The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-13 00:00:00

TELEGRAPH TO INDIA.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE SUN.

Sin,—ln your impression of yesterday there was an
article on the Persian Gulf Cable, in which it is stated that
in point of conductivity and insulation this cable comes so
nearly up to the standard of electrical perfection that (in
the writer's opinion) it " will remain good for 100 years,"
and that the cause of failure in the Atlantic, Red Sea,
Toulon, and Algiers, and the Malta and Alexandra Cables
will be avoided, and, above all, the imperative necessity of
having no section of submarine I.ne more than 600 miles in
length.

Now, the Persian Gulf Cable possesses the same elements
of destruction as the Malta and Alexandria, Toulon and
Algiers, and the Red Sea cables aid, viz., gutta percha
containing impurities in combination with Stockholm tar
and resin ; in the outer covering the wires are protected
with hemp, resin, and tar. The Persian Gulf cable has
the addition of sillica and bitumen, or mineral pitch. This
compound is thought all that is required for sections not
more than 600 miles in length. A little chemis-
try in relation to submarine telegraphy is all
that is required to show clearly that the said
compound is neither flexible or impervious to water,
nor is it capable of resisting tropical heat or the
attacks of marine insects. I beg to state that the principle
cause of failure in long lengths of submarine lines consists
in the impurities contained in the gutta percha : so long
as the impurities are kept dry they act as partial non-
conductors, but when they become hydrous decomposition
takes place slowly and surely according to the size of the
conductor, the length worked through, and the battery
power used.
I quite agree with the writer that longer lengths of cable
than 600 miles would not remain commercially useful for
long, if constructed on the principles of the Persian Gulf
line. I may add that a cable is in progress that will in one
section connect England with America, and will, I have no
doubt, remain commercially useful without the aid of gutta
percha in combination with Stockholm tar and resin as the
insulating medium, nor will pitch, tar, or silica be used as
an outer protection for the fibrous or metallic strands, and
it will tut cost more than the Persian Gulf cable.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

J. MACINTOSH.

I‘IOHAMINIED ALL—A native of Roumelia, where
he had been a trader in tobacco, this great man
originally entered Egypt with the force which, under Sir
Ralph Abercrombie, finally expelled the French from the
cola try ; and to him it was principally due that the Mame-
luke Beys did not after that event recover their former
supremacy, As Mr, Paton speaks from personal observa-
ti n, his estimate of this remarkable character is worthy of
attention. He attributes to him consummate coolness in
the greatest dangers, profound dissimulation of his own
plans, coupled with a marvellous discernment of the mo-
tives of others, and unbounded liberality to his friends. The
picture has, however, its darker shades. He was perfectly
unscrupulous in the choice of means to gain his ends ; he
was morbidly desirous of importance in the councils of
nations, and quite in the dark as to the truths of political
economy. We can feel little wonder at this in a man who
only learnt to read and write when forty-three years old:
A NATIVE Mooß OR ALGERINE. Generally
handsome, and with a fair but colourless complexion,
the Moor's dark eyes and regular features are mostly cha-
racterised by an expression mild to effeminacy. Fond of
dress and of brilliant colours, he always carries his some-
what portly person in as costly a manner as his means per-
mit. Indolent by nature, he never in any grade of life
engages but in some sedentary occupation. If belonging
to the upper classes, he keeps a stall or bazaar in a native
street, where, quite indifferent to the absentia of customers,
he smokes, drinks coffee, and chats with passing friends.
The greatest effort which he makes is to jog placidly along
to his country garden, seated on a broad well-cushioned
saddle, borne by a quiet mule. Every act, look,
and attitude of the Moor indicates his love of ease.
The occupations of the Moor in a humble rank
of life are very limited in number. He embroiders
jackets, vests, girdles, purses, shoes, and trappings for
horses. He makes silk laces, trinkets, and earthenware
jars, which ho embellishes with coloured streaks in a pecu-
liar manner. The gay trousers worn by the Moorish lady,
and the rich jacket of her husband, .are both fashioned by
his needle. He distils essences of rose and jasmine, and
weaves mats and baskets of the dwarf palm. The Moor
has an innate love of beauty. The colours of his dress are
well-assorted, and his embroidery designs are graceful. He
is passionately fond of flowers—be has them often in a jar
beside him as he works, and be frequently inserts them
beneath the edge of his fez or turban ; the oppressive frag-
rance of the large white jasmine and the orange flower is
his delight. Though loving to lie in shade, he likes to
have a gush of sunshine lighting up the scene on which he
looks. Polite in speech, his gestures are always graceful,
his bearing dignified, and the calm self-posses.ion of his
address is never disturbed by the most unexpected incident.
—" Through Algeria," recently published by Bentley.
THE GREAT EASTERN.—The Great Eastern left
the Mersay yesterday morning for New York, via Queens.
town, and, as usual, large numbers of people crowded both
sides of the river to see her off. Besides a large cargo, the
Great Eastern takes out 900 passengers, and at Queenstown
she will take on board about 200 more.
MAILS TO THE UNITED STATES, &c.—Her Ma-
jesty's Government having revived the contract
with the Atlantic Royal Mail Steam Navigation Company
(which was terminated in May, 1801) for the conveyance of
mails once a fortnight between Galway and the United
States, mails will be made up in London on the evening of
Monday the 17th August. and thenceforward on the evening
of every alternate Monday, and forwarded to Galway, to be
despatched on the following say to their destination. The
packets will proceed alternately to Boston and New York,
calling at St. John's, Newfoundland. All letters, &c , for
the United States, Canada, and Newfoundland, which are
posted in time, will be forwarded in these mails. Letters,
&e., for any British North American colony (except Ca-
nada and Newfoundland) intended to be sent by these
packets, must be specially directed " Via the United
n t e nde
States. 4 The rates of postage upon letters, & d
to be forwarded by these packets will be the same as by the
British packets from Liverpool calling at Queenstown.
The first homeward packet of this line will leave Boston on
Tuesday, the Bth September, and be due at Galway on
the 18th September. The next will leave New York on
Tuesday the 22d September, and will be due at Galway on
the 2d October.—By command of the Postmaster-General,
ROWLAND HILL, Secretary,—General Post-dace, 13th
August, 1883,