The Express.
London, England, 1858-09-16 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 16, 1858.

change. It is to others capable of dealing with
national affairs in a wider spirit than that of a
Visiting Justice, men of whom Mr. HENLEY has
shown himself at the critical moment eta unques-
tioning follower, that we mast look for an authorita-
tive exposition of the principles of the new Messare.
The right hon. gentleman nevertheless represents a
large section of his party. In their eyes the last
Reform Bill is nothing but a nest which the Whigs
made, and—if we must follow his unsavoury
similitude—have since befouled. This notion
of a political nest, unhappily, is not peculiar to any
party. To build and occupy nests is the great work
of too many politicians, on whichever side we look.
It is not, however, the work which the people of
England are expecting of Parliament next spring.
It is the homing of hundreds of thousands of English-
men who are as yet politically homelees. Shelter and

_ .
entertainment must first be found for them. The old
house of the Constitution has long since trued to be
capacious enough to hold the rightful members of
the trolly. It must be enlarged until there is room
in it for the worth, the intelligence, the power of
the nation. No lower work than this will be ac-
cepted of any Administration. "The try of Reform
" has gone on for some years," sap Mr. HEXLITI
not without a suspicion of secret hope. It haw
but it will not go on much longer. Mr. Haat=
and hie friends must shorty make up their minds.
Either Reform is necessary, and would therefore be
safe, or it is not needed, and would be mischievous.
There is no middle place for the gentlemen of the
quorum.

THE LATE WILLIAM WEIR..

(Faun the Deily sews.)

In them columns, not lightly to be turned from
public noes, we claim today a space for private
sorrow. There are griefs that will not be suppressed.
The kindly man, the statesmanlike and well-
furnished journalist who, for the last four years, has
goaded the polities' °owes et this newspaper, ie
taken from our midst. William Weir died at twenty
minutes past three yesterday afternoon, at his town
residence, after an illness which lasted only a few
days.

Our late Colleague was pecaliarly fitted to engage
the affectionate reverence of those with w►om
he acted. Ihe credit of the newspaper pre!, of the
present day ;v upheld by the exertiori of mea of
broad and deep learning, high literary ability, wide
knowledge of mankind, quickness of observation, and
untiring energy. The combination of these qua-
lities in one character, however, iv rare in any pro-
fession. They were united in our late Editor. Mr.
Weir was born in 1802, in North Britain, and
having made the best use of the schoo's of his native
country, completed his academic studies at the Uni-
versity of Gottingen. In 1826, having returned to
these islands, he was called to the Soott;sh be-.
Before a long time had elapsed he exchanged a legal
for a political and literary career, end for several
years conducted one of the most able and "liken-
tial newspapets of Scotland. Removing to London
he at once took a high position in 13;t1 profession,
and joined the Spectator. On the establish-
ment of the Daly News his vast knowledge end
Milt ability attracted the notice of its conductors,
wbe asnosiated kis to their editorial staff. In 1864,
es
the death of Mr. Frederick Knight Rent, Mr.
Weir snessoisd to the principal Editorship of this
jenenaL His tare appreciation end B,m grasp
of fasts, his public spirit and ardent attach-
ment to the cause of freedom and progress, are elm-
raeterieties for which the readers of the Daily News
will at mei give him credit. But the genial qualities
whisk wedeared his to all with whom he came in
mutest, the rawer-failing benevolence, the simplicity,
1/11i1 the tentlifisksees which shone in every word and
castt.-4Msee eso best known to us, and as we recall
time, IPS OM MS& to feel how poor and inadequate
is thistehals Is the generous, noble men whose loss
ispiatio.

;j* Court.

BALMORAL, Barr. 13.

The Qom, the Prisesse Alice, the Primate
Ledo. NA Prime Arthur, rode la the macesfag, attended by
Lay ClaeretriD.
Ma Majesty drone to Abergaidie the alba woe, aad
ebbed Ihs Dream at LW.
Ms Pam Oneart want cad dearadalklag.
The Pfau al Woks, ell ceded by Maio, Ttc tielo, vast
set irwre shwas&

The TIM& Asebrimakr truneeted boatmen yeelertley at
tic YereisfrOillse.
Deeplam wer• received at the Colcsial-allae yesterday
ham the Govern at Gibraltar.

The milder el the Prince of Lei:linen, Beate.
seat R.N. with the Privies Mork of Betio, was ashamed
et Chain,* as the llth '-iit.

