The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-27 00:00:00

TO TIIE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—From what appeared in the Times' City
Article of the 21st inst., I am induced to call your
attention to the following facts :
The recent failures in submarine telegraphs re-
sult from insulating and submerging them by the
old system, which consists of coating the wire
with gutta percha, that is, impregnated with mois-
ture during the process of cleansing and in passing
each coat through cold water for the purpose of
setting it, causing imperfect adhesion of the coat-
ings. To partially remedy this defect, tar and
rosin have been employed. The cable is then pro-
tected with yarns of tarred hemp and iron wire
twisted spirally round, which have proved to be
perishable when laid on muddy bottoms, as in the
case of the Atlantic and Red Sea cables.

In submerging cables, great damage is done by
the use of heavy pullies from their not being suffi-
ciently sensitive to the rising, falling, or yawing of
a ship's stern, and before overcoming their inertia
the cable receives violent jerks, which, notwith-
standing the iron wire and hemp, cause the insu-
lating core to elongate and flatten, bringing the
conductor nearer the surface. This is one of the
principal causes of submerged cables becoming so
soon unserviceable.

To remedy these defects, thin rolled sheets of
gutta percha, well dried, and rendered plastic by
heat, are put on the conductor in a series of coats,
under a pressure of six or seven tons to the inch, a
current of cold air being employed to set the core
in lieu of cold water.

Gutta perch a being a partial absorbient, it is ren-
dered impervious by a coating of collodion and
gum, and as an outer covering and to prevent kinks
and tensile strain, longitudinal strands of hemp,
saturated with a water-proof compound, are em-
bedded in and firmly held together by the insulat-
ing material, which being cold vulcanised is not
liable to injury by abrasion or tropical heats.
This cable may be laid in a muddy bottom, or
suspended between rocks without injury, from its
light specific gravity.
In submerging cables a long trotigh filled with
balls and water is employed, through which the
cable passes. By a slight pressure on the balls an
increase of friction is obtained, which regulates the
exit of the cable without any injury to its electrical
condition.

In conclusion, I may add, that if the present
system of constructing and laying telegraphic
cables is continued we may give up all hopes of
submarine telegraphy.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
August, 18G0. J. MACINTOSH.

CONJUGAL .RIGIITh (SCOTLAND) BILL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—Permit me to correct an error which ap-
pears to have inadvertently crept into your paper
of this day's proceedings in the House of Commens,
and by which I am represented as having moved
that the house should not insist on the amendments
to the Conjugal Rights (Scotland) Bill. The motion
I made referred to the Sale of Gas Act Amendment
Bill, and not to the Conjugal Rights Bill. So far
from not insisting on the Commons' amendments
to the latter, I was prepared, had the bill not been
dropped by common consent, to have urged a deter-
mined adherence, at any rate, to the amendment by
which the 18th clause was struck out.
As the matter creates considerable interest in
Scotland, your insertion of the above will very
much oblige, Sir, your obedient servant,
E. H. CRAUFURD.
Brooks' Club, Aug. 25, 1860.

His Serene Highness Prince Victor of Hohenlobe
loft town on Saturday for Scotland, and is expected to pay
a visit to her Majesty at Balmoral and also to the Duchess
of Kent.

The Earl of Sefton has gone to Scotland on a
series of visits during the shooting season.

The Earl and Countess Spencer have left
Spencer House, St. James's, to make a series of visits in
Scotland.

The Earl of Malmesbury has joined the Countess
af Heron Court, near Christchurch, Hants, from visiting
the Earl of Lonsdale at Lowther Castle.

The Earl and Countess de Grey and Ripon re-
ceived a select party at dinner, on Friday, at their mansion
in Carlton-gardens.

Viscountess Palmerston left town on Friday for
Brocket Hall, where the noble Premier joined her ladyship
on Saturday evening after the Cabinet Council. A select
circle are staying at Brocket. Viscount Palmerston will
return to town this afternoon.

The Duke and Duchess of Somerset gave a
dejeimer to a distinguished company on Saturday afternoon,
at his Grace's official residence in Whitehall, in celebration
of the marriage of Miss Helen Graham, youngest daughter
a the Right Hon. Sir James Graham, Bart., M.P., with
Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Baring, of the Guards, which
was solemnised on Saturday at St. Peter's Church, Pimlico.

• The Right Hon. Sir Charles Wool, Bart., M.P.,
immediately after the close of the Parliamentary session,
will lea'o town to join Lady Mary Wood and family, at
Mickleton Hall, Yorkshire.