The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-06-23
The Wonder Of the Age.

Ina late number Of the New York Tri.
bunc we find long and highly interesting
account of the progress made by the Ameri-
can and European company Who have un.
dertaken the stupendous and magnificent
project Of placing London and New York in
telegraphic communication, with fatterins
prospects Of early and complete success.
The Tribune says:
"Ihe line from Ireland to Newfoundland
Is to be constructed bya European compa.
ny, Of which Mr.. Brett, who has laid down
most Of the submarine telegraphs of Eu.
rope, Is Appointment member. The capital
OF this company is two millions sterling, and
the enthusiastically perfected-ior the
completion Of the work require that it shall
be ready for operation by January %, 1868
less than three years hence. The cable Of
this part Of the line is to contain six tele.
graphic wires-like the great Mediterranean
cable now being laid down--and is to weigh
eight tons TO the mile In laying it down Of
course several St eamcrs will be required, as
no single vessel could contain the enormous
weight Of the entire mass but the ingen.
ious manufacturers, Messrs. w. Kapsr &
Co., Of London, have contrved means Of so
| splicing it as to render the joints quite as
strong and quite as serviceable as any other
part Of the line. Thus, when one steamer
has paid out her portion Of the cable, the
end will be spliced upon the coil on board OF
the next steamer, and SO on till all is down.
Should storm arise during the process, the
| exceeding strength Of the cable, formed as
20 .s nf . rf h,su,, 4
spirally around the thick tarred cnvelop and
gutta. .percha cords which contain the electric
conductors, will be sufficient to hold he
steamer as if she were at anchor until the
gale is over. or course the work will be
done in the summer Dchlhs, when there is
little danger Of interruption from tempcsts
The cable, when once sunk upon the bot.
tom, will remain there forever, below the
range Of marine animals, and safe from all
disturbance. 1t would be difficult TO fix a
limit to its duration after It is once success.
fully bedded."
The Tribune thus speaks Of the work yc,
to be accomplished On this side Of the At
lantic:
"Of the company which has undertaken
the cis-Atlantic portion Of the work We have
often had occasion to speak. II is composed
Of some eight or more wealthy gentlemen,
who propose to build the entire line from ST.
John, Newfoundland, TO New York with
their own resources. Peter Cooper is the
president, and Moses Taylor the treasurer Of
this company and Cyrus Field, one Of its
mc.nbers, has just returned from Europe,
where be went to cousummatc the arrange
ment with the European company. The
! American part Of the line will be 800 miles
in length, II mics OF which will be under
| the Gulf Of St. Lawrence, and the cost ol
the whole is estimated a, Il million and a
/ half Of dollars. The wires across New
/ foundlsnd will make 400 miles Of the line,
running through country hitherto unoccu.
/ pied and unknown. In the cutting Of the
( path and other preparatory Iabors the com
/ pany Lave had 400 men employed during
/ the past year in that island alone. They
have been literally aided with grants Of land
from that colony, and have obtained advan.
/ tageous charters and grants elsewhere
( From our last Eng ish journals we learn tina,
: THE -eablc to ga uadar the Gulf Of St Law
renee was about TO be shipped, and we may
accordingly soon expect to be able to receive
dispatches from St. John as easily and re !;
ulary as we now do from New Orleans
This cable contains three electric wires only
it being contemplated to lay down another o
the same size when the European wires have
been brought across and the business bc
tween New York and London requires it,