The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-18 00:00:00

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ECONOMIC LIFE ASSURANCE
SOCIETY, 6, New .Bridge-street, Loudon.
Established 1823.
DIRECTORS.
ROBERT BIDDULPH, Esq., Chairman.
WILLIAM ROUTH, Esq., Deputy Chairman.
Alfred Kingsford Barber, Esq. Rear-Admiral Robert Gor-
Henry Barnett, Esq. don.
The Right Hon. E. Pleydell Charles Morris, Esq.
Bouverie, M.P. George Kettilby Rickards,
Edward Charrington, Esq. Esq.
Thomas Edgar, Esq. Augustus Koppel Stephen-
Sir Alexander Duff Gordon, son, Esq.
Bart.

THE

FIRST AUSTRALIAN TELEGRAPH •

CABLE.

Our antipodean connexions have not lost much
time in availing themselves of the advantages and
conveniences which the development of science in
Europe has lately secured to mankind. Lines of
railway. communication are daily being extended
from point to point in Australia, developing the
vast mineral and agricultural resources of the
country, and the necessity for rapid communica-
tion by means of submarine cables (which even
in this enlightened hemisphere are little better
than successful experiments), is acknowledged
and provided for by the colonial governments.
The screw steamer Omel, 1,200 tons burden,
and commanded by Captain M'Meaken,
sailed from the Thames for Tasmania on Tues-
day with the first of ' the Australian subma-
rine cables on board. The rope has been recently
manufactured at Mr. Henley's Telegraph Cable
Works, at East Greenwich, for the Tasmanian Go-
vernment, and is,intended to open a communication
between the island of Van Diemen's Land and Mel-
bourne, across Bass's Straits, a distance of some-
thing under 200 miles. -The difficulties attending
the submersion are not so great as to render the
ultimate success of the operation at all problemati-
cal, as the depth of the water in no- place exceeds
65-fathoms; though the distance Is great, and a
considerable current runs in the Straits. The total
length of the cable is 240 statute miles, which was
coiled away on board ship in two coils, one in the
main hold containing 140 miles, and the other in
the after hold containing 100 miles, each of which
was of course firmly dowed and fastened, so as to
avoid the possibility of their shifting from their
positions should the ship get under heavy weather
in rounding the Cape. In construction the cable
differs little from those ordinarily in use for short
sea distances in this country. It consists of a single
copper conductor surrounded by thick coatings
of gutta percha, wound round with hemp yarn.
The extra covering consists of ten No. 8 iron wires
twisted spirally round the core, which increases the
diameter of the whole cable to about three-quarters
of an inch, and its weight to about two tons per
statute mile. It is considered by all the electrical
engineers who have examined and experimented
upon it,to be one of the most perfectly constructed
and carefully insulated cables ever made. That it
possesses the latter valuable quality to such a degree
is due to the incessant severe testing it was subjected
to during the process of manufacture. As each
mile was made it was coiled away in a large tank
of water, and then hourly tested until finally placed
on board the Omel. To show the advantage of
this method of trying the insulation of a cable
(which it must ever be regretted was not resorted
to with the Atlantic wire), it may be mentioned
that a very serious fault in the insulation which
existed in the gutta percha covering evidently be-
fore the manufacture of the rope, did not manifest
itself until after it had been four days under water.
Thus, had it been tested only on shore, the electri-
cal indications would have been pronounced as
showing a perfect state of insulation, but, after
submersion, the fault would gradjially, and, per-
haps, fatally, have manifested itself, as in the case
of the present Atlantic wire. The celerity with
which all the operations connected with this cable
have been performed is one of the most remarkable
circumstances connected with it. As an instance,
it may be mentioned that the whole length of 240
miles, weighing about 500 tons, was safely and
evenly coiled away on board the Omel, by a new
machine of Mr. Henley's, in six days. The whole
of the magnetic instruments for sending and receiv-
ing messages through the line have also been ma-
nufactured by Messrs. Henley. The present wire
is as it were but the pioneer of greater and more
enterprising telegraph schemes m the new world.
Should it succeed, it is, we believe, the intention of
the Government of New Zealand to submerge a tele-
graphic line from New Munster, in that col ony,to Tas-
mania. But this scheme would involve serious
difficulties, second, indeed, only to those which op-
pose the success of an Atlantic line, as the cable
would have to be submerged across an arm of the
South Pacific about 900 miles broad, and of great
depth. Should it be completed, the whole of the
Australian colonies would be placed in instanta-
neous communication with each other—a first step
towards the realisation of the long-cherished scheme
of placing them in electrical communication with
India, and, via the Red Sea line, with Europe and
England.—Daily News.

