. Peel, the Knight of Kerry, and Captain Lord John Hay. By 3 p.m. -the Hawk had reached the flotilla, which lay around the buoy, preparing -for the great enterprise. She was just in time; the end of the shore -Cable was about to be spliced and joined with the landward end of the -main Cable from the after tank of the Great Eastern, and the boats of -the Great Ship and of the two men-of-war, were engaged in carrying the -end of the main Cable to the Caroline. Sir R. Peel, the Knight of Kerry, -Lord John Hay, Mr. Canning, and others, got on board the Great Eastern -in successive trips of the Hawk's boats; but the ladies, who had come so -far and had suffered too in order to see the famous vessel, could not -venture, as there was a swell on which made it difficult to embark or -approach the gangway ladders. After an hour's enjoyment of the almost -terrestrial steadiness of the Great Eastern, the visitors departed, amid -loud cheers, to the Hawk, and at 5·10 p.m. it was reported by the -electricians that the tests of the splice between the main Cable and the -shore end were complete, and that the shore end was much improved in -its electrical condition by its immersion in the water. The boats were -hoisted in by the men-of-war and by the Great Eastern, adieux and good -wishes were exchanged, and, with hearts full of confidence, all on board -set about the work before them. - -The bight of the Cable was slipped from the Caroline, at 7·15 p.m., and -the Great Eastern stood slowly on her course N.W.1/4W. Then the Terrible -and Sphinx, which had ranged up alongside, and sent their crews into the -shrouds and up to the tops to give her a parting cheer, delivered their -friendly broadsides with vigour, and received a similar greeting. Their -colours were hauled down, and as the sun set a broad stream of golden -light was thrown across the smooth billows towards their bows as if to -indicate and illumine the path marked out by the hand of Heaven. The -brake was eased, and as the Great Eastern moved ahead the machinery of -the paying-out apparatus began to work, drums rolled, wheels whirled, -and out spun the black line of the Cable, and dropped in a graceful -curve into the sea over the stern wheel. The Cable came up with ease -from the after tank, and was payed-out with the utmost regularity from -the apparatus. The system of signals to and from the ship was at once in -play between the electricians on board and those at Foilhummerum. On -board there were two representative bodies--the electricians of the -Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company, under M. de Sauty, and -the electricians of the Atlantic Telegraph Company, Mr. Varley, -Professor Thomson, and assistants. The former were to test the -electrical state of the Cable as it was being payed-out, and to keep up -signals between the ship and the shore. The latter, who had no power of -interference or control, were simply to report on the testing, and to -certify, on their arrival in Newfoundland, whether the Cable fulfilled -the conditions specified in the contract. The mechanical arrangements -for paying-out the cable were in charge of Mr. Canning, -engineer-in-chief to the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company, -who might be considered as having supreme control over the ship _ad -hoc._ In the space on deck between the captain's state-room and the -entrance to the grand saloon, was the Testing-Room--a darkened chamber, -into which were led conducting wires from the ends of the Cable, for the -ordeal to which they were subjected by the electricians, at a table -whereon were placed galvanometers and insulation and resistance-testing -machines. - - The instructions for signalling, determined upon by the - electricians of the Telegraphic Construction and Maintenance - Company, were as follows:-- - - 1. During the paying-out of the Cable, from the moment of starting - until the end is landed at Newfoundland, electrical tests will be - applied without intermission. - - 2. The tests will be for insulation, for continuity, and to - determine the resistance of the conductor, the whole length of - Cable being joined up in one length. - - 3. Each series of tests will commence at the hour (Greenwich time), - and will last one hour. - - 4. The insulation test will consist of 30 minutes' electrification - of the Cable, commencing at the hour, and lasting till 30 minutes - past the hour. Readings of the galvanometer to be taken every - minute, commencing one minute after contact with the battery, the - battery to consist of 40 cells. - - 5. At 30 minutes past the hour signals will be received from the - shore for 10 minutes. Unless the ship wishes to communicate with - shore by special speaking instruments, in which case, instead of - receiving signals from the shore, ship will put on a C to E current - to oppose deflection on shore. Galvanometer to arrest shore - attention, and when joined, give the call as in paragraph 9: the - ordinary signals will be 5 reversals of 2 minutes each. - - 6. At 40 minutes, C of Cable will be taken to 10 minutes. - - 7. At 50 minutes signals will be sent to the shore, and for the - ordinary signals 5 reversals, 2 minutes each, commencing C to E. - - 8. Then a repetition of the same tests to be made and continued - without any interval. - - 9. In case it becomes necessary to speak to shore by speaking - instruments, the signal will be given at the 50 minutes, and at the - 30 minutes, as in paragraph 5, by sending 8-1/4 minutes' reversals, - commencing Z to E, and changing over to the speaking instruments, - on receiving acknowledgment of call from shore (which will be also - 8-1/4 minutes' reversals), communication or message to be sent, and - when acknowledgment of message and reply (if any) is received, then - the system of testing is to be resumed, as if no interruption had - taken place. - - 10. Every 50 nauts. of Cable payed-out will be signalled at the - same time (viz., at the 50 mins.), thus, instead of 5 reversals of - 2 minutes, 10 reversals of 1 minute will be made commencing Z to E. - - 11. Every 50 nauts. distance run will be signalled to the shore; - the signal will be 2 reversals (commencing Z to E), each 2 minutes' - duration--2 reversals, each 1 minute's duration, and 2 reversals, - each 2 minutes' duration. - - 12. Should any defect in signals be perceived, or bad time kept, - notice will be given to the shore by signalling at the 50 - minutes--thus, by giving 2 reversals of 5 minutes' duration, - commencing Z to E. - - 13. In sounding, signal will be one current of 10 minutes' - duration, Z to E. - - 14. Land-in-sight signal will be likewise one current of 10 - minutes' duration, Z to E. - - 15. Greenwich time will be kept, but a column will be devoted in - journals and sheets to ship's time. - - 16. After the insulation test is taken, it is to be worked out - thus--The same deflection at the 15th minute's reading will be - obtained with the same battery through resistance, and a shunt to - the galvanometer. The amount of resistance multiplied by - multiplying power of the shunt, and galvanometer multiplied by the - length of the Cable, will give the G. p. R. pr. nt. - - 17. The copper resistance of the Cable will be taken after 5 - minutes' electrification. - - 18. No change in the instruments, wires, or connections (other than - the batteries, if necessary), to be made on any account, unless - such instruments, &c., become defective--any necessary change to be - made as quickly as possible. - - 19. Should the rolling of the ship generate a magnetic current of - sufficient strength to embarrass the signals, a stronger current - for the signals will be put on on shore, and a shunt used with the - galvanometer on board, notice to the shore to put on more power - will be given by one current of 5 minutes, commencing Z to E, and 5 - reversals of 1 minute's duration. - - 20. The iron earth of the Cable will be used both on board and on - shore--other earths, however, to be in readiness for use, if - necessary. - - 21. Full particulars of every test and every occurrence in the - testing-room to be entered in journal, together with the name of - the electricians on duty, and the time of their coming on and going - off duty. - - 22. After the end is landed, should signals fail, the paying-out - system to be resumed until signals are re-established. - - 23. In case of a minute fault appearing, such as will partially - affect the signalling, but which will not stop the communication - entirely, notice will be given to shore to reduce battery power. - Such notice will be given at the 50 minutes, by sending 5 reversals - of 1 minute each, commencing Z to E, and 1 current of 5 minutes' - duration. - - 24. A proper supply of lamps, glasses, oil, and wicks; instrument - ink and instrument paper, in sufficient quantities; paraffin, - wicks, and spare lamp-glasses for the instrument lamps; - lamp-brushes, tools, sulphate of copper, stationery, &c., to be - always ready for use. - - 25. No person except those on duty, and the engineers and the - officers authorised by the Atlantic Telegraph Company, to be - allowed in the instrument room on any pretence. - - 26. The batteries to be kept in an efficient state, especially - those for sending reversals--their force taken periodically, and if - any variety occur, they must be renewed, or brought up to the - original force. - - 27. Supplies of every material needful for such purpose to be in - constant readiness. - - 28. The actual end of the Cable to be brought to the instrument - tables, and well insulated. - - - SHIP'S SIGNALS. - - 29. Ordinary.--5 reversals, commencing C to E, each 2 minutes. - - To open communication.--8 reversals, commencing Z to E, each -1/4 - minute. - - 50 nauts. payed out.--10 reversals, commencing Z to E, each 1 - minute. - - 50 nauts. distance run, signal will be, 2 reversals, each 2 minutes, commencing Z to E. - - " " " 2 " " 1 " " " - - " " " 2 " " 2 " " " - - Defective signals.--2 reversals, commencing Z to E, each 5 minutes. - - In soundings.--1 current of 10 minutes, Z to E. - - Land in sight.--1 " " " " - - Notice to increase power.--1 current of 5 minutes, commencing Z to - E, and 5 reversals of 1 minute's duration. - - Notice to reduce power.--5 reversals of 1 minute, commencing Z to - E, and 1 current of 5 minutes. - - - SHORE. - - 1. During the paying-out of the Cable, from the moment of starting - until the end is landed at Newfoundland, a system of testing will - be applied without intermission. - - 2. The tests will be for insulation, for continuity, and to - determine the copper resistance of the conductor. - - 3. Each series of tests will commence at the hour (Greenwich time), - and will last 1 hour. Both the insulation and C R tests will be - made on board. - - 4. The insulation test will be made on board, and to enable that to - be done, the end of the Cable must be insulated on shore for 30 - minutes, commencing at the hour. - - 5. At the 30 minutes past the hour, signals will be sent to the - ship for 10 minutes. Should ship at this time desire to open - communication, ship will put on a current so as to oppose shore's - current on his galvanometer, to arrest shore's attention, and will, - when gained, give the call as in paragraph 10. - - 6. The ordinary signal will be 5 reversals of 2 minutes' duration, - commencing C to E. - - 7. At the 40 minutes, Cable to be put to earth direct, without any - instrument being in circuit. - - 8. At the 50 minutes, signals will be received from the ship. The - ordinary signal will be 5 reversals, each 2 minutes' duration. - - 9. Then a repetition of the same series to be made and continued. - - 10. Should ship desire to open communication by special speaking - instruments, notice will be received by a signal of 8 reversals - (giving a deflection the opposite to the ordinary signals) of 1/4 - minute's duration. - - 11. After returning the same signal to the ship as an - acknowledgment, the speaking instruments to be put in circuit, and - the message from the ship received, and when acknowledgment of - message, or reply, is given, the regular system of signals to be - resumed as if no interruption had occurred. - - 12. Every 50 nauts. of the Cable payed-out will be signalled to the - shore by signal (instead of the ordinary signals). This signal will - be 10 reversals of 1 minute each--the first current giving a - deflection the opposite side to the first current of the ordinary - signals. - - 13. Every 50 nauts. distance run will be signalled to the shore: - the signal will be 2 reversals of 2 minutes' duration, 2 reversals - of 1 minute's duration, and 2 reversals of 2 minutes' duration--the - first current giving a deflection opposite to the first deflection - of the first current of the ordinary signal. - - 14. Should ship receive weak or defective signals, or bad time - kept, notice will be given by sending 2 reversals of 5 minutes - each, commencing the opposite side to the ordinary signals. - - 15. When the ship gets into soundings, notice will be given by - sending one current of 10 minutes' duration, the opposite side to - the first current of the ordinary signals. - - 16. When land is in sight, notice will be given by the same signal. - - 17. Greenwich time to be kept, but a column to be devoted to local - time in the journals and sheets. - - 18. No change in instruments, wires, or connections (other than the - batteries, if necessary), to be made on any account, unless such - instruments become defective, and any necessary change to be made - as quickly as possible. - - 19. Should the rolling of the ship generate a magnetic current of - sufficient strength to embarrass the signals, a stronger current - for the signals must be put on by shore on receiving notice from - the ship; the notice will be given by 1 current of 5 minutes', and - 5 reversals of 1 minute's duration. - - 20. The iron earth of the Cable to be used both on board and on - shore: copper earths, however, will be in readiness for use if - necessary. - - 21. Full particulars of every occurrence in the testing-room will - be entered in journals, together with the names of the electricians - on duty, and the time of their coming on and going off duty. - - 22. When the end is landed at Newfoundland, should signals fail at - any time, the paying-out system to be resumed until signals pass - again freely. - - 23. On receiving a signal of 5 reversals of 1 minute's, and a - current of 5 minutes' duration, shore must reduce the battery power - used for sending reversals by one-half, and on a repetition of the - same signal again reduce the power one-half, until (should notice - continue to be given to that effect) the minimum of power be - reached. - - 24. Shore must not have the privilege of opening a conversation, or - to use or call for the use of the special speaking instruments, - under any circumstances, except to give notice of any accident that - may cause an interruption of signals, or that may affect the safety - of the Cable or signals. - - 25. Should any interruption of signals from the ship occur by - reason of an accident on board, shore will continue to free the - Cable at the usual time, and to put to earth direct at the usual - time, and in the intervals to put into circuit with the Cable a - galvanometer, and watch the same for signals, and continue doing so - until communication with the ship is restored, or information is - received by other means from the ship. - - 26. On re-establishment of communication, shore must not ask any - questions, but take the resumption of signals as an indication of - all being well again, and will continue to follow the series of - tests as if nothing had happened. - - 27. Shore will take time from the ship; should any irregularity in - the reception of signals from the ship occur, such irregularity - must be entered in journals, and must not form a ground for shore's - altering his time, but shore must follow blindly every change - (should one take place), as if the most correct time had been kept. - - 28. A proper supply of lamps, glasses, oil, and wicks; instrument - ink and instrument paper, in sufficient quantities; paraffin, - wicks, and spare lamp-glasses for the instrument lamps; - lamp-brushes, tools, sulphate of copper, stationery, &c., to be - always ready for use. - - 29. No person, except those on duty, and the officers authorised by - the Atlantic Telegraph Company, to be allowed in the instrument - room on any pretence. - - 30. The batteries to be kept in an efficient state, especially - those for sending reversals--their force taken periodically, and if - any variation occur, they must be renewed, or brought up to the - original force. - - 31. Supplies of all materials necessary for such purpose to be in - constant readiness. - - 32. The actual end of the Cable to be brought to the instrument - tables, and well insulated. - - - SHORE SIGNALS. - - 33. Ordinary.--5 reversals, each two minutes, commencing C to E. - - 34. To open communication on acknowledgment.--8 reversals, each 1/4 - minute, commencing Z to E. - -As the voyage of the Great Eastern promised to be so interesting to -electricians and engineers, several young gentlemen who worked in the -testing-room and in the engineer's department received a passage, as we -have mentioned, but there was no person on board who was not in some way -or other engaged on the business of both companies, or connected with -the management of the ship. The voyage commenced most favourably. The -rate of speed was increased to 3 knots, then to 4 knots, then to 5 -knots, and finally, to 6-1/2 knots an hour, and the Cable flew from each -coiled flake as if it were eager to push up through the controlling -bands of the so-called crinoline, and to plunge into the sea. At -10·p.m., Greenwich time, 50 miles of Cable had been payed-out, and the -process continued to midnight with equal ease and regularity. In order -to make each day's proceedings distinct, and to take the reader over the -course so that he can follow the expedition readily by the aid of the -accompanying chart, I propose recording events in the form of a diary. - -[Illustration: ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH CABLE 1865. - -Chart - -Shewing the Track of - -THE STEAM SHIP "GREAT EASTERN" ON HER VOYAGE FROM VALENTIA TO -NEWFOUNDLAND - -WITH THE SOUNDINGS, THE DAILY LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE, THE DISTANCE RUN - -AND THE NUMBER OF MILES OF CABLE PAID OUT - -???? DAY & SON (LIMITED)] - -[Illustration: From a drawing by R. Dudley London. D.T & Sou. Limited. -Lilh. - -SPLICING THE CABLE (AFTER THE FIRST ACCIDENT) ON BOARD THE GREAT EASTERN -JULY 25TH.] - -_Monday, July 24th._--The morning was exceedingly fine, and the ship -proceeded steadily at an average rate of 6 knots an hour, with a light -favouring wind and a calm sea. Those who were up betimes had just taken -a turn or two on deck, watching for the early dawn, when they observed -some commotion in the neighbourhood of the Testing-Room, and soon -afterwards the ship's engines were slowed and stopped. According to -Professor Thomson's galvanometer, which is used in the system employed -in testing, a ray of light reflected from a tiny mirror suspended to a -magnet travels along a scale, and indicates the resistance to the -passage of the current along the Cable by the deflection of the magnet, -which is marked by the course of this speck of light. If the light of -the mirror travels beyond the index, or out of bounds, an escape of the -current is taking place in the Cable, and what is technically called -a fault has occurred. At 3·15 a.m., when 84 miles of Cable had been paid -out, the electrician on duty saw the light suddenly glide to the end of -the scale, and then vanish. The whole staff were at once aroused--the -news soon flew through the ship. After testing the Cable for some time -by signalling to and from the shore, Mr. de Sauty satisfied himself that -the fault which had occurred was of a serious character, and measures -were taken accordingly to rig up the picking-up apparatus at the bow, to -take in the Cable till the defective portion was reached and cut out. -Such an early interruption to our progress caused a little chagrin, but -the veterans of submarine telegraphy thought nothing of it. Whilst the -electricians were testing, to obtain data respecting the locality of the -fault, the fires were got up in the boilers of two small engines on deck -to work the picking-up machinery. At 4 a.m. a gun was fired by the Great -Eastern to call the attention of the Terrible and Sphinx to our -proceedings, and they were also informed by signal of the injury. -Notwithstanding the skill and experience of the scientific gentlemen on -board, there was a great vagueness of opinion among them respecting the -place where the fault lay. Some believed the defective part was near the -shore, and probably at the splice of the shore end with the main Cable; -others thought it was eastward or westward of the same place; and -calculations, varied by uncertain indications given by the currents -showing that the fault itself was of a variable character, and permitted -the currents of electricity to escape irregularly, were made by the -scientific staff, which fixed it at points from 22 to 42 miles--one at -60 miles--from the ship. But repeated observations gave closer results. -Mr. Varley came to the conclusion that the fault was not very far from -the ship; and Mr. Sanders, a gentleman who had much experience in -fault-finding, arrived at the conviction that it was not more than 9 or -10 miles astern. - -The best test taken by Mr. Saunders, 1·30 a.m., Greenwich time, July 25, -after the Cable had been cut down to 78·5 miles, gave-- - - Resistance, shore end disconnected, 2,600 units. - " " to earth, 312 " - -Let _a_ and _b_ be the lengths of Cable-conductor, having resistances -equal to the first and second of these numbers; _l_ the length of Cable, -and D the distance of the fault. The ordinary formula gives - - _____________________________________ - D=_b_--\/(_a_-_b_)(_l_-_b_) - -Hence, _l_ being 78·5, and _a_ and _b_ being calculated from the -observed copper-resistance of the conductor in the after-tank, and -various assumed temperatures of the sea, we should have, were the -measurements perfect, results as follows:-- - - +---------------------------------------+----------------------------------+ - |Copper resistance of Cable | Distances of the fault calculated| - |in after tank, per nautical mile, | accordingly from end in ship, | - |observed 4.44 units at 61° temperature.