The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-10 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 10, 1866.

various boards could be blind to the fact; but at all
events they shut their eyes. Just as there is a
certain pleasure in administering the affairs of a
great kingdom and spending its revenues at dis-
cretion, so it must be equally gratifying to preside
over the concerns of a great railway undertaking.
The position in each case affords scope for diplo-
macy and ingenuity in the art of war, but also
involves a terrible waste of money. When the
shareholders are congratulated by the chairman
that they have succeeded in obtaining a bill for a
branch to some unknovin place, and that the bill
of a rival company for the same purpose has been
thrown out, he forgets to inform his auditory
that the triumph has been purchased at a price
that is worth the fee simple of the new line per-
haps half-a-dozen times over. In these maLers the
directors have all the pleasure of the battle, while
the shareholders must pay the cost. As long as
money could be raised with tolerable facility
the warfare was renewed from year to year,
but there are now symptoms that it will
be brought to a sudden close. Capital accounts
are examined with a scrutiny which, if not more
severe than of old, is at least more general.
Shareholders are growing more independent and
inclined to strike out a line of their own, and
what is of greater importance, new preference
stocks are looked at shyly, debentures are no
longer placed with sem, and thus the sinews of
war become rapidly wanting.
A little severe teaching of this sort will do an
immense amount of good. It is impossible to
underrate the importance of the railway interest,
representing, as it does, an amount of capital of
the country second only to the national debt.
The question whether railways pay well or ill is
not one that exclusively concerns shareholders or
debenture-holders, but is of material consequence
to the nation at large. Partly from inexperience,
partly from reckless extravagance, our railway
companies have pursued a course which hos
deprived them of that public confidence which
they ought to have enjoyed. It is no new subject
of consideration whether, owing to the utter misma-
nagement of our railway system from its birth,
the majority of our railway companies could con-
tinue to pay dividends without yearly additions to
capital. The enormous fortunes made by con-
tractors, engineers, lawyers, and others since
1845 in developing, or rather wrecking, this in-
terest virtually explain its prostration for the moat
part, and the imperfect service it renders to the
public, from the simple factthat anything like liberal
traffic arrangements would in very many cases
lead to no dividend at all. They certainly have
done all this much better in France. We profess
to have no paternal Government in this country,
but it is beyond contradiction that our Leg:alature
have interfered very prominently in the matter of
railways, and with verycostly and injurious results
to the whole community, whether a 3 •estors or
travellers. It is more than time a w'ser system
was pursued, otherwise we shall have Ws vast
interest declining in credit to such an extent that,
as of late, positive sacrifices will have to be in-
curred to renew debentures. "Temporary loans,"
es they are called, will only be obtainable at ex-
treme rates, and the ultimate issue will naturally be
distrust of railway property as an investment, with
diminished accommodation in one of the first
necessities of the age.

presentation, which makes the Southern citizen weigh I
half u much again in the scale of the constitution as a
citizen of the North. There was nothing in this which
Mr. Johnson had not himself advocated, and nothing
which North and South would not have speed upon at
once had Mr. Johnson joined with Congress in recommend-
ing it. But Mr. Johnson failed his country, and threw
himself into the arms of the South, his real object
now being tbp restoration of the South without
the guarantees the congressional proposal providei.
The very reason which decided our sympathy for the
Northern cause, and made us rejoice in the Northern vic-
tory, determines our best hopes and wishes to the side of
Congress, which really represents all the best interests of
human progress in the " reeonsta nation" strife which is
rasing now.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.

PICKING UP THE 1865 CABLE.
We have to-day received from the authorities
connected with the Atlantic Telegraph a full ac-
count by Mr. Deane of the scene in the harbour of
Heart's Content on the landing of the shore end
of the new cable on the 27th of July, and a diary
of the proceedings in connexion with the recovery
of the 1865 line. The Albany and Terrible started
on the let of August. The Governor of Newfound-
land arrived on the Bth, and visited the Great
Eastern, and on the following day the Great
Eastern and Medway left to join their fellow la-
bourers. The great ship rolled a great deal during
a heavy sea, but the rolling is declared to be very
unlike that of any other ship. "It is a long,
measured movement, unlike the rapid action from
side to side in a smaller vessel." On the 12th, they

learnt from the Albany that Mr. Temple had been

grappling, and had hooked the cable.
We have in the narrative extracts from the log
of the Albany, bat the general character of her
operations is already known. The Great Eastern
commenced grappling on the 13th in very favour-
able weather. The machinery seems to have
worked to perfection. On the 17th the missing
cable was lifted two miles from its oozy bed, mak-
ing its appearance at a quarter to 11, ship's time,
amidst a cheer which willneverbe forgotten by those
who heard it. But the applatme had barely
pegged away, when the fact became known that
the cable had quietly and easily disengaged itself
from the flukes and spring of the grapnel, and left
those who witnessed this fresh disaster more
depressed from this great slip which had taken
place between " cup and lip." One half of the
cable was covered with ooze staining it a muddy
white. Upwards of nine miles were lifted from
the ground. The long line was soon let dos n to
fish again, and the Albany and Medway, which
were near, went on with similar operations.
On Sunday, the 19th of August, the Great Eastern
reached the cable again, and it was buoyed for the
night. On the 23rd the grapnel was again lowered.

