The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-15 00:00:00

PROPOSED NORTH .ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.

-"I
esterday morning an influential deputation
waited upon Lord Palmerston at his residence in
Piccadilly to lay before him plans of the route
of the intended line of telegraph to America via
the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland, and to
solicit the Governments to despatch two or more
vessels to make soundings and otherwise survey the
facilities offered by the proposed line. The deputa-
tion consisted, among others, of the Right Hon. M.
Gibsou,_lll.P., Sir J. Duke, k.P., Mr. T. W. Rus-

sell, M.P., Mr. H. Pease, M.P., Mr. J. A. Roebuck,
M.P., Hon. S. Smith, Postmaster-General of Canada;
Capt. Sir E. Belcher, R.N., Capt. Collinson, lt.N.,
Capt. Robinson, R.N., Dr. Rae, Col. Shaffner, Capt.
Young, Mr. J. R. Crosskey, Dr. N. Shaw, Mr. C.
Bischoff, Mr. J. Howard, Mr. J. Arrowsmith, Mr.
J. Barrow, Mr. L. S. Magnus, Mr. W. Bevan, Mr.
E. Wakefield, Mr. H. Clayton, Mr. C. E. Deacon,
Mr. J. S. O'Beirne, &e.
Mr. M. Gibson having introduced the deputation,
Mr. CROSSKEY said the object with which the de-
putation had sought an interview with his lordship
was to call his attention to the new route which had
been proposed for affecting telegraphic communica-
tion between this country and America, via the
Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland,. and Labrador;
and to ask the assistance of the Government in car-
rying out a complete survey and line of soundings
along the proposed line. He might mention to his
lordship that the line had been already in a great
measure surveyed by Col. Shaffner, who had re-
ported most favourably as to the absence of any phy-
sical difficulties in carrying out the scheme; but
that survey as the act of a private individual could
not, of course, have the same weight, nor be so
thorough and complete, as was desirable before coin:

mencing an undertaking of such importance and
me gnitude. It was of the gravest importance for
this country, both scientifically and politically, that
the question of the practicability of so very desir-
able a route should be placed beyond a doubt, and
that, of course, could only be done by a complete
Government survey of the line, which they trusted
his lordship would assist them in obtaining. Be-

lieving that the scheme when carried out would
be commercially profitable, it was not the inten-
tion of those promoting it to ask for subsidy,
or guarantee, or money aid of any kind, bat
simply for such assistance in the way of survey
as the Government might fairly and legitimately
grant, and which would only be thoroughly satis-
factory when coming from Government.
Col. SHAFFNER then pointed out to his lordship
the maps and charts of the proposed route, and ex-
plained the various physical and geographical fea-
tures of the line. He said the principal advantage
which this route, if carried out, would possess over
all others would be the rapidity of transmission
of messages. Supposing that the direct Atlantic
cable, submerged. some two years since, had re-
mained perfect to the present time, it would still
not have'been possible to telegraph at a greater
speed than five words a minute, while he could show
that the minimum speed of transmission by the pro-
posed northern route, arising from their having to
work through such short lengths of submarine
cable, would be at least 20 words a minute. Thus
practically and commercially speaking, one cable
submerged by this route would represent in work-
ing efficiency nearly four lines between Ireland and
Newfoundland. Col. Shaffner then proceeded to
point out the positions along the route where, in
his opinion, the cable should be laid and landed.
He also explained away the difficulties in the way
of ice which had so long been thought insurmount-
able obstacles to the adoption of this plan.
Capt. A. YOUNG, who accompanied Capt. M'Clin-
tock's celebrated expedition in the Fox, said he en-
tirely concurred in what had been stated by Col.
Shaffner as to the practicability of the proposed
route.
Sir E. BeLeuna, RN., said that independently
of the immediate object sought to be accomplished,
it would be of great importance in the interests of
science that such a survey should be carried out.
It would add to the knowledge of the Arctic regions,
and it was not at all improbable that new grounds
for whale and other fisheries might be discovered.
In reply to Lord PALMERSTON'S question, as to
what time it was desirable that the expedition
should sail, it was stated that to be of effect this
year it ought to start as soon as possible.
Mr. PEASE, M.P., said he thought it was exceed-
ingly desirable, both in the interests of science and
commercial speculation that such a survey should
be undertaken by the Government. He considered
that the Government was in duty bound to facili-
tate in every legitimate manner a scheme of such
importance as that which proposed to secure to
Great Britain direct electrical communication with
the American continent. It was not, and never had
been, the desire of those interested in this plan to
ask for subsidies or guarantees, but only that the
Government should grant assistance in carrying out
a fair and impartial survey of that route, which, if
found practicable, must in its results be most ad-
vantageous both commercially and politically.
The proceedings then took rather a conversational
tuna, in the course of which his Lordship asked a
variety of questions relative to the regions proposed
to be traversed, and which were satisfactorily an-
swered by the gentlemen present connected with
Arctic discovery. After the interview had lasted
upwards of an hour,
Lord PALMERSTON said that before he could grant
the request of the .deputation he must know pre-
cisely what was wanted, and he would therefore be
glad if they would furnish him in writing with a
detailed statement of the number of ships required,
the route over which the survey was wished, and
the time that would probably be occupied by the
expedition.
This was accordingly promised at once, and the
deputation thanked his Lordship and withdrew.
The chief features of this new route are stated to
be briefly as follows :—Since the failure of the
Atlantic Telegraph the confidence not only of the
public, but even of scientific electricians, has been
considerably shaken in the ultimate practicability
of long direct linebetween England and America.
It is evident prom the experience of the Atlantic
expedition that the laying
,an unbroken length of
nearly 8,000 miles of cable across d deep
and stormy sea alone presents difficulties of
such magnitude es to deter even the most
enterprising from engaging in such a scheme. The
recent discoveries Which hate been Made in electric
science also show that it is almost unpracticable,
to Work through an unbroken submarine circuit of
nearly 000 miles at any such speed as veotild
insure a commercial profit on the capital invested in
the line. These difficulties hare led to attention
being directed to that route through which, by its
geogeapilicai position, the American Continent can
be ree.Ohbd greater deep-
sea length than 600 miles,—a distance which, with
land lines, is repeatedly worked with the greatest
stieeess and profit. The difficulties which were at
first apprehended with regard to this route were
those which were naturally due to the high northern
latitudes to be traversed ; but the most eminent
Arctic navigators having been consulted have una-
nimously, it is said, recorded their opinion in favour
of the route. This route has already been partially,
surveyed, and the promoters of the scheme have ob-
tained a concession from the King of Denmark for
the exclusive right of laying lines through the
Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland, and the
result of these RiuryPy cQ'apieaiwitb,file vxpexipice