| when cut at 78.5 miles of | - | | cable from shore end. | - +---------------------------------------+----------------------------------+ - |Hence 4·42 units at 59° temperature | 6·7 miles. | - | 4·37 " 53° " | 10·1 " | - | 4·25 " 40° " | 22·0 " | - | 4·02 " 35° " | 27·2 " | - +---------------------------------------+----------------------------------+ - -This would give 22 miles for the most probable distance of the fault, as -40° is the most probable mean temperature of the first submerged length -of 75 miles. The true distance proved to be very nearly 3 miles. The -discrepance is owing partly of course to want of absolute accuracy in -the measurements, but probably more to the variation of the resistance -of the fault during the interval between the two measurements. - -Iron chains were lashed firmly to the Cable at the stern, and secured to -the wire rope carried round outside the ship to the picking-up apparatus -at the bows. As the paying-out stopped, a strain came on the Cable, -which was down in 400 fathoms of water, and it needed nice management to -keep the ship steady, as she had no steerage way. The Cable, having been -shackled and secured, was severed at 8·50 a.m., and flew with its -shackling into the sea, plump astern. The stoppers which held the wire -rope were released, and the rope was payed-out rapidly as the Cable -sunk, in order that the ship's head might be brought round, if possible, -so as to take the Cable in over the bows in a straight line with its -course. - -The Great Eastern dropped to leeward when her engines stopped. When the -end of the Cable was got in over the bows, and the picking-up engine was -set to work, it was discovered that the locomotive boiler intended to -keep up a head of steam for the machinery, was defective. Steam was then -supplied by one of the boilers of the ship: the drums and wheels of the -picking-up machinery began to revolve, slowly dragging in the Cable over -the bows, with a strain which at times rose from 10 cwt. to 30 cwt., -leaving a very large margin before the breaking point was reached. The -ship's bows were kept up to the line of the Cable with great cleverness, -and Mr. Canning and his assistants were perfectly satisfied with their -progress. It would be too much to expect that all on board should be so -easily contented; for in fact the process of picking-up is of the -slowest--a mile an hour was considered to be a fair rate of speed, and a -mile and a-quarter was something to be very thankful for. Still, the -prospect of returning to Ireland and getting back to the shore end, at -the highest of these retrogressive celerities, did not prove attractive. -Our position, by observation at noon, was Lat. 52° 2' 30'', Long. 12° -17' 30''. As the Cable was in fair working order, Mr. Canning -transmitted a message to Mr. Glass at Knightstown, to send out the -Hawk, in order that he might return in her, and ascertain if the shore -end of the Cable were defective. If that were not the case, he proposed -to sacrifice the portion of Cable already laid, to return and make a new -splice of the main line with the shore end, and to start afresh. In the -course of the evening a message was received from Mr. Glass, informing -Mr. Canning that the Hawk should be sent out as soon as she had coaled -the Caroline. The Terrible sent her First Lieutenant, Mr. Prowse, on -board, to see if she could render us any assistance. The Sphinx was -busied in taking soundings all round the ship, which showed depths -varying from 400 to 480 fathoms. The operation of picking up proceeded -all day and all night--the weather being fine but cloudy. - -_Tuesday, July 25th._--The Hawk was observed soon after daybreak coming -towards the Great Eastern. The wind was still light and the sea -moderate. All during the night the process of picking up was carefully -carried on, the Big Ship behaving beautifully, and hanging lightly over -the Cable, as if fearful of breaking the slender cord which swayed up -and down in the ocean. Indeed, so delicately did she answer her helm and -coil in the film of thread-like Cable over her bows, that she put one in -mind of an elephant taking up a straw in its proboscis. At 7·15 a.m., -Greenwich time, 9-1/2 miles of Cable had been picked up from the sea, -and the thin greyish coating of mud which dropped from it showed that -the bed of the Atlantic here was of a soft ooze. The Cable had been cut -twice on board, to enable the electricians to apply tests separately to -the coils in the tanks. At 9 a.m., ship's time, when somewhat more than -10-1/4 miles had been hauled in, to the joy of all the "fault" was -discovered. The Cable came in with flagrant evidence of the mischief. -The cause of so much anxiety, delay, and bitter disappointment turned -out to be a piece of wire of the same kind as that used in the -protecting strands of the Cable itself. It was two inches long or -so--rather bent in the middle, with one end sharp and bright, as if from -a sharp fracture or being cut by a pair of pliers--the other end blunt -and jagged. This piece of wire had been forced through the outer -covering of the Cable into the gutta percha, so as to injure the -insulation, but no one could tell how it got into the tank. The general -impression was, that it was a piece of Cable or other wire which had -been accidently carried into the tank, and forced into the coil by the -pressure of the paying-out machinery as the Cable flew between the -jockey-wheels. - -Measures were at once taken to make a new splice and joint, rejecting -the Cable picked up, a good deal of which had been strained in the -process. Signals were made to the fleet that the enemy had been -detected, at 9 a.m., and the Terrible replied, "I congratulate you." -First a splice was made in the Cable where it had been cut, for the -purpose of testing between the after and fore tanks, and all admired the -neatness and strength with which it was performed--the conducting wires -soldered and lapped over--the gutta percha heated and moulded on the -junction; and, finally, the strands carried over the core and secured. -During the operation the Hawk returned to Valentia with our letters, and -with the good news, which, however, must have been anticipated by the -Cable itself. The splice and joint of the end of Cable towards the shore -and the end from the after tank was next made. Then these splices were -carefully tested and found perfect, and the stream of electricity was -once more sent direct to Valentia. After a detention of some twelve -hours, the paying-out machinery was again put in action, and the Cable -glided out rapidly astern. All seemed to go well. About half a mile of -wire had been paid out, when suddenly all communication between the -shore and ship ceased altogether! From great contentment there was -sudden blank despair! The operators were in consternation. The news -spread from end to end of the ship, which again lay in restless quiet on -the waters. The faces of the most cheerful became overcast--gloomy -forebodings filled men's minds all at once. Why had the Hawk been sent -back? Why were not more tests made before she left? Away worked the -electricians in their room, connecting and disconnecting, putting in and -taking out stops--intensifying and reducing currents. Not a sign! Not a -shadow of a sign! Mr. de Sauty suggested they had got hold of the wrong -wires, and professors opined that the operators had done wrong in -spending time over the splice between the two tanks at the critical -moment when they should have been watching the signals from the shore. -Anxious groups gathered round the Testing-Room, and the bolder popped in -their heads, as if they could learn anything from the dumb mute wires -and the clicking of the chronometers, or from the silent operators who -bent over the instruments. At 3·15 p.m. the Cable between the two tanks -was again cut, and examination was made to make sure no error had been -made in the communications. Again the wearisome energy of the picking-up -apparatus was to be called into play--once more the Cable was to be -shackled and thrown overboard, and hauled up to the bows and pulled out -of the water. Such a Penelope's web in 24 hours, all out of this single -thread, was surely disheartening. The Cable in the fore and the main -tanks answered to the tests most perfectly. But that Cable which went -seaward was sullen, and broke not its sulky silence. Even the gentle -equanimity and confidence of Mr. Field were shaken in that supreme hour, -and in his heart he may for a moment have sheltered, though he did not -nurture, the thought that the dream of his life was indeed but a -chimæra. Who could bear up against a life of picking-up? And our -paying-out seemed to have such an undue share of the reverse process -attached to it! But there was a change in the fortunes of the ship and -of its freight. The index light suddenly reappeared on its path in the -Testing-Room, and the wearied watchers were gladdened by the lighting of -the beacon of hope once more. Again there was one of those mutations to -which the flesh of submarine telegraph layers is born heir, and after a -few moments of breathless solicitude, it was announced that the signals -between the ship and the shore had been restored, and that every instant -developed their strength. Mr. de Sauty came out of the Testing-Room to -inform Professor Thomson of the fact, and Mr. Canning's operations at -the bows of the ship for picking up were most gratefully suspended by -the intelligence that the machinery would not be required. At 4·15 p.m. -the ship steamed on ahead again, and the Terrible and Sphinx were -signalled to come on, 37 hours and 10 minutes having been lost by the -fault, and consequent detentions. Our position, at noon was found to be, -Lat. 51° 58', Long. 12° 11'; total distance from Valentia, 66-1/2 miles; -total Cable payed-out 74 miles (per centage of slack being 14 miles), -distance from Heart's Content, 1,596 miles. The communication with shore -continued to improve, and was, in the language of telegraphers, O. K. -The alternations of hope and fear to which we had been exposed were now -pleasantly terminated for the evening, and the saloon became the scene -of joyous and animated conversation, and of a good deal of scientific -discussion, till the approach of midnight. - -The cause of the detention was argued fully, but it was not easy to -determine how it came to pass the signalling had been interrupted; it -was generally accounted for by the supposition that the order of the -tests had become deranged whilst the splices were being made on board, -and some of the electricians were inclined to think that the system was -defective, because the intervals were so long that the fault might be -overboard some time before it could be detected. - -As the sea and wind rose a little, the speed of the ship was diminished -from 6-1/2 knots to 5 knots, at which rate the Cable ran out beautifully -throughout the night. - -_July 26th._--The course of the Cable ran smoothly all throughout the -night. At 8 a.m. the Great Eastern was 150 miles from Valentia, and -161-1/2 miles of Cable, including the shore end, had been laid--the loss -by slack being only 7·63 per cent. The morning was hazy, and a strong -wind from the north-west brought up rather a heavy sea, but the Great -Eastern was as steady as a Thames steamer; indeed the stability of the -vessel was a never-ending theme of admiration. Our consorts were not so -indifferent to the roll of the Atlantic. The Terrible thumped through -the heavy sea, and buried her bows in foam with dogged determination. -The Sphinx gave very unmistakable indications of having a harder enigma -than she bargained for, as she engaged in her task of taking soundings, -which now had become important. We were getting into deep water, having -passed the bank on which there is only 200 fathoms, and had come -suddenly to the slope beginning with 700 fathoms, and running in one -degree to 1,750 fathoms. This slope is not, however, severer than that -of Holborn-hill, though it looks very severe upon the map. Towards noon -the sea and wind increased. The Sphinx, which first sent down topgallant -masts, finally sent down topmasts, but was unable to make head in the -sea way, and dropped further and further astern. At noon our course was -W.N.W. 3/4 W., the wind being strong on the port bow, and the weather -thick all round, with drizzling mist. Our position was made out to be -Lat 52° 18' 42'', Long. 15° 10'', distance run 111-1/2 miles, Cable paid -out 125 miles, total distance from Valentia 178 miles. At 1·45 p.m. the -Terrible signalled that the Sphinx was unable to keep up with us, but -the Cable was running so easily it was resolved not to diminish our -speed. Later in the afternoon, the Terrible sent down topgallant masts; -later again, she signalled that we were going too fast for the Sphinx; -but as the Great Eastern was not exceeding 6-1/2 knots an hour, at which -rate the Cable rolled off easily from the drums, the engineers did not -think it advisable to reduce her speed, and so the Sphinx was left -further astern, till at length she was hull down on the grey horizon. -Each hour it became more important to know what depth of water we were -in; and the inconvenience of parting with the Sphinx was felt, as well, -perhaps, as the defective nature of the arrangements with the Admiralty, -which had furnished only one sounding apparatus. The Terrible had got no -deep-sea sounding apparatus. There was none on board of the Great -Eastern. In deep-sea soundings a special apparatus is requisite, and the -leads and the lines ordinarily used by men-of-war only penetrate the -upper strata of the waters of the Atlantic. It was conjectured that we -had passed over the 2,050 fathoms' soundings, and the Cable proved, by a -slightly increased pressure on the dynamometer, that its trail was -lengthening in the watery waste ere it ruffled the smooth surface of the -ooze two miles below. The insulation tests showed an improvement, and -the transmission of signals between the ship and the shore afforded most -satisfactory indications. At night the wind came round to the -north-west, the sea somewhat decreased, and as evening closed in, the -Terrible drew up on our beam, working two boilers; but when night fell, -the Sphinx was scarcely visible on the distant horizon. - -[Illustration: E. Walker, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley - -London, Day & Sons. Limited, Lith. - -VIEW (LOOKING AFT) FROM THE PORT PADDLE BOX OF GREAT EASTERN SHOWING THE -TROUGH FOR CABLE &c.] - -[Illustration: G. McCulloch, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley London, -Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -THE FORGE ON DECK. NIGHT OF AUGUST 9TH PREPARING THE IRON PLATING FOR -CAPSTAN.] - -_July 27th._--Morning broke on a bright bounding sea and clear blue sky. -From the Testing-Room came gratifying reports of the improved insulation -of the Cable, which had been caused by the immersion of the Cable in -colder water. We were now approaching an undulation in the bed of the -Atlantic in which the soundings decreased rather abruptly from 2,100 to -1,529 fathoms. The engineers were perfectly satisfied with the manner in -which the machinery was working, and the mode in which the Cable ran -out. The complete success of the enterprise, after this fair start, -appeared to be a matter beyond doubt. The fore tank was now got ready -for the paying-out of the Cable as soon as the coils in the after tank -should be exhausted, and the framework for the crinoline was erected -over the hatchway. At noon, our position by observation was Lat. 52° 34' -30'', Long. 19° 0' 30'', distance run 141 miles, distance from Valentia -320 miles, Cable paid out 158 miles. The Terrible was on our port beam -at some distance, but the Sphinx was nowhere visible, although our speed -had not much exceeded 6 knots an hour. There was in the universal -benevolence of the moment a feeling of sympathy for our lagging -guardians. The conviction grew that the work was nearly accomplished. -Some were planning out journeys through the United States, others -speculated on the probability of sport in Newfoundland: the date of our -arrival was already determined upon. The sound of the piano, a tribute -to our own contentment, rose from the saloon, and now and then the notes -of a violin became entwined in the melodious labyrinth through which the -amateur professors wandered with uncertain fingers. The artists sketched -vigorously. Men stretched their legs lustily along the decks, or -penetrated, with easy curiosity for the first time into the recesses of -the Leviathan that bore them. None of them indeed found out the -hiding-place of the ghost who haunts the ship; but they discovered -crypts under the tanks, and meandered and crept about the shafts and -boilers of the tremendous gloominess--vast and dark as the Halls of -Eblis. The ghost on board the Great Eastern, to which I have alluded, is -believed to be the disembodied essence of a poor plate-riveter, who -disappeared in some aperture of the nascent ship, never to be seen of -mortal eye again, and who was supposed to have been riveted up by the -hammers of preparation so closely that not even his spirit could escape. -And so it, or he, is heard at all hours, with ghostly hammer, -tap-tap-tapping on the iron walls of his prison as incessant as that -cruel Raven, even through the clangour of donkey-engines and the crash -of matter. There was now and then a slight indication of unsteadiness, -which made one uncertain whether the wine was very strong or the Great -Eastern unusually frolicsome; but, as a matter of fact and truth, not a -man aboard could imagine as he sat in the grand saloon that he was at -sea at all. Every hour on board the ship increased our regard for all -her qualities, except her capacity of making noise and producing smoke, -but both of these were tokens and necessary conditions of her high -working energies. - -_July 28th._--A night more of joyous progress--all going on most -successfully--not a hitch in Cable, machinery, or ship. It was worth -while to go aft and look at the Cable as, every inch scanned by watchful -eyes, and noted in books, it flew through the whole apparatus of jockeys -and drums and dynamometers, and then in a gentle curve skimmed the -surface of the ocean more than 200 feet astern ere it went "plump, -plunging down amid the assembly of the whales." Our course was N.W. 1/2 -W., and the wind at W.N.W., not too strong, was just what we desired. -The Terrible kept on our port beam. The Sphinx was not to be seen. Our -position at noon was Lat. 52° 45', Long. 23° 18' 4'' (another reading -gave 23° 15' 45''), distance run since yesterday 155-1/2 miles, Cable -paid out 174 miles. Distance from Valentia 474 miles; distance from -Heart's Content 1,188·5 miles. The water was supposed to vary from 1,529 -to 1950 fathoms in depth. There was something almost monotonous in our -success; no ships to be seen, only our severe-looking consort, with her -black hull and two funnels and paddle-boxes, on the round blue shield of -which the Great Eastern was the boss. Even the sea-birds had begun to -leave us, and a whale and a few porpoises which revealed their beauties -to a favoured few were regarded as an envied treat. As the departure of -the Sphinx had left one flank open, and that the most vulnerable, the -Great Eastern signalled to the Terrible to prevent any vessel from the -N.W. crossing our course, and soon afterwards the man-of-war steamed and -took up her station on our starboard quarter, where she remained -throughout the day and night. There was a sense of companionship in -seeing her near us. - -_Saturday, July 29th._--"Everything has gone on most admirably during -the night." Such was the report from electricians, and engineers, and -officers this morning. The electrical condition of the Cable furnished -results most satisfactory to Mr. Varley and to Professor Thomson. The -tests showed that in copper-resistance, insulation, and every other -particular, the Cable was exhibiting an excellence far beyond the -specified standard. Coil after coil whirled off from the tank and passed -away to sea as easily as the lightning flash itself; and Valentia was -joined to us by a lengthening thread, which seemed stronger and more -sentient as it lengthened. In the night the Terrible had vanished, but -she came in sight in the morning, and drew up closer to us. As the sea -was calm, and the Cable ran out so beautifully, the speed of the -steamer, and consequent rate of paying-out of the Cable, were increased; -and it looked as if there was really no limit to the velocity at which -the process could be conducted under favouring circumstances. Yes; -"Heart's Content" on August 5th was certain. What could prevent it? The -fault which had occurred was caused by an accident most unlikely to -happen again. So we pored over our maps and marked out the soundings in -the little bay in Newfoundland, and imagined what sort of place it was, -as men will do of spots they have never visited. - -At noon our position was, Lat. 52° 33' 30'' (another reading, 52° 38' -30''), Long. 27° 40'. Distance run, 160 miles. Distance from Valentia, -634·4 miles. Distance to Heart's Content, 1,028 miles. The Great Eastern -had passed over the valley in the plateau where the Atlantic deepens to -2,400 fathoms. At 9 a.m. we had shoaled our water to 2000 fathoms, or 2 -nautical miles. - -Happy is the Cable-laying that has no history. Here might the day's -record have well been closed. But it was not so to be. At 1·10 p.m. -(ship's time), an ill-omened activity about the Testing-Room, which had -been visible for some time, reached its climax. The engines were slowed, -in five minutes the great ship was motionless. In an instant afterwards -every one was on deck, and the evil tidings flew from lip to lip. -Something was wrong with the Cable again. But the worst was not known. -"Another fault," was the word. When I went into the Testing-Room and -found all the electricians so grave, I suspected more serious mischief -than a diminution of insulation; and so it was. They had found "dead -earth"--in other words, a complete destruction of insulation, and an -uninterrupted escape of the current into the sea. About 716 miles -(nautical) had been payed-out when the ship stopped so suddenly. Up to -2·40 o'clock, p.m. (Greenwich time), signals had been received from the -shore in regular routine. At 3 o'clock the electricians on board began -to send the current through to the shore, and in three minutes -afterwards the galvanometer indicated "dead earth." So it was pretty -clear the injury was close to the ship, and had gone over in the -interval between 2·40 p.m. and 3·4 p.m. At 3^{h} 3' 30'' (Greenwich -time), the electrician on duty saw the index light of Thomson's -galvanometer fly out of bounds whilst he was passing a current to -Valentia. The nature of the injury was so decided as to admit of no -doubt. - -But in order to make assurance doubly sure two cuts were made in the -Cable, whilst the steam was being got up forward to be in readiness for -the most retrograde of all backward movements--picking-up. The whole -length of Cable in the tanks was first tested, and found to be in -admirable condition. Then a test outward gave "dead earth" not far -overboard. The next cut at the bottom of the coil in the after tank gave -the same result. The third cut was near the top of the coil in the after -tank, and confirmed the testimony of the other two tests. The usual -preparations were then made to shackle the Cable ere it was cut and -cast overboard with its tow rope of iron wire, an operation which always -caused the gravest misgivings. It was admitted that there was a certain -amount of danger in it, and more in the picking-up; but then, when the -question was asked "What would you do?" the answer was not so easy. At -first it might appear natural to back the ship, and take up the Cable -from the stern; but unfortunately ships in general will not steer stern -foremost, and the Great Eastern certainly would not. It was obvious that -if Cables could not be secured against "faults," the mode of taking them -in would have to be amended. - -This was one of the most harassing days we had yet encountered; but it -proved not to be the most trying we were to endure in our short eventful -history. All our calculations were falsified. Newfoundland was seen at -its true distance, the piano ceased, men discussed various schemes for -avoiding the transfer of the Cable from stern to the bow, on every -occasion of picking-up. But all our difficulty had been overcome with -such certainty, and it was so evident all would go well if no more -faults existed in the Cable, that faith, in the ultimate success of the -enterprise became, strengthened rather than diminished. - -Whilst the tests were being made the Cable was running out by its own -weight and the drifting of the ship, at a strain varying from 8 cwt. to -20 cwt., giving at every fathom an increase of labour in the subsequent -picking up. The sailors regarded the process of cutting the Cable with -distrust; but the Cable men, accustomed to it, had no such serious -apprehensions. Still the whole system of iron chains, iron rope, -stoppers, and bights, is very complicated. The Cable cannot be checked -in such cases till an instant before it is cut, and must be let run out -for fear of the ship dragging upon it; and to the inexperienced eye it -looked as if the Great Eastern were bent on snapping the thin black -thread which cut the waves like a knife-blade as she rose and fell on -the swell. When the strain increased, the Cable ran with an edge of -seething foam frittering before it backwards and forwards in the track -of the ship, taut as a bar of steel. It was a relief to see the end cut -at last, and splash over, with shackle chain and wire rope, into the -water. Then began an orderly tumult of men with stoppers and guy ropes -along the bulwarks and in the shrouds, and over the boats, from stern to -stem, as length after length of wire rope flew out after the Cable. The -men under the command of Mr. Canning were skilful in their work; but as -they clamoured and clambered along the sides, and over the boats, and -round the paddle-boxes, hauling at hawsers, and slipping bights, and -holding on and letting go stoppers, the sense of risk and fear for the -Cable could not be got out of one's head. The chief officer, Mr. Halpin, -by personal exertion, made himself conspicuous, and rendered effectual -assistance; and Capt. Anderson, on the bridge, watched and directed -every movement of the ship with skill and vigilance. But still pitches -and foulings would take place for an instant, and it needed all our -confidence in Mr. Canning and his staff to tolerate this picking-up -system with any temper. Thousands of fathoms down we knew the end of the -cable was dragging along the bottom, fiercely tugged at by the Great -Eastern through its iron line. If line or Cable parted, down sank the -Cable for ever. At last our minds were set at rest by the commencement -of the restorative process. The head of the Great Eastern was got round -slowly, and pointed eastwards. The iron wire rope was at length coming -in over the bows through the picking-up machinery. In due, but in weary -time, the end of the Cable appeared above the surface, and was hauled on -board and passed aft towards the drum. The stern is on these occasions -deserted; the clack of wheels, before so active, ceases; and the forward -part of the vessel is crowded with those engaged in the work, and with -those who have only to look on. The little chimneys of the boilers at -the bows vomit forth clouds of smoke, the two eccentric-looking engines -working the pick-up drums and wheels make as much noise as possible, -brakesmen take their places, indicator and dynamometer play their parts, -and all is life and bustle forwards, as with slow unequal straining the -Cable is dragged up from its watery bed. - -The day had been foggy or rather hazy. Light grey sheets of drizzling -cloud flew over the surface of the sea, and set men talking of icebergs -and Arctic storms; but towards evening the wind fell, and a cold clammy -vapour settled down on ship and sea, bringing with it a leaden calm; so -that the waves lost their tumbled crests, and slept at last in almost -unmurmuring slumber. But the big ship slept not. The clank and beat of -machinery ceased never, and the dull mill-like clatter of Cable -apparatus seemed to become more active as the night wore on. The forge -fires glared on her decks, and there, out in the midst of the Atlantic, -anvils rang and sparks flew; and the spectator thought of some village -far away, where the blacksmith worked, unvexed by Cable anxieties and -greed of speedy news. As the blaze shot up, ruddy, mellow, and strong, -and flung arms of light aloft and along the glistening decks, and then -died into a red centre, masts, spars, and ropes were for the instant -touched with a golden gleaming, and strange figures and faces were -called out from the darkness--vanished--glinted out again--rushed -suddenly into foreground of bright pictures, which faded soon -away--flickered--went out--as they were called to life by its warm -breath, or were buried in the outer darkness! Outside us all was -obscurity; but now and then vast shadows, which moved across the arc of -lighted fogbank, were projected far away by the flare; and one might -well pardon the passing mariner whose bark drifted him in the night -across the track of the great ship, if, crossing himself and praying -with shuddering lips, he fancied he beheld a phantom ship freighted with -an evil crew, and ever after told how he had seen the workshops of the -Inferno floating on the bosom of the ocean. It was indeed a most -wondrous and unearthly sight! The very vanes on the mastheads, the -ring-bolts in the bulwarks and decks, the blocks and the cordage, were -touched with such brightness that they shone as if on fire; whilst the -whole of the fore part of the ship was in darkness; and on looking aft, -it appeared as though the stern were on fire, or that blue lights were -being burned every moment. For hour after hour, the work of "picking-up" -went on. The term is objectionable; it rather indicates a brisk, lively -process--a bird picks up a worm--a lady picks up a pin--a sharper picks -up a flat--but the machine working at the bows of the Great Eastern -assuredly was not in any one way engaged in brisk or lively work. Most -doggedly at times did the Cable yield. As if it knew its home was deep -in the bed of the Atlantic, and that its insulation and all the objects -of its existence would be gained and bettered by remaining there, it -strained against the power which sought to pull it forth; and the -dynamometer showed that the resistance of the rigid cord was equivalent -to 2-1/2 tons. At times, again, it came up merely with coy reluctance, -and again became sullen as though it were already troubled by the whims -of two worlds and partook of their fancies. No trace was visible of its -having touched the bottom for the 2-1/2 miles which were hauled in, but -the men observed signs of animal life on it, and certain creatures which -they called "worms" were detached and fell on deck, a specimen of which -I sought for in vain. As the Cable was hauled in, the men who coiled it -aft, and guided it through the machinery, felt it carefully with their -hands to detect any "fault" or injured part, and the line of large -ship's lanterns hung up along the deck showed how carefully they did -their work. It was 5·40 p.m., Greenwich time, or about 3·40 p.m., ship's -time, when the end of the Cable came in board; but it was not till six -hours and ten minutes had elapsed (9·50 p.m., ship's time) that the part -of the Cable where the mischief lay was picked up. The defective portion -was found at the very part of the Cable which was going over the stern -when the ocean galvanometer indicated "dead earth." It was at once cut -out, and reserved to be examined by Mr. Canning. The necessary steps -were next taken to test the rest of the Cable. The shore end was spliced -and jointed to a fresh end of the Cable from the after tank. These -operations were finished before midnight; but it was not judged -expedient to resume the process of paying-out till the morning. As yet -no one knew the nature of the injury to the Cable. No one could account -for the hitch; but it certainly did not affect any one's belief in -success. Mr. Field, to whom such accidents are never discouraging, -remarked pleasantly during the crisis of picking-up, "I have often known -Cables to stop working for two hours, no one knew why, and then begin -again. Most likely it's some mistake on shore." What can discourage a -believer? It was even comfort to him to remember that this very day -eight years ago, a splice was made in the first Atlantic Cable, very -much in the same place. But to all it had been a most trying day. And -when night came, and some retired to the rest they had won so well, -there, constant on the paddle-box, stood Captain Anderson, watching the -course and conduct of his ship. - -If the paying-out could have been stopped at once, and the Cable taken -in over the stern, the delay would have been very trifling; but that was -impossible. The picking-up (necessarily slow under the most favourable -circumstances) was rendered unusually tedious by the inefficiency of the -boilers. An interval of 19 hours had occurred, and these faults and -stoppages had caused so much labour and anxiety that Captain Anderson -was obliged to remain on deck for 26 hours, whilst Mr. Halpin, Mr. -Clifford, Mr. Canning, the electricians, and the whole staff, were -exposed to an equal strain till the Cable was over the paying-out wheels -again. - -_July 30th (Sunday)._--The weather was exceedingly thick all night--a -fog hung round the ship, and the drizzling rain was so cold as to give -an impression there was ice close at hand, but the water showed it was -erroneous, as the temperature was 58°. It was a dead calm, and the Great -Eastern seemed to float on a grey and polished surface of cloud. The -preparations for paying-out were completed and tested. There would have -been a better result had not an accident occurred this morning as the -Cable was being passed aft from the bow, in order to transfer it from -the picking-up to the paying-out machinery. Owing to a sudden jar it -flew off from the drum, and before the machinery could be stopped -several fathoms had become entangled amid the wheels, and were so much -injured that it was necessary to cut out the pieces, and make two new -splices and joints. At 10·8 a.m. (ship's time being 8·10 a.m.) the Cable -was veered out astern once more, our communications with Valentia being -most satisfactory. The Cable electrically was all that could be desired, -its condition being represented by 1,500,000,000 British Association -units. At noon our position was Lat. 52° 30', Long. 28° 17'; distance -from Valentia, 650·6 miles; Cable payed-out, 745 miles. - -The Cable which was recovered yesterday was strained, and lay twisted in -hard curves, presenting a very different appearance from the easy -ductile lines in which it lay in the tank. The defective portion of the -Cable was not examined to-day, and divine service was postponed till -2·30, in order to give some time for sleep and rest to the exhausted and -hard-worked staff and workers of all kinds on board the ship. The -weather continued thick and hazy, a fresh breeze from the N.N.W. not -dispersing the cold grey clouds and mist. The Terrible alone was in -sight, and it was conjectured that the Sphinx must have passed on during -the night, and that she would arrive in Heart's Content before us. The -sound and sight of the wheels and drums revolving again after so long a -rest were very gratifying, and it was fondly hoped that this fault or -dead earth would be the last, as it was now evident nothing else was to -be feared, and nothing else humanly speaking could prevent the Cable -being laid. In the Cable itself lay all the sources of mischief. If -there were no faults or dead earth, the paying-out was a matter of the -most easy routine and most positive certainty. When the operation had to -be reversed, the whole condition of affairs was reversed also. A swerve -of the helm, a rolling billow, an unseen weakness, a moment's neglect, -the accident of an instant, and down went the thread of thought between -two continents, with all which depended on it, to rest and rust in the -depths of the sea. My mind could never get rid of the image of the Great -Eastern pulling at the Cable as if she were animated by a malevolent -desire, when she caught some one off the watch, to use her giant's -strength to tear it asunder. Captain Anderson only expressed the -feelings of all who watched the struggle whilst Cable and Ship were -adjusting their mutual relations, when--admitting the task was more -difficult than he had anticipated, in consequence of the obstacles to -the management of the ship, arising from want of steerage way as soon as -the engines were stopped--he said, "One feels so powerless--one can do -so little to govern events while the affair of picking-up is going on." -The weather was favourable, the ship perfection, and yet here were these -delays arising from causes no one could foresee or prevent or remedy in -any but the one way, and that a way fraught with danger. A visit to the -stern, where the Cable was rolling away into 2000 fathoms water as -easily as the thread flies from the reel in a lady's workbasket, always -created a conviction that the enterprise must be carried out; and it was -not till the machinery stopped and the words "another fault" recalled us -to a sense of the contingencies on which it depended, that we could -entertain a doubt of its speedy consummation. For the most indifferent -somehow or another became soon interested in the undertaking. There was -a wonderful sense of power in the Great Ship and in her work; it was -gratifying to human pride to feel that man was mastering space, and -triumphing over the winds and waves; that from his hands down in the -eternal night of waters there was trailing a slender channel through -which the obedient lightning would flash for ever instinct with the -sympathies, passions, and interests of two mighty nations, and binding -together the very ends of the earth. And then came "a fault"--or "dead -earth" spoke to us. - -_Monday, July 31st._--We have been passing over the valley in the -Atlantic which is more than two miles deep. With the morning came the -news that all had gone well during the night. Some had got up an hour -after midnight to watch the transfer of the coil from the after to the -fore tank, which was looked forward to with interest, as it was supposed -to be attended with some little difficulty. But they were agreeably -disappointed; the operation was effected with the utmost facility. At -3·30 o'clock a.m. the ship was stopped, to permit the transfer to be -made. At 3·50 a.m. the Cable was running out of the fore hold, passing -down the trough, and going out over the stern as she steamed ahead -again. The Great Eastern was now near a fatal spot--somewhere below us -lay the bones of three Atlantic Cables. - -But all during the forenoon, engineers and electricians, agreed in the -most favourable statements respecting the Cable and its progress. At 9 -a.m. (Greenwich time) 868 miles had been run out, and 770 miles made -from land. In the forenoon Mr. Canning brought to trial the coils in -which the peccant part that had wrought such mischief existed. The Court -was held at the door of the Testing-Room. Mr. de Sauty acted as judge. -The jury consisted of cells, wires, and galvanometers. The accused -cable, cut in junks, was subjected to a silent examination, and many -fathoms were pronounced not guilty, flake by flake, till at last the -criminal was detected and at once carried off by Mr. Canning. The -process of examination was conducted in Mr. Clifford's cabin, to which a -few anxious spectators were admitted. The core was laid bare by -untwisting the strands of Manilla covered with iron, and before a foot -of it was uncovered an exclamation literally of horror escaped our lips! -There, driven right through the centre of the coil so as to touch the -inner wires, was a piece of iron wire, bright as if cut with nippers at -one end and broken off short at the other. It was tried with the gauge, -and found to be of the same thickness as the wire used in making the -protecting cover of the Cable. On examining the strands a mark of a cut -was perceived on the Manilla where the wire had entered, but it did not -come through on the other side. In fact, it corresponded in length -exactly with the diameter of the Cable, so that the ends did not project -beyond the outer surface of the covering. Now here was at once, we -thought, demonstration of a villanous design. No man who saw it could -doubt that the wire had been driven in by a skilful hand. And as that -was so, was it not likely that the former fault had been caused in a -similar manner, and that it was not the result of accident? Then, again, -it was curious that the former fault occurred when the same gang of men -were at work in the tank. It was known there were enemies to the -manufacturers of the Cable; whispers went about that one of the cablemen -had expressed gratification when the first fault occurred. It was a -very solicitous moment, and Mr. Canning felt a great responsibility. He -could not tell who was guilty, and in trying to punish them or him he -might disgust the good men on whom so much depended. He at once accepted -an offer made by the gentlemen on board the ship to take turn about in -doing duty in the tank and superintending the men engaged in paying-out -the Cable. Then he caused the cablemen to be summoned at the bows, and -showed them the coil and the wire. After they had examined it curiously, -he asked the men what they thought of the injury, and they one and all, -without hesitation, expressed their opinion that it must have been done -on purpose by some one in the tanks. Lynch law was talked of, and if the -man could have been pounced upon, and left to the mercy of his fellows, -he would have fared ill that day. Nor was the feeling of anger and -indignation diminished by the knowledge that the punishment awarded by -law for offences of such a character was a paltry fine and short -imprisonment. The men who were engaged in the tank at the time of the -occurrence were transferred to other duties, and the volunteer -inspectors established a roster, and began their course of duty--one -going on for two hours at a time, and being relieved in order, so that -night and day the men engaged in paying-out the Cable were under the -eyes of very vigilant watchmen. It was a painful thing to have to do, -but the men admitted it was not only justifiable but necessary, and -declared they were very glad the measure was adopted. It was fondly -hoped that this surveillance would save us from a recurrence of the -delay to which the expedition had been subjected, and ulterior steps -were postponed till the shore was reached, when it was intended to -institute a rigid inquiry. At noon our position was, Lat. 52° 9' 20'', -Long. 31° 53'. Length of Cable payed-out since yesterday 134 miles: -total length paid out, 903 miles. Distance, from Valentia, 793 miles; -from Heart's Content, 871·9 miles. We had crossed the centre of the arc -of the great circle. - -[Illustration: From a drawing by R. Dudley - -London, Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -SEARCHING FOR FAULT AFTER RECOVERY OF THE CABLE FROM THE BED OF THE -ATLANTIC. JULY 31st.] - -[Illustration: From a drawing by R. Dudley - -London, Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -IN THE BOWS AUGUST 2nd. THE CABLE BROKEN AND LOST PREPARING TO GRAPPLE.] - -_Tuesday, August 1st._--The Great Eastern continued on her way without -let or hindrance all night and early morning, increasing her speed to 7 -knots an hour, although there was a strong breeze at times. The sea -continued to favour us greatly, and the ship's deck scarcely ever varied -from a horizontal plane. At noon our position was, Lat. 51° 52' 30'', -Long. 36° 3' 30'': making 155 miles run since yesterday. Cable paid out -1081·55 miles. Distance from Valentia, 948 miles: distance from Heart's -Content, 717 miles. We were without soundings; but it was supposed we -were passing over the line on the chart where they varied from 1975 to -2250 fathoms. The Terrible was at her usual station, about two miles -away; but we gave up all hopes of seeing the Sphinx till we reached -Heart's Content. It was calculated that at our present rate we would -see land on Friday evening, or first thing on Saturday morning. In -preparation for our arrival the crew were employed in transferring the -shore end of the Cable from the main to the after tank. It would be -painful to dwell on the tenour of our conversation. The wisest men -forgot the lessons of the past few days. It seemed quite certain that -the right step had been taken, and that the man, or men, who had caused -the previous mishaps had been effectually checkmated. The praises of the -Great Eastern were on every tongue. Had no fault occurred, our task -would have been nearly ended by this time. Her mission is undoubtedly -the laying of Atlantic Cables, and she did it nobly as far as in her lay -on this occasion. - -_Wednesday, August 2nd._--In the course of the night the wind, -accompanied by a dense fog, rose from the westward. Then it suddenly -shifted to N.N.W.; but although the sea was high, there was no rolling -or pitching, and none of the sleepers were aroused from slumber, which -was favoured by the ceaseless rumble of the machinery. They were, -however, awakened but too speedily. Again the great enterprise on which -so much depended, and on which so many hearts and eyes were fixed, was -rudely checked. - -As I have said, the gale did not in the least affect the ship. She went -on through the heavy sea steady as an island, running out the Cable at -the rate of 7 knots an hour; and when the wind shifted to N.N.W. our -course was altered to N.W. by W. 1/2 W., through a sea which fell as -rapidly as it had risen. The crisis was now at hand. I was aroused about -8 o'clock a.m., Greenwich time (ship's time being more than two hours -earlier), by the slowing of the engines, and on looking out of my port -saw, from the foam of the paddles passing ahead, that the ship was -moving astern. In a moment afterwards I stood in the Testing-Room, where -Mr. de Sauty, the centre of a small group of electricians, among whom -was Professor Thomson, was bending over the instruments, surrounded by -his anxious staff. The chronometer marked 8·6 a.m., Greenwich time. In -reply to my question as to what was wrong, Professor Thomson whispered, -"Another bad fault." This was indeed surprising and distressing. - -In order to make the history of the day consecutive, I will relate as -closely as possible what occurred. Mr. Field went on duty in the tank in -the early morning, relieving M. Jules Despescher. Some twenty minutes -before the fault was noticed, whilst Mr. Field was watching, a grating -noise was heard in the tank as the coil flew out over the flakes. One of -the men exclaimed, "There goes a piece of wire." The word was passed up -through the crinoline shaft to the watcher. But he either did not hear -what was said, or neglected to give any intimation, as the warning never -reached Mr. Temple, who was on duty at the stern at the time. At 8 a.m., -Greenwich time, being the beginning of an hour, and therefore the time -when in regular series the electricians on board the Great Eastern began -to send currents to the shore, the gentleman engaged in watching the -galvanometer, saw the unerring index light quiver for an instant and -glide off the scale. The fact was established that instead of meeting -with the proper resistance, and traversing the whole length of the Cable -to the shore, a large portion of the stream was escaping through a -breach in the gutta percha into the sea. If the quantity of the current -escaping had been uniform, the electricians could calculate very nearly -the distance of the spot where the injury had taken place. In the -present instance, however, the tests varied greatly, and showed a -varying fault. When the current is sent through a wire from one pole it -produces an electro-chemical action on the wire, and at the place of the -injury, which leads to a deposit of a salt of copper in the breach, and -impedes the escape of electricity; and when the opposite current is -returned, the deposit is reduced, and hydrogen gas formed, a globule of -which may rest in the chink, and, by its non-conducting power, restore -the insulation of the Cable for a time. The fault in the present -instance was so grave that it was resolved to pick up the Cable once -more, till we cut it out, and re-spliced it. How far away it was no one -could tell precisely; but from a comparison of time it was imagined that -the faulty part was not far astern, and that it was in the portion of -Cable which went over at 8 o'clock in the morning, or a little before -it; and although the time was not accurately fixed when Mr. Field heard -it, the grating noise was supposed to arise from some cause connected -with the fault. Had the engineers foreseen what subsequently occurred -they might have resolved to go on, and take the chance of working -through the fault. Professor Thomson has since given it as his opinion -that the fault could have been worked through, and that the Cable could -have transmitted messages for a long time at the rate of four words a -minute--making an amply remunerative return. Mr. de Sauty also -entertained the belief that the Cable could have worked for several -months, at all events. But it does not appear that Mr. Canning had any -reason to act on the views of these gentlemen, and it was quite sure, -when the end was landed in Heart's Content, Mr. Varley could not have -given his certificate that the Cable was of the contract standard. -Neither Mr. Varley nor Mr. Professor Thomson had any power to interfere, -or even to express their opinions, and electricians and engineers are -generally inclined to regard with exclusive attention their own -department in the united task, and to look to it solely. - -Nothing was left but to pick up the cable. Steam was got up in the -boilers for the picking-up machinery, the shackles and wire rope were -prepared, and, meantime, as the ship drifted the Cable was let run out, -and the brakes were regulated to reduce the strain below 30 cwt. As -they were cutting the Cable near the top of the tank in the forenoon to -make a test, one of the foremen perceived in the flake underneath that -which had passed out with the grating noise when the fault was declared, -a piece of wire projecting from the Cable, and when he took it in his -fingers to prevent it catching in the passing coil, the wire broke short -off. I saw it a few minutes afterwards. It was a piece of the wire of -the Cable itself, not quite three inches long; one end rather sharp, the -other with a clean bright fracture, and bent very much in the same way -as the piece of wire which caused the first fault. This was a very -serious discovery. It gave a new turn to men's thoughts at once. After -all, the Cable might carry the source of deadly mischief within itself. -What we had taken for assassination might have been suicide. The piece -of wire in this case was evidently bad and brittle, and had started -through the Manilla in the tank. How many similar pieces might have -broken without being detected or causing loss of insulation? The marks -of design in the second fault were very striking; but the freaks of -machinery in motion are extraordinary, and what looked so like purposed -malice might, after all, be the effect of accidental mechanical agency. -There were thenceforth for the day two parties in the ship--those who -believed in malice, and those who attributed all our disasters to -accident. In the end the latter school included nearly all on board the -ship, and it was generally thought that in the Cable, or, rather, in -what had been intended as its protection, was the source of its weakness -and ruin. - -Before the end of the Cable was finally shackled to the wire rope, tests -were applied to the portion in tanks. The first cut was made at the old -splice, between the main and fore tanks, and the Cable was found -perfect. The second cut, at three miles from the end of the Cable, -showed the fault to be overboard. Whilst the tests were going on, and -the cablemen got the picking-up gear in readiness, the dynamometer -showed a strain on the Cable astern varying from 20 to 28 cwt. - -The chain and rope were at last secured to the Cable, under the eyes of -Mr. Canning. It was then 9·53 a.m. The indicator stood at 376·595, -showing that 1,186 miles of Cable had been payed-out. At 9·58 a.m. -(Greenwich time), the Cable was cut and slipped overboard astern, -fastened to its iron guardians. The depth of water was estimated at 2000 -fathoms. As it went over and down in its fatal dive, one of the men -said, "Away goes our talk with Valentia." Mr. de Sauty did not inform -the operator at Valentia of the nature of the abrupt stoppage. We had -now become so hardened to the dangers of the slip overboard, and the -sight of the Cable straining for its life in contest with the Big Ship, -that the cutting and slipping excited no apprehension; but nothing could -reconcile men to the picking-up machinery, and its monotonous -retrogression. The wind was on our starboard beam, and the Cable was -slipped over at the port quarter, and carried round on the port side -towards the ship's bows, in order that the vessel might go over it, and -then come up more readily to the Cable, head to wind, when the -picking-up began. The drift of the ship was considerable, and it was not -easy--indeed, possible--to control her movements; but, notwithstanding -all this, the wire buoy-rope was got up to the machinery in reasonable -time. Still the ship's head--do what Capt. Anderson would, and he did as -much as any man could--did not come round easily. Even a punt will not -turn if she has no way on her, and it takes a good deal of way--more -than she could get with safety to the Cable--to give steerage to the -Great Eastern. As she slowly drifted and came round by degrees quite -imperceptible to those who did not keep a close watch on the compass, -the wire rope was payed-out; and at last, as the ship's bows turned, it -was taken in over the machinery, and was passed aft through the drums, -and the picking-up apparatus coiled it in very slowly away till the end -of the Cable was hauled up out of the sea. - -It was 10·30 a.m., Greenwich time, when the Cable came in over the bow. -We were now in very deep water, but had we been a few miles more to the -west we should have been over the very deepest part of the Atlantic -Plateau. It was believed the fault was only six miles away, and ere dead -nightfall we might hope to have the fault on board, make a new splice, -and proceed on our way to Heart's Content, geographically about 600 -miles away. The picking-up was, as usual, exceedingly tedious, and one -hour and forty-six minutes elapsed before one mile of Cable was got on -board; then one of the engines' eccentric gear got out of order, and a -man had to stand by with a handspike, aided by a wedge of wood and an -elastic band, to aid the machinery. Next the supply of steam failed; and -as soon then as the steam was got up, there was not water enough in the -boiler, and so the picking-up ceased altogether. But at last all these -impediments were remedied or overcome, and the operation was proceeded -with before noon. Let the reader turn his face towards a window and -imagine that he is standing on the bows of the Great Eastern, and then -on his right will be the starboard, on his left the port side of the -ship. The motion of the vessel was from right to left, and as she -drifted, she tugged at the Cable from the right hand side, where he -seemed to be anchored in the sea. There was not much rolling or -pitching, but the set of the waves ran on her port-bow. There are in the -bows of the Great Eastern two large hawse-pipes, the iron rims of which -project beyond the line of the stem; against one of these the Cable -caught on the left-hand side whilst the ship was drifting to the left, -and soon began to chafe and strain against the bow. The Great Eastern -could not go astern, lest the Cable should be snapped, and without -motion there was no power of steerage. At this critical moment, too, the -wind shifted, so as to render it more difficult to keep the head of the -ship up to the Cable. As the Cable chafed so much that there was danger -of its parting, a shackle, chain, and rope belonging to one of the -Cable-buoys were passed over the bows, and secured in a bight below the -hawse-pipe to the Cable. These were then hauled so as to bring the Cable -to the right-hand side of the bow, the ship still drifting to the left, -and the oblique strain on the wires became considerable, but it was -impossible to diminish it by veering out, as the length of Cable after -it was cut at the stern for the operation of picking-up left little to -spare. In the bow there is a large iron wheel with a deep groove in the -circumference (technically called a V wheel), by the side of which is a -similar but smaller wheel on the same axis. The Cable and the rope -together were brought in over the bows in the groove in the larger -wheel, the Cable being wound upon a drum behind by the picking-up -machinery, which was once more in motion, and the rope being taken in -round the capstan. But the rope and Cable did not come up in a right -line in the V in the wheel, but were drawn up obliquely. Still, up they -came. The strain shown on the dynamometer was high, but was not near the -breaking point. The part of the Cable which had suffered from chafing -was coming in, and the first portion of it was inboard; suddenly a jar -was given to the dynamometer by a jerk, caused either by a heave of the -vessel or by the shackle of wire-rope secured to the Cable, and the -index jumped far above 60 cwt., the highest point marked on it. The -chain shackle and wire-rope clambered up out of the groove of the V -wheel, got on the rim, and rushed down with a crash on the smaller -wheel, giving a severe shock to the Cable. Almost at the same moment, as -the Cable and the rope travelled slowly along through the machinery, -just ere they reached the dynamometer the Cable parted, flew through the -stoppers, and with one bound leaped over intervening space and flashed -into the sea. The shock of the instant was as sharp as the snapping of -the Cable itself. No words could describe the bitterness of the -disappointment. The Cable gone! gone for ever down in that fearful -depth! It was enough to move one to tears; and when a man came with the -piece of the end lashed still to the chain, and showed the tortured -strands--the torn wires--the lacerated core--it is no exaggeration to -say that a feeling of pity, as if it were some sentient creature which -had been thus mutilated and dragged asunder by brutal force, moved the -spectators. Captain Moriarty was just coming to the foot of the -companion to put up his daily statement of the ship's position, having -had excellent observations, when the news came. "I fear," he said, "we -will not feel much interested now in knowing how far we are from Heart's -Content." However, it was something to know, though it was little -comfort, that we had at noon run precisely 116·4 miles since yesterday; -that we were 1,062·4 miles from Valentia, 606·6 miles from Heart's -Content; that we were in Lat. 51° 25', Long. 39° 6', our course being -76° S. and 25° W. But instant strenuous action was demanded! Alas! -action! There around us lay the placid Atlantic smiling in the sun, and -not a dimple to show where lay so many hopes buried. The Terrible was -signalled to, "the Cable has parted," and soon bore down to us, and -came-to off our port beam. After brief consideration, Mr. Canning -resolved to make an attempt to recover the Cable. Never, we thought, had -alchemist less chance of finding a gold button in the dross from which -he was seeking aurum potabile, or philosopher's stone. But, then, what -would they say in England, if not even an attempt, however desperate, -were made? There were men on board who had picked up Cables from the -Mediterranean 700 fathoms down. The weather was beautiful, but we had no -soundings, and the depth was matter of conjecture; still it was settled -that the Great Eastern should steam to windward and eastward of the -position in which she was when the Cable went down, lower a grapnel, and -drift down across the course of the track in which the Cable was -supposed to be lying. Although all utterance of hope was suppressed, and -no word of confidence escaped the lips, the mocking shadows of both were -treasured in some quiet nook of the fancy. The doctrine of chances could -not touch such a contingency as we had to speculate upon. The ship stood -away some 13 or 14 miles from the spot where the accident occurred, and -there lay-to in smooth water, with the Terrible in company. The grapnel, -two five-armed anchors, with flukes sharply curved and tapering to an -oblique tooth-like end--the hooks with which the giant Despair was going -to fish from the Great Eastern for a take worth, with all its -belongings, more than a million, were brought up to the bows. One of -these, weighing 3 cwt., shackled and secured to wire buoy rope, of which -there were five miles on board, with a breaking strain calculated at 10 -tons, was thrown over at 3·20, ship's time, and "whistled thro'" the -sea, a prey to fortune. At first the iron sank slowly, but soon the -momentum of descent increased, so as to lay great stress on the -picking-up machinery, which was rendered available to lowering the novel -messenger with warrant of search for the fugitive hidden in mysterious -caverns beneath. Length flew after length over cog-wheel and drum till -the iron, warming with work, heated so as to convert the water thrown -upon the machinery into clouds of steam. The time passed heavily. The -electricians' room was closed; all their subtle apparatus stood -functionless, and cell, zinc, and copper threw off superfluous currents -in the darkened chamber. The jockeys had run their race, and reposed in -their iron saddles. The drums beat no more, their long réveillée ended -in the muffled roll of death; that which had been broken could give no -trouble to break, and man shunned the region where all these mute -witnesses were testifying to the vanity of human wishes. All life died -out in the vessel, and no noise was heard except the dull grating of the -wire-rope over the wheels at the bows. The most apathetic would have -thought the rumble of the Cable the most grateful music in the world. - -Away slipped the wire strands, shackle after shackle: ocean was indeed -insatiable; "more" and "more," cried the daughter of horse-leech from -the black night of waters, and still the rope descended. One thousand -fathoms--fifteen hundred fathoms--two thousand fathoms--hundreds again -mounting up--till at last, at 5·6 p.m., the strain was diminished, and -at 2,500 fathoms, or 15,000 feet, the grapnel reached the bed of the -Atlantic, and set to its task of finding and holding the Cable. Where -_that_ lay was of course beyond human knowledge; but as the ship drifted -down across its course, there was just a sort of head-shaking surmise -that the grapnel might catch it, that the ship might feel it, that the -iron-rope might be brought up again--and that the Cable across it -might--here was the most hazardous hitch of all--might come up without -breaking. But 2,500 fathoms! Alas!--and so in the darkness of the -night--not more gloomy than her errand--the Great Eastern, having -cleared away one of the great buoys and got it over her bows, was left -as a sport to the wind, and drifted, at the rate of 70 feet a minute, -down upon the imaginary line where the Cable had sunk to useless rest. \ - -_August 3rd._--All through the night's darkness the Great Eastern groped -along the bottom with the grapnel as the wind drifted her, but cunning -hands had placed the ship so that her course lay right athwart the line -for which she was fishing. There were many on board who believed the -grapnel would not catch anything but a rock, and that if it caught a -rock or anything else it would break itself or the line without anyone -on board being the wiser for it. Others contended the Cable would be -torn asunder by the grapnel. Others calculated the force required to -draw up two miles and a-half of the Cable to the surface, and to drag -along the bottom the length of line needed to give a bight to the Cable -caught in the grapnel, so as to permit it to mount two and a-half miles -to the deck of the Great Eastern. After the grapnel touched the bottom, -which was at 7·45 o'clock, p.m., last night, when 2,500 fathoms of rope -were payed-out, the strain for an hour and a-half did not exceed 55 -cwt.; but at 10 p.m. it rose to 80 cwt. for a short time, and the head -of the ship yielded a little from its course and came up to the wind. It -then fell off as the strain was reduced to 55 cwt. which apparently was -the normal force put on the ship by the weight of the rope and grapnel. -This morning the same strain was shown by the dynamometer, and it varied -very slightly from midnight till 6 o'clock a.m. Then the bow of the ship -and the index of the dynamometer coincided in their testimony, and -whilst the Great Eastern swayed gradually and turned her head towards -the wind, the index of the machine recorded an increasing pressure. It -began to be seen that there was some agency working to alter the course -of the ship, and the dynamometer showed a strain of 70 cwt. The news -soon spread; men rushed from compass to dynamometer. "We have caught it! -we have caught it!" was heard from every lip. - -There was in this little world of ours as much ever-varying excitement, -as much elation and depression, as if it were a focus into which -converged the joys and sorrows of humanity. When the Great Eastern first -became sensible of the stress brought upon her by the grappling iron and -rope she shook her head, and kept on her course, disappointing the hopes -of those who were watching the dynamometer, and who saw with delight the -rising strain. This happened several times. It was for a long time -doubtful whether the grapnel held to anything more tenacious than the -ooze, which for a moment arrested its progress and then gave way with a -jerk as the ship drifted; but in the early morning, the long steady pull -made it evident the curved prongs had laid their grip on a solid body, -which yielded slowly to the pressure of the vessel as she went to -leeward, but at the same time resisted so forcibly as to slew round her -bow. The scientific men calculated the force exercised by grapnel and -rope alone to be far less than that now shown on the dynamometer. And if -the Great Eastern had indeed got hold of a substance in the bottom of -the Atlantic at once so tenacious and so yielding, what could it be but -the lost Cable? - -[Illustration: E. Walker, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley - -London, Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -GETTING OUT ONE OF THE LARGE BUOYS FOR LAUNCHING AUGUST 2ND.] - -[Illustration: from a drawing by R. Dudley - -London, Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -GENERAL VIEW OF PORT MAGEE &c. FROM THE HEIGHTS BELOW CORA BEG. THE -CAROLINE LAYING THE SHORE END OF THE CABLE JULY 22ND.] - -At 6·40 a.m., Greenwich time, the bow of the ship was brought up to the -grapnel line. The machinery was set to work to pull up the 2,500 fathoms -of rope. The index of the dynamometer, immediately on the first -revolutions of the wheels and drums, rose to 85 cwt. The operation was -of course exceedingly tedious, and its difficulty was increased by the -nature of the rope, which was not made in a continuous piece, but in -lengths of 100 fathoms each, secured by shackles and swivels of large -size, and presumably of proportionate strength. It was watched with -intense interest. The bows were crowded, in spite of the danger to which -the spectators were exposed by the snapping of the wire-rope, which -might have caused them serious and fatal injuries. At 7·15 o'clock, -a.m., the first 100 fathoms of rope were in, and the great iron shackle -and swivel at the end of the length were regarded with some feelings of -triumph. At 7·55 a.m. the second length of 100 fathoms was on board, -the strain varying from 65 to 75 cwt. At 8·10 a.m., when 400 fathoms had -been purchased in and coiled away, the driving spur-wheel of the -machinery broke, and the rope snapped, the strain being 90 cwt. at the -time. The whole of the two miles of wire rope, grapnel and all, would -have been lost, but that the stoppers caught the shackle at the end, and -saved the experiment from a fatal termination. The operation was -suspended for a short time, in order to permit the damage to be made -good, and the rope was transferred to the capstan. The hazardous nature -of the work, owing to the straining and jerking of the wire rope, was -painfully evinced by the occurrence of accidents to two of the best men -on Mr. Canning's staff--one of whom was cut on the face, and the other -had his jaw laid open. At noon nearly half a mile of rope was gathered -in. With every length of Cable drawn up from the sea, the spirits of all -on board became lighter, and whilst we all talked of the uncertainty of -such an accomplishment, there was a sentiment stronger than any one -would care to avow, inspiring the secret confidence that, having caught -the Cable in this extraordinary manner, we should get it up at last, and -end our strange eventful history by a triumphant entry to Heart's -Content. Already there were divers theories started as to the best way -of getting the Cable on board, for if Mr. Canning ever saw the bight, -the obvious question arose, "What will he do with it?" The whole of our -speculations were abruptly terminated at 2·50 o'clock, p.m. As the -shackle and swivel of the eleventh length of rope, which would have made -a mile on board, were passing the machinery, the head of the swivel pin -was wrung off by the strain, and the 1,400 fathoms of line, with grapnel -attached, rushed down again to the bottom of the Atlantic, carrying with -it the bight of Cable. The shock was bitter and sharp. The nature of the -mishap was quite unforeseen. The engineers had calculated that the wire -rope might part, or that the Cable itself might break at the bight, but -no one had thought of the stout iron shackles and swivels yielding. To -add to the gloominess of the situation, the fog, which had so long been -hanging round the ship, settled down densely, and obliged the Great -Eastern to proceed with extreme caution. But although the event damped, -it did not extinguish, the hopes of the engineers. Mr. Canning and Mr. -Clifford at once set their staff to bend 2,500 fathoms of spare wire -rope to another grapnel, and to prepare a buoy to mark the spot as -nearly as could be guessed where the rope had parted, and gone down with -the bight of the Cable. The Great Eastern was to steam away to windward -of the course of the Cable, and then drift down upon it about three -miles west of the place where the accident occurred. Fog whistles were -blown to warn the