The Express.
London, England, 1858-04-02 00:00:00

THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.

The arrangements preps-atory to making another
attempt to connect Europe and America by telegraph during
the prevent summer, are progressing actively.
The cable, which baa been stored during the winter in the
tanks erected by permission of the government in the Key-
hem Stearn-yard, Devonport, is now being coiled on board
her Majesty's ship Agamemnon and the United States
frigate Niagara, both of which ships have again been de-
voted to this work by their respective governments. Up to
yesterday 320 miles had been coiled on board the Agamem-
non, and 84 on board the Niagara. A large number of men
ate engaged in the coiling from the hours of b a.m. to 7 p.m.
every day, except Sundays, and the whole is expected to be
on board by the 10th of May. The additional 300 miles of
cable, recommended by the directors in their report to the

shareholders, is in process of manufacture by Glass, Elliot,
and Co., a sufficient amount of the new capitsl having been
subscribed for this purpose. It will have been completed
and coiled on board by the second week in May.
The t3ciewific Committee appointed to consult and canon
experiments with regard to the paying nut machinery have at
length so far decided upon the principle of the sheaves and
retarders to be used on the present occasion as to be enabled
to onler one complete machine, which will be finished in
about a fortnight, and which will then be set up at the works
of !deem. Easton and Amos, and subjected to severe experi-
mental tests.

When this is done, it is the intention of the directors to
invite by circular u many en. ineers and machinists of
known ability and eminence as possible to visit and inspect
the entire apparatus during a certain fixed period, and to
solicit se a favour their critical observations and suggestions
upon its form end construction.
If no good ranee be shown for further important altera-
tion in the machinery, it is Intended that the Niagara and
Agamemnon, which it is estimated will have been com-
pletely fitted and ready by the last week in May, shall,
before commencing to lay the cable, proceed to sea, and in
the deep water, about 300 miles from the Irish coast, re-
hearse a series of experiments in paying out end hauling in,
and put to a practical test eeveral suggestions and spplianoes
that hare been proposed to the company by various inge-
nious persons who have taken en active interest in the sitc-
oms of the enterprise.
The two ships will then return to England end report
progress, and under this arrangement, should theexperiments
show that important improvement or alteration is desirable
in any of the apparatus, there will be time to get it effected so
as to enable the expedition to make their final start et a
period of the year when, according to the unanimous testi-
mony of all whose experience of the weather in the North
Atlantic has been consults], the sea and air are likely to be
in the most favourable condition for facilitating the success of
the undertaking. . . .

The Agamemnon is now being put in commission, end will
be commanded by Captain George W. Peery, and the Ad-
miralty have, in addition to the Agamemnon, appropriated
the Gorgon, Commander Daymen, and another peddle-wheel
steamer, to the tarries of the Atlantic Company, the latter es
auxiliary to the Agamemnon to ease of ber needing assist-
ance, and the former to keep the sailing comes, than being a
possibility that the compasses of the ships containing the
cable may be affected by the proximity of so largo a roar of
iron.

It is expected that the United States government also will
jaiam slimily despatch to England a large die-wheel steamer on
a
similar service in respect to the N Thus there will
he • total of five Alps of war on the present mos-
sloe to ',slum this laterite work.
la the electrical departmaat the directors have called to the
1114 of Mr. Whitehouse the services of Professor Thomson,
LL.D., Mr. Walker, P.A.8., end Mr. Henley.
It is also their internam to consult other electricians and
telegrephism, with a view to secure the greatest attainable
amount of speed in working through the cable, and the
beet practicable form of apparatus for transmitting sigmas.