The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 7, 1858.

3IINEItALOGY.—KING'S COLLEGE, LONDON.
-PROFESSOR TENNANT, F.G.S., will com-
mence a COURSE of LECTURES on MINERALOGY,
with a view to facilitate the study of Geology, and of the ap-
plication of mineral substances in the Arts. The Lectures
will be illustrated by an extensive 'Collection of Specimens,
and will begin TO-MORROW, Oct. 8, 'at Nine o'clock A.M.
They will be continued on each succeeding WEDNESDAY
and FRIDAY, at the same hour. Fee, £2 2s.
R. W. JELF, D.D, Principal.

BOARD AND RESIDENCE. A Superior
Home is offered to a Gentleman of steady habits, en-
gaged during the day, by a family residing near Regent's -
Park. For a young man coming to London for the first time
this would be found a desirable residence. Terms moderate.
References to be exchanged. Address, J. P., Wright's
Dairy, Grauby-street, Hampstead-road, N.W.

GEORGE HOBSON begs to call the attention
of Gentlemen to his New Autumnal Trousers, 21s. to
255. Also his New Partridge Mixture Shooting Coats.

Excellence with Economy.
GEORGE ROBSON, 57, I,ombard-street.
Established 1796.

WHO WILL PAY THE CHINESE
INDEMNITY ? Why, the English themselves. An
export duty is to be levied, and then not even the East India
Tea Company will be able, as they now are, to sell 61b. of
Black, Green, or Mixed Tea, at ls. 10d. per lb., and Coffee, in
the Berry, at 13d.—Warehouse, 9, Great St. Helen's-church-
yard, City.

THORLEY'S FOOD FOR. CATTLE.-
It is only a short time since this singularly efficacious
article of animal diet first made its appearance; and already
its celebrity is world-wide. It has been a subject of wonder,
and has puzzled many a brain to explain how this has been
brought about. Yet when we are acquainted with a few facts
concerning the food, our wonder will cease. A few days since,
a gentleman wrote, stating that he had a horse which was a
" perfect bag of bones." He tried all kinds of things to get
the animal into condition, but in vain. He then bought some
of Thorley's food ;• and he says the effect was wonderful. The
horse rapidly grew fat, and in the course of a few weeks had
gained no less than 12 stones. Again we find at the late agri-
cultural shows at Birmingham, Cardiff, &c., the animals which
carried oft' the highest prizes had been partly fed with Thor-
ley's food for cattle. Such facts speak for themselves, and we
are forced to the conclusion that its celebrity arises solely
from its own intrinsic merits, and the great.demand for it can
proceed alone from the good opinion and testimony of those
who have tried it. • All parties interested in horses and catty,
will do well to apply to 77, Newgate-street, London, for a
pamphlet which is sent post-free.

NICOLL'S NEW REGISTERED PALETOT
has all those advantages which secured such- general
popularity to Messrs. Nicolls' original paletot, that is to say,
it avoids giving to the wearer an outre appearance, so that
professional men and all others can use it during morning and
afternoon in or out of doors. Secondly, there is an absence of
unnecessary seams, well known to secure a more graceful out-
line, as well as to effect a great saving in wear ; the latter
advantage is considerably enhanced by the application of a
peculiar and neatly stitched binding, the mode of effecting
which is patented. Great exertions are being made to supply
Messrs. Nicoll's agents throughout the country and the
colonies with an assortment of this new garment, simulta-
neously, with the display in London, but it is necessary to in-
form the public that all Messrs. Nicoll's manufactures may be
distinguished by a trade mark, consisting of a silk label
attachd tneach specimen ; to copy this is fraud, and may be
thus detected. If garment is dark-coloured, the label has
a black ground, with the firm's name and address woven by
the Jacquard loom in gold-coloured silk ; if the garment fa
light-coloured, the label has a pale drab ground, and red silk
letters. Each paletot is marked in plain figures, at a fixed
moderate price, and is of the best materials. In. London, the
NEW REGISTERED I'ALETOT can alone be had of 11. J.
and D. NIC.OLL, 114, 116, 118, 120, Regent-street, and 22,
Cornhill. •

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

HARROW RACES.-WEDNESDAY.

