The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-29 00:00:00

This Day.

THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.

VALENTIA, Thursday, July 27.
At last the mystery of the breakdown of the cable
is known in all its details. The master of the Hawk,
which returned here this evening, having left the
great ship last night, brings full particulars, both of
the extraordinary nature of the accident, and the
still more curious manner in which it was disco-
vered, its place ascertained, the cable hauled in,
and the piece cut out. When about 80 miles off
land, with dead calm weather, the ship going six
knots, and the cable, we are told, running out as
softly as a "silk rope," the usual. test signals
were being sent through, when suddenly both
those to and from the shore gave most serious indi-
cations of faulty insulation.. The utmost alarm was
felt on this discovery. The connexions of the in-
struments were carefully re-examined, and the most
rigid exactness observed in the final tests. All gave
the same result, and, what was a still more certain
and ominous proof, the return currents from Valentia
showed an equal loss. Notice was instantly given
to Mr. Canning and Capt. Anderson, and the speed
of the Great Eastern, which was then in 300 fathoms,
was reduced almost to a standstill. It must be re-
membered that all these signals were sent and re-
ceived through the whole length of 2,300 nautical
miles, or about 2,700 statute miles, of wire. Valentia
was instantly communicated with, and the whole elec-
trical staff under Mr. De Santy set to work to ascer-
tain by resistance tests whether the fault was in the
ship or in the 80 miles that had been paid out. Trials
of so delicate a nature and of such vital importance
to the success of the undertaking were, of course,
conducted with the most vigilant caution, and the
calculations based upon their data made and re-made
to insure certainty. The result of all was a unani-
mous decision that the fault was not on board, but
in the 80 miles of submerged wire. When this deci-
sion had been arrived at the cable was at once cut
on board the Great Eastern, and the length under
water tested by Mr. Saunders. With wonderful
skill his tests at once " localised" the spot where
the fault existed-11 miles from the stern of the
ship, and within a quarter of a mile from where it
actually was. Instantly preparations were made for
getting the Great Eastern round, and employing the
winding-in apparatus fixed forward specially to be
used in case of such mishaps. It was hoped, of
course, that its use would never be required, and
very many believed that whether required or not it
would never accomplish what it was intended to
achieve. The result proved the fallacy of both hopes
and fears. The severed portion of the cable was
passed into this machine, and, the Great Eastern
steaming back over the rope's course, the work of
reeling-in at once began. The cable came up with
singular ease. The strain on the dynamometer of
the machine never exceeded 18 cwt., which was
nothing to a cable guaranteed not to break under 7
tons, and equal, from its specific gravity, to support-
ing 11 miles of its weight in water, or through a
deeper sea than soundings have ever yet found in the
world. As we have said, within a quarter of a mile
of the spot indicated by Mr. Saunders, the fault was
found ; and nothing can more strongly indicate the

Business
done.

endless perils with which successful submarine tele-
graphy is beset than the trivial and almost unavoid-
able accident which had caused it.
As.the lengths of wire of 100 or 150 miles were
manufactured at Messrs. Glass and Elliott's they
were taken down in barges and coiled away in the
tanks on board the Great Eastern. Each as it
arrived was of course spliced up to that which had
preceded it, and this was often done in the tanks

themselves. The operation of splicing not only
means joining the conductor, but also joining the
outside wires, the junction of the latter being made
at different lengths—the bits ot *wire cut out being
thrown away. It seems, however, that one of these
atoms of wire, about two inches long, and as thick
as a stout darning needle, fell on the coil unnoticed
—as, indeed, who would notice it, or for a
moment think of the consequences which its dis-
regarded presence in such a spot might surely
occasion ? The weight of the layers of cable
laid above this fragment—as insignificant as a
shaving in a carpenter's shop—pressed it firmly into
the tarred hemp which forms the outside covering of
the cable. To this it adhered. While in the tank

it did no harm, but when this portion came to be
paid out, the small diameter of the eight leading
wheels which give access to the paying-out machine,
and the weight of the jockey pulleys over these which
keep the rope in its place, bent the stout iron wire
so sharply that it passed bet Ween the hemp, pierced
the gutta percha through at least two or three of
its four folds, and there remained. In this state it

