The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-24 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—l beg to forward hereunder-a _copy of a re-
port from Mr. F. C. Webb, C.E., who is well known
as haling had considerable experience in the test-
ing and examination of telegraphic cables, and
who has just returned from Valencia, to which
place he was recently deputed by the directors to
proceed for the purpose, of affording them the
necessary information as to the present electrical
and mechanical state of the cable.

My absence from London has prevented it from
being sent to you sooner for the information of the
Public.—Yours truly,

GEORGE SAWARD, Secretary.
Atlantic Telegraph Company, Liverpool, Aug. 22.

" To TUE CHAIRMAN AND DIRECTORS OF THE AT-
LANTIC TELEGRAPH COMPANY.
" Valencia, Aug. 10.
" Gentlemen,—According to your request I have
made from Valencia a careful examination of the
electrical state of the Atlantic cable. I made some
tests for comparison on the various pieces of Atlan-
tic cable in Messrs. Glass's premises at Greenwich
during July 31 and August 1. -
" I arrived here on the 4th inst., and, assisted by
Mr. Collett, thade experiments during the sth, 6th,
Bth, and 9th inst.
" I find the lowest resistance shown to be 278
statute miles.
" I find it is possible to increase this resistance
up to 589 miles by sending a copper current for
some time from six 12-plate Daniel's batteries.
" By experiments I have made on various kinds
of constructed faults I find that a fault which could
be thus oxidized so as to give (by reversal of the
current) a difference of resistance equal to the dif-
ference obtainable on the cable—viz., 311 miles,
must give a minimum resistance of about 16 miles.
" When the fault is large, and thus gives little
resistance, no great change can be obtained by re-
versing the battery ; and, indeed, it is evident that
when the connection between the line and earth is
increased beyond a certain extent of surface no dif-
ference in the resistance of the circuit can be ob-
tained by reversing the battery.
" When the fault is very minute it can be almost
perfectly sealed up by a copper current, but the re-
sistance will still be very great, even with a zinc
current.
" My experiments show that a fault of about 16
miles' minimum resistance can be varied with cer-
tainty by reversal of the battery to the same
degree as the fault on the cable, and that if the
fault gives less resistance than 16 miles it cannot be
varied to that extent, while, if it gives more resist-
ance, the variation cannot be produced with the
same certainty, nor quite to the same degree.
" Taking, therefore, the resistance of the fault
and cable beyond the fault to be equal to 15 miles,
this would bring the fault to about 263 statute miles
from Valencia.
" As I have no information of the return current
due to different lengths of the Atlantic cable, which
might have been observed and tabulated during the
paying out of the cable, it is impossible to check
the resistance tests accurately by the observed re-
turn current.
" Comparing it, however, with the return current
on the Cagliari and Malta and Corfu cables, and
making, roughly, allowance for the increased size
of the gutta percha in the Atlantic cable, I find it
to be about what is due to the supposed distance of
th. fault.
" I also made experiments on the return current
with a wire leading to earth from the cable, and
by placing resistances in circuit in this wire I could
represent a fault close at hand and of varying re-

sistance.
" I found that in such an arrangement, when the
artificial fault gave a resistance of 300 miles, the
return current was only reduced about 22 per cent.
"If the real fault, therefore, was close at hand,
the return current of the whole length of perfect
cable beyond the fault would be only reduced about
22 per cent.
" I am of opinion that the return observed cur-
rent is much less than 78 per cent. of the return
current due to the whole cable, as it would be if the
fault were close at hand and of a resistance of about
300 miles, and that it coincides, as nearly as I can
judge, With that due to the length shown by the
resistance.
" Again, when the artificial fault was made to re-
present a resistance of 260 miles and then increased
to 580 the return current only increased about 17
per cent., whereas when the real fault is increased
to the same amount of resistance (by sending a
copper current for some time) the return current in-
creases about 80 per cent. This shows also that
the return current is more influenced by the partial
healing of the fault than it would be if the fault
was a small one near at hand, and consequently
tends also to confirm the supposition that the fault
is distant, and offers, when at its minimum little
resistance.
" I am of opinion, therefore, that a serious fault
exists about 263 statute miles from Valencia, mea-
sured along the cable, and that the cable between
that spot and this shore is comparatively perfect.
" No tests from here can now decide whether the
cable is mechanically severed, since all attempts to
detect the reception of the most intense currents
from the opposite shore have long since proved
fruitless.
" Still, from the various circumstances attendant
on the decline of the insulation, there is every
reason to believe that the continuity both of the
cable and the conductor is perfect.
" Whether any other fault exists besides the one
alluded to it is impossible to ascertain by tests
from Valencia.
" The fact that the signals received at Valencia
were always better than those received at New-
foundland proves, undoubtedly, that the worst in-
sulation has always been near Valencia; and
therefore it seems probable that if the fault which
exists on this a.ast, and which, very likely, forms
the principal cause of leakage, could be removed,
the insulation would be so far improved as to
render the cable again available for signalling, pro-
vided the fault which is said (by those who have
tested from Newfoundland) to exist in Trinity Bay
was also repaired.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
" Your obedient servant,
"F. C. WEBB."