Re ate requested to state that the Royal Ocer.
Wades aggrkard to Mgr n lato the ever at she Man awl
deb* brats et Weeks, Woolsrk owl dr. Tows, will
Neese lete'. twatiptleas Da Testis sac depterber 21.
it de. U, Oleositlmamea, ea the Rees et cumkso. An
seems arrow el (drag erlasse, or of elikar tbe larifry,
ate Pequirell le emaindesee +IS Se ereetary, FL L. Dew,
del., 11, Cc sowetreei. Mayfair.

Noris MN BALMOIAL.—No soooer had her
Urea, Alper hos bar eL%411 light safer willt
peir, whirl eart wavy by awl deceived erre
r to the peer et tie ereselle), sie was arra
fa viewing the forrenrapie gong ea err
the erde sad Mom arreber ehereeterire Ink ray
be areireet. gee were bred* to the radar et
the ISIMONS 'plait ado Qom' esi Alec*
al the al re. The gad kery. fa prapez
to lineal. reit a ele the degree rasa. as
note warred le aerie am b 1111 sr Oa re Oen-
=111.• epleard rept reederd wee
11fterace, gad will nada dr her
A.fp. At re rens mad pros r is
Qum sad Priato art repel Ass* meired
tt..ts dllme4ener sr. The Fowl
prey geared sh leader the met re
erre (abreeire lb. Ora ha, sod
rat the Pt newer Abs. rd Erna the
tier raw ; the !deers India wee a little her
matvary. The Prime Orr me sad Prhiee Airier
root es bus le new el re Mob. Those we
of • my swain diewsisir ipqrslo7. Thin wee rep
et geed 11110111 red star lade a rowel red of ell
eat=zeg: the erepediese gad rafters is the weak
to belie the royal piety. TM nosabsr so Dot-
e& Ma Friday, bra tenneable. Tbe Prance
boa= eat ague psi et the
iwaMeirsellay; god walre
the ether wish.,.. of err" =ego I
sof.abr ark Demellen siersessi to
owl as. rue at rid ot prima to be
Th—e -ere Inge Le ear& The when litho ressbere of tin
alag the Darer of rad, it adenteod,
F tosi
=orb their wrens is Derlda—Brokerph
COIII9III-liAltrleL.—A return of tie roans-mor-
el her ea effigies of the eery rung ON Ire nem
ad awed agerwrwild a/ err dreripaga. I. Jost bra
Friel ter re rem et Oserear Ti. rage el the ms
air omissoi, bet the air loin& egreand
redereelsa, alreurea,or gosh ere, we
There were U 4•1101411111 rid her an glare of eta
mg der e that pore, gad fa 12 or se the grew wee
✓eeter. Oa send caws sr Mims 223 onsets swirl
won held to the .meter.
ADULT Or TUB LIAM FlornvaL.—As w Naha
ea throdey, the hethil hoe beta egereatly seessmito.
N. rigged be bra bar of the prise amber aemodise
sue be we amiseerad theses} Nee her
sheet 900. darogradselea was previpnt big 9,004 gad
the yes rag OW osi Moods, and Ft rep
▪ ga liManioe manna, Me seedier st sat%
ether herihrwooree Wag ages 1,9001. TI. NMI eseeire
Noe ben root 7,600‘., sad do monikers le Wheel ad
at mow" barbs barer at LIM Is arra tbie
neeses. to
aseesel minis swerrated
err gregatiag to 1004 ; gad the " Peoples reedval,"
drardep grab& mbar Moot 2001. rt. as • greet
Mole, 1,11104 to id 64 the fowls et the frineery.—Lrer
ilareserp.

THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.

(non ors, grim'. coznairoximir.)
VALINTL&, SUNDAT, SIPT. 12.

lbs sounds of rejoicing for the completion of the
telegraply;o communication between England and
America had herdly ceased on either side of the
ocean which has been so wonderfully intersected by
the wire, and the ovation.; and festivities in honour
of those who were instrumental in achieving the
great work were still at their height on thisside of the
Irish Channel, when gloom was out upon all by the
sudden and unexpected announcement that intel-
ligible signals had ceased to come through the cable.
The public and those interested in the success of the
undectaking have doubtless been much surprised
that so many days should have been allowed to elapse
since the announcement of the failure of signals
. .

