The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1850-11-15
The Submarine Telegraph between
France and England.

4
left Liverpool, between the coast of old
Gaul and the cliff of old Albion, on the
wings of the lightning. The accomplish
ment Of laying the wire was as follows:
A steamer named the Goliah was employed
with crew of about thirty men, consist
ing of pilots and sailors, superintended by
DR.. Ried, of the House Of Commons Mr..
c. ]. Wollaston, G. E.; Mr.. J. Champion,
c. E.; Mr.. F. Edwards, and others. Be-
tween the paddle wheeles, in the centre
of the vessel. was gigantic drum orwheel,
nearly fifteen feet long and seven feet d.
ameter, weighing seven. tons, and fixed on
a strong framework. Upon it was coiled
in close careful cnnvolutions, about thirty
miles of telegraph wire, one tenth of inch
in diameter, encased in a covering of gut
ia percha, the thickness of a little finger.
The point proposed to be reached, Cape
Grinez, the nearest landmark to the Eng
lish coast, and between Calais and Bou-
logne. is distance of 81 miles, SO that a
surplus of nine miles of wire was held in
reserve for the pursoSe of slackening.
Capt. Bullock, of Her Maiesty's steamship
Widgeon, caused the track of navigation
to be marked in as direct a route as posi-
bic by placing series Of pilot buoys with
flags on the route, beside being prepared
to accompany the experimental cruise
with his own vessel as a tender. The
connecting wires were placed in readiness
at the Government pier in the harbor, and
likewise at the Cape, where they run up
the face of the activity, 1874 feet above
the sea gale and the rolling sea unexpec-
tedly sprung up, the operation was ad-
journed ultil the next morning. Some in
terestmg experiments, however, were
made upon small scale to show the prac-
ticability of the plan. A mile of wire
was paid out off the deck, from the pier
to Shakspear's Cliff, and the sinking pro-
cess was proved to be a practicable per-
formance. A communication to the fol-
lowing effect was also sent through twen-
ty-four miles of wire: "Printed by cleo
trio telegraph on board the Goliah steam
boat" The connection between the 80
miles Of telegraphic wire was then made
good to 800 yards Of the same wire en-
closed in leaden tube on shore, to pre-
vent it from being bruised by the shingle
on the beach, and to enable the expert
menters. as they proceeded out to sea to
send communications on shore. The ves-
sci being fairly under weight, steamed out
at the rate Of three or four miles an hour
in the open sea in direct track for Cape
Grinez. The wire weighing FIVE tons and
the cylinder two The operation of pay
ing out the 30 miles of wire commenced
on a signal to the sailors to $50 ahead
with the wheel, and pay out the wire" !"
which was continuously streamed out over
roller at the stern Of the vessel. the men
at every 10th of mile being busily en-
gagged in riviting on to the wire square
leaden clamps or weights of iron IA lbs.
TO "a lbs., and which had the effect of
sinking the wire to the bottom of the sea,
which, on the English coast, commences
at depth of 80 feet, and varies from that
to 100 and $50 feet, which latter, or 80
fathoms, is any where its greatest depth.
The whole of the casting out and sinking
was accomplished with great precision
and success, owing to the favorable state of
the day. Various salutations were kept
up hourly during the process of submerg-
ing the wire, between the gentlemen on
board and Messrs. J. & J. w. Brett, the
original proprietors of the enterprise. The
only coniectured difficulties on the route
was at point in midchannel, called the
Ridge, between which and another ine-
quality called the Vern, both well known
and dreaded by navigators, there is deep
submarine valley, surrounded by shifting
sands, the one being II miles in length
and the other IL, and in their vortex, not
unlike the voracious one of the Goodwin
sands, ships encounter danger, loose their
anchors, and drift, and trolling nets of fish
ermen, are frequently lost. Over this,
however, the wire was successfully sub
merged, below the reach, it is believed,
of either ships, anchors, sea animals, or
fishing nets. The remainder Of the route,
though rougher on approaching the coast
of France, was accomplished cleverly but
slowly.
This is the greatest feat ever performed,
of laying telegraph wire under water. 1t
is but shadow of the good things to come.
Scientific .4meriea.