The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-10 00:00:00

THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.

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The following minute and graphic account of the laying
of the cable is taken from the Freenvin's Journal :
" VALENTIA, Saturday Night.
" The fact that the At'antic cable was successfully laid on
the sth of August—exactly one year from the day upon
which the then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, lenrd Carlisle,
assisted In hanlitee on shore ibe end of the cable, when the
first effort to unite the old world with the new by tele-
graphic conlmunieation wai made without success—is um* a
subject of rejoicing, in every community interested in the
achievement of this all-important work. Since my arrival
at Valentia I have seen by to eerephic coupounieaiiou in
your journal that the intelligence has created the greatest
excitement and joy in Lotieloa, Liverpool, and other English
cities; and this evening we learned by telegram that while
her gracious Majesty was assisting the celebration by
Napoleon 111. of the completion of the great naval forti-
fication of Cherbourg, after more than a century of cease-
less labour, she was agreeably surprised by the announce-
ment that the greatest scientific probletn of the age—
the most important step towards the promotion of peace
and civilisation tin oughoat the world—had been triumph-
antly carried out by the combined enterprise and skill of
England and America. The success of the glorious enter-
p: ise must, indeed, have been at such a moment peculiarly
gratifying to the ruler of these islands, and that the an-
nouucerueut created an immense sensation' in Cherbourg.
I can well believe when I look around me here and see the
joy that beasts in every face, and the enthusiasm that is
everywhere openly expressed at the result, which is the
more pleasing that it was wholly anexpected. Indeed, so
eptie ly was the whole thing carried out, s',) unexpected was
the ,accomplishment of the undertakiug, that the Ag,amcal-
non made her appearance in the bay when the electricians,
who were awaiting her arrival in Mr. Young's neat little
hotel on the Hand, were fast asleep, and the cable was
rctually landed before the people residing on the main-
land were award of the fact. The knowledge that the
cable has been laid will naturally deprive any Menne-
tion I have to communicate of touch of its interest;
nevertheless, I am sure that many of your readers will
be glad to learn some of the incidents connected with the
project and the details of the proceedings on board the
Agamemnon during her now memorable expedition. First
let me state the actual progress that has been made. The
cable is laid I orn the shore of Valentia to that of Trinity
Bay, Newfoundland, and a free current of electricity is
being constantly maintained through the wires, thought as
yet, and for some time to come, no nie4sage can be trans-
mitted from America. This arises from the fact that the in-
struments at Newfoundland have not yet been arranged in
working order. Mr. Mildinan Whitehouse, an electrician
of great eminence, has charge of the arrangemeets in Va-
lentia, and for some weeks he has been constantly engaged
in the erection of the apparatus here. It is now in perfect
order, and he is able to transmit messages to Trinity
Bay, to which he has received intelligible signals
in reply. The apparatus intended t be used in
the working of the Atlantic telegraph is a new
invention, and said to possess soma important improvements.
Its novelty, of course, renders it at first m, re difficult to
erect and to work ; and until it has been fully arranged at
the other side of the Atlantic no independent message can
be transmitted from thence. Enough, however, has been
done to show that the Atlantic telee rap't is ten fait accom-
pli. The messages sent by Mr. NY bitehous.t to his colleagues
at Newfoundland have been u derstood and answered by
them in the way he requested, viz., by signals repeited for
a greater or shorter space of time according to the re-
quest conveyed by the message. Under these Circuit-
stances it is inapwsible to say when we will be. in a
position to have full and perfect communication. between
Valentia and Newfoundland; but knowing the diffi-
culties to be encountered, and the time required for the
urrangement of the instruments, I am inclined to be-
lieve that at least a fortnight must elapse before that
desirable consummation is effected. I had the honour this
evening of an interview with Mr. Charles Bright, the acettin-
'dished engineer of the Atlantic Company, and to whose
skill, fo e•hought, and indefatigable exer.i ms the success-
ful achievement of the great undertaking is mainly due.
None but professional men can understand the greatness
and the multiplicity of the difficulties which Mr. Bright
had to e .counter, or appreciate the readiness, the practical
talent, an i the untiring patience with which he grappled
with and overcame them. The success that has crowned