The Express.
London, England, 1858-07-15 00:00:00

SPORMO INTELLIGENCE.

A SPKCtAL SIPHON d the "EXPRESS,"
eontaining the ranks of dm, clay's Races, is pub-
lished every evening daring the Sporting Season, at
six o'clock.

Moron we have been called upon to record the
failure of soother attempt to join the Old and New
World is immediate electrical communication, we
are still sanguine of the ultimate success of the great
undertaking. Last year 33.5 miles of cable were
submerged, and a distance of nearly 300 miles from
Ireland was attained. The cable then broke, owing
to some derangement of the paying-out apparatus.
This year the paying-out apparatus was improved,
and rendered, as far se porible, safe from repetition
of last year's accident. The plan of laying down the
cable from one shore to another was abandoned. It
was determined to make the attempt by two camels
starting from mid-ocean, the portion of cable
carried by each being spliced together; allowed
to sink to the bottom, and then each ship
starting to her destination, ace to each shore-
This arrangement was adopted in order to diminish
the risk and avoid delay. It was calculated that the
cable would be laid in half the time, and if a start
said be obtained in fair weather the chance of
avoiding storms would be increased. This has been
fatal, so far as present soccer is concerned. The risk
of breakage has been doubled. The Niagara might
have laid her portion in safety, had it not been for
the unfortunate fracture of the cable near the Aga-
memnon. Of the cause of the fracture we are, at
present, in a state of ignorance. Bat, as it took
place some six fathoms below the stern of the
Agamemnon, and when the dynamometer showed •
pressure of only 22 cwt., it seems to have been inde-
pendent of any fault of the payieg-out apparatus,
and to have arisen from some defect in the cable.
The Agamemnon had payed oat 146 miles, and the
Niagara 186, at the time of the fracture. Thus,
taken together, 332 miles of cable were delivered
from the two vessels; just three miles lean than
when the attempt failed last year.
It must be borne in mind, however, that the greater
portion was then laid down in comparatively shallow
water, and only about a third of it in the average
depth of the ocean. On this occasion the whole has
been laid in mid-ocean, in the greatest depth., and it
has been conclusively shown that the two portions of
the cable can be suoceeefally spliced and lowered to
the bottom through a depth of nearly two miles.
Much, therefore, has been doze. Enough to en-
courage hopefulness for the ultimate accomplish-
ment of a feat, the prediction of the possibility of
which would a few years since have consigned its
utterer to Bedlam. It is greatly to be regretted that
the Niagara did nit pursue the rune course that the
Agamemnon did, in returning to the rendezvous.
Had she done so, yet another attempt might at
once hare been made. It will now, however, be
• matter for serious consideration whether the
method adopted last year may not on the whole be
eider, or, if • return be made to mid-ocean, whether
it would not be advisable to buoy the cable at dis-
tances of every hundred miles or so. Thus, for in-
stance, the Niagara might have payed oat some four
or ice hundred miles, and the Agamemnon a similar
quantity, before the accident might have occurred.
According to the present method the Niagara would
then have had to cut away her portion, and the
whole would be lost. If, however, a system of buoy-
ing were adopted, the Agamemnon might have re-
covered her end while the Niagara was proceeding
with the work, and the electrical communication
might have been restored.
It is not improbable that the portion of cable
which parted might have received some injury on
board the Agamemnon in the fearful gale she
encountered before she first made the rendezvous,
and of which our correspondent gives so animated
and graphic an account. The cable on board both
ships is liable to such accidents. This seems to show
the urgency of adopting some buoying system if
possible. We can conceive nothing more provoking
than a failure when both ships had nearly sighted
their respective destinations.

We do not wish to say anything in discouragement
of another attempt. With both ships laden, and a suffi-
cient amount of cable still on board to accomplish the
distance, self-interest alone would impel the Directors
to make another trial. We ere not, however, very
sanguine of success. The first splice, we are told,
was made on the 26th of Jane, and was broken an
hour afterwards, on board the Niagara, after throe
miles had been payed out from each vessel. The
splice, therefore, must have reached the bottom, and
been freed from all strain. The second splice, made
the same day, shared a similar fate. The third was
more successful, and the 332 miles was payed out
before the next fracture took place. This experience
unfortunately accords but too well with the failures
made by the two vessels on their late experimental
trip to deep water. The excess then was that the
failures were made with the old rope which had
been recovered from the depths of the ocean, and
injured by being hauled up from such a distance.
We cannot but call to mind that these failures
have been predicted. Messrs. LONORIDOE and
BROOKS read a very valuable paper before the
Institution of Civil Engineers, "On Submerging
Telegraphic Cables," to which the Telford Abdul
has lost been awarded. These gentlemen combine
• thorough practical knowledge of mechanics with*
profound acquaintance with the mathematical
analysis of that science : a combination seldom met
with in this country in the same individuals. Their
mathematical conclusions seem entitled to great con-
sideration. It is but due to them to state that they
predicted the failures we have unfortunately had to
record. Mr. LotiupjvOE stated hie want of

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