AUDITORS.
John Howell, Esq. John Gilliam Stilwell, Esq.
Henry Roberts, Esq. Richard Taylor, Esq.
PHYSICIAN—WiIIiam Emanue Page, M.D., Oxon, 11, Queen-
street, May-fair.
SunaEoN.,.Benjamin Travers, Esq. F.R.C.S., No. 49, Dover-
street, Piccadilly.
SoLierron—Henry Young, Esq., 12, Essex-street, Strand.
ACTUARY—James John Downes, Esq., F.R.A.S.
ADVANTAGES.

Mutual Assurance.
The lowest rates of Premium on the. Mutual System.
The whole of the profits divided every Fifth Year.
An accumulated Capital of. £1,695,000
During its existence the Society has paid in
1,540,000
Claims
Reversionary Bonuses have been added to Po-
licies to the extent of 890,000
The last Bonus, declared in 1854, averaged £67
per Cent, on the Premiums paid, and amounted
to
Policies in force 7,621
The Annual Income exceeds 240,000
In pursuance of the invariable practice of this Society, in
the event of the Death of the Life Assured within the 15 days
of grace, the Renewal Premium remaining unpaid, the Claim
will be admitted, subject to the payment of such Premium.
The next Division nf Profits will be made in 1859.
Assurances effected prior to 31st December, 1859, will par-
ticipate in the Division of 1864.
Prospectuses and full particulars may be obtained on appli--
"Ation to ALEN ":NDER MACDONALD, Secretary. •

'TGATION 'and CANAL

,et of Parliament.)
and Working (under the
f the Government of India)
of irrigation Works and Navi-
-6...u.e Canals throughout the Presidency of Madras and
the neighbouring Territories of Berar, Cochin, Hyderabad,
Mysore, Nagpoor, Orissa, the South Mahratta Country,
and Travancore ; and also throughout the Lower Pro-
vinces of Bengal, when the necessary powers shall have

been obtained.
First Capital, £2,000,000 (with power to increase). First
Issue thereof, £1,000,000, in 50,000 Shares of £2O each,
upon which a perpetual Minimum Interest of £5 per
cent. has been guaranteed by the Secretary of State for
India in Council, all surplus profits being divisible equally
between the Government and the Company : which
arrangement is subject to be determined only by the Go-
vernment purchasing the Works constructed within six
months after the expiration of each period of 25 years, at
a sum equal to the market value of the shares of the
company on an average of the three preceding years.
Deposit, £1 per Share, to bear Interest at the guaranteed
rate from the day on which the same shall be paid into
the Indian Treasury.

DIRECTORS.
CHAIRMAN—JAMES THOMSON, Esq. (Messrs. Line
and Co., Madras), Deputy Governor of the Agra Bank,
and late. Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, Madras,
and President of the Madras Bank.
Colonel Philip Anstruther, C. 8., Madras Artillery.
The Hon. Philip Pleydell Bouverie, M.P. (Messrs. Ran-
som, Bouverie, and Co.)
Lieutenant-Colonel Grimes, Madras Army, Chairman of the
Oriental Inland Steam Company.
Colonel Atwell Lake, C. 8., late Superintending Engineer
of the Kistnah Irrigation Workil
Lieutenant-Colonel Onslow, late of the Commission for

governing Mysore.
Lieutenant-General Sir George Pollock, G.C.8., F.R.G.S.,

Bre.
Major-General Westrow Watkins, Madras Army.