Handicap Hurdle Race of 6 sous each, with 20 added. Over
six flights of hurdles. Gentlemen riders allowed 51b.
Two miles. (13 subs.)
Mr. Barber's Miss Harkaway, by Sir Tatton. Sykes, 5
yrs, list 61b (Green) 1
Capt. Connell's Little Tom, aged, lOst 91b (Mr. Edwards) 2
Mr. 11. Francis's Red Star, 5 yrs, 9st 111 b (Owner) 5

The betting opened at 6 to 1 on Miss Harkaway, but,
after a while Little Tom's number was put up (after it had
been taken down), and 4to 1 was laid on the mare. Won
by three-quarters of a length. Red Star bolted at The
Farm, he was quickly righted, but fell at the succeeding
flight of hurdles.

The Copeland Handicap of 5 sous each, with 50 added.

Winners extra. Three-quarters of a mile. 13 subs.
Mr. E. Clarke's Simpleton, by Flatcatcher, 3 yrs, sst 71b
(A. Edwards) 1
Mr. A. Williams's Palm Leaf, 2 yrs, 4st 41b.... (Reeves) 2
Mr. Saxon's Princess Royal, 3 yrs (in. 71b ex.), 6st 1 llb
(L. Snowden) 3

Betting-6 to 4 agst Simpleton, '7to 4 agst Princess
Royal, 4 to 1 agst Palm Leaf. Won in a canter by a
length, three lengths between the second and third.

The Great Middlesex Stakes of 100 sovs, added to a Handi-.
cap Sweepstakes of 20 sovs each, h ft, and 3 only if de-
clared (to go to the fund). The second to save his stake.
Winners extra. Mile and a half. 27 subs., 17 of whom

declared. •
Mr. Read's Satinstone, by Touchstone, 3 yrs, 7st_2lb

(L. Snowden) 1
Mr. Copeland's Pyrrhus the Second, 4 yrs, 7st 61b
(Plumb) 2
Mr. Parker's Martha, 3 yrs, 7st 41b (carried 7st 51b
(Fordham) 3
Betting-5 to 2on Satinstone, who won by half a length.
Bad third.

The Nursery Handicap of 00 sovs. Winners extra. Three

quarters of a mile. 33 subs.

Mr. A. Williams's Palm Leaf, by Ratan, 6st 91b (inc. 51b
extra) (F. Adams) 1
Mr. JohnsoWo Willi Wrigb 7st Olb "L. S: ,del 2

,ar. Johnson's .Tillie . right, 7st .... (L. Snowde,
Mr. La Mert's Lady-well, 6st 121 b ' (A. Edwards) 3
Betting-5 to 1 each agst Villaret and Willie Wright, 7
to 1 agst Hibernian, 8 to 1 apt Palm Leaf, 10 to 1 agst
Miss Partridge. Won by a length, the second beating the
third by a length and a half. Brown Holland, Miss
Eleanor, and Hibernian headed the next lot. In the ex-
treme rear were Eltham Beatity, Despatch colt, and Moult=
gelding ; the last mentioned did not pass the post.
An objection was lodged against Palm Leaf, on the
ground that, she had carried 51b overweight. It was after-
wards proved that she had walked over on the preceding
day for the Handicap Plate of £4O, and received half the
plate. It was therefore decided that she was entitled to
carry the extra weight. If this plea, however, had been
over-ruled, the fact of the jockey declaring the 51b extra
would have rendered the filly properly qualified.
The Harrow Handicap of 3 sous each, with 20 added. Gen-
tlemen riders. One mile and a half. s:subs.

Mr. Barber's Lord Nelson, by Colling;wood, 4 yrs, list 41b
(Mr. Dart) 1
Mr. H. E. Johnston's Kilsby, 3 yrs, Bst 121 b (in. 51b ex.)
(L. Snowden) 2
Mr. Fuller's Cantrip, 4 yrs, 9st 101 b .... (Mr. Edwards) 3
Betting-2 to lon Lord Nelson, who won by six lengths;
bad third.
The Stewards' Plato Handicap of GO sovs. Winners extra.

One mile

Mr. E. R. Clarke's Simpleton, by Flatcatcher, 3 yrs, Gst
llb (in. ab extra (A. Edwards) 1
Mr. La Mert's Queen of the South, ( yrs, Bst 511!
G. Fordham) 2
Mr. Copeland's Pyrrhus the Second, 4 yrs, 6st 61b
• (Britton) 3

The following also ran :—Salonica and Itara Avis.
Betting-5 to 4on Simpleton, sto 1 agst Rara Avis, 100
to 15 agst Queen of.the South. Won by a neck, same dis-
tance between the second and third,-a length between the
third and fourth. Rara Avis did not pass the post.

