Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-07-16 00:00:00

been endeavouring, but not successfully, to constitute riva
companies. A third route spoken of was by the Azores, but
he pointed to the disadvantage of not having a proper
knowledge of the line by survey, and stated that they had
no notion of departing from the ascertained line, which was
the best yet discovered. With regard to a report which had
been circulated respecting various important messages sent by
the Atlantic Telegraph, that no such messages had been sent,
he called attention to a correct statement which had been
prepared of the number of messages, words, and letters that
were transmitted by electricity, between Ireland and New-
foundland, through the conductor of the Atlantic cable,
from the 10th of August to the Ist of September, 1858,
`inclusive. From this it appeared that there had been sent
from Valentia to Newfoundland 97 messages, containing
1,102 words, containing 6,476 letters ; and from Newfound-
land to Valentia 269 messages, containing 2,840 words,
containing 13,743 letters ; being a total of 366 messages,
3,942 word!,:ai!d 20,219 letters. Among these were the

ing the conclusion of the treaty with China, a message
•

passengers aicer her collision with the Arabia, and
two messages for H.M.'s War Office, which latter had
effected a very large saving to the revenue of the
country. The report that these messages were a mere
imposition• was not only scandalous and disgraceful to
those who set it on foot, but entirely unfounded. He pro-
ceeded to notice the difficulty they had felt of raising ad-
ditional capital, and the result of their applications for assist-
ance to Government, with whom an arrangement had been
provisionally entered into by the directors, the articles of
which were as follow :—I. A dividend of 8 per cent per
annum, to be guaranteed for 25 years upon such portion of
a new capital as shall be called up and expended in esta-
blishing communication with America, not exceeding in the
whole the sum of £600,000 ; this guarantee to commence
when the cable has been successfully laid, and to subsist
while it is capable of being worked at the rate of one
hundred words per hour. 11. A minimum sum of £20,000
per annum to be paid to the company for Government

business during the time the new+ cable is capable of
being efficiently worked as above. 111. The • company to
be allowed to spend £20,000 out of the new guaranteed
capital in attempts to make the existing cable available
for business. IV. If these attempts are successful, the
Government will immediately commence to pay a.minimum
rent of £14,000 per annum, which rent is to be increased
to £20,000 per annum, as above, as soon as the new cable
is brought into successful working order. V. The existing
arrangement of the company with the Government of the
United States is not to be interfered with. Under that
arrangement the Atlantic Company will be entitled to a
minimum rent of 70,000 dols. per annum for the business
of the American Government, so soon as the communication
is established with Newfoundland. VI. The Atlantic Tele-
graph Company are to transfer to her Majesty's Government
that portion of their privileges, under their agreement with
the New York, Newfoundland and London Telegraph Com-
pany, whereby they derive the exclusive right of landing
on the shores of Newfoundland cables intended to connect
Europe with that country ; but the Government will not
grant to any other company or persons any right of landing
cables in Newfoundland, so transferred to them, unless the
guarantee and contract referred to under Articles I. and 11.
shall have proved efficient in raising the requisite capital ;
nor until by the instrumentality of such capital, telegraphic
communication shall have been established across the At-
lantic; it being understood that, in case of failure either to
raise the capital or to submerge the cable, with such suc-
cess as to be enabled to work it at the rate of 100 words per
hour required by Government, the company shall perma-
nently revert to its present position in respect to all its pri-
vileges, includi g its exclusive rights now existing under
the agreement with the New York, Newfoundland, and
London Telegraph Company." After opposing the hostile
idea, to which the currency had been given, that the com-
pany were to enjoy a monopoly, he pointed to the advan-
tages which would arise from it being made the interest of
Government to help them and protect them from competition,
remarking that, if they did not succeed, the right of
the company, transferred to the Government, would
revert to them as formerly. He mentioned that
it was proposed to reconstruct the Board, by which
the direction would be made to consist more largely
of gentlemen resident in the vicinity of London.
Ther)] were two vacancies in the direction, and
he was happy that they were to be filled by two men of
distinction in London ; and he was gratified to be able to
mention that Mr. Dalg,lish, M.P. for the city, was to be a
member of the Board, who, no doubt, would enjoy the
confidence of his fellow-citizens, and be a valuable acquisi-
tion to the number of directors. With the view of enlisting
the sympathy and interest of all classes, it had been re-

