The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY r EVENING, JULY 14, 1858.

kiddau. After an interval of about fin hour
the strain, and rate of progress of the cable
again increased, while the increase of the ver-
tical angle seemed to indicate that the wire was
sinking down the side of a declivity. Beyond this
there was no variation throughout Monday night,
or, indeed, through Tuesday. The upper deck coil,
which had weighed so heavily upon the ship, and
still more heavily upon the minds of all during the
past storms, was fast disappearing, and by 12 mid-
day on Tuesday, the 29th, 76 miles had been paid
out to something like 60 miles' progress of the ship.
All seemed to promise most hopefully, and the only
cause that warranted anxiety was, that it was evi-
dent the upper deck coil would be finished by 11
o'clock at night, when the men would have to pass
in darkness along the great loop, which formed the
communication between that and the coil in the
main eold. This was most unfortunate, but the ope-
ratidn bad been successfully performed in daylight
during the experimental trip in the Bay of Biscay,
and every precaUtion was now taken that no acci-
dent should occur. At 9 o'clock by ship's time.
when 146 miles had bees payed out, and about 112
miles' distance from the rendezvous accomplished,
when the last flake but one of the upper deck coil
came in turn to be used. In order to make it easier
passing to the main coil, the revolutions of the screw
were reduced gradually by two revolutions at a time
from 30 to 20, while the paying out machine went slowly
from 36 to 22. At this rate, the vessel going three knots
and the cable three and a half, the operation was con-
tinued with perfect regularity, the dynamometer indi-
cating a strain of 2,1001 b. Suddenly, without an in-
stant's warning, or the occurrence of any single inci-
dent that could account fort it, the cable parted. The
gun that again told the Valorous of this fatal mishap
brought all on board the Agamemnon, rin hiog to
the deck, for none eould believe the rumour that
had spread like wildfire about. the ship. But there
wood the machinery, silent and motionless, while
the fractured end of the wire hung over the stern wheel
swinging loosely to and fro. It seemed almost impos-
sible to realise the fact that an accident so instantaneous
and irremediable should have occurred, and of course a
variety of ingenious suggestions were instantly afloat,
showing moet satisfactorily how the cable must and
ought to tare broken.
Immediately after the mishap a brief consultation was
held by those .n charge on board the Agamemnon, and es
it was shown that they had only exceeded the distar c.
from the rendezvous by 14 miles, and that theme way stilt'
more cable on board • he two vessels 'can the amount with
7hich the original expedition las' year was commenced,
it was therefore dtt rmined to try ter another chance and
return the rendezvous, sailing there, of course ; for Mr.
Brown, the chief engineer, as ultra zealous in the cause
as a board of directors, guarded the coal bunkers like a
very dragon, lest, if we came to paying out cable
again we should be short of steam, and so endanger
thwouccess of the whole undertaking. For the fifth
time, therefore, the Agamemnon's head went about,
and after 20 days at sea sue again began beating up
against the wind Tor the rendezvous, to try, if possible,
and recommence her labours. The following d 4 the
wind was blowing strongly from the sou'-west, with
mist and rain, and Thursday, the lst of July, gave
every one tbel most unfavourable opinion of July wea-
ther in the Atlantic. However, the upper deck coil. of
250 tons being gone, the Agamemnon was as buoyant as
a lifeboat, and no one cared how much she took to
kicking about, though the cold wet fog was a miserable
nuisance, penetrating everywhere, and making the ship
as wet inside as out. Friday was the ditto of Thursday
—and Saturday worse than both together, for it almost
blew a gale, and there was a very heavy sea on. On
Sunday,"the 4th, the Agamemnon reached the actual
rendezvous, and fell in with the Valorous.

per, which went cruising about, turning all it
touched to a light pea green. By and by she be-
gan to ship seas. Water came clown the ventila-
tors near the funnel into the engine-room. Then
a tremendous sea struch her forward, drenching
those on deck, and leaving them up to their knees
in water, and the least learned on seeboardcoull(eissa
that things were fast going to the lesd n
change took place either in the weather or theu con-
dition of the ship. Of the first there seemed little
chance. A little after 10 o'clock on Monday, the
21st, the aspect of affairs was
sorks to try 'g
wear-
ing
that
tbe shipCaptainpreedynresolnv d :.t all risks
alarming
the other tack. It was bard
pto d e
enough
mraukue the words of command audible, but
to execute them seemed almost impossible. The
ship's head went round enought to leave heabroad-
-B:de onto the seas, and then for a time it seemed as
if nothing could be done. All the rolls which she
had ever given on the previous day seemed mere
trifles as compared to her performances then. Once
round on the starboard tack, and it was seen in
bya
the an
instant that the ship was in no degreer r. ve d
forward,
change. Another heavy sea struck her
I-weeping clean over the fore part of the vessel,
vessel,and
e.ierying away the woodwork and platform which f
had been placed, there round the machinery or
under running. This and a few more plunges were
quite suffirient to. settle the matter, and at last,
reluctantly, Captain Preedy succumbed to the
!toe could neither conquer nor contend against.
