Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-09-20
From the London Alhencum.

Progress Of the Submarine Telegraph
The Mediterranean Electric Telegraph Com
pany have issued their plan Of extension from
Algiers to the western coast Of India, and
from Pegu to Australia and Van Dieman':
Land. In a few weeks their line will connect
London with the capital Of French Africa
After crossing the Channel, from Dover, in
Two directions-to Ostend and to Calais-it
travelses France as far as the Italian frontier
pc etratcs "the Alpine mountains old" de-
scends to Turin and Genoa, and from the
bright shore of Spezzia dives under the Med
iterranean to the northern point of Corsica.
The peasants of the island, who flavor theiI
feasts with myrtle, and preserve, in other
ways, two thousand years of habit, will see
the wires laid from end to end of their coun-
try, dipping into the sea again at Sardinia,
and intersecting it with Cape Spartivento.
Thence, reaching Africa at the city of Bona,
il turns westward to Algiers.
But, from Spartivento, it is proposed to
carry it under water to Malta, Corfu and Con-
%stantinople in one direction, and to Alexan-
dria in another. Southern Italy and Sicily
are contemptuously left out of the plan, with
an intimation that their rulers may telegraph
for themselves. At the Bosphorous, to the
northwest, the line ceases-not venturing as
yet to vex AppOllonius and pass the Symple-
gades; but, from Alexandra, it pushes on
(prospectively) through the sun and sand of
| Egypt, to Cairo and Suez. Following the
eccentricities of the Red Sea, it touches Co.'S
sier, and Jeddah, and, turning the Arabian
peninsula at Alden, plunges into the Indian
ocean at Rasel-had.
From that point to Kurrachee is but a pearl
fishers trip. Here the imaginary tracings on
the map are interrupted by the Indian tele-
graph, actually in operation, uniting Kurra-
chez, in Sindh, with Bombay and Madras,
| with Agra, Delhi and Peshawur, with CAL
cutta, Dacca and PegrL. For already "the
electric chain, with which we are darkly
bound" stretches over 5000 miles Of our
Asiatic territory, over regions desolated in one
age by Moguls, in another by Mahrattas-a
greater wonder to India than India was to
Tavernier or Thomas Roe. From Pegu, our
new Oriental province, this artificial ecliptic
will run parallel with the Malay Peninsula,
swarming with savages-it will thread the
isles to the Bornean coast, visit Sarawak,
Labuan and Bruno, and there strike off a
branch 20 Hong Kong.
Possibly, when the Chinese exchange some
of their dead erudition for practical acquire
ments, they will unite, by means of the tele-
graph, their widely-parted frontier, and CON-
municate between Canton and Maimachen,
as easily as they now do ut Maimachen with
the Russian guard that watches the frontier
door and palings. However, the Company
does not at present propose to helpthem. Its
main wires will pass from Bruno, through the
northern forests, swamps and hills of Borneo,
some degrees north of the Equator-which
will then have a rival line-and cross the
sunny Straits of Macassar, between the lily
lakes of Celebes and the coral groups of the
sea beyond, to Port Essington in Australia
Finally, it will embrace that mighty coast,
and bring Sidney, Melbourne, Adelaide and
Hobart Town into new relation with the Old
World.
Such is the scheme-grand and diffusive,
especially in a time of war. The Company's
report show that its proceedings nave hitherto
been prosperous; and, under the French and
Sandman guarantees, promises to continue
so. Similar privileges will be claimed from
the British government and that of the East
India Company. Mr.. Brett, the Company's
representative, states the proposals clearly,
with the facilities for putting it into effect.
Certainly there appears no reason why the
public should doubt. We may yet be far
from a realization of the railway project down
the valley of the Euphrates, and round the
Persian gulf of India; but telegraphic wires
are easily laid, and may be effectually pro-
tected, even in the widest region.
To the above the New York Erening Post
adds the following
The first submarine cable ever laid down
was in September, 1851, from England to
Franco distance of twenty-six miles.
This experiment proved successful. Pre-
vious to this Mr.. Tebbetts, of this city, had
matured a plan for the construction of the
Newfoundland telegraph which was to con-
meet with a line of steamers between Cape
! Breton and Newfoundland. The submarine
cable having been proved practicable, he
abandoned the idea of steamers, and in
March, 1852, procured a charter from the
Newfoundland government, giving liberal
and exclusive privileges for the construction
Of telegraph across its territory, and com
pretending a submarine cable across the Gulf
of st. Lawrence.