The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-16 00:00:00

THE SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH.

DOVER, SEPT. 15.—Since the sinking of the first
wire circumstances have occurred calculated for a
short time to retard the carrying out the project to com-
pletion, seeing that, in Order to the complete establish-
ment of an integral line of telegraphic service between
London, Paris, and the Continent, the promoters have
to obtain a grant from the French Government of the
18 miles of line extending from the coast to Calais,
from which point to Paris the wires are erected. To
secure that concession of this section, in the way of
which some difficulties present themselves, Messrs.
Brett, Wollaston, and Edwards, directors of the un-
dertaking, are now at Paris, awaiting the return of
the President of -the Republic, who granted the ori-
ginal decree, and to negotiate with the Government
authorities on the subject.
In the meantime experience of the experiments al-
ready made goes to prove that a stronger species of
telegraphic tackle will be required. By the terms of
contract with the French Government it was enacted
" that the Government does not reserve to itself the
right of making any similar concession," but " that
in case the experiment shall not result in a favourable
execution by the Ist September, 1850, the right con-
ceded will revert to the French Government." Con-
sequent on the conditions laid down in the contract
the promoters successfully submerged the wire ; bat,
as is well known, it was subsequently cut asunder by
some rocks on the French coast.

Since this happened divers have been down, and on
examination it has been found that where the rupture
of the coil occurred it had rested on a very sharp
ridge of rocks, about a mile out from Cape Grinez, so
that the leaden weights, hanging pannier like on
either side, in conjunction with the swaying of the
water, caused it to part at that point, while at another
place in shore the shingle from the beach had the
effect of detaching the coil from the leaden conductor
that carried it up the Cape. The wire in its gutta
percha coating was consequently cut in two places,
representing a remnant of wire, of about 400 yards
which was allowed to drift away, till it came into the
possession of a fisherman at Boulogne, who made a
demand of 60f. for the injury he alleges it did to his
nets. Complaints are made by the fishermen, both
on the English and French coasts, that the existence
of the wire will interfere with their deep-sea fishing,
and that its track over the 'Verne and elsewhere is in
the way of places most frtquented by fish. It is in-
tended, however, at the suggestion of Mr. J. W.
Brett, to pay these people an annual rental and to
establish for their familes a philanthropic fund, to
induce them to unite in the protection of a great na-
tional enterprise. The assistance of the Admiralty
has also been secured for the issue of prohibitory or-
ders against fishing on the route of the electric sea
line, and against ships dropping or drag-
ging anchors over its site. The authorities
of Calais and Bologne have intimated that they will
send drummers round the town to advice fishermen
not to fish on there spots, and the company will apply
tor powers to punish as a misdemanour any attempts
at injuring the wire. The line of wire where it was
dislocated is now securely fastened on to the end of a
large buoy. Her M jesty's ship Widgeon, with Cap-
tain Bullock, Ins traversed the rest of the track, fish-
ing up at intervals the whole of the sunk wire out of
100 ft. and 1.50 ft. of water, and laying it down again,
thus proving that it has not drifted, and that there
were no currents to remove it.

The promoters of the project appear to be fully ap-
prehensive of the inadequacy of the present arrange-
ments, and all their ingenuity is at work to be pre-
pared to meet the emergency. Of currents it may he
stated that there is no fear, since it has been ascertained
that at certain flxed fathoms, even in the rapids of
the Mississipi or at the Menai, there are none below
three or four fathoms, and that at five fathoms there
is calm water. In order to meet all existing or con-
jectured difficulty the character cf the undertaking, so
far as its magnitude and solidity are concerned, will
now be altered. The electric wire, thin as a lady's
staylace in itself, will now be encased either in a 5 or
a 10-inch cable of the diameter of those that placed
the Britannia tubes in position, and these will be
submerged by the aid of enormous weights. The wire
will be embedded in this gigantic coil or cable, com-
posed of what is called whipped plait with wire rope,
all of it chymically prepared, so as to protect it from
rot, and kyanised ; the whole to be chained down, as
it were, as the rails are on railways, by the gravita-
tion of the huge weights in the bottom of the sea.