Terrible of our change of position, and at 1·30, -ship's time, the Great Eastern, as she steamed slowly away, fired a -gun, to which a real or fancied response was heard soon afterwards. As -she went ahead, guns were fired every 20 minutes, and the steam-whistles -were kept going, but no reply was made, and she proceeded on her course -alone. It was impossible to obtain a noon-day observation, and the only -course to be pursued was to steam to windward for 14 or 15 miles, then -to lay-to and drift, in the hope of procuring a favourable position for -letting go the second grapnel, and catching the Cable once more. - -_August 4th._--The morning found the Great Eastern drifting in a dense -fog. In order to gauge the nature of the task before them, the engineers -fitted up a sounding tackle of all the spare line they could get, and -hove it overboard with a heavy lead attached. The sinker, it is -believed, touched bottom at 2,300 fathoms, but it never came up to tell -the tale. The line broke when the men were pulling it in, and 2000 -fathoms of cord were added to the maze of Cable and wire rope with which -the bed of the Atlantic must be vexed hereabouts. The fog cleared away -in the morning, and the Terrible was visible astern. Presently one of -her boats put off, with a two-mile pull before her, for the Great -Eastern. Lieutenant Prowse was sent to know what we had been doing, and -what we intended to do. He returned to his ship with the information -that Mr. Canning, full of determination, if not of hope, would renew his -attempt to grapple the Cable, and haul it up once more. At noon, Captain -Anderson and Staff-Commander Moriarty, who had been very much perplexed -at the obstinate refusal of the sun to shine, and might be seen any time -between 8 a.m. and noon parading the bridge sextant in hand, taking -sights at space, succeeded in obtaining an observation, which gave our -position Lat. 51° 34' 30'', Long. 37° 54'. The Great Eastern had drifted -34 miles from the place where the Cable parted, and as she had steamed -12 miles, her position was 46 miles to the east of the end of the Cable. - -Meantime the engineers' staff were busy making a solid strong raft of -timber balks, 8 feet square, to serve as a base to a buoy to be anchored -in 2,500 fathoms, as near as possible to the course of the Cable, and -some miles to the westward of the place where the grapnel-rope parted. A -portion of Cable, which had been a good deal strained, was used as -tackle, for the purpose of securing the raft and buoy to a mushroom -anchor. The buoy, which we shall call No. 1, was painted red, and was -surmounted by a black ball, above which rose a staff, bearing a red -flag. It was securely lashed on the raft. At 10 p.m., Greenwich time, -the buoy No. 1 was hove overboard, and sailed away over the grey leaden -water till it was brought up by the anchor in Lat. 51° 28', Long. 38° -42' 30''. The Great Eastern, having thus marked a spot on the ocean, -proceeded on her cruise, to take up a position which might enable her to -cross the Cable with the new grapnel, and try fortune once more. Some -researches made among the coils of telegraph Cable confirmed the -opinion, that the iron wires in the outer protective coating were the -sources of all our calamities, and fortified the position of those who -maintained that the faults were the result of accident. In some -instances the wires were started; in others they were broken in the -strands. By twisting the wire, great variations in quality became -apparent. Some portions were very tough, others snapped like steel. It -is to be regretted that the scientific council who recommended the Cable -did not test some parts of it in the paying-out apparatus with a severe -strain, as they might have detected the inherent faults in the fabric. -It is quite possible hundreds of broken ends exist in the Cable already -laid, though they have done no harm to the insulation. - -_Saturday, August 5th._--There was no change in the weather. A grey mist -enveloped the Great Eastern from stem to stern, blanket-like as sleep -itself. The haze--for so it was rather than a fog--got lighter soon -after 12 o'clock, but it was quite out of the question to attempt an -observation of a longitudinal character. The steam-whistles pierced the -fog-banks miles away. Shoals of grampuses, black fish, porpoises, came -out of the obscure to investigate the source of such dread clamour, and -blew, spouted, and rolled on the tops of the smooth unctuous-looking -folds of water that undulated in broad sweeping billows on our beam. Our -great object was to get sight of the buoy, and by that means make a -guess at our position. At 12·30 p.m. the Terrible was sighted on the -port beam, and our fog music was hushed. At 2·30 o'clock, p.m., the -Terrible signalled that the buoy was three miles distant from her. This -was quite an agreeable incident. Every eye was strained in search of the -missing buoy, and at last the small red flag at the top of the staff was -made out on the horizon. At 3·45 o'clock, p.m., the Great Eastern was -abreast of the buoy, which was hailed with much satisfaction. It bore -itself bravely, though rather more depressed than we had anticipated, -and it was like meeting an old friend, to see it bobbing at us up and -down in the ocean. It was resolved to steer N.W. by N. for 5 or 6 miles, -so as to pass some miles beyond the Cable, and then, if the wind -answered, to drift down and grapple. The Great Eastern signalled to the -Terrible, "Please watch the buoy;" and, under her trusty watch and ward, -we left the sole mark of the expedition fixed on the surface of the sea, -and stood towards the northward. The wind, however, did not answer, and -the grapnel was not thrown overboard. - -_Aug. 6th, Sunday._--It was very thick all through the night--fog, rain, -drizzle alternately, and all together. When morning broke, the Terrible -was visible for a moment in a lift of the veil of grey vapour which -hung down from the sky on the face of the waters. The buoy was of course -quite lost to view, nor did we see it all day. At 10·45 a.m. Captain -Anderson read prayers in the saloon. At noon it was quite hopeless to -form a conjecture respecting the position of the sun or of the horizon, -but Captain Moriarty and Captain Anderson were ready to pounce upon -either, and as the least gleam of light came forth, sextants in hand, -like the figures which indicate fine weather in the German hygrometers. -The sea was calm, rolling in lazy folds under the ship, which scarcely -condescended to notice them. She is a wonder! In default of anything -else, it was something to lie on a sofa in the ladies' saloon, and try -to think you really were on the bosom of the Atlantic,--not a bulkhead -creaking, not a lamp moving, not a glass jingling. Under the influence -of an unknown current, the Great Eastern was drifting steadily against -the wind. When the circumstance was noticed, it could only be referred -to the "Gulf Stream," which is held answerable for a good many things -all over the world. At 4 p.m. the buoy was supposed to be 15 miles N.W. -1/2 N. of us, the wind being E.S.E., but it was only out of many -calculations Captain Moriarty and Captain Anderson created a -hypothetical position. There had been no good observation for three -days, and until we could determine the ship's position exactly, and get -a good wind to drift down on the Cable, it would be quite useless to put -down the grapnel. - -The buoy was supposed to be some 12 miles distant from the end of the -Cable, and not far from the slack made by the Great Eastern. If we got -this slack, the Cable would come up more easily on the grapnel. Of -course, if the buoy had been ready when the Cable broke, it would have -been cast loose at the spot where the wire rope and grapnel sank. If the -Cable could be caught, it was proposed either to place a breaking strain -upon it, so as to get a loose end and a portion of slack, and then to -grapple for it a second time within a mile or so of the end, or to try -and take it inboard without breaking. Some suggested that the Great -Eastern should steam at once to Trinity Bay, where the fleet was lying, -and ask the admiral for a couple of men-of-war to help us in grappling; -but those acquainted with our naval resources declared that it would be -useless, as the ships would have no tackle aboard fit for the work, and -could not get it even at Halifax. Others recommended an immediate return -to England for a similar purpose, to get a complete outfit for grappling -before the season was advanced, and to return to the end of the Cable, -or to a spot 100 miles east of it, where the water is not so deep. What -was positive was, that more than 1,100 miles of the most perfect Cable -ever laid, as regards electrical conditions, was now lying -three-quarters of the way across from Valentia to Newfoundland. - -_Monday, Aug. 7th._--During the night it was raining, fogging, -drizzling, clouding over and under, doing anything but blowing, and of -course as we drifted hither and thither,--the largest float that -currents and waves ever toyed with,--we had no notion of any particular -value of our whereabouts. But at 4 a.m. a glimpse was caught of the -Terrible lying-to about 6 miles distant, and we steered gently towards -her and found that she was keeping watch over the buoy, which was -floating apparently 2 miles away from her. Our course was W.N.W. till we -came nearly abreast of the buoy shortly before 9 a.m., when it was -altered to N.W. The wind was light and from the northward, and the Great -Eastern steamed quietly onwards that she might heave over the grapnel -and drift down on the line of the Cable when the fog cleared and the -wind favoured. - -The feat of seamanship which was accomplished, and the work so nearly -consummated, was so marvellous as to render its abrupt and profitless -termination all the more bitter. The remarkable difficulty of such a -task as Staff-Commander Moriarty and Captain Anderson executed cannot be -understood without some sort of appreciation of the obstacles before -them. The Atlantic Cable, as we sadly remember, dropped into the unknown -abyss on Aug. 2. We had no soundings. In the night the Great Eastern -drifted and steamed 25 miles from the end of the Cable--then bore away -with a grapnel overboard, and 2,500 fathoms of wire rope attached, and -steered so as to come across the course of the Cable at the bottom. On -the morning of Aug. 3rd, the increasing strain on the line which towed -the grapnel gave rise to hope at first, and finally to the certainty, -that the ship had caught the Cable. At 3·20 o'clock, p.m., Greenwich -time, when about 900 fathoms of grapnel line had been hauled in, the -head of a swivel pin broke, and 1,400 fathoms of line, with grapnels and -Atlantic Cable, went down to the bottom. Then the Great Eastern drifted -again in a fog whilst preparing for another trial to drag the Cable up -from the sea, and on 4th August, with an apparatus devised on board, got -doubtful soundings, from which it was estimated that the water was about -2-1/2 miles deep. A buoy placed on a raft, which sunk so deep that only -a small flagstaff and black bulb were visible, was let go, with a -mushroom anchor and 2-1/2 miles of Cable attached to it, into this -profound; but as it was not ready when the Cable broke, the buoy was -slipped over at the distance of some miles from the place where the -fatal fracture took place, in the hope and belief that the anchor would -come up somewhere near the slack caused by the picking-up operations. -Still in fog, which shut the Terrible out of sight, the Great Eastern -prepared for another attempt. Next day (August 5), with the assistance -of the Terrible, she came upon the buoy, and having steamed away to a -favourable position, so as to come down on the course of the Cable -again, remained drifting and steaming gently, on the look-out for the -buoy, which it was very difficult to discover owing to the fog and to -the current and winds acting on the ship. The weather did not permit any -observations for longitude to be made during the whole of this period. -On Aug. 7th we passed the buoy and steered N.W., and at 11·10 a.m., -ship's time, 1·47 p.m., Greenwich time, another grapnel, with 2,500 -fathoms of wire rope, was thrown over, and the Great Eastern, with a -favourable wind, was let drift down on the course of the Cable, about -half way between the buoy and the broken end. At 12·5 ship's time, the -grapnel touched the bottom in 2,500 fathoms water, having sunk, owing to -improved apparatus, in half the time consumed in the first operation. In -six hours afterwards, the eyes which were watching every motion of the -ship so anxiously, perceived the slightest possible indication that the -grapnel was holding on at the bottom, and that the ship's head was -coming up towards the northward. It is not possible to describe the -joyous excitement which diffused itself over the Great Eastern as, with -slowly-increasing certitude, she yielded to the strain from the grapnel -and its prize, and in an hour and a-half canted her head from E. by S. -1/2 S., to E. 3/4 North. The screw was used to bring up her bow to the -strain, and the machinery of the picking-up apparatus, much improved and -strengthened, was set in motion to draw in the grapnel by means of the -capstan and its steam power. The strain shown by the indicator increased -from 48 cwt. to 66 cwt. in a short time; but the engines did their work -steadily till 8·10, when one of the wheels was broken by a jerk, which -caused a slight delay. The grapnel-rope was, however, hauled in by the -capstan at a uniform rate of 100 fathoms in 40 minutes; but the strain -went on gradually increasing till it reached 70 cwt. to 75 cwt. At 11·30 -p.m., ship's time, or 2·5 a.m., Greenwich, 300 fathoms were aboard, and -at midnight all those who were not engaged on duty connected with the -operation retired to rest, thankful and encouraged. In the words of our -signal to the Terrible, all was going on "hopefully." Throughout our -slumbers the clank of the machinery, the shrill whistles to go on ahead, -or turn astern, sounded till morning came, and when one by one the -citizens of our little world turned up on deck, each felt, as he saw the -wheels revolving and the wire rope uncoiling from the drums, that he was -assisting at an attempt of singular audacity and success. A moonlight of -great brightness, a night of quiet loveliness had favoured the -enterprise, and the links of rope had come in one after another at a -speed which furnished grounds for hope that if the end of the day -witnessed similar progress, the Cable would be at the surface before -nightfall. - -[Illustration: G. McCulloch, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley London, -Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -INTERIOR OF ONE OF THE TANKS ON BOARD THE GREAT EASTERN. CABLE PASSING -OUT.] - -[Illustration: E. Walker, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley - -London, Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -LAUNCHING BUOY ON AUGUST 8TH IN LAT 51° 25' 30'' LONG. 38° 56' (MARKING -SPOT WHERE CABLE HAD BEEN GRAPPLED).] - -_August 8th._--This morning, about 7·30, one mile--one thousand -fathoms--had been recovered, and was coiled on deck. The Cable, however, -put out a little more vigour in its resistance, and the strain went up -to 80 cwt., having touched 90 cwt. once or twice previously. No matter -what happened, the perseverance of the engineers and seamen had been so -far rewarded by a very extraordinary result. They had caught up a thin -Cable from a depth of 2,500 fathoms, and had hauled it up through a mile -of water. They were hauling at it still, and all might be recovered. But -it was not so to be. Our speculations were summarily disposed of--our -hopes sent to rest in the Atlantic. Shortly before 8 o'clock, an iron -shackle and swivel at the end of a length of wire rope came over the -bow, passed over the drums, and had been wound three times round the -capstan, when the head of the swivel bolt "drew," exactly as the swivel -before it had done, and the rope, parting at once, flew round the -capstan, over the drums, through the stops, with the irresistible force -on it of a strain, indicated at the time or a little previously, of 90 -cwt. It is wonderful no one was hurt. The end of the rope flourished its -iron fist in the air, and struck out with it right and left, as though -it were animated by a desire to destroy those who might arrest its -progress. It passed through the line of cablemen with an impatient -sweep, dashed at one man's head, was only balked by his sudden stoop, -and menacing from side to side the men at the bow, who fortunately were -few in number, and were warned of the danger of their position, splashed -overboard. All had been done that the means at the disposal of engineers -and officers allowed. The machinery had been altered, improved, -tested--every shackle and swivel had been separately examined, and -several which looked faulty had been knocked off and replaced, but in -every instance the metal was found to be of superior quality. It was -7·43 a.m., ship's time, exactly, when the rope parted. The sad news was -signalled to the Terrible, which had been following our progress -anxiously and hopefully during the night. Her flags in return soon said, -"Very sorry," and she steamed towards the Great Eastern immediately. Mr. -Canning and Mr. Gooch, and others, consulted what was best to be done, -and meantime the buoy and raft which had been prepared in anticipation -of such a catastrophe as had occurred, were lowered over the bows with a -mooring rope of 2,500 fathoms long, attached to a broken spur-wheel. The -buoy was surmounted by a rod with a black ball at the top over a flag -red, white, and red, in three alternate horizontal stripes, and on it -were the words and letters:--"Telegraph, No. 3." It floated rather low -on a strong raft of timber, with corks lashed at the corners, and by -observation and reckoning it was lowered in Lat. 51° 25' 30'', Long. 38° -56'. The old buoy at the time it was slipped bore S.E. by E. 13 miles -from the Great Eastern. As there were still nearly 1,900 fathoms of -wire rope on board, and some 500 fathoms of Manilla hawser, Mr. Canning -resolved to make a third and last attempt ere he returned to Sheerness. -Captain Anderson warned Mr. Canning that from the indications of the -weather, it was not likely he could renew his search for two or three -days, but that was of the less consequence, inasmuch as it needed nearly -that time for Mr. Canning's men to secure the shackles and prepare the -apparatus for the third trial. - -At 9·40 a.m., just as the buoy had gone over, a boat came alongside from -the Terrible, and Mr. Prowse, the First Lieutenant, boarded us to know -what we were going to do, to compare latitude and longitude, and to -report to Captain Napier the decision arrived at by the gentlemen -connected with the management of the Expedition. The Great Eastern had -still about 3,500 tons of coal remaining, and the Terrible could wait -three days more, and still keep coal enough to enable her to reach St. -John's. At 11·30 the Great Eastern stood down to the second buoy, for -the purpose of fixing its exact locality by observation. Soon afterwards -the weather grew threatening, and at 2 p.m. we were obliged to put her -head to the sea, which gradually increased till the Great Eastern began -for the first time to give signs and tokens that she was not a fixture. -The Terrible stood on ahead on our port side, and for some time we kept -the buoy equi-distant between us. At night, the wind increased to half a -gale, and it was agreed on all sides that though the Great Eastern could -have paid out the Cable with the utmost ease, she could not have picked -up, and certainly could not have kept the grapnel line and Cable under -her bows in such weather. But the steadiness of the vessel was the -constant theme of praise. During the night she just kept her head to the -sea. The Terrible, which got on our port and then on our starboard bow, -signalled to us not to come too close, and before midnight her lights -were invisible on our port quarter--one funnel down. - -_Aug. 9th._--Our course was W.N.W. during the night; weather thick and -rainy--strong southerly wind; sea running moderately high. At 6 a.m., -having run by reckoning 35 miles from the buoy, our course was altered -to E.S.E., so as to bring us back to it. The state of the weather -delayed the artificers in their work. It rained heavily, the deck was by -no means a horizontal plane, and it was doubtful if Mr. Canning and Mr. -Clifford, using all possible diligence, could get tackle and machinery -in order before the following forenoon, so that it was not necessary to -make any great speed. The reputation of the ship was enhanced in the -eyes and feelings of her passengers by the manner in which she had -behaved in the undoubtedly high breeze and heavy sea. The former was -admitted by sailors to be a "gale," though they seemed to think the -force of the wind was affected by the addition of the prefix "summer," -as if it mattered much at what time of the year a gale blows. The -latter, when we turned tail and went before it, soon developed a latent -tendency in the Great Eastern to obey the rules governing bodies -floating on liquids under the action of summer gales. She rolled with a -gravity and grandeur becoming so large a ship once in every 11 or 12 -seconds; but on descending from the high decks to the saloon, one found -no difficulty in walking along from end to end of it without gratuitous -balancings or unpremeditated halts and progresses. It was a grey, -gloomy, cloudy sea and sky--not a sail or a bird visible. In the -forenoon the Terrible came in sight, lying-to with her topsail set, and -it was hoped she was somewhere near the buoy. At noon our position was -ascertained by observation to be Lat. 51° 29' 30', Long. 39° 6' 0''. -Great Eastern, as soon as she was near enough, asked the Terrible, "Do -you see the buoy?" After a time, the answer flew out, "No." Then she -added that she was "waiting for her position," and that she "believes -the buoy to be S.S.E." of us. Our course was altered S. by E. 1/2 E, and -the look-out men in the top swept the sea on all sides. The Terrible -also started on the search. At 3·20 p.m. the two ships were within -signalling distance again--sea decreasing, wind falling fast. The -Terrible asked, "Did you see buoy?" which was answered in negative, and -then inquired if the Great Eastern was going to grapple again, which was -replied to in the affirmative--Captain Anderson busy in one cabin and -Staff-Commander Moriarty busy in another, working diagrams and -calculations, and coming nearer and nearer to the little speck which -fancies it is hidden in the ocean: with very good reason, too, for the -search after such an object on such a field as the Atlantic, ruffled by -a gale of wind, might well be esteemed of very doubtful success. But the -merchant captain and the naval staff-commander were not men to be -beaten, and in keen friendly competition ran a race with pencils and -charts to see who could determine the ship's position with the greatest -accuracy, being rarely a mile apart from each other in the result. The -only dubious point related to the buoy itself, for it might have drifted -in the gale, it might have gone down at its moorings, or the Cable might -have parted. There were strong currents, as well as winds and waves. The -moment the weather moderated in the forenoon, the