The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-24 00:00:00

THE ATLANTIC CABLE.

The manufacture of the cable which is to connect
New York with the terminus of the Atlantic Cable
at Heart's Content, has been commenced by the
Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company.
It is intended to replace the line now in existence
between Newfoundland and New York ; and will,
it is to be hoped, put an end, to the interruptions
which now occasionally occur. A good road unites
Heart's Content with Placentia, along which the
wire will run a distance of 63 statute miles. From
Placentia the cable will take to the sea, rising at St.
Pierre, a French fishing island, which, it is sup-
posed, will become the terminus of any French line
laid across the Atlantic. From St. Pierre the cable
will be laid to Cape Breton, from which point, being
then on the Continent, it will radiate over the
United States and British North America. The
greatest depth is 252 fathoms, about one-tenth of
the distance beneath the surface at which the Atlan-
tic Cable lies. The bottom is good. The cable
is about one-third less in size than the Atlantic
lines, but although smaller, it is heavier, weigh-
ing 42i cwt. per nautical mile, against 36 cwt.
This is owing to the exterior wires being
larger. The shore euds are covered with ten
wires, each thicker than the ramrod of an Enfield
rifle, which will make that portion weigh ten
tons to the nautical mile. It is expected that

the steamer will leave England to lay this cable
about the end of June, and that it will be in work-
ing order by the end of July. It is thought that at
some future time it may be advisable to pick up the
end of one of the Atlantic cables, and connect it
directly with the island of St. Pierre, running a
cable straight from that island to Boston, thus
avoiding both Newfoundland and Cape Breton.
Experience has shown that the weak points of the
wire, are the land lines, when carried through unin-
habited wastes. Even where the roads are good
the sea is in every way preferable, and time will,
without doubt, prove, that there is no line so safe
as that laid in the still depths of an ocean. When
the connection between Heart's Content and New
York is perfect, an immense increase of business
will be transacted through the Atlantic cables. At
present, but a very few hours of the day are required
to forward all the messages which the capacity of the
line between Heart's Content and Cape Breton atilows.
A further reduction of the tariff, will, in all proba-
bility, lead to a large increase of business. indeed,
the Cable ought to be employed continuously, work-
ing the entire 24 hours of each day in the year.
Every prediction of the most sanguine projector has
in this case, been more than fulfilled. Commerce,
cannot at once adjust itself, to the wonderful facili-
ties the work has bestowed. Still, though the
change is violent, the mercantile community are be-
ginning to appreciate, the full benefits. A merchant
in New York, at the close of his day's labour, when
satisfied that the tone of the markets justifies his
action, can, before shutting his office, flash his orders
to London, for the purchase or sale, for the trans-
mission or reception, of the goods in which he deals.
He retires to his home—to return the next morning
at the usual business hours. On his desk, lies a let-
ter from his London correspondent, informing him
of the terms on which his orders have been carried
out. The difference of time, between London and
New York, has, through means of the cable, been
ascertained with the utmost nicety. It is 4 hours,
55 min., and 18.95 sec. ; in round numbers, 5 hours.
A message sent from London on the close of business
in the City, ought to reach New York in the middle
of business hours, on the same day. Therefore, the
same house, through their London and New York
branches, working in harmony with each other, can
buy in London, and sell in New York, at the same
hour, of the same day, in each city, and understand
distinctly, what profits have been made. The ten-
dency of such operations is, to equalise values, and
annihilate speculation. The cause, must be general
over the world, when this medium of communica-
tion is universal, to admit of violent fluctuations.
What the want of communication means, is shown

