The Express.
London, England, 1866-03-06 00:00:00

caught up at the bottom of the sea by the grapnel,
this operation having been performed three times
in 1865. In fast, more than four nautical miles of
the Atlantic cable were recovered last year from a
depth of over two miles. It is further a great
advantage that electrical testing at sea can be con-
ducted with inch entire certainty that the exis-
tence of a fault in the cable may be discovered in
less than a minute after ita occurrence, and its posi-
tion in the cable aoourately ascertained. The cha-
racter of the cable taken out last year is no longer
a matter of doubt. It is proved to be a hundred
times better insulated than cables made eight years
ago and still working, and its strength far exceeds any
strain that is likely to be put upon it. It is capable
of bearing a strain of seven tons, but at no time in
the act of paying out, not even when it was laid in
the deepest water, was it subjected to a strain
of more than fourteen cwt. The existence of all
these advantages was ascertained in their fullest
extent in the expedition of 1865, the failure of
which resulted from deficiencies in machinery
which had been overlooked. The arrangements
for paying out the cable were perfect ; those for
hauling it in were not so ; but this defect can
easily be supplied by strengthening the tackle and
attaching a steam engine to the paying-out machi-
nery, so as to afford the means of hauling in the
cable the moment a fault is discovered. When
that has been done should a fault occur it may
be pinked up even before it has reached the bottom
of the sea.

It will be seen by the published statement of the
conductors of the enterprise that they propose to
take out the Great Eastern with the 1,070 miles
of cable she has on board, and to connect it with
the 1,212 miles laid in the Atlantic last July.
According to the daily reports from the eleo-
tricians at Valenti*, the constitution of the cable
already laid remains perfect, while the observations
of Captain ARMEE/30N and Commander H. A.
MORIARTY, R.N., have accurately determined the
position of the broken end. No doubt appears to
be felt as to the practicability of raising this end,
and the company treat the submerged cable as an
estate, much as if they were dealing with an equal
length of draining tiles laid down in a property in the
Midland Counties. Together with this work of re-
covery, it is proposed to undertake that of laying
an entirely new cable, and inasmuch as it always
has been certain that the business which would be
presented to a oompany affording the means of tele-
graphic communication between the United States
and. England would far exceed the capabilities of
one or two lines, the enterprise in its new form con-
templates the opportunity of a twofold profit. The
gain held out to the company is, however, a con-
sideration on which we are not disposed to dwell, in
view of the benefits beyond all pecuniary price that
would result from the establishment of daily in-
tercourse between Great Britain and America,
although the consideration is one which will remain
legitimate as long as the genius of our age prefers
to commit great international enterprises, full of
political, social, and economical results, to private
enterprise rather than leave them in the hands of
Government. Whatever may be our future relations
with the people and Government of the United
States, there is not one of us who does not from
his heart wish that this undertaking may
prosper ; and we imagine that there are few
who have attentively considered the conditions
under which it is renewed without recognising in it
the elements of success.

thrums the Guardians of Clerkenwell be
speedily brought to a proper sense of duty, every
other parochial board in the metropolis will have
a substantial grievance against the public and the
press. For the third time within eleven days we
publish statements concerning the casual wards of
this pariah which prove their condition to be
simply horrible. Every defect, shortcoming, and
vice of which other workhouses have been con-
victed would seem to be aggravated here ; expo-
sure has brought neither penitence nor amend-
ment ; and as both official authority and public
opinion are openly defied, it is time to ask whether
some stringent measure should not be resorted to.
In spite of all that has been said and written
concerning the abominations elsewhere, we find
that in the Clerkenwell casual wards nakedness is
the rule, and indecent contiguity a necessity ; that
neither light, fire, nor inspection Is provided ; that
the wretched sleepers are first herded together like
pigs in a stye, and then locked up for the night ;
that the wards have never been certified by the
Poor-law Board, and are inconceivably close,
foul, and unwholesome ; and that no pro-
per precautions are adopted for the re-
pression of vagrancy. The Guardians cannot
plead ignorance of these facts; they have been
previously exposed in these columns, and the
exposure has been made matter for discussion at
their board meetings. A minority of their num-
ber are ashamed of the deficiencies of their work-
house, and seek to effect reform. These are
opposed by the rest, and the result is such shocking
scenes as we record to-day. These are of nightly
occurrence. and will remain unremedied until the
matter is strenuously taken up. As the case statias
it is Clerkenwell against England ; and whilst
solemn prayers against pestilence are offered up
each Sunday in our churches, a public body is
found to be callously fostering pestilence at the
expense of decency, and in violation of every
sanitary law. We must ask the public to observe
that we have done our part in exposing this state
of things. It is for us to drag these ugly facts to
light, as we have now done three times within a
1 fortnight. It is for others—for the Poor-law
I Board, or, if need be, the House of Commons—
' to find the remedy.

We are authoriasd to state that the lists for all
her Majesty's courts are now closed, and that no
further names can be received by the Lord Cham-
berlain.

THE HEALTH Or THE MASTER Op TRINITY..—
CAMBRIDGI, MONDAY Evirmo.—The reports of the health
of the Muter are (six o'clock) very unfavourable. A relapse
has taken place since the bulletin of Sunday, and imminent
danger is now apprehended. A telegraph message from
her Majesty arrived this morning inquiring as to Dr.
Whewell's health, and his Royal Highness the Prinoe of
Wales has been in communication with the Rev. W. C.
Mathison, fellow and tutor of Trinity, and late private
tutor to his Royal Highness, on the same subject. These
communications evince the utmost sympathy with the
Master's affliction, and express the most earnest wishes for
his recovery.

A week ago the Polytechnic Society of Berlin
celebrated the twenty-seventh anniversary of its foundation.
There were about a thousand persons present, meet of them
merchants, manufacturers, and skilled workmen. Accord-
ing to the programme, the first song at supper was to have
been one expressive of loyal sentiments. The band played
the first verse, the leader called on the company to singe
but no voice was heard. The next three Teresa were also
played with the earns result. Got:: ron Berlidtingen wee
lately given at the Victoria Theatre. Gas proposes a
toast to the Emperor, sad concludes with the words "Con-
cord is the sure guarantee of our freedom." To which
George =swam, "Then much must become otherwise than
it is." This brought down rounds of applause. Similar
approbation was expremed when Gets milled the servant of
the court of law "an us of justice'

Professor Lepelus has left Berlin on a journey to
Egypt sad Noble, whieh he hoe undertakes far scieetille
°Nevis. He is expected to be abseil about four mcertillh