whole body of smiths -and carpenters, and workers in iron, metal, and wood, were set to work -at the alterations in the machinery for letting out the grapnel and -taking it in again. A little army of skilled mechanics were exercising -on deck; workshops and forges were established, and some of the many -chimneys which rise above the bulwarks of the Great Eastern, and put one -in mind of the roofs of the streets seen from the railway approaches to -London, began to smoke. The smiths forged new pins for the swivels, and -made new shackles and swivels; the carpenters made casings for capstan; -ropemakers examined and secured the lengths of wire rope, and a new -hawser was bent on to make up for the deficiency of buoy rope. At last, -the much-sought-for object was discovered--the buoy was visible some 2 -miles distant. The Great Eastern made haste to announce the news to the -Terrible, and just as her flags were going aloft, a fluttering of -bunting was visible in the rigging of the Terrible, and the signalman -read her brief statement that the buoy was where we saw it was, thus -proving that both vessels dropped on it at the same time. The finding of -the little black point on the face of the Atlantic was a feat of -navigation which gave great satisfaction to the worthy performers and -the spectators. A little before 5 o'clock the Great Eastern was abreast -of the buoy. The Terrible came up on the other side of it, and the Great -Eastern and the man-of-war lay-to watching the tiny black ball, which -bobbed up and down on the Atlantic swell, intending to stay by it as -closely as possible till morning. By dint of energetic exertion, Mr. -Canning hoped to have his grapnel and tackle quite ready the moment the -ship was in position on the morrow. It was a sight to behold the deck at -night--bare-armed Vulcans wielding the sledge--Brontes, Steropes, and -Pyracmon at bellows, forge, and anvil--fires blazing--hailing sparks -flashing along the decks--incandescent masses of iron growing into shape -under the fierce blows--amateurs and artists admiring--the sea keeping -watch and ward outside, and the hum of voices from its myriad of sentry -waves rising above the clank of hammers which were closing the rivets up -of the mail in which we were to do battle with old ocean for the captive -he holds in his dismal dungeons below. Will he yield up his prisoner? - -_Aug. 10th._ A more lovely morning could not be desired--sea, wind, -position--all were auspicious for the renewed attempt, which must also -be the last if our tackle break. A light breeze from the west succeeded -to the gale, and a strong current setting to the eastward prevailed over -it, and carried the Great Eastern nearly 7 miles dead against the wind -from 9 p.m. last night till 4 a.m. this morning, thus taking her away -from the buoy. The swell subsided, and such wind as there was favoured -the plan to drift across the course of the Cable about a mile to -westward of the place where the last grapnel was lost. Without much -trouble the Great Eastern, having come upon the first buoy, caught the -second buoy, and both were in sight at the same moment. Authorities -differed concerning their distance. One maintained they were 7-1/2 -miles, the other that they were 10 miles apart. At 10·30, Greenwich -time, when we were between 1-1/2 and 1-3/4 mile distant from the course -of the Cable, the buoy bearing S.S.E., the grapnel was thrown over, and -2,460 fathoms of wire rope and hawser were paid out in 48 minutes. - -As there was a current still setting against the easterly wind, which -had increased in strength, Captain Anderson at first got all -fore-and-aft canvas on the ship, to which were added afterwards her fore -and maintopsails; her course was set N.W. by N., but she made little -headway, and drifted to S.W. At 11·10 a.m., ship's time, an increased -strain on the grapnel line was shown by the dynamometer, and at the same -time the head of the Great Eastern began to turn slowly northwards from -her true course. - -The square-sails were at once taken in. Great animation prevailed at the -prospect of a third grapple with the Cable. But in a few moments the -hope proved delusive, and the ship continued to drift to S. and W., the -buoy bearing S.E. The bow swept round, varying from W. and by N. to N. -W. and by N. At noon the Great Eastern, if all reckonings were right, -was but half a mile from the Cable, and the officers hoped she would -come across it about half a mile west of the spot where she last hooked -it. But at 3·30 p.m. the last hope vanished. The ship must by that time -have long passed the course of the Cable. Captain Anderson had an idea -that we grappled it for a moment soon after noon, when the ship's head -came 3 points to the N., and the strain increased for a moment to 60 -cwt. The buoy was now 2-1/2 to 3 miles E.--ship's head being W.N.W. All -that could be done was to take up grapnel, and make another cast for the -Cable. The wind increased from eastward. At 4·15 p.m. ship's head was -set N. by E. by screw, in order to enable the grapnel line to be taken -in, and the capstan was set to haul up the grapnel. The wire rope came -over the bows unstranded, and in very bad condition. Much controversy -arose respecting the cause of this mischief. Some, the practical men, -maintaining it was because there were not swivels enough on it; others, -the theoretical men, demonstrating that the swivels had nothing to do -with the torsion or detorsion; and both arguing as keenly with respect -to what was happening 2 miles below them in the sea as if they were on -the spot. The process of pulling up such a length of wire is tedious, -and although no one had expressed much confidence in the experiment, -every one was chagrined at the aspect of the tortured wire as it came -curling and twisting inboard from its abortive mission. At midnight 1000 -fathoms had been hauled in. - -_August 11th._--Nothing to record of the night and early morning, save -that both were fine, and that the capstan took in the iron fishing-line -easily till 5·20 a.m., ship's time, when the grapnel came up to the -bows. The cause of the failure was at once explained: the grapnel could -not have caught the Cable, because in going down, or in dragging at the -bottom, the chain of the shank had caught round one of the flukes. From -the condition of the rope it was calculated that we were in only 1,950 -fathoms of water, for nearly 500 fathoms of it were covered with the -grey ooze of the bottom. The collectors scraped away at the precious -gathering all the morning, and for a time forgot their sorrows. - -It was now a dead calm, and Mr. Canning mustered his forces for another -attempt for the Cable! He overhauled the wire rope, and exorcised -hawsers out of crypts all over the ship. - - "Hope lives eternal in the human breast." - -[Illustration: E. Walker, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley - -London, Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. - -FORWARD DECK CLEARED FOR THE FINAL ATTEMPT AT GRAPPLING. AUGUST 11TH.] - -Although the previous trials, with better gear, had proved unsuccessful; -although the tackle now used was a thing of shreds and patches; although -Mr. Canning and others said, "We are going to make this attempt because -it is our duty to exhaust every means in our power," and thereby implied -they had little or no confidence of success; there was scarcely a man in -the ship who did not think "there is just a chance," and who would not -have made the endeavour had the matter been left to his own decision. It -was some encouragement to ascertain that there were only 1,950 fathoms -of water below us. It was argued that, if the Cable could be broken at -the bight, another drift about a mile from the loose end would be -certain to succeed, as the loose end would twist round the eastward -portion of the Cable, and come up at a diminished strain to the surface. -A grapnel with a shorter shank was selected for the next trial. The -cablemen were set to work to coil down the new rope and hawsers between -a circular enclosure, formed by uprights on the deck behind the capstan. -Ropemakers and artificers examined the rope which had been already used. -They served the injured strands with yarn, renewed portions chafed to -death, tested bolts and shackles and swivels, and bent on new lengths of -rope and hawser, whilst the ship was proceeding to take up her position -for another demonstration against the Cable. The line now employed, the -last left in the ship, was a thing of shreds and patches. It consisted -of 1,600 fathoms of wire rope, 220 fathoms of hemp, and 510 fathoms of -Manilla hawser, of which 1,760 fathoms could be depended upon, the rest -being "suspicious." The morning was not very fine; but the wind was -light, and on the whole favourable, and the only circumstance to cause -doubt or uneasiness was the current, the influence of which could not be -determined. The observations of the officers rendered it doubtful -whether the buoy No. 2 had drifted, and it was rather believed that in -the interval between the breaking of the grapnel and the letting-go of -the buoy, the Great Eastern herself had drifted from the place, and thus -caused the apparent discrepancy in position. At 7·45 a.m. the ship was -alongside buoy No. 2 once more, and thence proceeded to an -advantageous bearing for drifting down on the Cable with her grapnel. -The Terrible kept about two miles away, regarding our operations with a -melancholy interest. At 11·30 a.m., ship's time, the Great Eastern -signalled "We are going to make a final effort," and soon afterwards, -"We are sorry you have had such uncomfortable waiting." At 1·56 p.m., -Greenwich time, when buoy No. 2 was bearing E. by N. about two miles, -the ship's head being W. and by S., the grapnel was let go, and soon -reached the bottom, as the improvements in the machinery and capstan -enabled the men to pay it out at the rate of fifty fathoms a minute. The -fore-and-aft canvas was set, to counteract the force of the current, and -the Great Eastern drifted to N.E, right across the Cable, before a light -breeze from S.W. At first there was only a strain of 42 cwt. shown, and -the ship went quite steadily and slowly towards the Cable. At 3·30 p.m. -the strain increased, and then the Great Eastern gave some little sign -of feeling a restraint on her actions from below, her head describing -unsteady lines from W.N.W. to W. by S. The screw engines were gently -brought into play to keep her head to the wind. The machinery and -capstan, which had been put in motion some time previously to haul in -the grapnel cable, now took it in easily and regularly, except when a -shackle or swivel jarred it for a moment. Every movement of the ship was -most keenly watched, till the increasing strain on the dynamometer -showed that the same grip on the bottom which had twice turned the head -of the Great Eastern, was again placed on the grapnel she was dragging -along the bottom of the Atlantic. The index of the dynamometer rose: it -marked 60 cwt., then it jerked up to 65 cwt., then it reached 70 cwt., -then 75 cwt.: at last its iron finger pointed to 80 cwt. It was too much -to stand by and witness the terrible struggle between the crisping, -yielding hawser, which was coming in fast, the relentless iron-clad -capstan, and the fierce resolute power in the black sea, which seemed -endued with demoniacal energy as it tugged and swerved to and fro on the -iron hook. But it was beyond peradventure that the Atlantic Cable had -been hooked and struck, and was coming up from its oozy bed. What -alternations of hope and fear--what doubts, what sanguine dreams, -dispelled by a moment's thought, only to revive again! What need to say -how men were agitated on board the ship? There was in their breasts, -those who felt at all, that intense quiet excitement with which we all -attend the utterance of a supreme decree, final and irrevocable. Some -remained below in the saloons--fastened their eyes on unread pages of -books, or gave expression to their feelings in fitful notes from piano -or violin. Others went aft to the great Sahara of deck where all was -lifeless now, and whence the iron oasis had vanished. Some walked to and -fro in the saloon; others paced the deck amidships. None liked to go -forward, where every jar of the machinery, every shackle that passed the -drum, every clank, made their hearts leap into their mouths. Captain -Anderson, Mr. Canning, Mr. Clifford, and the officers and men engaged in -working the ship and taking in the grapnel, were in the bows of course, -and shared in the common anxiety. At dinner-time 500 fathoms of grapnel -rope had been taken in, and the strain was mounting beyond 82 cwt. -Nothing else could be talked of. The boldest ventured to utter the words -"Heart's Content" and "Newfoundland" once more. All through the unquiet -meal we could hear the shrill whistle through the acoustic tube from the -bow to the bridge, which warned the quartermasters to stop, reverse, or -turn ahead the screw engines to meet the exigencies of the strain on the -grapnel rope. The evening was darkling and raw. At 6·30 I left the -saloon, and walked up and down the deck, under the shelter of the -paddle-box, glancing forward now and then to the bow, to look at the -busy crowd of engineers, sailors, and cablemen gathered round the rope -coming in over the drum, which just rose clear of one of the foremasts, -and listening to the warning shouts as the shackles came inboard, and -hurtled through the machinery till they floundered on the hurricane -deck. - -About 20 minutes had elapsed when I heard the whistle sound on the -bridge, and at the same time saw one of the men running aft anxiously. -"There's a heavy strain on now, sir," he said. I was going forward, when -the whistle blew again, and I heard cries of "Stop it!" or "Stop her!" -in the bows, shouts of "Look out!" and agitated exclamations. Then there -was silence. I knew at once all was over. The machinery stood still in -the bows, and for a moment every man was fixed, as if turned to stone. -There, standing blank and mute, were the hardy constant toilers, whose -toil was ended at last. Our last bolt was sped. Just at the moment the -fracture took place, Staff-Commander Moriarty had come up from his cabin -to announce that he was quite certain, from his calculations, that the -vessel had dragged over the Cable in a most favourable spot. It was 9·40 -p.m., Greenwich time, and 765 fathoms had been got in, leaving little -more of the hempen tackle to be recovered, when a shackle came in and -passed through the machinery, and at the instant the hawser snapped as -it was drawn to the capstan, and, whistling through the air like a round -shot, would have carried death in its course through the crowded groups -on the bows, but for the determination with which the men at the -stoppers held on to them, and kept the murderous end straight in its -career, as it sped back to the Atlantic. It was scarcely to be hoped -that it had passed harmlessly away. Mr. Canning and others rushed -forward, exclaiming, "Is any one hurt?" ere the shout "It is gone!" had -subsided. The battle was over! Then the first thought was for the -wounded and the dead, and God be thanked for it, there were neither to -add to the grief of defeat. Nigh two miles more of iron coils, and wire, -and rope were added to the entanglement of the great labyrinth made by -the Great Eastern in the bed of the ocean. In a few seconds every man -knew the worst. The bow was deserted, and all came aft and set about -their duties. Mr. Clifford, with the end of a hempen hawser in his hand, -torn in twain as though it were a roll of brown paper--Mr. Canning -already recovered from the shock, and giving orders to stow away what -had come up from the sea--Captain Anderson directing the chief engineer -to get up steam, and prepare for an immediate start. - -The result was signalled to the Terrible, which came down to us, and as -she was bound to St John's to take in coals to enable her to return to -England, all who had business or friends in America prepared their -dispatches for her boat. The wind and sea were rising, as if anxious to -hurry us from the scene of the nine days' struggle. The Great Eastern's -head was already turned westwards. All were prompt to leave the spot -which soon would bear no mark of the night and day long labours--for the -buoys which whirled up and down and round in the seaway would probably -become waifs and strays on the ocean, and all that was left of the -expedition for a time were the entries in log books--"Lat. 51° 24' Long. -38° 59'; end of Cable down N. 50 W. 1-3/4 mile"--and such memories as -animate men who, having witnessed brave fights with adverse fortune, are -encouraged thereby to persevere, in the sure conviction that the good -work will in the end be accomplished. It was wild and dark when -Lieutenant Prowse set off to regain his ship. The flash of a gun from -the Terrible to recall her cutter lighted up the gloom, and the glare of -an answering blue light, burned by the boat, revealed for an instant the -hull of the man-of-war on the heaving waters. There was a profound -silence on board the Big Ship. She struggled against the helm for a -moment as though she still yearned to pursue her course to the west, -then bowed her head to the angry sea in admission of defeat, and moved -slowly to meet the rising sun. The signal lanterns flashed from the -Terrible, "Farewell!" The lights from our paddle-box pierced the night, -"Good-by! Thank you," in sad acknowledgment. Then each sped on her way -in solitude and darkness. - -The progress of the undertaking excited the utmost interest, not only in -Great Britain, but over all the civilised world. Twice a day the -telegraph at Foilhummerum spread to all parts of the earth a brief -account of the doings of the Great Ship. Almost as soon as one of the -unexpected impediments which marred the successful issue of the -enterprise arose, the public were informed of it, and could mark on the -map the spot where sailor, engineer, and electrician were engaged in -their work on the bosom of the wide Atlantic ere their labours were -over. The Great Eastern's position could be traced on the chart, and the -course of the Cable, in its unseen resting-place, could be followed from -day to day. The "faults" caused more surprise perhaps on shore than on -board, because those engaged in paying-out the Cable were re-assured by -the certainty with which the faults were detected, and the comparative -facility with which the Cable was taken up from the sea. Although the -various delays which occurred produced some discouragement and -uneasiness among those who had worked so hard and embarked so much in -the grand project, the ease with which communication was restored as -often as it was injured or interrupted by faults and dead earth, -inspired confidence in the eventual success of the attempt. But only -those actually witnesses of the wonderful facility with which the Cable -was paid out felt the conviction that the Cable could be laid. The -public only knew the general results, and did not appreciate properly -the nature of the difficulties to which the frustration of their hopes -was due. When the last fault occurred, the electricians at Valentia were -left without any precise indications of the nature of the obstruction, -or of the proceedings of those on board; but they actually calculated -within a few fathoms the exact locality of the injury; and when the end -of the Cable sank into the depths of the ocean, the practical wizards of -Foilhummerum could tell where it was to be found, though they could not -see and could not hear. When all communication ceased with the Great -Eastern no uneasiness was excited, because a similar event had occurred -before for many hours, and the ship spoke after all. But hour after hour -passed away on leaden wings, and day followed day, and the needle was -still, and the light moved not in the darkened chamber at Foilhummerum. -It may be conceived with what solicitude the men, in whose watchfulness -all the sleeping and waking world were interested, looked out for some -sign of the revival of the current in the dull veins of the subtle -mechanism. - -The directors and shareholders of the two companies represented -something more than the enormous stake they had put in the undertaking. -Their feelings were shared by the mass of the people, and Her Majesty -was animated by the same solicitude as her subjects. For there had been -prophets of evil before the expedition sailed, and now their voices were -raised again, and found credence among those who distrusted the -magnificent ship which was then calmly breasting the billows of the -Atlantic--the envy of her guardians--as well as among the class whose -normal condition is despair of every scheme, good, useful, novel, or -great. The newspapers began to admit speculations and argumentative -letters into their columns, and although the original articles did not -indicate any apprehension of a catastrophe, it was evident the public -mind was becoming uneasy. The feeling increased. The correspondence -augmented in volume, and, let it be said, in wildness of conjecture and -unsoundness of premises and conclusions. Those who were inclined to -believe that the Great Eastern had gone to the bottom were comforted by -the reflection that the two men-of-war would save those who were on -board. Had they known that the Sphinx had disappeared, and that the -Great Eastern was much better able to help the Terrible, in a time of -watery trouble, than the Terrible would be to aid her, they would have -despaired indeed. - -All the while those on board engaged in their work--grappling and -lifting, drifting and sailing--were enjoying themselves as far as the -uncertainty attendant on their work would allow them, and were in a -state of repose barely disturbed, as the time wore on, by surmises that -people at home might begin to entertain doubts as to what had become of -the expedition. Even these speculations would have had no agitating -influence had the electricians on board communicated with the shore -before they cut the end of the Cable on the last occasion. It would have -surprised and amused officers and crew if they could have known that the -vessel, which they were never tired of praising and admiring, was -pronounced by eminent engineers to need strengthening; that she had sunk -in the middle, or had fagged; or if they could have read confident -assertions that the grand fabric in which they were so comfortably -lodged and entertained and borne was unsafe and radically faulty; that -good authorities had declared she was hogged. Undoubtedly there were -grounds of anxiety, but none for anticipations and predictions of the -worst. It would not be fair to omit to mention that in some instances -the most correct and close conjectures were made concerning the position -of the ship and the work in which she was engaged, as well as the causes -of the long-continued silence. Several letters appeared, in which the -writers tried, with singular justice of reasoning, to stem the current -of alarm. The press generally abstained from any adverse speculations; -but it was rather behind the public feeling in that respect. It cannot -be denied that the news-agent who hailed the Great Eastern at Crookhaven -with the words, "We did not know what to make of you. Many think you -went down," expressed the conviction of a great number of persons all -over the kingdom, on the 17th August. - -Early on the morning of that day the Great