was found, and instantly recognised as a piece of
wire from a splice joint. A short length of cable
was at once cut out, a new splice made, vigilantly
tested, and gradually sunk. When on the bottom
it was again re-tested for some hours, and the signals
were shown to be absolutely perfect.
During all this time the Great Eastern remained
quietly hove to. The sea was calm, and even the
throbbing swell of the Atlantic had died away into
the mere undulation of a wave. The motion in
her therefore was barely perceptible to the feeling,
and could certainly not be detected by the sight,
save by watching the little arc of a circle which her
topmasts now and then described. The whole
accident caused a delay of nearly 24 hours, during
which the drift of the vessel was almost nothing.
Here it is generally regarded as a most gratifying
fact; and one auguring well for the success of the
attempt, that not only can a fault be discovered
at once, but As place indicated, the cable
hauled in again, and the piece repaired or cut
out. This evening signals were received from the
Great Eastern which report all well. She was then
more than 200 knots from land, going into 1,000
fathoms of water. The cable was paying out at the
rate of nearly seven knots an hour, and the signals
to the shore both for paying out and messages were
as clear as if only sent from two miles' distance.
The strain on the dynamometer in sinking the rope
was less than 14cwt., owing to the high specific
gravity of the cable ; or, in other words, the bulk of
its tarred hemp has sufficient buoyancy to balance
and almost keep up the weight of its copper con-
ductor and outside iron wires. Before 12 hours
are out-the Great Eastern will have run into 1,500
fathoms, when if any mishap occurs she will have to
bring back her own intelligence, for no signals un-
der such circumstances can reach her. From this
time forth, therefore, the public must depend on the

messages forwarded from the vessel itself, and,
when these messages cease, will be at liberty to con-
jecture with as much wildness as to the cause as all

here did when the atom of wire discovered on Mon-

day put an end to communication with Valentia.
The compression of the water and unvarying tem-
perature of the Atlantic are already improving the
miles that have been sunk, and if all should happily
go well, the wire will continue to improve to' the
last fathom.

The Caroline leaves here to-morrow. It would
be impossible to over-praise the courage and self-
devotion of her officers and crew, who on that stormy
Tuesday night, when the Great Eastern was
almost towing her under water, and when the cut-
ting of the tow-rope would have at once relieved
her, deliberately resolved to hold on to the last, and
risk anything rather than delay the expedition. It
is not often that such thorough "pluck" is shown
on board a vessel when the men. on deck at the
wheel are up to their waists in water. When it
occurs it is merely justice that it should be recorded,
and, as far as endurance and determined courage
are concerned, few have, more contributed to the
success of the Atlantic 1 elegraph than the officers
and crew of the Caroline.

O BOARD GREAT EASTERN,
Saturday Morning, 10.45 a.m.
050 miles of cable were paid out at 6.50 a.m

The distance runt 8.50 a.m. was 600 miles.
The signals are perfect.

SPORADIC CHOLERA AT MALTA.—This disease,
we are happy to say, made little head during the past
week, with the exception of two days, When the total at-
tacks numbered ten oue day, and eight on the other. Since
yesterday there have been only some three or four cases
throughout the island, mainly attributable to indiscretion
in diet, in regard to which, without effecting any material
change, care should be taken to avoid unripe fruits, crude
vegetables, tainted fish or flesh, and shell fish of all kinds.
—Malta Times, July 20. _

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVEMNG, J ULY 29, 1865.

THE WEST INDIA AND PACIFIC MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, July 28.
The Royal Mail Company's steamer Shannon,
Capt. Woolley, with the above mails, arrived this
afternoon. She brings 213 passengers, specie value
$1,336,430, of which amount $702,024 is gold bul-
lion, $116,060 gold coin, $325,008 silver bullion,
$189,148 silver coin, pearls $3,960, and platina
$230.