without their being made acquainted, either throng h
the company or newspaper correepondeace, with
the progress of sirs at this terminus of the
Atlantic wire. But the fact is, that beyond
the love fact that signals were not received, there
was nothing to communicate until the results
of the investigation of Professor Thomson, Mr. Ed.
Bright, Mr. Varley, and other scientific gentlemen,
who have been experimenting up= the Gable for
the past few days, transpired. Throe experiments
have not yet been completed, but sufficient has
been done towards pointing out the exact position
and probable nature of the fault to justify the
public being made acquainted with the hots. In
order to make the present condition of the cable
perfectly understood, it will be necessary to trace its
history from previously to the landing of the end
at Valenti& down to the present time. In a former
communication contlining the particulars of the last
and successful crake of the Agamemnon, it will be
remembered that refereuce was made to a very
aericios electrical fault having occurred in the cable
am bunday, Aug. 1, after about one-half of the dis-
eases from mid-ocean to the shores of Ireland had
'been traversed. Though that fault (which was ap-
giatently a breach in the continuity of the
seaductor) gradually recovered itself, after hay-
* canoed great trouble and anxiety for some
thirteen hours, yet the electrical condition of the
fable had evidently received a shock, from which
it never completely recovered. This was, however,
regarded as a matter of very little conseqeence, as
the currents, wbich were both received and trans-
bitted, were sufficiently gc d for ell the prrpooes
of telegraphing. During the remaining three or
bar days which were rumpled in submerging the
remainder of the w're, itt elect :cal condition was
very variable, being at times very good and occa-
sionally indifferent. These variat'ons were at the
time referred to the effects of magnetic atm ms end
earth currents, bat at no time was its condition
so defective as in any degree to impaii• the tele-
graphic communication. From the time of landing

the end, on the 3th of August, to Monday, the 9th,
the cable continued in 80. condition, though a slight
defect of no consequence in working was observed
in the insulation. Up to that evening nothing but
ultimate positive end negative currents had been re-
ceived from Newfoundland, though words and ad-
justment messages had, from soon efts the landing,
been continently rent from Valentia. That even-
ing, however, coil currents erase with the
words "send slower" and "repeat" from New-
feendlend, being sent by Mr. Whitehorse's instru-
ments and received upon his beautifully-oonstx acted
recording relay. It tires sc se found, however, that
Mr.Whitehouse's n cording relay, though admirably
adapted for node 'g menages tbrough the
cable, had been adjusted and constructed
under the very natural belief that the
cable if landed at all would have suffered little
in its electrical condition, and was found not to work
with certainty with the comparatively feeble signals
which arrived from the American continent. Pro-
faner Theenson's delicate reflecting galvanometer
was accordingly substituted for it, though menages
were transmitted from both ends as usual by Mr.
Whitehouse's patent. It is neeese-ry to mention
thine apparently tilling circumstances in order to
correct an erroneous impression wh'oh has doubtless
unintentionally been cleated by a letter recently
publ'shed by Mr. Whitehouse; for no one can deny
the inest,ntable services rendered to the cause of
Atlantic telegraphy by Mr. Whitehouse in
hie capacity of electrician, or the energy
mad perseverance with which he laboured at
his eleetrical experiments through a long period,
when it wee more than doubtful whether the cable
would ever be laid to render practical hie discoveries
and inveatines. Whatever may be the merits of the
dispute between Mr. Whitehouse and the Atketio
Telegraph Company, whether he has or has not been
harshly treated, is a question between him eel the
directors, with which the public have no emerre.
It is necessary here to enter thus far into the gem-
tioa to correct the impression which Mr. White-
house's letter no doubt unintentionally conveyed,
that his instruments alone were mad in the receipt
and transmionee of all the massages which paned
through the Atlantic cable. During the whole of the
week, from Monday the 9th to Saturday the 14th,
various adjustment manages were received and sent
through the t=ree, though, in consequence of their
mestantly requlring message from Valentin to be
repeated several times, it sums evident that in New-
foundland the signals were not read with the some
facility as those in the contrary direction to Valentia.
This circumstance tends to prove that the fault that
was observable was somewhere near the Irish Niue,
for say defect more than 300 mike from either coast
would affect the transmission and reception deigns!'
equally at both ends. Accordingly, the cable WWI
modetrun for the distance of about those miles from
Yaks:tie Island by Mr. Cumming, cut, and tested
armpit by Mr. Bartholomew, the electri-
not weirerintendent, who stated that what•
wee fault reined was far out at sea.
The shim were accordingly joined up again w:thout
raw plea el sable being laid between Dow's'
Meal Owl detain*. From that time to Saturday, the
Meer Awe* the fault wee very variable both in
Ite Mere sled its apparent distance from the Irish
'emit, at first appearing something like 400 mike die-
, tent, and gradually diminishing until it became eta,
tkeary at a point calculated with great amivracy to
be nearly 270 statute urine teem the Valentin
end of the cable. All this period the elec-
trical condition became daily worse and wires,
and it was only with the greatest cam and
by constant repetitions that the various official
and congratulatory messages between the English
and America" authorities were transmitted to
Newfoundland ; the messages back to Valenti'
being, in almost every case, deer and dietinot. The
condition of the wire became daily more faulty
until the Slat of August, when a government mes-
sage wits despatched through the cable for the
North American colonies, and on the morning of
the Ist of September, a mooed government manage
wee safely transmitted, bat after it had been duly
acknowledged, the ineuktise of the wire became
suddenly wave, sad it wet fbund impossible to make
them understand at Newfoundland. Wordeand mes-
sages wet emtinvally tree= itted,bat it was soon evi-
dent that on the American shore they could only just
distisge'sh that signals were being sent, for the