were appointed, among whom were Latimer Clark, C.E., as
engineer, and Mr. C. F. 'Varley as consulting electrician.
They had enlisted the feelings of some of the most distin-
guished scientific men of this country, and succeeded in pro-
viding a liberal number of gentlemen, who, although unwil-
ling to be named as officers of the company, had allowed
their names to be published as a consulting committee, with
whom they would advise as to the preliminary experiments
to be made before laying the new cable. This committee
consisted of It. Stephenson, M.P. F.R.S., &c. ; Isambard
'K. Brunel, F.R.S. &c.. ; Edwin Clark, C.E. ; G. P. Bidder,
C.E. ; John Hawkshaw, C.E. ; James A. Longridge, C.E. ;
Professor Wheatstone, F.R.S. ; and Wm. Allen Miller, M.D.,
F.R.S. Professor Wm. Thomson, whose name was so emi-

wise consented, on retiring from the direction, not to sepa-
rate from them, but to accept at their hands the position of
honorary consulting electrician : but, though honorary, his
zeal was so well known that they were sure to have the
full benefit of all the assistance he was so well able to give.
(Applause.) Suppose £300,000 were raised by these £5
shares, they would proceed to obtain and lay the cable ; or,
if the sum raised was smaller, a skilful and properly organ-
ised effort would be made for the restoration of the existing
cable., Application had been made to the Admiralty, and
they expected to obtain the assistance of three of 11.111.'s
ships which were lying at St. John's watching some nego-
tiations with regard to the Newfoundland Fisheries. The
next thing would be to lay the new cable; and in this
instance they would not commit the error of endeavouring
to lay the cable themselves, but have it done by contract.
There had been a proposal on the part of the directors to
obtain a policy of insurance to cover the risk of submersion.
Mr. Wortley, after referring to the benefits which might be

expected from the improveinents being made in recording
instruments, concluded by remarking that the speculation,
though no doubt hazardous, was one which might be enor-
mously profitable. Already in London they had been
successful in enlisting the assistance of some of the most

distinguished merchants anti °au Kers, mitt ne ulguu ueou
gentlemen in Glasgow to take a high view of the enterprise,
and support the directors of the company,' not only by their
approval, but by endeavouring to redeem the past by fresh
exertions.

WEST INDIA IMMIGRATION.—A great meeting on West
India immigration was held in the London Tavern, on Wed-

nesday night. Lord Brougham appropriately occupied the
chair • and the meeting was attended by many well-known
members of the anti-slavery party.

MEDITTERANEAN , EXTENSION TELEGRAPH

pany nas given orders for the manufacture of a strong sub-
marine cable of 60 miles in length, with one wire, at a cost
of £12,000, for the service between Malta and Sicily. It
will probably be laid in the first week of September.

FRENCII MILITARY. -As I walked through the pie-
turesiue streets towards the river, I observed that several

groups were converging towards one point.
To this I directed my course too, and after crossing a bridge
near the gate of Stereograph, No. 63, and ascending a
number of terrace-grounds called, I believe, the Garenne
or Warren, where the 57th Regiment of, the line was
going through its evolutions before the general of the
district, who was staying at the same hotel as I. After
manoeuvring for some time, the men piled arms and
fell out of the ranks, when the band played some opera
airs in a style of which we, in England, can form no con-
ception. It was in the most perfect tune and time, and so
light and graceful, I was quite enchanted. I observed, too,
that the officers and men treated each other with much more
familiarity than is permitted in our army. They lighted
their cigars and pipes, as the case might be, and formed
groups close to each other, talking and laughing without the
slightest restraint. This arises, partly, no doubt, from the
peculiarities of national character, but partly also from the
different modes of raising the army in the two nations.
Where men are obtained by voluntary recruiting none but
the very lowest will enlist ; whereas the conscription seizes
impartially upon all classes, and many a poor gentleman
finds himself obliged to shoulder a _musket, with a tolerable

prospect, however, of obtaining a commission after a reason-
able time. There is not, therefore, in the French service
that almost impassable gulf which separates the officers from
the men in ours. As far as the army itself is concerned,

it makes the profession of a soldier popular among a higher
class than with us. But it would be an evil day, Mdeed, for
England when war and a standing army came to be con-
‘,Z -

naffed a means to an end; with the F;ench it is the end
itself. Military glory and the foolish pomp and parade of
war, are dear to the people's souls ; and for these mis-
chievous toys they sacrifice *rational liberty.—" Jephson's
Brittany."