Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1855-06-23
An Ocean Telegraph.

A Few weeks since-on page 2S5-we
directed attention TO the extent OF ocean
telegraph lines which had besn constructed
by British companies. and, exaored our
telegraph engineers TO look TO their laurels
which some Of them had claimed prospee-
lively, in the construction Of an Atlantic
Telegraph Line Since the F'triod men
toned, it has become public fact that we
are to have an ocean Telegraph and as
we hintcd, Uncle John over the water is
to have the largest share fthe cost and la
bor in completing it. We are glad. how
ever. that the ocean telegraph line is 10 be
a joint stock work, or rather the work Of
two companies acting in concert-an
American and British one. The whole
work has been contracted for, an ii Is ex-
pccted that in three years, at iurthcrest,
from thepresent date, messages will he tloet-
ing on lightning wings between New York
and London. The American Company is
formed of leading capitalists and gentle
men in this city. They have already Sc
cured grants-very liberal ones-of lands
and charters from the provinces of Prince
Edwards Island and Newfoundland, for
carrying the telegraph through their terri
tories and adjacent seas. In a few months
it is contemplated, there will be continu-
Gus telegraph line between New York and
Newfoundland, and arrangements have been
made with the mail steamers to call there.
homeward bound, and leave the news,
which will at once be transmitted by the
wires, aud received three or four days be-
fore steamers arrival in port. n sub
marine cable of 20 miles long is now on
its way from England, to connect Cape
Breton with Newfoundland, and when this
is done the American connections will be
complete, and we shall then receive news
from Europe in six days after the steamer
has left Liverpool. But the great work
will be the Atlantic submarine cable which
is designed to extend through tho ocean
from Ireland to Newfoundland distance
of 1900 miles. The British Company has
agreed to construct this, and to operate it,
in connection with the American Compa-
ny, for fifty years. The cable is to CON
tain six wires, capable of transmitting sew
enty-two Thousand words in twenty four
hours. 1t is estimated that its cost will
amount to $l0,000,000, but it is calcula-
ted that the annual receipts will amount
to 500, 100000, and that the profits wills
will be large. This is too high an esti-
mate by great deal, as the companies will
certainly find out if the charge $50 for ten
words, as has been stated they intended
to do. Such high charges will not lead to
a very extensive business. The weight Of
the cable will amount to $4,000 tuns, and
will employ a number of large steamships
in carrying it. We hope the Company
will meet with complete success in laying
it down.
Measures must be adopted and means
employed to insure success, for single
mistake will involve consequences of the
most, serious and disas :rous character.
This project is grand one in the high
est sense Of the term. The mind almost
recoils upon itself in contemplating its ef-
tects. Steamboats, and railroads have ei-
tectcd social and commercial revolutions
among the nations of the earth, but the
telegraph is designed to accomplish as
great, if not greater changes than any 9TH
er invention of modern times. Its prog
resS calls forth our admiration and ex-
cites us with astonishment. 1t is but a
little over ten years since the first work
ing telegraph line was erected in our coun-
try; now there are more than thirty thou
sand miles of wires in operation. They
extend east, west, south and north, and
throb continually with the impulse Of
thought. In 4 lew years more, the whole
earth will be cncircled with these electric
nerves, and American, Englishmen, and
trenchmen converse will understanlingly
with one another, each with his foot on his
own native hearth. IS. Amertcon.