only answer received at Valenti& was " Repeat,"
and " Don't understand," and some of these small
phrases were only distinguishable at intervals, and
since half-past one o'clock on the morning of Friday,
the 4th of September, no intelligible signal
whatever has been received. Occasionelly, how-
ever, very distinct reversals (es regularly
alternating positive and negative currents are
termed) have been received, sometimes so strong
and good, that had they been sending words from
Newfoundland they could have been distinctly read
on the repeating galvanometer of Professor Thomson.
When the line is not in use, for the purposes of test-
ing, words and short messages are continually dis-
patched through the wire for an hour at a time, end
then for the next hour the galvanometer is watched
for the answers which, excepting the reversals
already alluded to, never come. From the
time of the first cessation of the signals up to the
present time Professor Thomson, Mr. Varlsy, and
Mr. Edward Bright have been engaged day and
night in testing, and all have come to the conclusion
that the defect is a loss of insulation about 270 miles
(along the cable) from Valentia. This, calculating the
amount of slack cable paid out during the later days
of the submerging operations, would place the fault
about 220 statute miles from shore, or somewhere
upon the mountain rouge which divides the
depths of the Atlantic from the comparatively
shallow water leading from the Irish coast. Reference
to logs and diaries, kept by those on board the
Agamemnon daring the submerging operations, show
that this bank was crossed between 4 and 6 o'clock
on the afternoon of August 3, more than en hour
before the expected time. It bad been intended by
1 Sir Charles Bright to allow a great quantity of slack
cable to remain while crossing this point, in order
that it might reach the bottom of all the inequalities
which might exist there undiscovered by the sound-
ing line. But from some unexplained cause the
Agamemnon throughout the whole cruise steamed
at a greater speed than was registered by the log
line. Owing to this cireurnst-mee the bank was
reached at lerst an hour before the
expected time, the first intimation receivel
by those on board being a sodden decrease in the
registered strain upon the dynamometer, and an
equally sudden falling off in speed of the cable, the
ship maintaining the same rate as regis"red by the
log line. Sir Charles Bright's attention was called to
the circumstance, and he seeing at once that the
shallow water was approaching, or had actually
been reached, ordered the weights to be taken off
the brakes, which allowed a large quantity of slack
to go overboard. It must always remain a matter
of doubt, however, whether the falling off in the
attain on and speed of the cable was observable at
all until the top of the bank had been reached, and
had this been the ease, it is quite possible that the
cable may have remained suspended upon nine
projecting points on the steep, end its insulation soon
become gradually injured by its own weight. This
is of coon* but a probable oonjecture, bead upon
the facts above stated. But at the same time it is
impossible to account in any other way for the
able having become damaged since its submersion.
Should the fault have originated in this way, not
the least blame is attributable either to Si- Chas.
Bright, his assistants, or the officers of the Ags-
memnon, the occurrence being solely referable to
the defective and uncertain method of ascertaining
the speed of a ship at present in vogue in the Royal
Navy. The steep range above eluded to is
often mentioned as a hollow, though upon what
ground it is difficult to say, for soundings
were taken upon it, one at the bottom and ;mother
at the top; and these two soundings, though only
eight miles apart, show a difference in elevation of 1
7,200 feet. Of the astute of the intervening specs
no one can of course fos.n sny coojectoro ; whether
the sides of this submarine mountain—for it can be
called nothing else—are broken by ravines or pre-
cipitous el.ffs, in the same way es the sides of the
mountsins on land are, nothing but a cle:e end care-
ful eerie. of soundings can ever &tarn:mt. That
such a series of soundings were not made by Com-
mander Daymen at the point in question, when he
sounded across the Atlantic from the Cyclops, wasps
believe, due to the prevalence of bad weather at the
time. It is perfectly conclusive according to theex-
perinusits of Profaner Thomson and Mr. Verity
that the water has reached the conducting wi-e in at
least one place not less than 220 miles from the shore,
and as the currents received from Newfoundland vary
from one two-hundredth, t ) or ly one nine-hundredth