Fullsteam was got on, and, with a. foresail and
fore-top-sail to lift her head, the Agamemnon ran
before the storm, rolling and tumbling over the
;hinge waves at a tremendous pace.
Throne,hout the whole of Monday the Agamem-
ton ran before the wind, which moderated so much
that at 4 a.m. on Tuesday her head was again putd
about,, and for the second timetb she co2moionen
miles
beatingr up for the rendezous,bh
leithbetr froms du:
.traoarnniwng.en then ;are was at Its
So little was gained
igatisteutheuwilincYl, that Friday, the 25th, 16 days
lifter leaving Plyinouth, still found us some 50
iles away from the rendezvous. So it was deter-
s fined to get up steam and run down on it at once.
die we approached the place of meeting the
Valorous hove in. sight at noon ; in the afternoon
the Niaseara came in from the north, and in the
tveeing the Gorgon from the ,outh se and then,
thnost for the first time since starting, the squa-
irons was re-united near the spot where the great
rork was to commence.
On the eveuiu4 0.1. Vriday, the 25th of June, the
bur vessels lay together side by side, and there was
eh a stillness in the sea and air as would have
eeoed remarkable in an inland lake ; -on the
tianeie, and after what we had all so lately
witnessed, it seemed almost unnatural. We have
belaid h
bees °lv/ during the awful rolls which the Aga-
non trade made on the 20th and 21st, the upper
Part—1
1s of the main coil shifted and became a mere
1 apeleas tangled mass, with which it seemed im-
apeiisfitsbihelr Mr.
dealtole toany
in conceivable way. However,
Slither nor Mr. Canning, nor Mr.
~e ord were to be daunted by the aspect of a
IweultY however formidable. Absurd ai the state-
ent seemed at first they were all positive that the
i;
. gle -did not extend far doWn the coil, and they
ieo sjset :ititt, ' menptain Preedy gave them his hearty
were at work day and night, draw-
ee it out of the hold and coiling it aft on the
Bain deck. For the first 24 hours the labour
teamed hopeless, for so dense was the tangle
riet an hour's hard 'work would sometimes
cartel
y clear half a half a mile. By and by, how-
yer, it began to mend, the efforts were redoubled,
d late on Friday night- 140 miles had been got
f, and the -remainder was found to be clear
°eugh to commence work with. On the morning
aturday, the 2eth of June, all the preparations
rcompleted for making the splice and corn
ra
gane the great undertaking, The end of the
e a's cable was 'sea on board the Agamemnon,
°k' and
was made, a bent sixpence put in it .for
ee caandat 2.50 Greenwich time it was slowly
red
°ver .the side and disappeared for er
d fieather
seas cold and foggy, with a stiff breeze
e _ smal sort of sleet, and as there was no cheer-
tthe
°/' rnanifestatien of enthusiasm of any kind,
°Le ceremony had a most funereal effect, and
erred
Th as solemn as if were burying a marine, or
e other mortuary task of the kind, equally
`erfel and enlivening. As it turned out, how-
-,r/ °
it vrasejust as well that no display took place,
I ee_7l'37 one woul have lookd uncommon y,
leu the same pr ation cemee to be repeated,sil as it .
eeae to be, an hour or so afterweards. It is needless I
i, king a long story longer, .so we may state at 1
it that when each-ship had paid out three miles
"' 'e/ and. were getting well apart, the cable broke
',ll beard the Niagara, owing to its overriding and
'ettieue off the pulley leading on the machine. The
:eeta' Was of course known instantly, both vessels
mahout and returned, a fresh splice was made,
„dai gain lowered over at half-past seven. Ac-
,,iing to arrangement 150 fathoms were veered
'our Isroel each ship and then ill stood.away, on their
,ar_ae, at first at two miles an hour and after-
aaest _ at four. Everything then went well—the
ivn bine working beautifully, at 32 revolutions per
~.' eite--.ne screw at 26—the cable running out
,reselly at 5 and 51. 1
e alitee an hour, the ship going
.1:0,1,,e-:,sotbOts, lbs.,ave
ess•, The greatest strain opon the dynamometer
average this was only for a few mi-
!_4.C.,l 2,leolles.