LATEST BETTING.
- CESAREWITCU.
12 to 1 agst Prioress (offered)
11 to 1 agst Happy Land (taken)
Hto 1 agst Malacca (taken)
100 to 6 agst Roman Candle (taken and offered)
30 to 1 agst Rocket (offered)
33 to 1 agst Julia (taken)
50 to 1 agst Hydromel (taken freely)
.50 to 1 agst Janet (taken)
50 to 1 agst Zouxve (taken)•
100 to 1 agst Fadladeen (taken) ..
25 to 1. agst Mr. Sykes and Vandermulin (coupled'
100 to 5 agst Sampson and Ancient Briton (coupled:

CAMBRIDGESHIRE
50 to 1 agst Prioress
60 to 1 agst Barbarity
50 to 1 agst Eclipe
50 to 1 agst Malacca
50 to 1 agst Rosa Bonheur.

I,l' ON THE 'TRIAL IN A CANTER.-Youatt Wm.
Gray's selection for the Cesarewitch Stakes was tried on
Friday, and won by ten lengths in a trot—two others, and
favourites, too, at the present time, were in the fray, but
had not the ghost of a chance—this is a better thing than
Sunbeam, my selection for the St. Leger. I know of
several winners which will be included for 2s. 6d. and ear
centage. Terms to the end, 7s. 6d. Stamps taken. Lay
against Underhand, he is a " market" horse. I sent Prin-
cess Royal, Palm Leaf, and Ardour to"win.—Address, 1.5,
Charing-cross.

THE COMET was seen to great advantage last
evening. About half-past seven the star Arcturus was
shining brightly through its luminous tail near the nucleus.
The tail extends to a length of about 27 degrees. - A scien-
tific correspondent at Edinburgh thus describes its appear-
ance on Monday night :--" Just after it had become visible
to the naked eye (at ten minutes past six), the comet pre-
sented a very marked appearance when seen with a tele-
scope magnifying sixty times. The nebulous matter, which
reached to a distance of about 40 sec. below the nucleus,
had the form of a crescent, the darker part between the
cusps giving the idea that the opaque part cast a shadow
into the nebula. As the darkness of the evening came on,
this seeming shadow grew narrower, but the central part
remained very decidedly fainter than the edges, as if the
luminosity of the comet was confined principally to the
outer layers of matter." I
[ADvEnnsEmENT.l.—Holloway's Pills.—When we con-
sider how uncertain are life and health, and their value is
appreciated by all human beings, it is strange indeed to ob-
serve how often men neglect the means of preserving these
blessings at even the most trifling cost. They pay heavily
to insure their premises from fire or their goods from acci-
dent on flood and field, but they often put off until it is too
late the expenditure of a few shillings over a box of Hol-
loway's Pills, which they might keep by them as an unfail-
ing safeguard, as a charm which will protect the pos-
sessor against all diseases. They must certainly do good,
U used according to instructions given with each box.

THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.

VALENTIA, OCT. 4.