TILE CONVICT SMETHURST.

This convict, who at present lies in a position so
perilous, is the son of a small schoolmaster, and
was born in the neighbourhood of Coventry, in the
year 1804. There is, however, no pretext for the
allegation that his father was tutor to the Earl of
Dysart ; nor does there appear to be any better
foundation for his assertion that he is a regularly-
educated medical man. According to his own ac-
count, as detailed in a boarding-house where he
lii7ed, he married his present wife from feelings of
gratitude for her attention to him when ill, during
the period of his career as a medical student; but
there is no proof that he originally was more than a
chemist, or possesses a higher professional degree
than that of the Apothecaries' Company and a Ger-
man degree (Giessen) of doubtful merit. He un-
doubtedly, however, carried on medical practice at
Stockwell, Camberwell, and various places adjoining
London. But it was at Ramsgate where he practised
longest, and was best known. He carried on business
there for several years, and it is but fair to add that,
except as being considered somewhat close-fisted
and fond of money, he bore a tolerably respect-
able character. After residing there for some time
be quitted for Germany, with the double view of
placing himself under the celebrated hydropathist
Priessnitz, for the purpose of obtaining relief from
a lameness with which he was afflicted, and of ac-
quiring a sufficient knowledge of the system to
enable him to practise it. On his return to Reaectsaettamdenb:
to
en-
titled" ii
stestab-
lishment, gateemd he, en,
Ht n, oybt
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To
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ac
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R. T. Claridge, Esq., a gentleman who then enjoyed
some notoriety for having introduced the cold-
water system into
ltahraiesa
bycyeountry, and who
ramuetsetr
ihnadveeed,bife,eana
doe! 7 m
eetniivnirasbt,l eh
his
s czheaa-1
" for the health of his fellow Creatures was univer-
sal as his benevoleornetaace.." A prayer- for his health fol-
lows by the author,
ioannsdfrtohme
sweorrikp
interlarded bryenqdoe
accurately The extraordinary
trial to jurymen in
. any degree connectnsreea
adopted
warmly
by Smethurstof objecting, at his
with dis-
tillation is Scripture, not
courseve frequentlyr very
9 explained by this work. In its pages
he
evidently afraid that this might raise in their
advocates " Teetotalism," and he was
breasts a prejudice against him. The book is rather
respectable as a compilation, and it is somewhat
remarkable that when absent in Germany his prac-
tice was, at his request, taken care of by a gentleman
before whom he was eventually brought at Rich-
mond on a charge for murder. But at Ramsgate he
never got into what is termed " fashionable practice,"
and h consequently removed to the establishment
of Moor Park, in Surrey. After keeping this for
several years, he eventually sold it to advantage,
and led a comparatively private life until arrested
on the charge for which he has recently been con-
thdhie
aolmu' hngeehdc con-
.
The
conviction
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t,.
the
ee
presentbSelmi
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ss t from
the
been
n the time,
sentencennif 0
will
u andoo f
be carried into effect. Tuesday, in the wer.,-t
'after
next, is the day fixed for the execution, '
but Sir
Walter Farquhar, the High Sheriff, has, .
ally notified the fact to the wretched • not offici-
witl, however, be done this day, in tl man. That
Mr. Abbott, the Under-Sheriff, and ae presence of
gaol officials.