Two or three times the Medway and Albany appear
to have been mistaken as to their success, signalling
that they had hooked the cable when such was
not the case. Acts of personal daring are
recorded. On the morning of the 21st the Great
Eastern came alongside of a buoy, which was found
adrift. Steaming up to it, and having it towed by
a boat under the starboard bow, Thornton, ono of
the boatswain's mates, was lowered in a bowline to
the buoy, which turned round with him like a top,
and he was repeatedly immersed in the water. He
managed, however, to hook a chain on to it, and
at 11.30 it was hoisted on board. The riding
chain bad broken at the angle. Some time before
the grapnel came up with the cable on the pre-
vious Sunday, Clark, the diver, was extremely
anxious to be permitted to go down 20 fathoms to
see whether the grapnel bad hooked the cable !
On the 25th the store of rope had become les-
sened by two miles lost by the Albany and two
miles by the Great Eastern. The cable seems
on the next day to have been passed over again
without being hooked. The grapnel was then low-
ered for the tenth time amidst general doubt and
anxiety. The cable could be picked up and brought
to the surface, but there must be a comparatively
smooth sea to enable the cable-crew to handle it, and
put the stoppers on, so as to bring it on board ship.
On that day they learnt by a boat from the Medway
that that vessel had broken the cable and set the

buoy adrift, which was felt to be very bad news.
On the morning of the 27th the Albany came with
the welcome news that she had hooked the cable
and buoyed it, doing it by the identical machinery
and engine used by tho Great Eastern last year ;
which, moreover, had been partly injured. On the
27th ult. the ship's bow was got on to the buoy, and
the old cable was brought on deck, the dy namo-
meter allowing, however, that it was only a small
piece that had been recovered.

On the 30th the Terrible left for St. John's to take
in provisions. The Great Eastern then commenced I
grappling for the cable on fresh ground 100 miles
to the eastward in 1,900 fathoms. On the 31st the
strain on the dynamometer was such that it was
apparent that the cable had been hooked. The
rest of the story is thus told by Mr. Deane :
The Medway signalled to us that she had also hooked
the cable and slipped it, the fluke of her grapnel having
broken. The strain was temporarily taken off the dyna-
mometer by steaming ahead a little, and when the en-
gines were again stopped, and the ship allowed to resume
her position over the grapnel rope, the strain again indi-
cated was 91, showing that undoubtedly the cablo was
booked. Away went the pick-up engine again, and
worked away all night. By 4.50 tl"5 morning, the sea
being as smooth as ease, the cable was up to
800 fathoms from the surface, and the strain
7.4 tons. At 5.20 we stopped heaving up, and slipped
bight and buoy No. 12. Shortly afterwards we were glad
to find the Albany in sight. Captain Batt came on board
at 8, and told us that they had come to the rendezvous
according to signal, but were disanpointed at not finding
us. We had felt the force of a strong current sending us
about three quarters of a mile an hour from the south-
ward, and so we missed each other. At 10 o'clock, the
weather still being all that could be desired, after steam-
ing a couple of miles to the eastward, we have again
lowered the grapnel, and hope for the best results.
SUNDAY MORNING, 3.45., SErr. 2.
We have succeeded. Untiring energy and perseverance
have conquered all the difficulties. The Atlantic telegraph
cable of 1865 has been raised to the surface, and in few
minutes afterwards communication established with
Valentia. It is impossible adequately to describe the en-
thusiastic joy which prevails on board the ship at the pre-
sent moment. Those men who by their skill have achieved
this great success deserve well of their country.
As I stated in yesterday's diary, the grapnel went
down for the 15th time at 10 ►m. Save that there was
• long rwell, as there always is in the Atlantic,
the sea was like a millpond ; and as we saw the grapnel go
dos a, we could not help remarking to each other, that
the enumstances under which we were going to make
another effort to recover were as favourable as they could
be. In fact, it was felt that if we did not succeed on such
a day as this there was very little chance of our succeed-
ing at aIL The buoys had all been placed accurately to
mark our position, the Medway was signalled to grapple,
and we were drifting as fairly for the line of the cable as
if our course had been marked by a line on the water.
From 3.45 p.m., when we began to haul up, the strain
on the dynamometer varied from 9to 11. After dinner
we received a signal front the Medway that having
booked the cable she had hauled it up about 500 fathoms,
We told her to heave up as rapidly as possible, and in
fact to break the cable, so that we might have the strain
taken off our portion of it and so increase our chance of
raising it to the surface. To the eastward the effect
would be produced by the bight we lifted yesterday
and buoyed on the bight buoy. The picking up
went on with its usual certainty and precision,
and by 12 o'clock (midnight) the bows of the ship were
crowded, not only by those actually on watch, but by
nearly all the hands, who tamed out to see the result of
this attempt to recover the cable. By this time the boats
of the Albany and Medway rowed up under our bows, not
so much with a view to assisting in putting stoppers on the
cable, but to be there in cage any of the men who were
lowered in bowlines over the bow should fall into the
water during their perilous work. Precisely at 12.50 this
morning the cable made its appearance en the grapnel, and,
save when the voice of Captain Anderson or Mr. Canning
was heard giving an order,. one almost could hear • pin
drop, each was the perheet mileage whim& preluded. No
exabssitat—so amebic as there was ea the Sands