Eastern came in sight of -land, and soon after 7 o'clock a.m. steamed into Crookhaven, to land a -few passengers and to communicate with the telegraph station at that -solitary and romantic spot. Ere noon the news of the safety of the ship -relieved many an anxious thought, silenced many a tongue and pen, and -dissipated many a gloomy apprehension. It may be said that the return -of the Great Eastern was a subject of national rejoicing. Every -newspaper in the kingdom contained articles on the topic. The narrative -of the voyage, which was written on board, and sent to all the principal -journals before the Great Eastern arrived at the Nore, so that the -public were at once placed in possession of every fact connected with -the proceedings, almost simultaneously, was read with the utmost -avidity, and when the facts were known, all men concurred in the justice -of the leading articles which, without exception of note, drew fresh -hopes of success from the record of the causes which led to the -interruption of the enterprise. The energy, skill, and resolution -displayed in the attempt to recover the Cable were admitted and praised -on all hands. But what most excited attention was the fact that the -Cable had actually been hooked three times at a depth of two nautical -miles, and carried up halfway to the top. The most sceptical were -convinced when they became aware of the hard material evidence on that -point. Next in point of interest perhaps was the conduct of the Great -Eastern herself. A great revulsion of sentiment took place in favour of -the vessel which had hitherto been unfortunate in her management, or in -the conditions under which she had been tried. - -Whilst the most profound ignorance respecting the fate of the Great -Eastern prevailed, an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Atlantic -Telegraph Company was held on 8th August, in pursuance of a notice -issued on 24th July previous, to consider the expediency of converting -into Consolidated Eight per Cent. Preferential Stock the Eight per Cent. -Preferential Capital of the Atlantic Telegraph Company, consisting of -120,000 shares of 5_l._ each, and of converting into Ordinary -Consolidated Stock the whole of the Ordinary Share Capital, consisting -of 350 shares of the par value of 1000_l._, and 5,463 shares of the par -value of 20_l._, and to issue either in ordinary stock or in shares the -sum of 137,140_l._ of ordinary capital, authorised at the Extraordinary -General Meeting of March 31st, 1864, and agreed to be issued in -instalments fully paid up, to the contractors from time to time after -the successful completion of their contract. - -The directors also gave notice that they intended to seek authority from -the shareholders to issue such amounts of new capital as may be required -for the construction and laying of a second Atlantic Telegraph Cable -under powers of their Act of Parliament, and to attach to such capital -such privileges and such advantages and conditions as might be -determined. The Right Hon. J. S. Wortley, chairman, who has exhibited -unshaken confidence and untiring energy in the post he occupies, had a -difficult task before him, but even then he could exhort his hearers to -courage and perseverance. As he well said, "But there are two things -from which we may derive considerable consolation. This great enterprise -has been the subject of discussion in every civilised nation in the -world. The eyes of science have been fixed upon it; and the acuteness of -criticism has been brought to bear on it. We have had our detractors, -and there have been sceptics; and what are the two main points on which -they have founded their scepticism? One is, that the great depth of -nearly three miles must bring extraordinary pressure on the Cable, must -injure it by perforating the covering, and must in fact destroy the -insulation. The other point was the impossibility, as they contended, of -communicating intelligible signals through so great a length, or 'leap' -as they term it, as 1,600 miles. But we had a scientific committee, who -made experiments, and who assured themselves that there was nothing in -either of those objections; and now we have in addition the much more -practical and valuable proof of experience. What are the facts? Some -days before the interruption of the messages the Great Eastern passed -over the deepest portion of the ocean (with one slight exception) which -we have to traverse between Europe and America. She passed safely over a -depth of 2,400 fathoms, telegraphing perfect signals. This entirely -disproves and refutes the first objection and doubt which existed in the -minds of those sceptical gentlemen, because the Cable was laid in great -depths, varying from 1,500 to 2000, fathoms, and even in 2,400 fathoms; -and so far from the great pressure at that depth injuring the Cable, the -Company's signals appear from their telegrams to have improved every -yard they went; and the signals through 2,400 fathoms of water were as -perfect as, if not more perfect than, those at a less depth. That is in -confirmation of the old Cable having worked at those depths. Then I say -that our scientific committee, and those who said that the pressure -would not have an injurious effect, have been fully borne out; and that -the result has proved that, so far from injuring it, pressure improves -the Cable. In spite of these facts, I see here a communication from a -gentleman to one of the public journals only yesterday, in which he -says, that looking at the pressure of a column of water equal to so many -atmospheres, it must destroy the Cable; and he adds with confidence, -that the Cable must be at the present moment a perfect wreck! And then -he says that the Company never made experiments to satisfy themselves -what this number of atmospheres would do to the Cable. He writes in -perfect ignorance, that the scientific committee has the means afforded -them by this Company of applying a weight of 6000lb. to the square inch; -but after having proceeded to a certain extent with that experiment, and -tried a very large amount of pressure, and finding that the Cable, so -far from deteriorating, was improved by the compression of its elements, -they thought it unnecessary to carry the experiments further. And now we -have the result to corroborate their views." - -On October 12, an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Atlantic -Telegraph Company was held, at which the Chairman, the Right Hon. J. S. -Wortley, proposed a Resolution rescinding those passed at the General -Meeting in August. He reminded them the Capital was originally issued in -1000_l._ shares. After that an additional amount of capital was raised -in 20_l._ shares; and after the first failure a further capital of -600,000_l._ in 5_l._ shares, and an 8 per cent. preference, was raised. -Under these circumstances they succeeded in raising the necessary sum -enabling them to send out the last expedition, and they now proposed -that notwithstanding that guarantee of 8 per cent. to issue a new -preferential capital at the rate of 12 per cent. They had negotiated -with the same contractors who had hitherto had charge of laying the -Cable, and they were willing for the sum of 500,000_l._ to take out a -sufficient quantity of Cable, together with that which was left in the -ship amounting to about 1000 miles, and in the first place to go across -and lay a new Cable, and then to come back and pick up the old one, -splice it, and continue it to Newfoundland. He might say at once, that -not only the contractors, but all who were engaged in the undertaking, -were represented there that day, as well as the able staff of scientific -men to whom they were so much indebted upon the last expedition, and he -said in their presence that they all had extreme confidence that they -would not only be able to lay the new Cable but to pick up the old one, -mend it, and relay it. It was proposed that in addition to the -500,000_l._ there should, if the Cable was successfully laid, be a -contingent profit to the contractor, which would be paid in money. It -was apprehended that the additional 100,000_l._ asked for would be quite -sufficient to meet any contingency that might arise. The formal -Resolutions rescinding those passed at the meeting in August last were -carried unanimously; and it was Resolved, "That the Capital of the -Company be increased to an amount not exceeding 2,000,000_l._, by the -creation and issue of not exceeding 160,000 new shares of 5_l._ each, -and that such new shares shall bear and be entitled to a preferential -dividend at the rate of 12_l._ per cent. per annum on the amount for the -time being paid up thereon, in priority to any dividend or on any other -capital of the Company, and shall also, in proportion to the amount for -the time being paid up thereon, be entitled to participate equally with -the other capital of the Company in any moneys applicable to dividend, -which upon each declaration of dividend may remain after paying or -providing for the said dividend of 12_l._ per cent. per annum, the -preferential dividend of 8_l._ per cent. per annum payable on the -consolidated 8 per cent. preferential stock of the Company, and a -dividend at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum on the consolidated -ordinary stock and ordinary shares of the Company." - -In their Prospectus, the Directors stated that the Telegraph -Construction and Maintenance Company, in consideration of the sum of -500,000_l._, which has been agreed on as the cost price of the Cable if -paid for in cash, have already commenced the manufacture of the new -Cable, to be laid down during 1866 between Ireland and Newfoundland. The -contractors, if the said Cable be successful, but not otherwise, are to -have in shares and cash a profit at the rate of 20 per cent. upon the -cost. The contractors also undertake during 1866, without any further -charge whatever, to go to sea with sufficient Cable, including that now -left on board the Great Eastern, and all proper appliances and apparatus -such as experience has shown to be necessary, and to use their best -endeavours--in the success of which they express entire belief--to -recover, repair, and complete in working order between Ireland and -Newfoundland, the present broken Cable, which has been ascertained by -recent careful electrical tests to be in perfect order throughout its -entire length. It will be seen that circumstances have thus enabled the -Board to effect a very considerable economy in the Company's present -operations, for in the event of success the Company will be in -possession of two efficient Cables for a considerably less amount than -would have been expended if the Cable of this year had been successfully -laid, and another had been purchased separately. Subscriptions were -invited for the sum of 600,000_l._, in 120,000 shares of 5_l._ each. - -This new capital will not only create fresh property, but probably -resuscitate the old; and the experience of the present year shows that -by these means the existing 8 per cent. Preference Stock will, in all -probability, be again placed at par in the market before the sailing of -the ship next year. - -These new Shares will accordingly be entitled to take precedence as to -dividend over all the other existing stock of the Company, and to -participate _pro ratá_ in all subsequent dividends, bonuses, or -benefits, after 8 per cent. shall have been paid upon the second -preference stock and 4 per cent. upon the ordinary stock. - -The profits to be expected on the completion of this work, if each of -the two proposed Cables can be worked at the very low rate of only five -words per minute upon each Cable for sixteen hours a day at five -shillings per word, the traffic, after paying the dividend charges of -12, 8, and 4 per cent. respectively, amounting together to 144,000_l._ -upon the capital comprised in those different stocks, and after paying -the very large sum of 50,000_l._ a year for working expenses, would -leave a very large balance for paying further dividends or bonuses on -the Company's total capital, both ordinary and preferential, or for -reserve funds if preferred. - -A calm examination of the courses which led to the suspension of the -Great Eastern's work, inspired those whose judgments were free from -prejudice with the belief that a series of accidents, in their nature -easily guarded against in future, had been the sole causes of the -frustration of the enterprise. If the external coating had not been -injured, no faults could have occurred, and if there had been no faults, -the Cable would have been laid with the utmost ease. The success of the -Telegraph becomes assured the moment the occurrence of faults can be -obviated, or their detection can be followed by immediate reparation. -These objects are to be attained, and the Directors, encouraged by the -confidence of the public, and by the enormous gains which must reward -even a temporary success, set about to secure them. An arrangement was -entered into with the Directors of the Great Ship Company by which the -Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company secured the Great Eastern -for a term of years, and another negotiation ended in obtaining the -services of Captain Anderson in charge of her. - -Now it may be fairly concluded, from our experience of the "Atlantic -Telegraph Expeditions" in 1857, 1858, and 1865,--That a submarine -telegraph Cable can be laid between Ireland and Newfoundland, because it -was actually done in 1858. That messages can be transmitted through a -Cable so laid, because 271 messages were sent from Newfoundland to -Valentia, and 129 messages from Valentia to Newfoundland, in 1858. That -the insulation of a Cable increases very much after its submersion in -the cold deep water of the Atlantic, and that its conducting power is -considerably improved thereby. That the steamship Great Eastern, from -her size and constant steadiness, and from the control over her afforded -by the joint use of paddle and screw, renders it possible and safe for -her to lay an Atlantic Cable without regard to the weather. That the -egress of a Cable in the course of being laid from the Great Eastern may -be safely stopped on the appearance of a fault, and with strong tackle -and good hauling-in machinery, the fault may be lifted from a depth of -over 2000 fathoms, and cut out on board the ship, and the Cable -respliced and laid in perfect condition. That in a depth of two miles a -Cable can be caught at the bottom, because four attempts were made to -grapple the Cable in 1865, and in three of them the Cable was caught by -the grapnel. - -The paying-out machinery, constructed by Messrs. Canning and Clifford, -and used on board the Great Eastern in 1865, worked perfectly, and can -be confidently relied on for laying Cables across the Atlantic. With the -improved telegraphic instruments, for long submarine lines, of Professor -W. Thomson and Mr. Varley, a speed of more than eight words per minute -can be obtained through such a circuit as the Atlantic Cable of 1865, -between Ireland and Newfoundland; as the amount of slack actually -payed-out did not exceed 14 per cent., which would have made the total -Cable laid between Valentia and Heart's Content less than 1,900 miles. - -The Cable of 1865, though capable of bearing a strain of 7 tons, did not -experience more than 14 cwt. in being payed-out into the deepest water -of the Atlantic between Ireland and Newfoundland. - -There is no difficulty in mooring buoys in the deep water of the -Atlantic between Ireland and Newfoundland; a buoy, even when moored by a -piece of the Atlantic Cable itself which had been previously lifted from -a depth of over 2000 fathoms, has ridden out a gale. - -More than four miles of the Atlantic Cable have been recovered from a -depth of over two miles, and the insulation of the gutta-percha-covered -wire was in no way whatever impaired, either by the depth of water or -the strains to which it had been subjected by lifting and passing -through the hauling-in apparatus. - -The Cable of 1865, owing to the improvements introduced into the -manufacture of the gutta percha, insulated more than one hundred times -better than Cables made in 1858, then considered perfect, and still -working. The improvements effected since the beginning of 1851 in the -conducting power of the copper wire, by selecting it, has increased the -rate of signalling possible through long submarine Cables by more than -33 per cent. Electrical testing can be conducted at sea with such -certainty as to discover the existence of faults in less than a minute -of their occurrence. If a steam-engine be attached to the paying-out -machinery, so as to permit of hauling-in the Cable immediately a fault -is discovered, and a slight modification made in the construction of the -external sheath of the Cable, the cause of the faults experienced will -be entirely done away with; and should a fault occur, it can be picked -up even before it has reached the bottom of the Atlantic. - -The Great Eastern is now undergoing the alterations which will render -her absolutely perfect for the purpose of laying the new Cable and -picking up the old, and next year will see the renewal of the enterprise -of connecting the Old World with the New by an enduring link which, -under God's blessing, may confer unnumbered blessings on the nations -which the ocean has so long divided, and add to the greatness and the -power which this empire has achieved by the energy, enterprise, and -perseverance of our countrymen, directed by Providence, to the promotion -of the welfare and happiness of mankind. Remembering all that has -occurred,--how well-grounded hopes were deceived, just expectations -frustrated,--there are still grounds for confidence, absolute as far as -the nature of human affairs permits them in any calculation of future -events to be, that the year 1866 will witness the consummation of the -greatest work of civilised man, and the grandest exposition of the -development of the faculties bestowed on him to overcome material -difficulties. - -The last word transmitted through the old Telegraph from Europe to -America, was "Forward," and "Forward" is the motto of the enterprise -still. - - -FINIS. - - - - -APPENDIX. - -A. - -_The following is a list of the Gentlemen connected with the project for -the year 1865_ - -NEW YORK, NEWFOUNDLAND, AND LONDON TELEGRAPH COMPANY. - - - PETER COOPER, Esq. PRESIDENT. - CYRUS W. FIELD, Esq. VICE-PRESIDENT. - MOSES TAYLOR, Esq. TREASURER. - PROF. S. F. B. MORSE ELECTRICIAN. - DAVID DUDLEY FIELD, Esq. COUNSEL. - -DIRECTORS. - - PETER COOPER, Esq. } - MOSES TAYLOR, Esq. } - CYRUS W. FIELD, Esq. } NEW YORK. - MARSHALL O. ROBERTS, Esq. } - WILSON G. HUNT, Esq. } - -SECRETARY. - -ROBERT W. LOWBER, Esq. - -GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT. - -ALEXANDER M. MACKAY, Esq., St. John's, Newfoundland. - - -ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH COMPANY. - -DIRECTORS. - - THE RIGHT HON. JAMES STUART WORTLEY, _Chairman_. - CURTIS M. LAMPSON, Esq., _Vice-Chairman_. - - G. P. BIDDER, Esq. C.E. - FRANCIS LE BRETON, Esq. - EDWARD CROPPER, Esq. - SIR EDWARD CUNARD, Bart. - SAMUEL GURNEY, Esq., M.P. - CAPTAIN A. T. HAMILTON. - EDWARD MOON, Esq. - GEORGE PEABODY, Esq. - JOHN PENDER, Esq., M.P. - -HONORARY DIRECTOR--W. H. STEPHENSON, Esq. - -HONORARY DIRECTORS IN THE UNITED STATES. - - E. M. ARCHIBALD, Esq., C.B., H.M. Consul, New York. - PETER COOPER, Esq. New York. - WILLIAM E. DODGE, Esq. New York. - CYRUS W. FIELD, Esq. New York. - WILSON G. HUNT, Esq. New York. - A. A. LOW, Esq. New York. - HOWARD POTTER, Esq., New York. - -HONORARY DIRECTORS IN BRITISH NORTH AMERICA. - - HUGH ALLEN, Esq., Montreal, Canada. - WILLIAM CUNARD, Esq., Halifax, Nova Scotia. - WALTER GRIEVE, Esq., St. John's, Newfoundland. - THOMAS C. KINNEAR, Esq., Halifax, Nova Scotia. - -CONSULTING SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE. - - WILLIAM FAIRBAIRN, Esq., F.R.S., Manchester. - CAPTAIN DOUGLAS GALTON, R.E., F.R.S., London. - PROFESSOR WM. THOMSON, F.R.S., Glasgow. - PROFESSOR C. WHEATSTONE, F.R.S., London. - JOSEPH WHITWORTH, Esq., F.R.S., Manchester. - -HONORARY CONSULTING ENGINEER IN AMERICA--GENERAL MARSHALL LEFFERTS, New -York. - -_Offices--12, St. Helen's Place, Bishopsgate Street Within, London._ - -SECRETARY AND GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT--GEORGE SAWARD, Esq. - - ELECTRICIAN--CROMWELL F. VARLEY, Esq. - SOLICITORS--MESSRS. FRESHFIELDS & NEWMAN. - AUDITOR--H. W. BLACKBURN, Esq., Bradford, Yorkshire, Public Accountant. - -BANKERS. - - _In London_--The Bank of England, and Messrs. Glyn, Mills, & Co. - _In Lancashire_--The Consolidated Bank, Manchester. - _In Ireland_--The National Bank and its Branches. - _In Scotland_--The British Linen Company and its Branches. - _In New York_--Messrs. Duncan, Sherman, & Co. - _In Canada and Nova Scotia_--The Bank of British North America. - _In Newfoundland_--The Union Bank of Newfoundland. - - -B. - -THE TELEGRAPH CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE COMPANY - -(_Uniting the Business of the Gutta Percha Company with that of Messrs. -Glass, Elliot, & Company_) - -is constituted as follows:-- - -DIRECTORS. - - JOHN PENDER, Esq., M.P., _Chairman_. - ALEXANDER HENRY CAMPBELL, Esq., M.P., _Vice-Chairman_. - RICHARD ATWOOD GLASS, Esq., (Glass, Elliot, & Co.), _Managing Director_. - - HENRY FORD BARCLAY, Esq. (Gutta Percha Co.) - THOMAS BRASSEY, Esq. - GEORGE ELLIOT, Esq. (Glass, Elliot, & Co.) - ALEXANDER STRUTHERS FINLAY, Esq., M.P. - DANIEL GOOCH, Esq., C.E., M.P. - SAMUEL GURNEY, Esq., M.P. - LORD JOHN HAY. - JOHN SMITH, Esq. (Smith, Fleming, & Co.) - -BANKERS--THE CONSOLIDATED BANK, London and Manchester. - -SOLICITORS. - - MESSRS. BIRCHAM, DALRYMPLE, DRAKE, & WARD. - MESSRS. BAXTER, ROSE, NORTON, & Co. - -SECRETARY--WILLIAM SHUTER, Esq. - - _Offices--54, Old Broad Street, London._ - _Works--Wharf Road, City Road, N., and East Greenwich, S.E._ - - -C. - - THE following will be some of the Improvements in the Picking-up - Machinery and in the Vessel to fit her for her next voyage, and it - is believed that the Great Eastern will be as perfect and as - admirably adapted for her work as human hands can make her. - -The whole apparatus will be strengthened and improved by grooved drums, -and more boiler power added, and other drums will be provided for -lowering away buoy-rope when grappling. - -The paying-out machinery will have steam-power added to it, the spare -drum fitted on the machine will be used for picking-up in connection -with the paying-out drum; an extra drum and brake-wheel will also be -placed near the stern for the purpose of paying-out grapnel lines and -buoy-rope, in case it is found more convenient than at the bow. - -The grapnel-rope, with shackles, swivels, &c., will be made sufficiently -strong to lift or break the bight of the Cable in the deepest water. The -hawse-pipes and stem of the ship will be guarded to prevent the Cable -from being injured. A guard will be placed round the screw to prevent -the Cable and buoy-rope fouling. - - -D. - -STATEMENT OF KNOTS RUN AND CABLE PAYED-OUT PER DAY. - -_Sunday, July 23._--Left Berehaven at 1·45 a.m. Passed Skelligs at 8·0 -a.m.; bore away N.W., and came up with Caroline at 8·30 a.m., about 25 -miles N.W. of Valencia. 10·30 a.m., End got out of afterhold. 11·0 a.m., -Terrible and Sphinx came alongside. 12·35 p.m., Caroline got up end of -shore-end Cable. 12·45 p.m., passed end of deep-sea Cable to Caroline -over stern-sheave of Great Eastern. 