While all the rest of the world is busy with con-
jectures and speculations relative to the probability
of the present Atlantic cable ever becoming a prac-
tical means of communication between Europe and
America, at this secluded little spot, which is sup-
posed to be the centre of all information on the
subject, everything remains dull and quiet enough.
All the eminent electricians, who for more than a
month past have been busy in performing a variety
of scientific experiments with the line, have left,
with the exception of Mr. Henley ; and even the
few occasional strangers and tourists whom the
fame of the cable brought to this part of the world
have long ceased to arrive. The stories of wonder-
ful phenomena observed by the country people in
connection with the first success and ultimate
failure of the cable are now no longer heard, and
people now think and speak of an Atlantic Tele-
graph as if an enterprise for its accomplishment had
never existed. All here are now obliged to admit
reluctantly that the present cable is a failure, and
the faint hopes which were indulged in a short time
ago, that one of the principal injuries to the cable
was near the shore and within reach, are now aban-
doned. One day, to all appearances, the fault
mends to a considerable extent, and during the
receiving periods the ever-varying earth currents
are watched, distorted, and dissected, in the hopes of
discovering something that may be construed into a
signal or message from Newfoundland—but to, no
purpose, for even the slight and regular deflections
of Professor Thomson's delicate galvanometer,
which were at first mistaken for " reversals" from
America, are now attributed to the varying nature
of the faults. Though. a consideriable partof -the
injury that has occurred to the cable is due to
cimamstances over which human foresight could
have no control—as, for instance, the tempestuous
weather which universally prevailed during all
the expedition—yet the many and disappointing
failures which have occurred have brought with
them valuable experience which will prevent
their recurrence during the laying of 'any future
deep-sea lines. ' A variety of experiments have
lately been .tried, both by Professor Thomson and'
Mr. Henley, to discover the amount of fault or
bare surface of the conductor which would prevent
the current passing through the line altogether, and •
they have come to the condition that several inches
of total loss of insulation in one place would not
interrupt the whole of the electric current at once,
though the points of leakage would soon be totally
oxidated away by the decomposition of the salt
water in contact with them, if positive currents
of electricity were used, while, if _ only a minute
flaw existed, the use of the powerful currents of
high tension electricity, such as were at first used
with the cable, would very soon destroy the wire
altogether at the point of resistance. The sup-
posed difficulty of working through the cable after
it was submerged, which was so much talked
about a short time ago, has turned out to be alto-
gether a mistake, and therefore the high tension
induction coils which were made by Mr. White--
house were not only unnecessary, but absolutely
hurtful and dangerous—unless the whole length of
the line was most perfectly insulated in every inch
of its vast length, which of course it is impossible
to expect that anything made by human hands
could be. The retarding influences of induction
which were so much spoken of while the cable was
lying at Keyham were probably due to the indue;
tive influence of one layer of the cable lying over
another in the coil, for so little has it been ex-
perienced since the cable has been laid that Pro-
fessor Thomson thinks if the line was in fair condi-
tion it could be worked through with ease with a
few battery cells of Daniel's constant battery. A
great variety of interesting experiments have been
performed to show the kind of electricity best suited
for working through the Line, both in a perfect and
imperfect condition, and the results which have
been arrived at are both useful and interesting.
The high tension electricity from the induced coils
was found to burn .up and destroy a wire where a
fault in the gutta percha was made. The second
experiment was made with discharges from Hen-
ley's magneto-electric machine. This was found to
suffer a slight loss through the fault, but not to in-
jure the wire at the point of egress in any way as
long as negative discharges only were sent through.
The direct battery current, of great quantity, but
low tension electricity, was found to answer best,
and to cause less injury to the cable and to suffer less
loss through the fault, but some copious currents of
this low tension electricity are now unable to make
the cable show signs of activity even with the most
delicate arrangement of Professor Thomson's reflect-
ing galvanometer. Much has been said about this
beautifully sensitive little instrument, yet but few
know its nature or the advantages it
.possesses over
other galvanometers in observing minute currents
of electricity. It consists of a coil of very fine insu-
lated wire, in the interior of which is suspended a
very small mirror of the finest microscope glass, to
the back of which are fastened two magnetic
needles not more than a quarter of an inch in
length. The two needles, with the reflecting mirror
they bear, not weighing more than two grains, are
suspended by a single fibre of silk. When the in-
strument is in use a ray of light is thrown upon the
mirror, and is reflected upon an index board. The
very faintest currents of electricity are measured by
these means, for the very faintest deflection of the
needles, caused by an almost imperceptible current
of electricity passing through the coil, of course is
very perceptible upon the index board by the
motion of the reflected spot of light. Mr. Henley
has also a needle galvanometer here, most beauti-
fully sensitive, and he is now constructing one
which will be sensibly affected by the small quantity
of electricity developed by the motion of the muscles
of the body. 111 r. Henley's magnetic machine, as pre-
viously stated, is now regularly used every day, both
in sending " reversal" signals, and sometimes even
words. It is impossible to say definitely that they
are received at the other end; yet from what is
known of the nature and action of those magneto-
electric currents on overground lines there can be
little doubt, if they do not pass the fault in the
cable, no electric current ever will. Indeed, rumours
have already. reached this place, but for their au-
thenticity it is impossible to vouch, that intelli-
gence has been received from Newfoundland of
the receipt there of several of the words and. mes-
sages sent to Henley's magnetic machine. Even
supposing this to be the case, and that on some of
Mr. Henley's instruments being sent out to New-
foundland a regular communication is re-esta-
blished, it would be wise of the shareholders and
those connected with the company not to be too
sanguine of the permanent success of the present
wire. A fault which, though slight at first, has
been gradually but surely increasing, cannot
but be in the end fatal ; for .though for a time
instruments of sufficient power to send, and deli-
cacy to receive messages through the cable, in its
increasing state of imperfection, may be found, yet
at length it must reach a condition with which the
most refined mechanical skill cannot cope. That the
wire is exposed to a considerable extent in at least
two places is well ascertained, and where a metallic
surface through which currents of positive electricity
are passing is exposed to water, oxidation
.takes
place by the electrolytic decomposition of the water,
and thus the wire must soon be eaten away. This
may be in -a great measure avoided by transmitting
all signals with negative currents, which would
prevent the direct oxidation of the wire by electro-
lysis, but at the same time, according to the experi-
ments which have been made here both by Pro-
fessor Thomson' and Mr. Henley, an exposed wire
is not entirely free from a species of decomposition
even when negative currents alone are transmitted
through it. It soon became encrusted with a light
coloured substance, the precise nature of which is
not quite ascertained as yet, but is supposed to be
a combination of chloride of copper with some of the
organic compounds contained in the gutta percha.
So no matter what may be the result of the pre-
concerted experiments at both termini of the wire,
one thing cannot be doubted, viz., that before per-
manent, certain, and rapid telegraphic communica-
tion can be secured between Europe aud America,
another cable must be laid. That this present or
any other Atlantic Telegraph Company can be ex-
.pected to advance the money for, and go to the
trouble of laying another cable without some
further encouragement from both the English and
American Governments, it is not, reasonable to
suppose. About half a million has already been
expended in merely purchasing experience of the
kind of cable most suitable for submersion
in the Atlantic, and in the way it should
be laid. This enormous outlay on the guaranteed
Government subsidy is counted as nothing. The
private enterprise of the promoters and share-
holders of this undertaking has already done a
great deal, and it may truly be said that the Go-
vernment have not neglected to bear a share in the
undertaking on behalf of the public, as far as dock-
yard facilities and the loan of ships could go; but
considering the great national importance of the
scheme and, and the many disappointments which
the shareholders have had to encounter, the time
haslnow come for both the English and American