in rude and barbarous countries. In one part of
the British dominions in India, the inhabitants may
be perishing of starvation, while the abundant pro-
duce of another is rotting for want of purchasers.
The great object of commerce is to spread the pro-
ducts of every land over the earth, so that the
abundance of one, may supply the deficiency of
another, and that the wealth of soil of an alluvial
belt, may feed the working masses of a mining
district, and the spots gifted by nature with manu-
facturing facilities, may supply the implements,
clothing, and other wants, of the husbandman. The
first requisite for the full attainment of theae re-
sults is—immediate communication. The Rev. E.
MATTHEWS, in a series of letters lately published by
us, gives some striking instances of the evils that
might have been avoided in former days, by instan-
taneous information. Commerce, of course, bene-
fits most ; but in the avoidance of political compli-
cations, the boon to nations by this means, is scarcely
less. "I will refer," says Mr. MATTHEWS," to three
historical facts, to show the value of mutual know-
ledge between England and America. The battle
of New Orleans was fought January 8, 1815, but
peace between England and America was concluded
on the 24th December, 1814. A telegram to that
effect by an Atlantic cable—had one then been laid
—would have saved the lives of a thousand Eng-
lishman slain in that battle. In 1811 there were
two parties in the American Congress—one for
peace with England, the other for war. The latter
party declaimed against England on account of
the ' Orders in Council,' which, though framed
against the policy and edicts of Bonaparte, ',in-
jured American commerce. The peace party, an-
ticipating that very soon intelligence might be
received that the objectionable orders' had been
repealed, asked for more time. A vote was taken,
and it was decided by one majority, not to wait.
War was declared ; soon after, the expected intelli-

gence reached America of the repeal of the
' orders,' but it was then too late. Could a tele-
gram have been sent to America announcing their
repeal, the peace party would have carried its cause
triumphantly and prevented the war. When AlasoN
and SLIDELL were taken from the Trent the Ameri-
can Government designed to surrender them, if re-
quested to do so. This was not known in England,
and a million of pounds were expended in prepar-
ing for war. Could each Government have sent a
telegram to the other, that amount of money would
have been saved." These are but a few instances
of the value of such a link, which point to the
benefits likely hereafter to be derived. But it is in
the everyday transactions of both nations, that the
main good will be felt. To what extent this
medium may influence the two branches of
the Anglo-Saxon race cannot be known till
shown by experience. As the American Minister,
Mr. ADAMS, stated, at the Liverpool banquet to the
layers of the cable, one of the results may be, the
abolition of diplomatic agents. It is possible,
however, that it may have a directly opposite effect,
and increase, in utility, the functions of the
diplomatist.—Anglo-American Times.

THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

(From the Registrar-General's Return.)

In the week that ended on Saturday, April 20,
the births registered in London and 12 other large
towns of the United Kingdom were 4,154 ; the
deaths registered, 2,725. The annual rate of mor-
tality was 23 per 1,000 persons living.
In London the births of 1,026 boys and 1,008
girls, in all 2,034 children, were registered in the
week. Inthecorresponding weeks of 10 years 1857-
66, the average number, corrected for increase of
population, is 2,132.
The deaths registered in London during the week
were 1,223. It was the 16th week of the year, and
the average number of deaths for the week is,
with a correction for increase of population, 1,429.
The deaths in the present return are less by 206
than the estimated number.

The mortality in the metropolis was lower last
week than in any week of the present or preceding
year. The number of deaths rapidly decreased dur-
ing the last four weeks. It fell to 1,223 last week.
Thirty-eight deaths from small-pox, seven from
measles, 19 from scarlatina, 50 from whooping-cough,
46 from typhus, and 8 from diarrhcea were registered
last week. One death from cholera was also recorded.

The deaths from phthisis were 182 ; from bron-
chitis, 112 ; from pneumonia, 62 ; and from disease
of the heart, 56. _

The annual rate of mortality last week was 21 per
1,000 in London, 30 in Edinburgh, 25 in Dublin,
24 in Bristol, 18 in Birmingham, 27 in Liver-
pool, 22 in Manchester, 24 in Salford, 22 in Shef-
field, 29 in Leeds, 28 in Hull, 27 in Newcastle-upon-
Tyne, and 29 iu Glasgow. The rate in Vienna was
33 per 1,000 during the week ending the 13th inst ,
when the mean temperature was 0.7 deg. Fahrenheit
lower than in the same week in London, where the
rate was 23.

At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 29.443 in.
The barometrical reading decreased from 29.79 in.
on Wednesday, April 17, to 28.90 in. by the endof the
week. The mean temperature of the air in the
week was 50.9 deg., which is 5.1 deg. above the
average of the same week in 50 years (as de-
termined by Mr. Glaisher). The highest day
temperature was 64.8 deg. on Friday, April 19.
The lowest night temperature was 42.5 deg. on Sa-
turday, April 20. The entire range of temperature
in the week was, therefore, 22.3 deg. The mean
degree of humidity of the air was 83, complete
saturation being represented by 100. Rain fell to
the amount of 0.68 in., of which 0.30 in. fell on
Sunday, April 14, and 0.21 in. on Saturday, April
20. The general direction of the wind was S.W.