The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-18 00:00:00

unlike the tale which we followed with such eager-
ness last year when after every promise of success,
and the triumphant surmounting of successive ob-
stacles, the cable slipped away down to those
fathomless depths where it still reposes. Even had
the same mischances occurred this year, it is proba-
ble that the improvements both in the cable itself
and the manner of working it, as well as in the
management of the marine monster that carried it,
would have enabled the electricians to bring their
work to a successful end. The diary for July 18
shows very clearly the admirable manner in which
everything was prepared. During that day there
was both a false alarm and a real alarm. All was
going on smoothly when a bell in connection
with the electrical-room sounded in the tank.
The signal to stop was given, and so
promptly was it obeyed that the Great Eastern
was stopped in less than her own length. Happily
it proved a false alarm, for the bell had been touched
by accident. Later in the day there was real ground
for uneasiness, for a foul flake occurred in the
after tank, and half-a-dozen turns of the
cable were entangled together. The description
given by Mr. DEANE of the general anxiety felt
when Mr. CANNING gave orders to stand by to let
go the buoy, and five hundred feet of the precious
rope lay in apparently hopeless knots and twists upon
the deck, is vividly given. There was no noise or
confusion during this critical time. Every order was
silently and promptly obeyed, and the cable-mon
and crew worked heartily. The heads of the ex-
pedition, Mr. CANNING, Mr. HALPIN, and Capt.
ANDERSON all proved themselves equal to the
emergency, and before long the joyful word was
given to begin paying out again, and all went on
as before. This was the most dangerous time for
the cable, though the great ship herself came near
an iceberg and had to get through the Newfound-
land fog. All these perils, as we know, were safely
passed by, and England and America may alike
congratulate themselves on the bond of amity
uniting Foilhommerum Bay with Heart's Content.

The subscriptions for the relief of the prevailing
distress in the East-end of London continue to flow
steadily in, the sums received at the Mansion-house
amounting last evening to more than £ll,OOO. This
money the committee, who are indefatigable in their
labours, have disbursed with no niggard hand, and
they have adopted the plan which proved so emi-
nently satisfactory during the Lancashire distress, of
distributing relief exclusively through local com-
mittees formed of the most energetic and respect-
able inhabitants, including the ministers of religion
of all denominations. By this means they have a
guarantee that the money will be spent by those who
really know the necessities of the district, and
that there is little chance that deservin g
cases should be overlooked or impostors benefited.
At the same time there is room for plenty of help,
and we should be slow to discourage the efforts of
those unconcerned with any official committee who
have been nobly exerting themselves in the face of
disease and death. There is no doubt that the
great and continuous efforts made have tended
greatly to diminish the mortality from the epidemic
which is still sufficiently formidable, and the dis-
asters consequent upon it cannot be represented by
statistics. Every one knows the expenses at-
tendant upon serious illness and prolonged con-
valescence, and when the sufferer is either the
bread-winner or the " house-mother " the case
is a very sad one. The destitution of the survivors
often leads them to commit imprudences which
almost invite the disease, and the good substantial
diet which the Spitalfields Soup and Relief Society
are giving is a valuable preventive. There are
many channels through which the charity of
the benevolent may flow. It will be wise to
bear in mind two points. First, that all excep-
tional arrangements to meet a temporary distress
should be temporary in their nature ; and, secondly,
that it is well to employ existing agencies to the
full extent before creating new ones.