,lii!ee had been payed out,
At twelve midnight 21 nautical
giving only only 2,000 lbs.
and the angle of the
,idueler
irith the horizon had been reduced con-
est,e IY— -At 4alf•past 340 miles had gone, and
eorieng could be more perfect and regelar than the
ei. Vie of everything, when suddenly at 3.40 a.m.,
leoeundaY, the 27th, Professor Thompson came on
el lee-
and reported a total break of continuity ; that
tte,eable, in fact, had parted, and, as was believed
Ray time, from the Niagara. The Agamemnon
Lee Instantly stopped, and the brake applied to
es iirlaehineey, in order that the cable payed out
ins,et be severed from-the mass in the hold, and so
e:`,.°le Professor Thompson to discover by electrical
ire",
at about what distance from the Ship the
there had taken place. Unfortunately, however,
ra,t,r,e Was a strong breeze on at the time, with
sa.hipr a heavy swell, which told severely upon the
,he!e, and ere any means could taken to ease
mutely the motion on the ship, topsrted a few
rath
e eoisas below the stern wheel, the dynamometer
.'er-neatin,g a strain of nearly 4,000 lb. In another
`;'f'taet a gun and a blue light warned the Valorous
A whist had happened, and roused all on board the
ees
weernetnnon to a knowledge that the machinery
''
3iiellt aad that the first part of the Atlantic
see, )
e. had been laid and lost effectually.
ll e great length of cable on board both ships
owed
sel a large margin for such mishaps as these,
wa the arrangements made before leaving England
seer]; at the splices might be renewed and the,.o
leer: re-commenced till each ship had lost 20
thse4-14 wire, after which they were to discontinue
seeo4 efforts and return to Queenstown for orders.
ing°sreclinglY/ after the breakage on Sunday morn-
fo''' ouch
ships' heads were put about, and for the
lirth Time
loose roe the Agamemnon again began the weary
le t.' or beating up against the wind for that ever-
"lg 41143.6 rendezvousseekin which we seemed destined to be
.
ke
,:t was bard work beatieg up against the wind
e use. •
sac d, indeed, that it was not tlt the noon of
`l4 sac d,
the
02:ethbytrhtanit
nwinegr rejoined the Niagara ;
,ds while all were -waiting ,with impatience for her
,et!leapatiou of how they brokei the cable, she &co-
il
We are gratified to learn that Lord Derby has PENSION TO THE WIDOW OF HOGAN, THE SChUaLBPTcOoRre..
ferred a pension of 1001.. a year on tiro of John
elintou, who
up the interrogatory, Hogan. For this kind considerationEl
owf ihisE family are
, i'' 'z' t %dw "(cid cable part V This was astounding. largely indebted to the nal of. the ;, soon as the boats could be lowered, Mr. Cyrus; warmly seconded
the gclaims of his
told, with the .cl theanedxertlonsofarHo aa's numerous
ull I
(1: d electricians from the Niagara, came friends as dthaedmirers, pressed__ _
n:etear
andnd a comparison of logs showed the
family
on
nscar OF THE POOR LAW AUDITOR FOR ST.
Government—Dublin Freeman.
Ittfaltful mysterious fact that at the same second ELECTION OF
d y the directors of the poor of Si.
;dad each Vessel discovered that a total fracture PANORAS.—Yesterday a takenh place at a distance -of certainly not less ' tn 10
Pancrashall, amden-town, to elect a poor-law auditor, by. order
were specially summoned to meet in the vestry-
rat, ij ,`riles from each ship—in fact, as evell as
of
the Poor-law Board. There were many candi P ,
logse JI KI c,e d at the b
0, e /bottom of the ocean. The
ti e t oth sides weclear to thee minute of large majority. Mr. Strseten is a
tq • re so as
but Mr. F. Streeter, barrister,. was elected by a very
ke, ', and as to the electrical tests showing not that position. . .es ele leakage or defectiveinsulationeof tr.() wire
es a. ,
Board, but will now resign
for facilitating
ephietibotal fracture, that there was no room left on the landing of the !paella
ais tothe
tecessary
Bum having
qiii, tO rest a moment's doubt of the certainty of new harbour at Holynea
The works are to be im•
be erected in the
• %est disheartening fact. That of all the many been granted for the purpose. _ _
Rigby, the
islia
is t, Ps connected with the Atlantic telegraph this tcedietely preiee.eded with by Messrs. J. U. b.u:
rl
. eters This work wi e 'll b but a temporary wooden
apse"u wcirst and most disheartening is certain since eon,ra .
teithat after all that huma . Vl' el ' • '
re e ne-1 . an science
60 guns, with
be' effect to lay the wire down with safety has mails. Her Majesty's ship, the Hastings, .
jetty to expedite the delivery of the American and other
en se • 'jelled., there may b 3 some fa al obsta-cies , accomplished, the gun boat tender, has left the harbour for Liverpool,
- to Success at the bottom of the ocean which
.e 4,.,
_but she will return next month.