Governments to place their guaranteed subsidy
upon a different and more encouraging basis. A
fixed annual sum, no matter how large, secured to
the company contingent on the success of their
scheme, will never induce shareholders to advance
in an undertaking in which they may spend mil-
lions before it is finally accomplished. But if say
5 per cent. were guaranteed by the two Govern-
ments upon the total capital expended in complet-
ing a permanently successful and efficient telegra-
phic line between England and America until the
company should be paying dividends to that amount,
no one can doubt the Atlantic telegraph would soon
be efficiently working. The apparent distance of
the fault from the shore does not vary in the least
degree. This would certainly tend to show that
the break really is between 250 and 300 statute
miles from the shore, or nearly the same as the
distance estimated by the resistance. It seems
almost miraculous to people not conversant with
electrical science that the position of a leakage in a
submarine cable can be measured with comparative
accuracy by experiments performed at either end of
its length ; but in reality the process is very simple.
The resistance which each mile of cable offers to a
given electric current is accurately known, there-
fore the resistance which the cable offers to a known
current would. give the number of miles that the
fault is distant along the cable, supposing that
the fault is of sufficient size to offer no resistance
itself to the escape of the whole current.- It
is, therefore, evident that where the nature and
size of a fault is not ascertained, its distance
from any given point- cannot be made known
with any certainty by. this method of measuring;
for should the loss of insulation be small, and in
itself offer great resistance to the passage of the
current, this cannot be taken into account ; but the
resistance must be measured as miles of distance
from the fault to the point of observation. It is
the knowledge of the uncertainty of this method of .
measuring the position of a fault under certain cir-
cumstances which encouraged the idea so long be-
lieved by many, that the injury to the cable was
within a moderate distance of the shore. Thus, for
the present, the cable must be considered a failure,
at least as regards its paying and, working proper-
ties ; nevertheless, in spite of all obstacles, the at-
tempt has demonstrated the ease, and indeed almost
certainty, with which under ordinarily favourable
circumstances a submarine cable across the Atlantic
can always be laid, and all the theories of the cross
currents which were to break the cable, the floats
which were necessary to buoy it up, and, above all,
the idea that it could never sink to the bottom, are
set at rest for ever. The cable has been laid, and
has been worked through and really when we look
for one moment at what that coil has had to under-
go, from the day the first mile of it was made up to
the present tithe, it seems nothing less than marvel-
lous how it has been submerged,-and still -more
astounding that any signals ever, came through it.
The plan upon which the Crystal Palace is built
was -first drawn out upon a sheet of blotting-paper
by Sir J. Paxton, while travelling to town in a
railway carriage with Robert Stephenson. In like
manner the first rough idea of the Atlantic Teic-
graph, and the kind of cable which would be neces-
sary to carry it into effect, was discussed for the
first time one night as Mr. Brunel, Mr: Glass, Mr.
Canning, and, we think, Sir C. Bright, were travel-
ling together from Milford to London. It was then
agreed' that strength; flexibility, and lightness were
indispensable mechanical conditions in any rope to
be submerged in the Atlantic, and one covered
with thin steel wires, it was thought, would best,
suit the requirements of the case. Some time after
this, when our capitalists were willing to sub-
scribe the money, upon the representations of Sir
C. Bright, Mr. Field, Mr. Brett, and Mr. White-
house, the plan gradually assumed a tangible shape
and then some samples of steel_rope were made by
Glass and Elliot. These were, of court, beautiful
specimens of manufacturing skill, very light, and as
flexible as cord, and at the same time would bear a
strain equal to ten tons. The expense, however, of
the steel wire, the very limited supply a it that
could be obtained - at one time, put steel-covered
ropes out of the question, Various other specimens
of wire-covered rope were then made by the same
firm, and a variety of experiments tried to ascertain
the kind of rope which would be cheapest and at
the same time best adapted,, as regards strength
and lightness, for the purpose. At length one
specimen was made which was supposed to contain
all the essential qualities, and which, though made
of the best charcoal iron, only cost .£lOO a mile.'
The breaking strain of this cable was 81 cwt., but
it was found by using charcoal iron of an inferior