CONSULTING ENGINEER.
Col, J. T. Smith, Madras Engineers, F.R.S., &c.
AUDITORS.—James Bonar, Esq. (Messrs. Small and CO..

Old Jewry).
BANKERS.—Messrs. Ransom, Bouverie, and Co.,
1, Pall-Mall East.
Soucrrou.—:John Mackrell, Esq., 34, Cannon-street West

SECRETARY.—John Westwood, Esq.
Offices-27, Cannon-street, London, E.C.

Full Prospectuses and Forms of applications for shares
may now be had on application at the Company's Offices,
27, Cannon-street, London, B.C. ; of the bankers, Messrs.
Ransom, Bouverie, and Co., 1, Pall-Mall East; and of the
solicitor, John Mackrell, Esq., 34, Cannon-street West,
8.C., London ; but no application will be considered unless
a deposit of £1 on each share applied for is previously
made to Messrs. Ransom, Bouvene, and Co., bankers of
the company. The deposit will be returned if the applica-
tion is not acceded to.

Extract from Minutes of Consultation transmitted by the
Government of Madras, on the 15th May, 1858, to the
late Court of Directors of the East India Company :
The Government express their unanimous, strong, and
earnest advocacy that all irrigation works which, on a com-
prehensive view of the wants of the country, may be deemed
necessary to develop its undoubtedly great resources, be
commenced at once boldly and on a large scale, be pressed
forward throughout all times and under all circumstances,
and be looked on, and be practically treated, as in fact they
really are, as the most economical, because the most pro-
fitable, undertakings in which the Government could pos-
sibly engage. It is needless now again to bring forward,
the innumerable instances in which money has in the Pre-
sidency been most advantageously invested in irrigation
works. The proceedings of Government have, in this re-
spect, been only too desultory and vacillating, and it is
confidently asserted that India could be placed in a
position to pay all her own expenses, and gradually dis-
charge her debt far more readily and speedily by a judicious
expenditure than by any scheme of retrenchment or reduc-
tion.

RAIL WAY INTELLIGENCE.

TRAFFIC RETURNS FOR THE WEEK.
--_

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMIBUR 18, 1858.

war, that caused this " flouriShing" condiiron Of the
country, Gold-from Australia-and California had
enabled the Bank to keep an abinclant supply of
paper:Mimey, and this abundance of money—which,
under Peel's absurd tegulations,"beriaine Superabun-
dunt—stimulated enterprise and created a tempo—
rary prosperity. By and by bullion . was drained
out of the country; the circulation contracted "as
the act directs," and panic, ruin, and prolonged de-
pression of trade, as usual, resulted.
What has been will be. We do not pretend to
predict to our agricultural friends how long the
present depression of prices will continue. Every-
thing favours an improved state of things. New
worlds are opening to our commerce. The disco-
veries of science are being daily made applicable to
the amelioration of the physical condition of n-
kind. Australia and New Columbia are sending us
supplies of gold. The world is pouring its wealth
into England. But more than this. By night and
by day millions of the most energetic, persevering,
and industrious population on the face of the earth
are toiling with head, hand, and heart to promote
the welfare of those -dear,to them, and, with that
the prosperity of their common country.
All these agencies are at work to -make England
a great, a_happy, and a prosperous Nation.
On the other side is one .great monster evil—a
bad money laws And as certainly as night succeeds.
to day, will this malignant influence exercise its
power. You have in ignorance and blindness set up
a huge, barbaric, contemptible idol, to which you
bow dawn with the superstitious reverence of the
half-naked savage. Every few years a grand sacri-
fice of the industry,_fiappinoss, and_social and moral
improvement of the people is offered up on the
altar of gold. Rest, people of England; for a time.
One day of vengeance is past, and. another is not
yet at hand.