The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-12 00:00:00

TIM ATLANTIC CABLE.

The long absence of the Great Eastern is now
giving rise to the conjecture that the failure of the
cable may have been caused by a break-down of her
engines, or, on the other hand, that her non-appear-
ance is due to the fact that she is still in mid-Atlantic
hauling in the cable to repair the fault. It is to be re-
gretted that the former supposition seems by far the
more probable of the two. In case of a break-down
of engines neither the Sphinx nor Terrible, nor the
united efforts of both, could effect much in the way
of towing such a mass as the Great Eastern through
the swell of the Atlantic. No tow-ropes, in fact,
would hold her, and to tow with chain cable would
be almost equally impossible, except during the
calmest weather. Any disaster to herself, therefore,
would quite account for her being overdue now,
and would equally explain the absence of her
consorts, both of which would, of course, lie
by her while her machinery was disabled. All
the squadron, also, are too far north of the
mail track to offer much chance of their being
seen, and news sent by signal. The last mail boat
which left Quebec is the only one likely to fall in
with them, and this vessel is not due for some days.
With regard to the suggestion that the Great Eastern
is still engaged in hauling in the wire, it appears to
be unlikely in the extreme, unless the tests which
localised the fault to be at 1,175 miles from shore—
tests which were stated on the highest autho-
rity to be entirely fallacious—should, after all, turn
out to be correct. This would place the fault at a
distance of 75 miles astern of the spot from which
the Great Eastern signalled " all well" on Wednes-
day week last. At such a depth of water it is cal-
culated that the wire could not be hauled in again at
a greater rate of speed than three and a half miles
in 24 hours. To pull in the whole 75, if the fault is
so far astern, would occupy some 21 or 22 days. The
extreme improbability of dead calm weather in the
Atlantic for such a lengthened period would render
this attempt, therefore, almost hopeless ; while it is
almost certain that the Sphinx would be despatched
to Valentia to state how the Great Ship was em-
ployed. It seems, therefore, more reasonable to
suppose that after the cable was broken the Great
Eastern lost three or four days in fruitless efforts to
grapple for it. Her return in such a case would not
be expected before this evening, to-morrow, or even
Monday.

Death of Mr. Joseph Parkes.

-0-

Few figures were better known in Pall-mall and
about the Houses of Parliament than that of Mr.
Joseph Parkes. Ile belonged to the Liberal side in
politics, and in the midst of his party held a posi-
tion of considerable influence. Few men in a
secondary poSition were more trusted than he, few
had a larger circle of friends, few were more com-
pletely in the current and full tide of political life.
He had in his day been an ardent political soldier ;
he had entered with all his heart into the battle for
reform ; and from that time forward he held in the
great Whig army a place, if not of command, yet of
trust and of influence. Perhaps no man was better
acquainted than he with the secret history of politics
during the last 30 or 40 years. Latterly he was an
important link of connection between the steady-
going Whigs and the swifter-going Radicals. He
was on ths most intimate terms with every section
of the Liberal party. He was not only an earnest
politician ; he was an excellent lawyer ; and he
had literary tastes, faculty, and ambition. Any
one who, without knowing him, saw him two or
three times in the Reform Club, or slouching
along Pall-mall, slightly bent with years, would
soon discover what manner of man he was. He
seemed to know every second person he met, and
not only to know him, but to be on confidential
terms with him, and to have something particular
to say to him. He always seemed to have some-
body by the buttonhole, and to be engaged in secret
conclave. There was a question to be put, or a
question to be answered, and who ready as Mr.
Parkes ? If anybody on his side of politics wanted
information, whether of the past or of the present,
Mr. Parkes was the man to apply to. If he could
not at once give it he could get it. So people clung
about him, and he was a most useful man in his
party—useful not only because he was so well
informed, and had such a wide circle of friends, but
.also because his judgment was the soundest, and
he was ever active and loyal in offices of friendship.
What was particularly pleasant about him was that
to the craft of a good politician he united the blunt
sincerity of a frank, honest, kindly man. Joseph
Parkes was born at Warwick on the 22d of Jan.,
1796. He went to a school at Worcester, and
afterwards to the Glasgow University ; but in his
general reading Dr. Parr, who took a great interest
in him, directed his studies and recommended a
course to which he rigidly adhered. His reading
in this course was of the widest range, and compre-
hended many works that lie quite out of the beaten
path. He chose his path in life as a solicitor, and
having gone through a course of training of the
highest kind, started in Birmingham first by himself
and afterwards in partnership with Mr. Solomon
Bray, the first Town Clerk of the Corporation of
Birmingham. At the time of the Birmingham
Political Union, Mr. Parkes was adviser to Mr.
Attwood, the leader of that movement. He did not
quite approve its tendency, but at a later period in
the tumult of the Reform agitation he and some 40
or 50 others who had hitherto held aloof joined it,
and thenceforward he took a prominent part in its
proceedings. Ho thus became acquainted with Mr.
Edward Ellice, a most active member of Lord Grey's
Ministry ; he became a political agent of the party,
and he had a great deal to do with its election busi-
ness. This necessitated his removal to London in
1832, where he practised as solicitor and Parliamen-
tary agent till about the year 1850, when he was
appointed Taxing Master to the Court of Exchequer,
an office which he held till his death. These are
the leading facts of his life. He died at his house
in Wimpole-street yesterday afternoon, and will be
much missed and widely regretted.—Times.

THE MISSING GENTLEMEN.—RECOVERY OF ONE
OF THE BODIES.—We regret to state that the worst
apprehensions entertained regarding the fate of the five
gentlemen who have been missing since Monday, tho 31st
ult., have been confirmed by the recovery of one of th•
bodies. On Wednesday morning, about six o'clock, th•
body of a man, about 28 years of age, was found on one of
the rocks near the Poolbeg lighthouse, by William Cal-
aghan, the lighthouse keeper. The body, which was sub-
1-equently identified by one of the officials of the National
Bank as that of Mr. Ryan, was much disfigured, and the
only articles of clothing on it were the socks and boots of
the deceased. It was removed to Rlngsend, where it now
awaits an inquest. No tidings hare yet been received with
reg
elamrdtaontchheolby faoat,te of all th
but there can
unfortunate
bnealtiettyleoudng m
doubt
easn.lo
the
Publin .Exprea.
•