Her cargo comprises 184 serons cochineal, 31
serons rubber, 500 cases cigars, 247 bags cocoa, 14
packages Vanilla, 265 bales cotton, and 498 pack-
ages sundries.
Amongst the passengers by the Shannon are
General Breckenridge and Major Helm from the
Confederate States of America, via Havannah ;
Mr. Shield Barry (the Irish comedian) Mr. Oetting,
Spanish Consul, from Vera Cruz ; the Baron Sterl-
field, from Vera/Cruz ; and Captain Dalgarno, late
of the British ship Invercauld, lost on the island of
Auckland.
The following account of the wreck is taken from
the Panama Star :
" The British ship Invercauld sailed from London
on Jan. 10, 1864, bound to Melbourne, Australia.
After a fine passage of 85 days to Melbourne, where
she remained a mouth, she sailed thence for Callao,
in ballast, on May 2, 1864, and on the night of the
10th of the same month, during a severe gale from
the northward with thick weather, she struck on the
north-west end of the island of Auckland, and went
to pieces in less than half an hour. Out of a crew
of 25, 19 (including the captain and officers), suc-
ceed in getting on shore, or rather were providen-
tially washed on shore, the surf being so heavy that
the exertions of the most powerful swimmer would
have been useless. Not one of the survivors suc-
ceeded in saving anything but what he had on, and
not one had a pair of boots. Returning to the wreck
the following morning all that could be obtained
was some 21b. of biscuit and about an equal quan-
tity of salt pork. Fortunately there was a plenti-
ful supply of good water on the island, to which
Captain Dalgarno assures us he owes his life, as also
the lives of his brothers in misfortune, as nothing in
the shape of subsistence but roots and a species of

limpet (shell fish) could be found on the island.
The captain could not eat the roots for the first
month, and as the " limpets" were not found until
he had been on the island for upwards of six weeks,

the water, which certainly must have possessed pe-
culiarly nutritive properties, was the only thing that
supported him. After remaining on the island
twelve months and ten days, during which time all
but the captain, the chief mate (Andrew Smith),
and one seaman (Robert Holding), died from star-
vation and cold, they were rescued from their
perilous situation by the Peruvian ship Julian, bound
from Macao to Callao, with Chinese emigrants,
which ship having sprung a leak, sent a boat on
shore to ascertain if they could obtain assistance.
There being no inhabitants on the island but the
three above-named unfortunates, who were taken on
board, the Julian proceeded on her voyage, keeping
the pumps going all the time, and arrived at Callao
on the 27th June, the day before the Chile sailed.
Captain Dalgarno and his two companions speak in
the highest terms of the treatment they received
from Captain C. Arrabarini and officers of the
Julian, and beg publicly to return them their most
grateful thanks. Mr. Andrew Smith, chief mate,
and Robert Holding seaman, remain at Callao ; and
Captain Dalgarno is now on his way to England to
report his misfortune and providential rescue to the
owners, Messrs. Richard Connow and Co., of Aber-
deen, and to gladden the hearts of those relatives
and friends who must have long since supposed him
dead, as nothing, after the day the Invercauld sailed
from Melbourne, had ever been heard of her until
the arrival of Captain Dalgarno in Callao, just 14
months. Few more providential escapes from a
fearful death have ever come under our notice, and
although it is the first accident that has ever oc-

curred to Captain Dalgarno during his 27 years'
experience at sea, we heartily trust that it will also
be the last, and we sincerely wish him God-speed."
The Shannon left St. Thomas on the 14th, and
experienced fine weather throughout her passage.
On the 20th, lat. 35.46 N., long. 48.58 W., ex-
changed colours with the English brigantine Ma-
donna, from Trinidad for London. All well on
board.

On the llth.inst. the Danish mail steamer Clara,
when off St. Thomas, had a collision with the
schooner Flying Fish, from Barbadoes. The
schooner sank immediately, with 75 head of cattle
on board. The crew were saved.
Her Majesty's ship Aurora arrived at St. Thomas
on the 13th ; the Bulldog sailed from Vera Cruz on
the Ist, and Havannah on the 7th, for Jamaica ;

;he Steady was at Barbadoes, Buzzard at Dominica,

Aboukir and Cadmus at Jamaica, and the Rosario
and Nimble were at Vera Cruz.

The Royal Mail Company's steamer Solent, from
Southampton, arrived out at St. Thomas, on the
7th, after a fine passage.

The Mexican, screw steamer, from Liverpool,
arrived out at St. Thomas on the 13th ; she expe-
rienced very heavy weather during the voyage.
Her Majesty's ships Tribune arrived at Panama
on the 15th ult., and Clio left Acapulco on the Bth.