The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-22 00:00:00

The New Atlantic Cable.

Early in the next month a fresh attempt will be
commenced to connect the New World with the
Old by a telegraphic cord laid in the depths of the
Atlantic, an attempt which seems on the present
occasion more than ever to merit success, if deter-
mined perseverance and careful precaution
joined to the utmost skill can achieve their just re-
ward. The progress which has been made in the
science of ocean telegraphy since the failure of the
first attempt to maintain a telegraphic communica-
tion with America may be in some degree under-
stood when we consider that the expedition shortly
about to sail is intended not only to lay down a new
cable, but to remedy the last failure and convert it
into a success by grappling the last laid cable, where
it now lies at a depth of nearly four miles at the
bottom of the ocean, raising it to the surface, join-
ing it on to what was at first a part of it, and thus
completing the communication with Newfoundland
both by it and the new cable. The preparations
for this great expedition are now on the eve of
completion. The Great Eastern lies at Sheerness,
where she is taking in the last portion of the cable.
It is constructed on the same principle as that which
now lies at the bottom of the Atlantic, but certain
improvements have been effected in the details, the
result of which is that it is stronger than the former
one, having a breaking strain of no less than eight
tons, and yet at the same time lighter and more
flexible. These are advantages which there is no
difficulty in estimating as of considerable importance.
Besides the machinery for paying out the cable,
machinery for picking it up if needed is prepared at
both tha bow and stern of the ship. The machinery
for paying out is but little altered, but it has been
to some extent remodelled ; the gear has been
strengthened, and any portions which have been
found defective or injured by wear have been taken
out and replaced. Close aft of the paying-out
machinery the new machine for picking up the cable
is being erected. It will be worked by a pair of
cylinders of 70 horse-power, constructed by Messrs.
John Penn and Son, of Greenwich. The steam for
working these will be supplied from the boilers of the
marine engines. The picking-up machinery is en-
tirely new, and is somewhat different from that
which was formerly employed, though similar in
principle. In the machine used on the former
occasion the cable in course of being taken in
passed four times round a large drum, and the
principal difference between that machine and
the new one is that two drums are employed, so
that in passing round these four times the
strain is spread over a large area. These drums are
worked by spur wheels of immense strength, the
gear of which is of 5-inch pitch, and calculated to
endure a strain of 30 tons, which is the calculated
resisting power of the grappling cable. It is not ex-
pected that the strain at the stein, in case of having
to pick up the cable, can ever rise to six tons, more

especially as Mr. Smith, the electrician, will on this
occasion be enabled to keep up a constant test for
continuity of current, as well as a constant test of
insulation during the paying out, instead of merely
applying these tests periodically, as on the last voy-
age. Hence, if a fault should occur in the cable, this
will be speedily discovered, if not at the moment
any defect arises, at least almost immediately after
the defective portion of the cablehas been immersed
in the water, and thus there will not be any proba-
bility of having to pick up any considerable length
of cable. The picking-up machinery at the bow is
precisely similar to that at the stern, worked by
similar cylinders, to be supplied in like manner with
steam from the engine boilers ; care has also been

taken to guard against the possibility of the cable
coming in contact at any time with the screw or
'rudder. For this purpose a large guard, styled a
crinoline guard, has been constructed, and is about
being fastened on at the stern below the water. It
consists of a number of strong iron bars, braced to-
gether by stout rings, or rather semicircles of iron,
so as to form a species of cage round the lower part
of the stern. The Great Eastern also, on this occa-
sion, takes out several buoys, some of which are of
a very large size, so that if the weather became ao
rough as to necessitate their cutting and buoying
the cable, it would not be a matter of much diffi-
culty to recover it.
H.M.S. Terrible will accompany this expedition as

she did the former one, to render any assistance in
her power ; and two large steamers—the Albany and
Medway—are to accompany the large ships as ten-
ders. Both these vessels are fitted with picking-up
machinery—that on board the Albany being of the old
kind with a single drum, while that of the Medway
is like the machinery on board the Great Eastern,
one with the double drum. There will, therefore,
probably be a good opportunity on this occasion
for deciding on the relative merits of the two plans,
as each machine is calculated to resist the same
strain, viz., 30 tons. The Albany as well as the
Medway takes a quantity of cables and other mat-
ters to assist in picking up the old cable, and the
Medway also takes out 450 miles of cable, which
will of course be transferred to the Great Eastern
1 to lay down when needed.

We understand that Sir John Peter Grant, K.C.B,
late Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, will be the new Go
voruor of Jamaica.

WRECK IN CARIIARTIIF.N BAY. FERRYSIDE,
Carmarthen Bay, June 21,—During a strong wind from
NAV., a few days since (says Capt. Arengo Cross), intelli-
gence was received here that a ship was on shone on the
Cefn Sidan Sands, about seven miles front this lifeboat
station. The lifeboat of the National Lifeboat Institution,
named tho City of Manchester,
was thereupon at once
launched and proceeded to the wreck. On arriving along-
side it was found that the crew of seven men were making
preparations to leave the vessel in their own boat, and the
lifeboat thereupon towed the ship's boat safely to land
through a heavy ground sea. The vessel was a three-
masted schooner, the Mary Roe, of Quebec, bound from
Liverpool to Causo, with salt and coals. She is likely to
become a total wreck. The cost of the lifeboat, and of
four others,. was defrayed from the lifeboat fund raised in
Manchester mainly through the .benevolent exertions of
Robert Whitworth, Esq., and the Rov. E. gewiett.