part of the strength they sherild be, it world be
deceiving the public to state that the fault is other
than of the most serious nature. But still it
is believed possible by some, with more deli-
cate instruments and with proper oonoert at
both ends of the li nil to work through during
some part of each day provided the condition of
the wire becomes no worse. Negative currents
of electricity are now used ss much as possible in
the trananisaion of signals, for were positive ow-
rents used, the exposed portion of the wire, by de-
composing the salt water in contact with it, would
be oxidated through in • very short time. gr.
Henley, who has been for some days experimenting
upon the cable, is sanguine of making the line again
serviceable by the use of his powerful magnetos-
electrical machines, which are now on their way
from Loudon. It is as well that every expedient
for working the line in its present defective
condition be tried, as the chanties of successfully
anderrnuning the cable es far se the point of inje-y
are unfortunately very small indeed. The extraor-
dinary phenomena of the natural currents of oleo•
tricity, which are continually traversing the swine
of the earth in various directions, arc by their in-
ductive effects upon the great length of cable sub.
merged and disturb the needles and galvanometers
at both ands of the line to • considerable degree,
Their nature and action, if properly observed and
studied by means of the Atlantic cable, would ao
doubt throw considerable light upon the phenomena
of diurnal magnetic variations, tom:cant for which no
satisfactory law has been proposed. On the night
of Monday, the 6th of September, one of those
extraordinary phenomena called magnetic stones,
most have passed over the track of the cable, for
from half-past eleven to half-past twelve, the re-
flecting galvanometer in connexion with the lbse
was most violently distu-bed. The reflection was
so rapid and violist, that it wee wily one-
sionally that the reflected ray of light
could be distinguished upon the reading Boole. These
magnetic storms are by no means of rare oorcumnos,
and, is well as the earth currents already nese-
tioned, sometime cease great delay and annoyance
on long lines of telegraphic communication. There
is still a very generally prevalent ides that one of
the principal faults in the cable is comparatively
near shore, and though this supposition is opposed
to the very conclusive experiments of Professor
Thomson and Mr. Variety, yet it is a question
whether, for the fall satisfaction of the share-
holders, it would not be worth while Viking
up the cable for a few miles from either shore
and than tasting through the middle portion. These
operations would undoubtedly Ise attended with con-
siderable expense, and it is, therefore, probably not
thought advisable to engage in them until it has
been ascertained how matters stand at the American
termini of the cable. Mr. Lundy, one of the else-

trical aseldtants, proceeds to Newfoundland on Tues-
day, vii the Prince Albert, from Galway, for the
purpose of ascerbining the condition of the wire at
the other terminus, and ohm for the purpose of
erainging a day on which a certain knowa order of
signals are to be sent, at concerted times, from
b)th ends, rind to endeavour thus to re-

estnblish intelligible communication. Even look-
ing at matters in the worst light—end supposing the
cable, as far as practical working goes, to be a
failure—not only has the practicability of sub-
merging it been demonstrated, but also the practi-
cability of working and signalling through it.
Therefore it is not to be supposed for one moment
that the public both on this end the other side of
the Atlantic will ever allow the grand scheme for
connecting together the Old and the New World to
fall to the ground even if ten cables, instead of mte, be
sacrificed in its accomplishment. At the erne time
private entorprise, unless argue-11y enoon-aged
by the two goverrments,cannot be expected to come
forward and expend rut sums of money in the te^.-
nufacture and submerging of another cable with a
fair chance against them of losing both capit^.l and
interest. The Atlantic Telegraph Company have
expended nearly half a million in the mennfactu'•o
and laying of the present cable, for which the
English and American govesnmenh gnarant •
28,0001. a year for a certain period, contingent upon
success. But should the present cable prove a
failure, both the capital and the government subsi-
dies are lo3t, and the shareholders aft
expected to 'subscribe another half million
for another wire, on the self-same basis
as before, and with the same chance of losing all
before them. Under these circumstances, it is not sur-
prising that the difficulties of raising the capital for •
new cable ass looked upon as almost insurmountable.
If the English and Ames can governments are rarity
anxious for an effective telegraphic oommurication
between the two countries, they have but to guaran-
tee a certain though small per centage on the total
capital expended in the completion of the line, and
money will be forthooming for new wires, should five
' or six be lost before one is successfully completed.