The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-19 00:00:00

of the differences which at first prevailed among
the committee the Senate gave, almost unanimously,
authority to proceed against General Prim on the
charge of sedition.

The only other news of the day is that Madame
Goupy, daughter of M. Baroche, Minister of
Justice, died this morning after a short illness.

The mild weather still continues. To-day it has
been like May. In my garden, near Paris, the
honeysuckle and rose trees are budding. The
apricot trees look as if it were April.

The Inventors' Institute.

TIIE ATLANTIC CABLE FAILURE.

On Thursday evening the council of this institution held
an important meeting at 4, St. Martin's-place, Trafalgar-
square. C. IV. Siemens, Esq., C.E., F.R.S., presided. The
occasion was marked by Captain J. H. Selwyn, R.N.,
reading an interesting paper on "Submarine Telegraphy."
Captain SELWYN exhibited a model of his paying-out
drum. It consists of a cylinder which on the large scale
would be made of iron plate, like an iron ship, its dimen-
sions being something like 50 feet in diameter, and GO feet
in length. On this hollow cylinder or drum the telegraph
cable would be wound, and the dimensions would be such
that the drum would float, when loaded with the cable,
somewhat less than half immersed. The axis of the drum
would be mounted in a framing towed by a steamer, and
each end of the drum would be fitted with paddle floats
capable of being reefed towards or from the axis. By this
arrangement, on the drum being drawn forward by the
steamer, the water acting on its floats would cause the
drum to revolve, and thereby pay out by unwinding the
cable from its revolving surface. By properly arranging
the paddle floats, the speed of revolution, and thereby of
paying-out, could be adjusted to that of the towing vessel.
Captain Selwyn states that tke latest device of man to
span the liquid barrier nature has set between the conti-
nents, as far, at least, as his intelligence is concerned, to
pass his thoughts through or under with lightning speed
that element over which his -body can only as yet pass
comparatively slowly—this device, the submarine tele-
graphic wire, has as yet proved more difficult to esta-
blish with certainty of success, and the failures to do so
have been more costly than in the case of any other en-
gineering problem that has as yet tasked the resources of
this ago of invention and discovery. It is, however, fortu-
nately the case that the last thing an English engineer ever
does is to confess himself beaten by nature. So long
as there is money theta is hope—is his reading of the sea-
man's phrase " Never say die while there's a shot in
the locker." But, also, the first thing the engineer does,
or should do, is to study the causes of failure. Rather
should he proclaim them aloud, though to have failed be
to man reproaM, than seek to conceal incompetence under
the plea of impossibilities. He regretted that the history
of deep-sea telegraphy was almost entirely one of failure.
The public wanted to hear the history of the " hitches" in
the successhilly laid-out cables that only succeeded in ab-
sorbing shareholders' capital. The first idea of a submarine
telegraph, Capt. Selwyn proceeded to state, seemed to have
been simply an insulated copper wire. There were com-
bined the two essentials—a conductor of moderate size, and
an insulator, whose function was simply to confine the
electricity to that particular character. So far as these
conditions were fulfilled, the communication was as per-
fectly provided for as in any subsequent structure by the
most "eminent ewntractors." But, unfortunately, in cross-
ing the narrow seas where this first cable was laid sources
of mechanical injury were inevitably present, for which
no allowance had been made in the construction. It was
not sufficient that the water should be kept out or the
electricity be kept in, if these conditions could be secured
only when nothing but water was in contact with the deli-
cate thread. He drew the conclusion that light strong
cables are to be chosen in preference to tilt most elaborate
admixture of iron wire and hemp. For mixing these longi-
tudinal fibres of flax must be used, crusted in with a sub-
stance which must not be, an insulator, although it should
be waterproof or nearly so, but which, above all, should be
as unpalatable as may be to the inhabitants of the ocean
depths. Spirals, whether of iron or steel-wire or hemp,
whether in the conductor or the exterior sheathing, are
by all means to be avoided. They will prove to be nothing
but a dead loss of time and a shameful waste of material.
He next considered the constitution of the insulator.
There is no reason to believe that the gum hitherto most
in favour— gutta percha - has ever contributed by its
failure to the want of success in deep sea telegraphic com-
munication which we all deplore. But neither its advo-
cates, nor those of India-rubber, can justly be surprised if
advances in chemical science place us in possession of sub-
stances of bettor quality for our purpose at a more reason-
able price that we should prefer them, notwithstanding
some of those vested interests which the progress of our
age is so constantly over-riding. He saw not the smallest
reason to doubt that the paraffin compound of Mr. Mackin-
tosh is such a substance, and ho could not but anticipate
its extended employment both for subterranean and sub-
marine lines wherever its valuable qualities and low price
became as well known to the world as they are to the few
who have hitherto made it their business to inquire into
potheunsudbdjct. The
eerivedf most
romtheepxat ryrraaffiernd,inwahichpriotplearrtgyelo largely
thiscon mtcaoins-,
is the extreme lowness of its inductive capacity, joined to
very high insulating power. This, it is well known, affects
directly the speed of the transmission of signals, though
he was not disposed to attach so much weight to this speed
as it is usual to do, believing that a proper code of signals
may be made almost indefinitely to increase the rate at
which ordinary messages can be sent. The model for this
may be found in " Marryat's" or the "Navy Signal-book,',
in the use of either of which any one of ordinary capacity
may speedily become an adept. He advocated the laying
of all telegraph cables, light or heavy, from floating cylin-
ders, which are to carry (in some cases) the entire, or in
others at least half, the cable, and to be towed by steamers.
But there still remains a not unimportant part of the sub-
ject for consideration. Having made the best possible
cable, and having chosen the best method of laying it out,
what, he asked, more could be done to ensure its safe
deposition and greatest durability ? That the route be
carefully selected. He thought that any one who put
copper cables and iron shore ends together in salt water
would be sadly disappointed if he looked for even ordinary
durability in the iron. He did not doubt the possibility of
recovering a properly-made cable by grappling in any depth
of an oozy bottom. On the contrary, he believed that the
Atlantic cable was hooked, and could have been brought
to the surface. But this operation, said Captain Selwyn
in conclusion, becomes more simple and easy when, in-
stead of 2,000, we have only 200 fathoms to deal with, and
he had no hesitation in saying that across the greater part
of the Atlantic such shallow water may be even where it
has not yet been found, and that when we are bold enough
to abandon coasting voyages in telegraphy, we shall
find our difficulties disappear as we face them—just
as did those of the immortal Columbus when, despising
the clamours of a self-satisfied clique, he sailed forth into
the broad Atlantic, and was rewarded by the discovery
of a new world. The first mistake in submarine tele-
graphy was the putting light deep sea cables to do shallow
water work. The last has been to put heavy ropes to do
the work for which, in the ocean depths, only light ones
could possibly be fitly employed. That these errors might
be avoided by being exposed, and that thus true progress
might be made, was his earnest wish and sole motive in
reading his paper. The gallant captain sat down amid
much applause.

