The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-10 00:00:00

711 E ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.

PrxmouTir, Saturday.—lt will be recollected that some
months since, at the instance of the Atlantic Telegraph
the
surveying-vessel Lords
Admiralty
Porcupine,d o
3e: e t
tod
b he e
preparedpad d paddle-
steam m
for sounding that portion of the bed of the ocean, near Ire-
land, on which the electric cable, laid by Sir Charles Bright,
is supposed to have broken. Officers of experience were ap-
pointed to undertake this important duty, and an efficient
crew was selected from the surveying-ship Fisgard, 42, at
Woolwich. The Porcupine was supplied with ample sound-
ing machines, including those of the Bulldog pattern,
which bring up some of the bottom each time they are used,
and with a donkey steam-engine on deck for hauling them
on board. The Porcupine left Plymouth for the scene of
errudder
her labours on the 22d of June, arrived at Galway on the
9th of July, and departed therefrom on the 21st. She pro-
ceeded to what is termed the Cliff, about 200 miles west of
experiencedheit da .
The Porcupine put back to Galway on the 26th of July,
heavy gale
andleof duringwin whihecrhopmenraiteidonsawtahyerhe
had her rudder repaired, and on the 6th of August sailed
for Rockall-bank, some 500 miles north-west of Donegal
Bay, where
she arrived on the 14th, and after remaining
two days went into gfilibeg's Harbour, Donegal, for fuel,
Queenstown, 24th for
and departed on the -aleenstown, whieh was
reached on the 30th. After staying till the 3d inst.,
she returned to Plymouth. One of the objects of
visiting the Cliff was to ascertain the exact nature of its
declivity, considered to be above 1,200 fathoms in eight
miles, or a full within that distance from a depth of
550 fathoms to a depth of 1,750 fathoms. It is stated
that the officers by sounding crossways have also dis-
covered what the seamen term a " gap," through which a
wire could be laid with less risk than where Sir Charles'
wire was laid. They also discovered a steeper cliff, which
they have named the Porcupine Rock. Some of the sound-
ings extended to a depth of 2,600 fathoms. The visit of the
steamer to Rockall on the 14th of August seems to have been
prompted by a desire on the part of the Lords of the Admi-
ralty to be able to judge by a knowledge of its depth and
character of the expediency of dropping a cable across this
bank, for the purpose of connecting Ireland with Iceland
and America. On the ridge of the bank soundings varied
from 90 to 160 fathoms ; fish were most abundant ; the
bottom consisted of mud and sand. It is reported to be
the opinion of several of the officers on board the
Porcupine that a line of communication which can be
established without the necessity of so long a wire as that
direct aoross the Atlantic will be much more likely to suc-
ceed. A system of comparatively short lengths can be re-
paired with less difficulty in case of injury, besides which it
is believed that with the present limited extent of tele-
graphic science there is no means of transmitting a message
rapidly through a great length of wire.' One word is said
to overtake another, and it is averred that the force re-
quisite to be exerted by the batteries for sending the fluid
BO great a distance must, involve injury to the wire by the
necessary intensity of the electric spark. The diagrams,
returns, and reports from the officers engaged on board the
Porcupine leave this afternoon for Whitehall for
the consideration in the first place of the Lords of the
Admiralty, after which communication will be made by
their lordships to the directors of the Atlantic Telegraph
Company. The vessel is now at Keyham steamyard, where
she will disembark her sounding gear and paachinery, and
re-ship the deck-house, or office, displaced for the purposes
of her recent duty. She will probably leave on Wednesday
for Woolwich.

A CHAPEL IN DANGER.—Yesterday, at a few
minutes before 10 a.m., it was discovered that a fire had
broken out in the basement of Barbican Chapel, near Alders-
gate-street, in the tenure of Messrs. Bec..chy and Co., and
used as wine and beer stores. Owing to the number of
packages in the place the fire extended with great fury, and
at one time threatened the entire destruction of the chapel.
The fire could not be extinguished until the basement was
nearly burned out, and the flooring of the chapel )ouch
injured. The origin of the fire is unknown, and nothing
could be gleaned as to the insurance.
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.1.% day over the
trL
throat, chest, or abdomen, or as n.,,elimis-
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the view of purging, but regulating This
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secure coolness and comfort, and rescue the invalid from
danger.