5·20 p.m., splice finished on board -Caroline, and bight of Cable slipped. 6·50 p.m., took hands on board -from Caroline. 8·0 p.m., paddle and screw engines started. - - -----+-----------------------+---------+---------+--------- - Date.| Made Good. | Lat. N. | Long. W.| Distance - 12 +---------------+-------+ | | from - Noon.| Course. | Dist. | Obs. | Obs. | Valencia - -----+---------------+-------+---------+---------+--------- - July | | | ° ' ''| ° ' ''| - 23 | Splice to Shore end. | 51 50 0| 11 2 20| 24-1/2 - 24 |}Picking up Cable { | 52 2 30| 12 17 30| 73·1 - 25 |} { | 51 58 0| 12 11 0| 68·5 - 26 | N. 79., 20. W.| 111·5 | 52 18 42| 15 10 0| 180 - 27 | N. 81., 30. W.| 142·5 | 52 34 30| 19 0 30| 320·8 - 28 | N. 86., 30. W.| 155·5 | 52 45 0| 23 15 45| 476·4 - 29 | S. 87., 40. W.| 160·0 | 52 38 30| 27 40 0| 636·4 - 30 | S. 70., 0. W.| 24 | 52 30 30| 28 17 0| 659·6 - 31 | S. 81., 0. W.| 134 | 52 9 20| 31 53 0| 793 - Aug. | | | | | - 1 | S. 83., 45. W.| 155 | 51 52 30| 36 3 30| 948 - |{S. 76., 25. W.| 115·4}| | | - 2 |{Returned 2 miles }| 51 25 0| 39 1 0| 1063·4 - |{before Cable broke }| | | - | | | DR. | | - 3 | -- | -- | 51 36 0| 38 27 0| -- - | | | OBS. | | - 4 | -- | -- | 51 34 30| 37 54 0| -- - 5 | -- | -- | 51 25 0| 38 36 0| -- - | -- | -- | OBS. | | - 6 | -- | -- | 51 25 0| 38 20 0| -- - 7 | -- | -- | 51 29 30| 39 4 30| -- - 8 | -- | -- | 51 28 0| 38 56 0| -- - 9 | -- | -- | 51 29 30| 39 6 0| -- - 10 | -- | -- | 51 26 0| 38 59 0| -- - 11 | -- | -- | 51 24 0| 38 59 0| D.R. - -----+---------------+-------+---------+---------+--------- - - -----+---------+------+---------------------------------- - Date.| Miles | Slack| Heart's Content. - 12 | payed- | per +--------------+------------------- - Noon.| out. | Cent.| Bearing. | Distance. - -----+---------+------+--------------+------------------- - July | | | ° | - 23 | 27·00 | -- | N. 80., W.| 1638·5 - 24 | 84·791| 15·99| -- | -- - 25 | 74·591| 8·89| -- | 1596·5 - 26 | 191·96 | 6·64| N. 24., 21 W.| 1485 - 27 | 357·55 | 11·45| N. 87., 39 W.| 1344·2 - 28 | 531·57 | 11·16| S. 88., 35 W.| 1188·6 - 29 | 707·36 | 11·15| S. 84., 54 W.| 1028·6 - 30 | 745·0 | 12·94| S. 84., 48 W.| 1005·4 - 31 | 903·0 | 15·13| S. 82., 20 W.| 871·9 - Aug. | | | | - 1 | 1081·55 | 14·09| S. 78., 22 W.| 717·1 - | | | | - 2 | 1186·0 | 11·56| S. 76., 17 W.| 603·6 - | | | | - | | | | - 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- - | | | | - 4 | -- | -- | End of Cable.| S. 76., W., 44 M. - 5 | -- | -- | " " | W. (true) 15 M. - | | | | - 6 | -- | -- | " " | W. " 26 M. - 7 | -- | -- | " " | S. 23., E., 5 M. - 8 | -- | -- | No. 2 Buoy | W.S.W., 3 M. - 9 | -- | -- | " " | S. 38, 6 or 7 M. - 10 | -- | -- | End of Cable| S. 56, W., 2 M. - 11 | -- | -- | " " | N. 50, W. 1-3/4 M. - -----+---------+------+--------------+------------------- - - -TEMPERATURE OF THE SEA-WATER. - - -----------+------+--------- - Date. | Time.| Degrees. - -----------+------+--------- - 1865. | | - July 26th | Noon.| 59 - " 27th | " | 65 - " 28th | " | 56 - " 29th | " | 55 - " 30th | " | 53 - " 31st | " | 56 - August 1st | " | 59 - " 2nd | " | 59 - " 3rd | " | 54 - " 4th | " | 55 - " 5th | " | 55 - " 6th | " | 55 - " 7th | " | 54 - " 8th | " | 59 - " 9th | " | 55 - " 10th | " | 57 - " 11th | " | 57 - " 12th | " | 54 - -----------+------+--------- - -S. CANNNG. - - -E. - -THE FOLLOWING IS A TABLE OF THE CABLES ALREADY LAID IN THE SEAS AND -OCEANS OF THE WORLD. - - ----+-------------------------+---------------------+---------+ - | | Iron. | | - No. | Cable. +-----------+---------+ lbs. + - | | Weight. | Length. | G. P. | - ----+-------------------------+-----------+---------+---------+ - 1 | Dover and Cape Grisnez | | | 13,230 | - 2 | Dover and Calais | 314,600 | 260 | 14,820 | - 3 | Holyhead, Howth | 156,480 | 960 | 11,400 | - 4 | {Portpatrick and } | 316,200 | 300 | 20,312 | - | { Donaghadee } | | | | - 5 | Denmark | 164,748 | 162 | 5400 | - 6 | Dover, Ostend | 1,138,320 | 1080 | 73,125 | - 7 | Frith of Forth | 77,800 | 200 | 8180 | - 8 | Italy, Corsica | 1,597,200 | 1320 | 104,940 | - 9 | Corsica, Sardinia | 145,200 | 120 | 9540 | - 10 | Holyhead, Howth | 295,640 | 760 | 15,504 | - 11 | Do. | 295,640 | 760 | 15,504 | - 12 | {Portpatrick and } | 328 | 848 | 312 | - | { Whitehead } | | | | - 13 | Sweden, Denmark | 137,020 | 130 | 5558 | - 14 | Black Sea | | | 56,763 | - | | | | | - | {Prince Edward's } | | | | - 16 | { Island, New } | 46,512 | 144 | 1905 | - | { Brunswick } | | | | - 17 | England, Hanover | 807,680 | 3360 | 66,360 | - 18 | -- Holland | 2,439,840 | 1366 | 110,976 | - 19 | Liverpool, Holyhead | 161,400 | 300 | 5925 | - 20 | Channel Islands | 450,306 | 837 | 14,787 | - 21 | Isle of Man | 193,680 | 360 | 7344 | - 22 | England, Denmark | 2,734,200 | 4200 | 124,425 | - 23 | Folkestone, Boulogne | 429,120 | 288 | 20,520 | - 24 | Singapore, Batavia | 564,300 | 9900 | 112,200 | - 25 | Sweden, Gottland | 248,064 | 768 | 10,176 | - 26 | Tasmania | 933,600 | 2400 | 38,160 | - 27 | Denmark, Great Belt | 203,280 | 168 | 13,365 | - 28 | Dacca, Pegu | 119,016 | 2088 | 21,228 | - 29 | {Newfoundland, Cape } | 290,700 | 900 | 13,515 | - | { Breton } | | | | - 30 | First Atlantic | 5,140,800 | 428,400 | 748,000 | - 31 | {Sardinia and Malta: } | 3,326,400 | 12,600 | 111,300 | - | { Dardanelles to Scio} | | | | - | { and Candia from } | | | | - 32 | { Scio, Athens, to } | 631,104 | 8304 | 82,521 | - | { Syra and Scio } | | | | - 33 | Sardinia, Bona | 707,000 | 1500 | 42,750 | - 34 | Red Sea and India | 6,126,714 | 63,168 | 743,908 | - 35 | Sicily and Malta | 499,100 | 700 | 10,080 | - 36 | Barcelona, Mahon | 538,560 | 2880 | 25,920 | - 37 | {Iviza to Majorca: St.} | 639,900 | 2700 | 31,800 | - | { Antonia to Iviza } | | | | - 38 | Toulon, Algiers | 465,600 | 4800 | 93,600 | - 39 | Corfu, Otranto | 427,800 | 600 | 11,700 | - 40 | Toulon, Corsica | 189,150 | 1950 | 39,000 | - 41 | Malta, Alexandria | 5,829,930 | 27,630 | 10,745 | - 42 | Wexford | 687,204 | 756 | 36,288 | - 43 | England, Holland | 2,439,840 | 1360 | 110,976 | - 44 | Sardinia, Sicily | 223,100 | 2300 | 42,400 | - 45 | Persian Gulf | 9,677,544 | 17,988 | 357,500 | - ----+-------------------------+-----------+---------+---------+ - -(continued) - - ----+--------------------+--------- - | Copper. | Length - No. |----------+---------+ of - | lbs. | Length. | Cable. - ----+----------+---------+--------- - 1 | 3300 | 30 | 30 - 2 | 7060 | 104 | 26 - 3 | 5400 | 80 | 80 - 4 | 10,125 | 150 | 25 - 5 | 2052 | 54 | 18 - 6 | 36,450 | 540 | 90 - 7 | 18,520 | 20 | 5 - 8 | 44,550 | 660 | 110 - 9 | 4050 | 60 | 10 - 10 | 51,300 | 76 | 76 - 11 | 51,300 | 76 | 76 - 12 | 22,280 | 10,530 | 16s 284 - 13 | 2633 | 39 | 13 - 14 | 24,098 | 357 | 357 - 15 | 11,678 | 173 | 173 - 16 | 1134 | 84 | 12 - 17 | 30,240 | 2240 | 280 - 18 | 78,336 | 544 | 136 - 19 | 3376 | 50 | 25 - 20 | 10,230 | 93 | 93 - 21 | 2430 | 36 | 36 - 22 | 6700 | 4200 | 350 - 23 | 7776 | 576 | 24 - 24 | 86,350 | 3850 | 550 - 25 | 6048 | 448 | 64 - 26 | 16,480 | 240 | 240 - 27 | 5628 | 84 | 14 - 28 | 18,096 | 812 | 116 - 29 | 8500 | 595 | 85 - 30 |340,000 | 23,800 | 3400 - 31 | 70,000 | 4900 | 700 - 32 | 51,900 | 3633 | 519 - 33 | 80,000 | 500 | 125 - 34 |547,404 | 24,563 | 3509 - 35 | 7000 | 490 | 70 - 36 | 16,740 | 1260 | 180 - 37 | 18,000 | 1200 | 150 - 38 | 44,640 | 3360 | 480 - 39 | 5880 | 420 | 60 - 40 | 18,135 | 1365 | 195 - 41 |532,645 | 10,745 | 1535 - 42 | 23,436 | 1764 | 63 - 43 | 78,336 | 544 | 136 - 44 | 36,000 | 1610 | 230 - 45 |292,500 | 1499 | 1499 - ----+--------+---------+--------- - - -F. - -SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH CABLES - -_Now in successful Working Order, the Insulated Wires for which were -manufactured by the Gutta Percha Company, Patentees, Wharf Road, City -Road, London._ - - Column Headings: - - A: No. of Conductors. - B: Length of Cable in Statute Miles. - - ---+-----+-------------------+---------------+---+-------- - | Date| | | | - No.| when| From | To | A | B - |Laid.| | | | - ---+-----+-------------------+---------------+---+-------- - | | | | | - 1| 1851| Dover | Calais | 4 | 27 - | | | | | - 2| 1853| {Denmark, across} | | 3 | 18 - | | { the Belt } | | | - 3| 1853| Dover | Ostend | 6 | 80-1/2 - | | | | | - 4| 1853| Frith of Forth | | 4 | 6 - 5| 1853| Portpatrick | Donaghadee | 6 | 25 - 6| 1853| Across River Tay | | 4 | 2 - 7| 1854| Portpatrick | Whitehead | 6 | 27 - 8| 1854| Sweden | Denmark | 3 | 12 - 9| 1854| Italy | Corsica | 6 | 110 - 10| 1854| Corsica | Sardinia | 6 | 10 - 11| 1855| Egypt | | 4 | 10 - 12| 1855| Italy |Sicily | 3 | 5 - 13| 1856| Newfoundland | Cape Breton | 1 | 85 - 14| 1856| {Prince Edward's |} New } | 1 | 12 - | | { Island |} Brunswick} | | - | | | | | - 15| 1856| Straight of Canso.| {Cape Breton,}| 3 | 1-1/2 - | | | { N.S. }| | - 16| 1857| Norway . across Fiords | 1 | 49 - 17| 1857| {Across mouths |} | 1 | 3 - | | { of Danube |} | | - 18| 1857| Ceylon | {Mainland } | 1 | 30 - | | | { of India} | | - 19| 1858| Italy | Sicily | 1 | 8 - 20| 1858| England | Holland | 4 | 140 - 21| 1858| Ditto | Hanover | 2 | 280 - 22| 1858| Norway across | Fiords | 1 | 16 - 23| 1858| South Australia | King's Island | 1 | 140 - 24| 1858| Ceylon | India | 1 | 30 - 25| 1859| Alexandria | | 4 | 2 - 26| 1859| England | Denmark | 3 | 368 - 27| 1859| Sweden | Gotland | 1 | 61 - 28| 1859| Folkestone | Boulogne | 6 | 24 - 29| 1859| {Across rivers} | | 1 | 10 - | | { in India } | | | - 30| 1859| Malta | Sicily | 1 | 60 - 31| 1859| England | Isle of Man | 1 | 36 - 32| 1859| Suez | Jubal Island | 1 | 220 - 33| 1859| Jersey | Pirou, France | 1 | 21 - 34| 1859| Tasmania | Bass Straits | 1 | 240 - | | | {(Great Belt)}| | - 35| 1860| Denmark | { (14 miles }| 6)| 28 - | | | { (14 miles }| 3)| - 36| 1860| Dacca | Pegu | 1 | 116 - 37| 1860| Barcelona | Mahon | 1 | 180 - 38| 1860| Minorca | Majorca | 2 | 35 - 39| 1860| Iviza | Majorca | 2 | 74 - 40| 1860| St. Antonio | Iviza | 2 | 76 - 41| 1861| Norway across | Fiords | 1 | 16 - 42| 1861| Toulon | Corsica | 1 | 195 - 43| 1861| Holyhead | Howth, Ireland| 1 | 64 - 44| 1861| Malta | Alexandria | 1 | 1535 - 45| 1861| Newhaven | Dieppe | 4 | 80 - 46| 1862| Pembroke | Wexford | 4 | 63 - | | | | | - 47| 1862| {Frith of} | | 4 | 6 - | | { Forth } | | | - | | | | | - | | | | | - 48| 1862| England | Holland | 4 | 130 - | | | | | - 49| 1862| {Across } | | 4 | 2 - | | { River } | | | - | | { Tay } | | | - | | | | | - 50| 1863| Sardinia | Sicily | 1 | 243 - | | | | | - 51| 1864| {Persian } | | 1 | 1450 - | | { Gulf } | | | - | | | | | - 52| 1864| Otranto | Avlona | 1 | 60 - 53| 1865| La Calle | Biserte | 1 | 97-1/4 - 54| 1865| Sweden | Prussia | 3 | 55 - 55| 1865| Biserte | Marsala | 1 | 164-3/4 - ---+-----+-------------------+---------------+---+-------- - - Column Headings: - - C: Length of Insulated Wire in Statute Miles. - D: Depth of Water in Fathoms. - E: Length of time the Cables have been working. - - ---+---------+-----+-------------------------+-------- - | | | | - No.| C | D | By whom Covered | E - | | | and Laid. | - ---+---------+-----+-------------------------+-------- - | | | {Wilkins & Wetherley, }| - 1| 108 | . | {Newall & Co., Küper & }| 14 year - | | | {Co., and Mr. Crampton.}| - 2| 54 | . | R. S. Newall & Co. | 12 " - | | | | - 3| 483 | . | {Newall & Co., and} | 12 " - | | | { Küper & Co. } | - 4| 24 | . | R. S. Newall & Co. | 12 " - 5| 150 | . | " " | 12 " - 6| 8 | . | " " | 12 " - 7| 162 | . | " " | 11 " - 8| 36 | 14| Glass, Elliot, & Co. | 11 " - 9| 660 | 325| " " | 11 " - 10| 60 | 20| " " | 11 " - 11| 40 | . | " " | 10 " - 12| 15 | 27| " " | 10 " - 13| 85 | 360| " " | 9 " - 14| 12 | 14| " " | 9 " - | | | | - | | | | - 15| 4-1/2| . | {Nova Scotia Electric} | 9 " - | | | { Telegraph Co. } | - 16| 49 | 300| Glass, Elliot, & Co. | 8 " - 17| 3 | . | " " | 0 " - | | | | - 18| 30 | . | " " | 0 " - | | | | - 19| 8 | 60| " " | 7 " - 20| 560 | 30| " " | 7 " - 21| 560 | 30| " " | 7 " - 22| 16 | 300| " " | 7 " - 23| 140 | 45| W. T. Henley | 7 " - 24| 30 | 45| " " | 7 " - 25| 8 | . | Glass, Elliot, & Co. | 6 " - 26| 1104 | 30| " " | 6 " - 27| 64 | 80| " " | 6 " - 28| 144 | 32| " " | 6 " - 29| 10 | . | " " | 6 " - | | | | - 30| 60 | 79| " " | 6 " - 31| 36 | 30| " " | 6 " - 32| 220 | . | R. S. Newall & Co. | 6 " - 33| 21 | 15| Glass, Elliot, & Co. | 5 " - 34| 240 | . | W. T. Henley | 5 " - | | | | - 35| 126 | 18| " " | 5 " - | | | | - 36| 116 | . | " " | 5 " - 37| 180 | 1400| " " | 5 " - 38| 70 | 250| " " | 5 " - 39| 148 | 500| " " | 5 " - 40| 152 | 450| " " | 5 " - 41| 16 | 300| Glass, Elliot, & Co. | 4 " - 42| 195 | 1550| " " | 4 " - 43| 64 | . | {Electric & Interna-} | 4 " - | | | { tional Tel. Co. } | - 44| 1535 | 420| Glass, Elliot, & Co. | 3-1/2 years - 45| 320 | | W. T. Henley, _laid_ | 4 " - 46| 252 | 58| Glass, Elliot, & Co. | 3-1/4 " - | | | | - 47| 24 | | {Electric & } | 3 " - | | | { International } | - | | | { Tel. Co. } | - | | | | - 48| 520 | 30| Glass, Elliot, & Co. | 2-3/4 " - | | | | - 49| 8 | | {Electric & } | 3 " - | | | { International } | - | | | { Tel. Co. } | - | | | | - 50| 243 | 1200| Glass, Elliot, & Co. | 2 " - | | | | - 51| 1450 | 120| {W. T. Henley and } | 1 year - | | | { Indian Government} | - | | | | - 52| 60 | 569| W. T. Henley | 9 mths. - 53| 97-1/4 | | Siemens Brothers | 3 " - 54| 166 | | W. T. Henley | 1 month - 55| 164-3/4| | Siemens Brothers | 1 " - --+---------+-----+-------------------------+---------- - -A great many Cables of short lengths, not included in this list, are now -at work in various parts of the world; and other Cables, the Wires -insulated by the Gutta Percha Company, have been laid by Messrs. Felten -& Guilleaume, of Cologne, during the last eight years, amounting to over -1000 miles, and which are now in working order. - - -G. - -ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH COMPANY. - -Report of the Directors to the Extraordinary General Meeting of -Shareholders, held at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate Street, on -Thursday, the 14th day of September, 1865. - - -12, St. Helen's Place, London, - -_13th September, 1865_. - -The sensation immediately consequent upon the recent accident to the -Atlantic Telegraph Cable was one of profound disappointment, but this -has to a great extent disappeared before the important and encouraging -facts which were found to have been brought to light and practice during -the expedition. - -Not only has the future permanence of Deep-sea Cables been much enhanced -by the greater convenience and safety with which they can be coiled and -tested and payed-out since the Great Eastern has shown herself so well -adapted to the work, but it has now also been proved absolutely that in -the event of injury to the insulation, even after submersion, and while -sunk in the deepest water, electricians are enabled with ease to -calculate minutely the exact distance of the injured spot from ship or -shore in a Cable 2,300 miles long. - -It has further been proved that many miles of a Cable like that selected -by the Atlantic Telegraph Company can, if so injured, be hauled in and -repaired during the heaviest weather and from water 2000 fathoms in -depth: and still more that even when a Cable is absolutely fractured, -and the broken end lies at the bottom of an ocean 2000 fathoms deep, it -is perfectly possible to find it and to raise it, and equally possible, -according to the opinions of all those engaged in the recent expedition, -to bring up the end of the Atlantic Cable, which is in that situation, -and to splice it to the Cable on board the Great Eastern, so as to -complete the communication to Newfoundland, so soon as apparatus of -suitable strength and convenience can be manufactured. - -In fact, so important have been the results of the last expedition in -moderating every element of risk attendant on these undertakings, that -the successful Submersion of submarine Cables will henceforward take its -place as an event insurable for a moderate premium by the Underwriters. - -The Directors, after careful investigation, therefore have determined -not to relax in striving to bring to a successful issue the great work -entrusted to their charge, but to press forward in the path of -experience with increased vigilance and perseverance. - -They have been encouraged in this view by the fair manner in which they -have been met by the Contractors, with whom they have already entered -into a contract for renewed operations. - -Under this contract the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company -undertake for the sum of 500,000_l._, which has been agreed on as the -cost price, at once to commence the manufacture of and during 1866 to -lay down, a new Cable between Ireland and Newfoundland. - -The Contractors, if the said Cable be successful, but not otherwise, are -to have, in shares and cash, a profit at the rate of 20 per cent. upon -such cost. - -The Contractors also undertake, without any further charge whatever, to -go to sea with sufficient Cable, including that now left on board the -Great Eastern, and all proper appliances and apparatus such as -experience has shown to be necessary, and to use their best -endeavours--in the success of which they entirely believe--to recover -and repair and complete in working order between Ireland and -Newfoundland, the present broken Cable. - -It will be seen that circumstances have thus enabled the Board to effect -a very considerable economy in the Company's present operations. - -It would no doubt have been a most gratifying circumstance if the recent -accidents had not happened, and to the Directors this occurrence has -been a grievous disappointment, but the circumstances surrounding the -expedition and the increased confidence which, in spite of temporary -discomfiture, has been given to the future of Deep-sea Cables, has -enabled the Board to effect a new contract for the repair of the old -Cable and for the submersion of a new one during 1866, on terms so -satisfactory that if both these operations should succeed, the Company -will actually be in possession of two efficient Cables for a less amount -by 100,000_l._ than they would have been obliged to expend if the Cable -of this year had been successful and the second Cable had been required -to be purchased separately. - -But the carrying out of this contract, so advantageous to the Atlantic -Telegraph Company, involves the strenuous efforts of the Directors to -raise an amount of money ranging from a minimum of 250,000_l._ to a -maximum of 500,000_l._ in cash. - -It is impossible that the Great Eastern ship could go to sea again this -year to mend the existing Cable, and therefore such an operation, as a -separate adventure, must be put out of the question, and even if -undertaken separately would in itself involve an expenditure of some -120,000_l._, whereas for a sum of 500,000_l._ the Contractors are -willing to make and lay a new Cable next year in addition to the -restoration of the old one; they depending entirely upon success for -profit. - -The question which has had to be considered by the Directors in the -interest of the Shareholders has been how best they might be enabled to -raise this money. - -The Eight per Cent. Preference Shares, though far below their real -value, stand at 2_l._ 5_s._ per share, and if the Company were to adopt -the alternative of winding-up its affairs, their intrinsic worth would -not be 10_s._ per share. - -The expenditure of the new money will certainly create fresh property, -and probably resuscitate the old. - -By its means the existing Eight per Cent. Preference Stock will -doubtless be placed at par in the market before the sailing of the ship -next year. - -The Directors are, however, compelled to offer an inducement to those -who are willing to come in and assist to place in that position the -Company's, at present, sinking property. - -Acting under advice, and believing in the very large profits that -undoubtedly await this Company when successful, they desire to offer a -first dividend of 12 per cent., with participation in profits, after 8 -per cent. has been paid upon the existing preference shares and 4 per -cent. upon the old capital, to those who consent to supply the requisite -funds. - -The Shareholders will have the opportunity of subscribing for this new -Preferential Stock, which is issued solely to protect their property. -Those proprietors who subscribe to it are manifestly not injured in any -way, as they absorb the whole profits of the Company. Those who do not -subscribe pay in effect a small premium to the subscriber who comes -forward to help them. It is considered by the Board that this is -infinitely preferable to winding-up the Company, whereby the -Shareholders would have the mortification of seeing the whole of their -property sacrificed, and of seeing an undertaking pass out of their -hands, when on the very eve of success, upon which so much attention has -been bestowed, and so much experience gained by the expenditure of their -own funds. - -Such a sacrifice is totally unnecessary, for it can be ascertained by -any one who will take the trouble to make a small calculation, that if -each of the two proposed Cables can be worked at the very low rate of -only five words per minute upon each Cable for sixteen hours a day at -five shillings per word, which is believed to be a much lower rate than -the pressure of business would admit of in the first instance, the -traffic, after paying the dividend charges of 12, 8, and 4 per cent. -respectively, amounting together to 144,000_l._ upon the capital -comprised in those different stocks, and after adding thereto the very -large sum of 50,000_l._ a-year for working expenses, would leave an -enormous balance for paying further dividends or bonuses on the -Company's total capital, both ordinary and preferential. - - -BRADBURY, EVANS, AND CO., PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS. - - * * * * * - -Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber: - -in which occurs the following passages=> in which occur the following -passages {pg 7} - -eight-eight in the United States=> eighty-eight in the United States {pg -11} - -assumed tempeatures=> assumed temperatures {pg} - -there, standing blank and mute=> There, standing blank and mute {pg 94} - -S. CANNNNG.=> S. CANNNG. {pg 111} - -Kuper=> Küper - - * * * * * - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] "From Cape Freels, Newfoundland, to Erris Head, Ireland, the -distance is 1,611 miles; from Cape Charles, or Cape St. Lewis, Labrador, -to ditto, the distance is 1,601 miles." - -[2] Short-lived as was the former Cable, it had survived long enough to -prove its value in a financial point of view. Amongst 400 messages which -it had transmitted, was one that had been dispatched from London in the -morning and reached Halifax the same day, directing "that the 62nd -Regiment were not to return to England." This timely warning saved the -country an expenditure of 50,000_l._ - -[3] Communicated to the _Mechanics' Magazine_. - -[4] It may here be stated that Admiral Talbot, in command at the Nore, -gave every aid to the undertaking; and that Captain Hall, of the -Sheerness Dockyard, was indefatigable and most serviceable in forwarding -the work whilst the Great Eastern lay in the Medway and at the Nore. - - - - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Atlantic Telegraph, by William Howard Russell - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH *** - -***** This file should be named 40948-8.txt or 40948-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/9/4/40948/ - -Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images available at The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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