The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-22 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ROOMS,
High Holborn, RE-OPENED for the SEASON.—This
establishment, pre-eminently distinguished for the elegan
and matchless beauty of its decorations, combined with the
perfection of its management, is OPEN EVERY EVENING.
Great alterations and improvements have been made during
the recess, and nothing has been left undone that could en-
hance the beauty of the place, or increase the comfort of the
visitors. Doors open at half-past 8; overture at 9; closing
at 12 punctually. Admission ls.

DR. KAHN'S MAGNME NT ANATO-
MICAL MUSEUM, qi th ; top of the ;Haymarket.—
OPEN THIS DAT, from 12 till 5, and from 7 till 10 (for
Gentlemen only), Admission ls.
The HANDBOOK, including Dr. KAHN'S LECTUQES
on the PHILOSOPHY of MARRIAGE, free by post for 12
stamps, direct from the Author, 17, Harley-street, Cavendish-
square, W.

THE DEFUNCT ATLANTIC CABLE.

The Western Union Telegraph Company have
purchased ten miles of the Atlantic telegraph cable,
at 250 dole. per mile, to lay across rivers and bays.
The first laid was across the Mississippi, at St.
Louis, 2,700 feet. This worked well at first, but
was a total failure at the end of twenty days. It
was then underrun from shore to shore, so as to see
every inch of it; but no defect was visible.
Another 2,700 feet piece was laid, which worked
two days only and failed also ; yet there is no de-
fect visible externally. Still another was laid,
which has now worked well for six days. About
thirty submarine cables have been lost there by
snags, anchors, &c. The company now propose to
mak3 one large cable, composed of seven of the ocean
cable strands, with stout strands of common post
wire laid in interstices, and all well bound to-
gether. This, it is thought, will be proof aga'nst
snags and anchors ; but it will still be exposed to
the interruption which has destroyed the two un-
broken cables ; and what is this ? The wild light-
ning from the sky is not identical with that domes-
ticated and in use by telegraphers. The latter
never jumps from one conductor to another, how-
ever small the distance, while the former may be
made to leap considerable distances to inviting
points ; and when wires are overcharged in violent
storms, descends in visible fine balls from the wire
to the ground. An excessive charge will leave the
wire at a point nearest the earth. Of course a sub-
marine wire will conduct it within one-fourth of an
inch, or less, of the water, and an excessive quantity
from the sky will at once fly off through the isola-
ting guttapercha perforating it, and letting in the
water so as to destroy it. To counteract this, by
Mr. Wade's plan, a fine coil of copper wire forms
the connection at each end of the submerged cable,
and a greater quantity of electricity than the sub-
marine line will bear will melt the fine coil, break
the current, and thus save the submarine line.
Employes often repair these melted coils by a
" larger wire, so that it won't melt ;" this defeats
the object of the coil, and melts the submarine line,
or flies off, perforating the isolation, which is
equally fatal. There is another phenomenon mani-
fest in cutting the cable. However well the end of
the cable is secured by binding before it is cut, the
iron wire almost immediately protrudes 1-16th of
an inch beyond the conducting wire, and if a single
foot is cut off, each end will do the same, making
the conducting wire appear to draw in that amount.
This is no doubt caused by the imperceptible un-
twisting of the cable, which lengthens the outer
wire wound spirally round the conducting wire.
Now, if the whole cable in handling and laying
down should be suffered to untwist to this imper-
ceptible amount, the effect would be to lengthen
the already straight and small conducting wire
over one mile and a half in the 1,945 miles of At-
lantic cable, which it must stretch unevenly,
of course, or part. It 'would not therefore be
surprising to find the great cable parted in
10,000 places. or drawn so unevenly fine as to be
melted by the first current of electricity passin
through it. It is far more probable, however, that
the sky electricity has perforated the isolating
guttapercha, by flying off to the water when over-
charged in a storm. Is not this the trouble with
the Atlantic cable in the ocean as well as in the
river ; and, if so, is it not confined to a small sec-
tion of a mile or so of the ends of the cable ? The
cable at St. Louis, or rather four miles above, would
again work well if removed from the water.—
( leveland (United States) Plaindealer.

[ADVERTISEMENTI—HoIIoway's Pills and Ointment.—
Summer Ailments.—Vicissitudes of temperature, extreme
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better health.