quality the rope could be made at £9O a mile, and
economy carried the day, and this rope was decided
upon. This alteration in the quality of the iron,
though only a saving of £lO per mile, reduced the
breaking strain of the cable to 62 cwt. All the
risks to which the success of this hazardous under-
taking was exposed commenced with the manufac-
ture of this rope. The Gutta Percha Company, as
all who have to do with submarine lines know to -
their cost, have a complete monopoly of the manu-
facture, and rule all matters connected with their
patent for insulating wires with absolute law.
None could be present, on the part of the Atlantic
Telegraph Company, to see that the same was pro-
perly insulated, and no doubt whatever exists but
that in too many places the insulation was most
defective. Many of these defects, no doubt, arose
from the bad method of covering the wire with its
gutta percha covering which the company them-
selves use, and much from the negligence of the
men. In saying this, however, we by no means
wish to blame the individuals of the company, who
were heart and soul in favour of the telegraph ;
but they, like others, had to trust to their workmen,
who, in hurrying over more than 3,000 miles of wire,
left but too many places poorly covered. On the
very place where the splice was made, in the centre
of the Atlantic, an air bubble, almost the size of a
coffee-bean, had to be cut out. How many hundreds
of similar places might there have been that were
never seen. The defective centering of the copper
conductor in its gutta percha covering was also, no
doubt, a source of many serious faults, for the
reason that the gutta percha, being very thin in
some parts, allows the powerful electric currents
from the induction coils to pierce it and touch the
outside wires. Once this fault, which is techni-
cally called " blowing a hole," in a cable takes
place, such a loss of the signalling-current ensues
that the cable is rendered useless, or a great aug-
mentation of battery power is rendered necessary;
and when this last remedy is resorted to the hole
becomes larger and larger until the water, getting
freely to the wire oxidatcs it away in a very short
time. Such .accilients have frequently occurred in
the cables between England and the Hague, and
there is not the least doubt that there are many
scores of such faults along the Atlantic wire.
However the continued rips and little injuries to
which the coils were exposed only commenced after
the manufacture was complete. The rope was
coiled and uncoiled repeatedly in the hold of the
Agamemnon, and during the first expedition of
1857 it was exposed to such heat as with the super-
incumbent pressure of the whole mass must have
still more distorted the centering of the conductor
in its gutta percha insulating medium. It was
again uncoiled at Keyham, in consequence of the
eagerness of the American officers to be " quit of
England." The Niagara's portion of the cable was
flung out in heaps with such reckless haste that
half of it was not passed through the tar tanks.
The rust consequently began to work its way
through the small wires, and whole miles of the cable
were thus rendered useless and had to be cut away.
During the winter it remained at Keyham, we
believe it was not once properly tested under water.
And for the experiments necessary to render the
working through it easy such a constant Succes-
sion of powerful coil currents were always passing
as must have infallibly discovered and penetrated
any badly insulated spot of the copper conductor.
It was again on board the Niagara and Agamemnon
in the beginning of the present year, and subse-
quently during the first memorable cruise, tossed
for many days and nights in two vessels labouring
heavily in one of the most terrific storms that ever
swept across the Atlantic. After this it was again
brought back to Queenstown, and again sent across
the ocean in the almost hopeless chance of laying
the cable with the reduced quantity and almost
disabled ships. As we have said, taking all these
things into consideration, it is a wonder how the
cable could have been laid at all in one piece, and
no one had certainly any right to expect that it
would ever be a working cable. A good deal of
attention has lately been turned to the question of
rope-covered wire, and there is now no doubt but
that all future attempts to connect Europe with
America will be made with cables so constructed.
At the same time it will not be strands of hemp
loosely thrown round the guttapercha covered wires
that will make a serviceable cable, but rope yarns
bound in with-the same fineness as the wires are now
twisted by the " closing machine." In fact, rope-
Coy ered wire would have to be made by Glass and
Elliot or Newall just in the same manner, and on
the same plan, as the wire-covered cables are now
made by those firms. Already we believe a splen-
did,specnnen -of z rope-covered wire, almost
buoy-
Oat ja water, eminently strong, and flexible as cord,