when we lifted it before—all was calm and quiet, the men
scarcely spoke above their breath. The cable hands,
having had the bowlines slipped over them, were lowered
down o►er the hem, and pladd huge hempen stoppers on
the table, which was Wally attached to 5-inch ropes, one
being placed to protect the eastward side of the bight, and
tha ether the westward. This took the beat part of three
quarters of an hour. It was then found that the bight
was so firmly caught in the springs of the grapnel, that one
of the brave hands who put on the stoppers was sent lower
down to the grapnel, and with hammer and marlinspike
and other implements, the rope was ultimately freed from
the tenacious gripe of the flukes. The signal being given
to haul up, the western end of the bight was ant
with a saw, and grandly and majestically the
cable rose up the frowning brows of the Grest
Eastern, slowly poising round the sheave at
the bow, and then over the wheels on the fore
part of the deck. Even then there was no excitement, but
now men were seen to cross the platform and touch the
rope, in order to feel satisfied that MOONS had been
achieved. The greatest possible care had to be taken by
Mr. Canning and his assistants to secure the cable by
patting stoppers on between the V wheel and the pick•ap
machinery, and to watch the progress of the grapnel rope
and shackles round the drum before it received the cable
dealt This occupied s considerable time ; and now it
became evident that ere long the end would be passed
down as fez aft as the electrician's room. There await-
ing its arrival were Mr. Gooch, M.P., Mr. Cyrus Field,
Captain Hamilton, Mr. Canning, Mr. Clifford, Professor
Thomson, Mr. Deane, end others. At last Mr.
loughby Smith, the chid electrician, made his appearance
at the door with the end of the cable in his hand, and the
connections hm:ng been made, he sat down opposite the
instrument. A breathless silence prevailed. Not a word
was spoken, all eyes being &acted upon the experienced
operator, whose expression of countenance indicated the
deep anxiety he felt in making the test. At the expiration
of some ten minutes, he relieved our suspense by stating
that as far as he had then gone, he believed the testa
to be perfect ; but another minute had scarcely elapsed
when he took off his hat and gave a cheer, which,
as can be easily understood, was lustily taken up in the
room, and having been heard outside, it wet echoed from
stem to stern of the ship with a heediseas which every
Englishman can appreciate. A rocket or two having been
, fired from the ship to announce to our convoy that we had
succeeded, the mews of the Albany and Medway answered
our cheer enthusiastically.

Mr. Canning at once sent a message to Mr. Glass, the
managing director of the Telegraph Construction and
Maintenance Company, expressing the pleasure be felt at
speaking to him through the cable of 1865, and the ope-
rator at Valentia telegraphed back his congratulations.
We are now going to make the splice, which will take
about three hours, and are long we hope to hear the wel-
come sound of the paying out machinery in the stern of
the ship. The weather still oontinues as calm as it was
yesterday, and there is every probability that we shall be
favoured with, at all events, some few hours more of quiet
sea to enable us to slip the bight buoy, and proceed on our
way to Heat a Content.

(R!VTER'S TELZORLMS.)
AUSTRIA.
VIENNA. Sm. 10.

The Minister of War has issued an order, accord-
ing to which the regiments of the Austrian army
hitherto bearing the names of the King of Prussia,
the Prussian princes, and the Grand Dukes of
Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Baden will no longer
be so desi&.iated.