ATT .
of"iiLever be guarded against, for even the nature
be
MANUFACTURED PRIZE C LE The Ayrshire Ex•
press states that a criminal prosecution is about to
whose
lelele Peril must always remain as secret and un- made against Mr, Paton, Bankhead, Particle,
~
ter-elve as the depths in which it is to be encoun- name will be remembered in connection with the doe-
-I\lo t.- . 4
the vessels a Join: , toring" of cattle at the last exhibition of the. Ayrshire
'alai,. Mae was lost, after cl, in 1 Agricultural Association, when two of his animals were
over 19g the third and last splice, which was lowered ; found to have been operated upon b flation, and the
chi 2,000 2,000 fathoms water at seven o'clock by 1
.decoration of artificial horns, on wyhiinch grounds the
t) 4 time the same night. prizes awarded them were subsequently withheld.
for the despatch of business.
,
COURT OF ALDERMEN. —Yesterday a Court was held
ilostilice cable, as before, payed out beautifully, and
Ay Conder, Alderman Hale and De-
a,ving could have been more regular and more
the newly-elected sheriffs, gave bond to
te,4, Chap the working of every Part of the apps- the Court for the perforinance of the duties of the office.
the cable,
inset the ship's' speed was only 2 knit?, i
, Alderman Salomons moved; in accordance with his
th,, al+le going 3 and 3i with a strain of 1,5901 b., I notice :—" That no action or suit be instituted for this
t,' honzontal angle averaging as low as 17, and I city, or any action or spit be defended, without previous
t," vertical about 16. B ' and bye, however, the communication with the Committee for General Pur-i
Iced Was increases! to foury knots, the cable going ' poses of the Court of Aldermen, to whom a reportofshtnhle
to e, at a strain of 2 000lband angle of from 12 'be made from time
.o time as to the progress
15. At this v •, an..
'suits." As the motion meant the Carrying out of or"
ti rate it was kept, with trifling oasis-
'' h had been tan-ally rs7lde r.iil regard
ees throe hout ' - - gements whic .. ,
his intention
.
(either) g the whole of Monday
_.. Mr. r.ieht/ Mr. Canning, nor Mr. Chf- to the prosecution of crinenae, it was not his intention
ra ever quitted the machines for or' in :'^,Court
, ul le the
to .re ~with any comments upon the cub-
"'seconded the motion, which was
"Wards the need] r et. Alderman Wire .
111, , . - • e, eO, the Leslie w iiiie the rate of I
Adiourned.
)eat.
unanimously.
the ' help ceneinued the same, the speed at which ;carried AGRICULTURAL COMPANY.—Yesterday
,cable
i AUSTRALIAN
110 payed out slackened took place at the
hour 'while the dynamometer nearly a knot an the general meeting of this company .
1,300%. indicated as low as se
oaices, Cannon-street—,Mr. J. .
G. Cattley in the chair.
(el.
the ' This change could only be accounted for The report was adopted, and a dividend. ef 15s per share
added to the
te an supposn that the water had shallowed declared, as recommended therein, which,
last, consideeabl
in February was
met e extent, and that the vessel was in sum of 11* per share apportioned
Pateines '
annum.
. over some subinArine BM Nevis or said to be equivalent to 9 per cent, per

During tile remainder of that day and Monday, when
the weather was very clear, both ships cruised over the
place ,if meeting, but it is needless to.say that neither
the Niagara or Gorgon' were there. It was evident
then that the Niagara had rigidly, but most unf. rtn-
nately, adhered to the mere letter of the agreement re-
garding the 100 miles, and after the last fracture had at
once turned hack f;r Queenstown. Oa Tuesday. the
6th, therefore, al the dense fop and wicds set in it was
agreed tetween the Valorous and Agamemnon to retain
.only once more over the rendezvous. But as usual the fog
was so thick that the whole American navy might bare
been crnizing. there unobserved, so the search was given
up, and at 8 o'clock that night the ship's bead was turned
for Cork, and under all sail the Agamemnon at last stood
homewards. The voyage home was made with ease and
swiftness, considering that the wind was light, the trim of
the ship, and that she only steamed three days, and this
morning, at 12.30, the Agamemnon cast anchor in
Queenstown Harbour, having met with more dan-
gerous weather, and encountered more mishaps, than
often falls fo the lot of anyship in a cruise of 33 days. Of
conrse it is yet too soon to nay what course of action has
been positively decided cn by the company, but as there
is still more cable left than is actually necessary for the
undertaking, there seethe no doubt but that the Aga-
memhon and Valorous will 'immediately fill up again
with coal, and leave here with the other vessels on Sa-
turday nt3c, for the final attempt. Of these arrange-
mentet, however, and the rules which may be decicb d
on to guard against future. accident, it is almost prema-
ture to speak, but in the course of another day or SO cur
readers may depend on being full informed.