is now in process of manufacture by Messrs. Glass
and Elliot, but more than this it is not desirable to
mention at present.
There is one difficulty which many suppose will
influence the success of the deep-sea cables in no
slight degree—namely, the pressure to which all
cables must be subjected at great depths. Some
people are sufficiently ill-informed to deny that there
is any pressure exerted by the water of the ocean at
the bottom at all. Such absurd blunders only arise
from ignorance of the difference between density
and weight. It does not follow that because water
is almost incompressible, that it weighs nothing, no
more than it follows that because a block of granite
is not elastic it does not press upon the spot on
which it rests. The pressure of the water at the
bottom of the Atlantic averages about two tons and
a half to the square inch. It is a simple matter of
calculation to ascertain the fact. At such a pres-
sure as this wrought brass can be saturated with
water like a sponge, and a block of it so saturated
requires days for it to ooze out again.
It is true that brass is a very porous substance,
but were the very best cast iron hydraulic machines
to be subjected to such a pressure as two or three
tons to. the inch, the water would be forced through
them like dew. A gutta percha covered wire has
been subjected to such a pressure under water for
an hour or so, and its electrical condition was found
rather improved. However, to render this experi-
ment complete, the pressure should have been con-
tinued for a _much longer period, for it may still
happen, though it is certainly unlikely, that a long
continued pressure of the water might penetrate
the. gutta percha in places where air bubbles ex-
isted, and thus give rise to faults. This idea is sup-
ported by the knowledge of the fact that under con-
siderable pressure gutta percha is reduced to half
its bulk. Thus when a cable is submerged to a great
depth, the coil of hemp and gutta percha becomes
smaller, leaving the spiral iron wires by which it is
surrounded slack. Should the cable in this condi,
tion happen to rest across a chasm however small,
the outside wires would have to elongate consider-
ably before any strain can come on them ; the coil
in the meantime being subjected to tension, the
insulating medium is likely to be cracked and de-
stroyed, and a raw wire left exposed to the salt
water. This fact is directly against the use of gutta
percha as an insulating medium in deep-sea cables.
India rubber is quite incompressible and imper-
vious to water at any pressure, but it is not quite
so goOd an insulator as gutta percha. It may be
worth the consideration' of those interested in the
manufacture of insulated wire to try if a mixture
of the two substances might not be to some degree
free from the defects of either separately.. The in-,
dia rubber might impart to the gutta percha some
of its incompressibility and elastibity, while the
gutta percha might make, the indiarubber a better
insulator. The expenSe of insulating_wire by these-
means would not be great, if, indeed, it would be
as costly as using gutta percha alone; Thus it may
be seen that, if the present cable should ultimately
prove a failure, the experience which has been ac-
quired with it will certainly ensure, the Buccess of
all future deep-sea lines.—Daily News.