The members were then invited to give their respective
opinions.

Mr. VARLET, jun., suggested that trials of short lengths
of cable should be made, so as to ascertain the most ad-
vantageous construction.

Mr. TAYLOR made some observations on Capt. Selwyn's
floating drums.
Mr. Joie Irma Y inquired whether the usual metallic
protective coating eould not be suppressed altogether,
giving all the strength to the conductor and insulator. He
also asked whether there could be any practical objection
to a cable but little heavier than water.

Mr. JEFFRIES, F.R.S., observed upon the inefficiency of
break apparatus used for the Atlantic cables, and suggested
the employment of arrangements of greater delicacy.
Mr. VARLEY, sen., expressed his approval of light cables
made without metallic protecting wires.
Professor M'GAULEY observed on the necessity of always
providing for recovery of the cable in case of fracture, and
suggested the employment of four satellite steamers, so that
there should always be apair sustaining a rope transversely
to the cable several miles behind the paying-out vessel. In
cases of fracture, these steamers, by moving apart, would
raise the cable, so that it could be recovered.

Mr. JOHN 111wrosil strongly supported the construction
of cables without metallic protection, and stated that many
successful pieces of cable had been mado—small, smooth,
and strengthened by flax or silk fibres.
Mr. RoßEßTsrmade some remarks on the testing of cables,

The CIIAMMAN gave a general summary of the discussion,
and expressed his conviction that some sort of protecting
material was necessary to submarine cables, though he could
by no means approve of the ordinary iron sheathing. Iron

sheathing would be always subject to magnetic influence,

and might thus prejudice the-conduction. For tensible

strength and protecting qualities he considered hemp one
of the best materials, provided it was impregnated with

some preservative substance.

Votes of thanks to Capt. Selwyn for his excellent paper

and to tho chairman closed tho proceedings.

A contemporary says :—" The public will learn
with satisfaction that the immediate apprehension of Mr.
Layard's retirement from the Foreign-office has passed.
Forcible as the motives must have been which induced
him to tender his resignation, and at the same time to de-
cline the proffered distinction of a summons to the Privy
Council, he has set aside his own wish in view of the aid
which be can still render to the business of the country in
the active session now approaching. Mr. Layard has thus
added one more to the number of those statesmen whom
we have already mentioned as waiving personal conside-
rations in the earnest desire to support Lord Russell's
Government, and to promote the united action of the Li-
Imal party."