The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-06 00:00:00

ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.

The refpoormrt ofof
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the
swering the expectations formed of it. The spinning of the
copper strand of the conductor commenced on the 18th of
April last, and the covering of the same with gotta percha
to complete what is called the " core" of the cable, com-
menced at the Wharf-road works on the 19th of the same
month, since which the manufacture of core has been gra-
dually and carefully progressing at those works, but owing
to the extensive and important improvements which had to
be effected in the machinery of the contractors at their cover-
ing works at Morden-wharf, East Greenwich, with an espe-
cial view to the present cable, it was not until the Ist Sep-
tember last that the earliest covering machine, used in
applying to the core its external coating of iron and hemj,
could be started in its work of producing completed cable.
Since that time other machines have been added, and the
weekly rate of manufacture has been gradually on the in-
crease, until there are now seven covering machines fully
employed, the united labours of which have, up to Satur-
day, January 28th, produced 1,035 miles of cable, all
of which, after careful and continuous tests, has been
found to be electrically in a very satisfactory state, and far
superior to any cable hitherto produced. The Great Eastern
steamship, from which it has been determined to lay the
cable, sailed from Liverpool in possession of the contractors
on the 11th July last, and anchored at Stangate Creek, in
the. River Medway, on the 13th of that month ; since which
time there have been erected within her three water-tight
iron tanks, each of nearly 59ft. in diameter and 20ft. in
depth, for the reception of the cable; and her Majesty's
Government having left the hulks Amethyst and Iris for
the purpose of conveying to her the cable as from time to
time completed at East Greenwich, these two ships have
also been furnished each with two large iron tanks, so that
the cable may never be out of water fromits commencement
until its final submersion. The electrical tests can thus be
made with great nicety, the slightest fault being instantly
manifested by the constant access of water to the core of
the cable. The Amethyst left Morden-wharf with her first
cargo on the 17th inst., and arrived safely at Sheerness on
the next morning, and on the 19th the coiling of this cable
into the tank in the forohold of the Great Eastern com-
menced. The Iris is now taking in cable, and will leave
for Sheerness in a few days. The directors are assured
by the contractors that there is nothing to prevent the
entire cable being completed and shipped on board the
Great Eastern by the end of May. The recent high rates
of interest have enabled the Board so to uttlise the balances
of capital from time to time in their hands as to have
earned the sum of £6,480 up to the end of last year, out of
which, besides providing the current expenses of the com-
pany up to the present, the directors have repaid the loans
advanced from time to time by themselves and other
shareholders during the depressed state of the company,
and whereby its dissolution was prevented. The directors
regret to have to allude to the arrears of call as greater
than they had hoped to see. They money is now im-
peratively required to meet the demands of the contrac-
tors, and the directors trust therefore that those share-
holders who are in arrear will perceive the absolute neces-
sity for paying up without delay. •
The balance sheet shows that £465,761 had been expended
on the old cable, and on the new cable £189,621, making
together £655,382, leaving cash and securities in hand on
the 31st December last, £144,256 ; the total receipts from
the commencement having been £799,638 to the latter date.