The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-09 00:00:00

THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.

The long and most tedious process of winding
this enormous length of cable from out the holds of
the Agamemnon and the Niagara has been com-
pleted, and the Atlantic telegraph, like a monster
snake, is about to hybernate for the winter at
Plymouth, in the Keyhara-yard. A large shed has
been specially built fur its reception ; it is 120 feet
by 50 wide, and divided into 4 water-tight compart-
ments ; so that the perfect insulation of the whole
length can be tested under water whenever it may
be deemed advisable.

The Agamemnon will go into harbour, and the
Niagara has returned to America, where various
alterations suggested by the experience of the late
attempt will be in her internal fittings, that no
mechanical aids or conveniences may be wanting
to the proper accommodation and paying out of
her portion of the coil. It is expected
that she will return to this country in the
early part of next year, again to bear her
part in the great undertaking under better
auspices, and, we most sincerely trust, with better
results. In the meantime, during the whole of the
winter, Mr. Whitehouse, the chief electrician of the
company, will Le engaged in a variety of experi-
ments of the most interesting nature upon the
cable. Not only will these be directed to ascertain
its general electric capabilities, but the rate at which
each signal can be transmitted, and the effect which
the different periods of the day, the temperature,
and state of the atmosphere, have upon its conduct-
ability. The result of tese experiments must
assist in solving a number of curious electrical phe-
nomena, of the real causes for which very little is
at present known, and the observations of so emi-
nent an electrician as Mr. Whitehouse cannot fail
to be of value and importance to the advancement
of our knowledge on the subject of voltaic currents
through such a coil. The results ought to be great,
for never yet had any man such a gigantic appara-
tus placed at his command for experimeutalizing as
this 2,000 miles of submarine cable affords. The
300 or 400 miles of cable which last August were
so effectually submerged off the west coast of Ire-
land stilt remain at the bottom of the sea. Much
of this piece, and very possibly half of it, might
have been recovered had the attempt been made at
once after the return of the expedition, but now the
chances in favour of the recovery of any portion
worth mentioning are much diminished. Never-
theless, this 300 miles are not useless, and in a
scientific point of view have not been lost or
wasted, for the changes in the electrical condition
of the wire are constantly watched night and day,
arid will be used. for the purpose of throwing addi-
tional light on the subject of terrestrial electro-
magnetic currents. Many precautions and improve-
ments suggested by the first unsuccessful attempt to
lay the cable will be introduced into the plan of
operations for the next year. In. the first place it
will ba attempted earlier,--most likely at the end
of Jine or beginning of uly, so that in case of any
hitch occurring there may be ample time to repair
it, andstill leave August open for another effort. Of
course,the same description of cable will be used for
its kind it would be difficult, if not not quite impos-
sible, to devise a better. Fora wire covered rope it
possesses in II most astonishing degree the import-
ant qualities of lightness, strength, and perfect flexi-
bility. The expedition started with about 2,600
miles of this cable last summer, of which about 400
have been lost. Last week the strand and closing
machines of Glass and Elliott were again set to
work to make up this deficiency of 400 miles, but
in all it will be necessary to spin 800, as it has been
determined not to start again with less than 3,000
miles clear. This extra amount, however, is only to
meet any unusual emergencies that may arise, and
not to allow for slack, as the smeller the quantity
of slack payed out the safer will be the process of
submerging, and the greater will be the ease with
which the telegraph can afterwards be worked.
But it is principally to the improvement of the
paying-out machines that the efforts of the com-
pany have been directed. Last year these machines,
aided by considerable obstinacy and rashness,
ruined the whole plan, and, the steed being thus
effectually stolen for the present, the most tremens
dou4 precautions are now being taken to bolt the
stable door. The machines are being made under
the special advice and directions of Mr. Penn, Mr.
Field, Mr. Lloyd, and Mr. Everett, the chief engi-
neer of the Niagara. Messrs. Easton and Amos
have been intrusted with their manufacture, which
insures all that skill and experience can effect in
their solid construction. With the details of the
plan upon which they are to be made we are not
yet acquainted further than that tuey are especialy
contrived to guard against the strain on the cable
caused by the sudden pitch of the vessel, and also
that the break in the wheels will bo perfectly
self-
acting, and so made that it will be impossible to
place upon it more than about one-third of th •
stain which the cable can safely be relied upon to
bear. Instead of submerging the c aide from this side
of the Atlantic, it has been decided to commence
halves operations by uniting the ends of the
two
board the Niagara and the Agamemnon in the
centre of the ocean, and each vessel then making
the best of its way to land. The former ship will
steer to these shores, and the latter to Newfoundland
By this plan the operation of laying the coil will
be got over in exactly one half the time which it
must otherwise occupy and we need scarcely say
that anything. which diminishes the time lessens
etherN n
the fact that the set of the Gulf stream is in this
New
e Worldas o
the risk from bad weather in exact proportion.
The opponents of this plan are to be found among
the deep sea fishermen, who generally prefer the
theo of laying
and who advance,
Y,
jr'
down
' thecable
among from
the
direction, and that it would be better for the ex-
pedition to have the current in its favour than
against. But, as we bailee, the influence of the
Gulf stream does not extend below 70 fathoms
depth, one is at a loss to see how it can affect an
undertaking to submerge a cable to the depth of
more than 2,000 fathoms. A more reasouabie ob
j ection lies in the fact that in the centre the cable
must be joined, and that it has been determined
not to join with a five mile centre of steel wire,
which would give it tenfold strength at this point.
When to this deficiency we add the fact that the lay
of each piece of cable is made in a different direc-
tion, and that one portion forms a right and the
other a left hand screw, each of which helps the
other to untwist, we cannot, however reluctantly,
help seeing that this joining in the centre is a blot
in the whole scheme. Of course, a plan (according
to which a heavy square weight is to be attached to
the joining) his been devise' to prevent the wires
. untwisting possible. But a weight at this junc-
tion is a most serious danger, though we are told
that the whole mistake offers so many and such
important "advantages" that it reminds us forcibly
of the pl in which an inhabitant of Laputa had
projected, and by which he cut cabbages better,
quicker, and elle iper then by any other method ex-
cept the ordinary one of cutting them with a knife.
So also our admire ion is solicited for this blunder,
as turning out, after all, bettser and safer than any
other method in which it could be (I,,ne, except that
of doing it properly.
There seems an unusual demand just now foi
submarine cables, no less than five or six cables for
dale' ent places and Governments having been
la~ely c unpleted. Nearly all of them have be.Ai
male by Glasse and E:liott. One was for the
Swedish Government ; one for the Danish, to con-
nect Denmark with Sweden. One t connect
join and one
land •
Ceylon and Colombo on the main la_ 9
nearly
In
to Kurrachee with Calcutta. a'l
these cases the conducting wires have been formed
in the same manner and of the same sized wires as
in the case of the Atlantic Telegraph, and all of
tie m display the same admirable construction as to
lightness, strength, and durability, more or les.
strongly according to their length and the depth
and nature of the sea in which they are intended to
discharge their submarine duties.

CRYSTAL PAL A 0 u.-11alfcrown-day, Saturday, Nov.
7.—Admissions o.r. payment, 512; do. by season tiekets,
1,207 ; total visitors, 1,719.