MESSRS. COLLIER AND WHITE AT
PLYMOurm

Messrs. Collier and White, members for-Ply-
mouth, addressed their constituents at the
Mechanics' • Institute in that town on Tuesday
evening. The chair was taken by Mr. S. Rowse.
The meeting was very noisy, and it was evident
that the popularity of Mr. Collier had declined in
consequence of his vote on the. Conspiracy Bill.
:Mr. White's reception-was most enthusiastic.
Mr. COLLIER having testified to the valuable
services of his in the House, proceeded
to address nini4elf to the main subject of disagree-
ment between himself and his constituents—viz.,
his vote for the introduction of the Conspiracy Bill,
and explained that his. reason for voting for that
measure was a conscientious belief that the law, as
it unequally affected foreigners and British subjects,
required alteration. He could see no reason why
foreigners accused of plotting murder, whether of
a peasant or a crowned head,"should not be equally
amenable to the laws of this country as any natural-
born subject. Referring to the fall of the late
Administration, he expressed his belief that had
Lord Palmerston adhered to and evinced a desire to
carry out the liberal principles he professed his
party would still have been in. power; but he had
not shown himself prepared to advocate those
measures of reform which the country demanded ;
and any measure of reform would be incomplete
that did not provide for the protection of the voter
by the introduction of the ballot. On this subject
he (Mr. Collier) felt no hesitation in clearly
expressing his opinion that a Reform Bill to be effi-
cient must give the franchise to the intelligent
working classes. Every man above 21 who occu-
pied either part or whole of a house as a residence,
and who had not been convicted of any crime,
was entitled to a vote and ought to have it—
(cheers)—and he would be glad to see in Parlia-
ment some of the intelligent representatives of the
working classes. These were the opinions he had
always asserted, and if they had been acted upon
by Lord Palmerston that nobleman would still have
been at the head of affairs. Having glanced at
other causes for dissatisfaction with the late Admi-
nistration, and traced its acts down to its defeat on
Milner Gibson's motion of censure for not replying
to the Walewski despatch, Mr. Collier said it was
his intention to have supported Mr. Wyse's motion
en the Cabinet appointments ; and the Government
must have gone out upon that, even if they had
not been defeated on the other motion. He had
been elected to support Lord Palmerston's Govern-
ment ; but, as a member of the great Liberal party,
finding Lord Palmerston indisposed to carry out
those measures which were necessary, and that he
was not disposed to take the position of leader of
that party, lie had felt it his duty to oppose the
noble lord. The hon. member, after elaborately
defending his vote on the Conspiracy Bill, pro-
ceeded to review the business of the past session.
He rejoiced at the abolition of the property qualifi-
cation for members as opening the door for the ad-
mission of intelligent representatives of the work-
ing. classes, -but he regretted that this beneficial
measure had been in some degree neutralised by the
adoption of the Corrupt Practices Bill, which made
it legal to pay the expense of voters to the place of
polling. That bill ought to have been entitled a
" Measure for the Encouragement of Bribery," and
he pledged himself, if no other member did so, to
introduce a motion for its repeal. (Applause.) He
did not go to the extent the Chartists did in advo-
cating the payment of members, but he thought
that would be far less absurd than making mem-
bers pay for their seats, and instanced the enor-
mous sums lavished in the metropolitan and some
other large boroughs. One good thing the Parlia-
ment had done had been to emancipate the Jews,
or, rather, the strong force of public opinion had
extorted a concession from the House of Lords
which virtually admitted the Jews to a participa-
tion in the civil privileges enjoyed by their Chris-
tian fellow-subjects. The Lords saw the ridiculous
position in which they were placed by the motion
of Mr. Duncombe, and the sense of ridicule accom-
plished what even a sense of justice might have
failed to exact. He much regretted that they had
not acted in the same spirit of concession with
regard to the church rates, and eulogised the ser-
vices of Sir J. Trelawny in relation to this ques-
tion. He should oppose any compromise on this
subject ; the only mode of settling the matter was
to do away with it altogether. (Cheers.) He much
regretted the course adopted by Lords Palmerston
and Russell, and hoped they would be induced
inc
to change their opinions on this question. The
House of Lords had stood out against the
abolition of church rates, but it depended on the
public how long they would continue to do so ;
for, depend upon it, if the people insisted
on their rights the House of Lords would give
way to their just demands. If they wished to
preserve their existence the House of Lords would
do well not to place themselves in a position an-
tagonistic to the will of the people. The hon.
member next adverted to the application of the
principle of limited liability to joint-stock banks, to
the registration of partnerships, and to the equali-
sation of the poor-rates. Passing. on to the con-
sideration of the India Bill, he thought it an
improvement on the former.state of things, although
not the best measure which coulahave been adopted.
The transfer of the supreme power from a company
which had long mismanaged the affairs of our vast
Indian possessions to the Queen was necessary, and
he had therefore supported the bill, although it was
defective. Mr. Collier glanced at the state of the
army, and could not conceive , anything so bad as
the administration of that branch of the service.
He referred to the disclosures at Weedon, and ex-
pressed his opinion that it was high time to inter-
fere and put an end to a system so thoroughly
disgraceful. (Cheers.) Speaking of the present
Government, Mr. Collier said it was not his inten-
tion to give any factious opposition to the adminis-
tration of Lord Derby. He looked at measures
rather than at men, and provided he found -the
present Government adopting liberal and progres-