Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-05-31
6nbmarine Telegraph.

submarine Telegraph
A Telegraph from London to New York, or
rather telegraph round the world is a mat
ter Of certainly as much importance as any of
the political questions of the day. The an
nexed account will therefore he read with in
terest BY all
From the New York Evangelist
Betting THE EARTH.-For a year past
notices have occasionally appeared in the pa
pers of company formed in this city to carry
a telegraph across the ocean. But the project
seemed so wild and visionary that few be-
lieved it would be seriously attempted. The
design was vast and grand, no doubt but 1t
was impracticable. Many even doubted the
existence of such company. They thought
it all a hoax, and Others when assured of the
fact, shook their heads, and uttered wise re-
marks on the transparent folly Of sinking mo-
ney to the bottom of the ocean. IL was lite
rally throwing it into the sea. We are at
length enabled to remove all mystery from
the matter, and 10 state on the best authority
what plans have been formed, and how far
they are advanced toward accomplishment-
A little more than one year ago few indi-
viduals formed the daring project of carrying
into execution this dream Of science-this
scheme which sanguine spirits had hoped for,
but few believed possible. Their first step
was to obtain a charter from Newfoundland.
For this purpose three of their number
dispatched Immediately to St. Johns, where,
after weeks of negotiation with the Govern
ment, they succeeded in obtaining from that
Province an exclusive charter for fifty years,
to build telegraph TO, or across the island, or
the waters adjacent thereto, any of its de-
Tendencies. As Labrador Is one of these,
this charter virtually gives them the whole
range of the Continent. Farther, to encour-
age the enterprise, the Government agreed to
pay FIVE thousand pounds sterling toward con-
structing bridal path across the island,
which was necessary for the use of the tele-
graph, and to guarantee the interest on fifty
thousand pounds sterling, for twenty years;
and also to give fifty square miles of land, to
be selected anywhere ON the island-all this
on its completion to st. Johns to which
were to be added fifty more square miles Of
land, if it should he carried across the Allan
tic.
They obtained also from Prince Edwards
Island an exclusive charter for fifty years
This Province gave n thousand acres of land.
At the same time to complete their right Of
way, they purchased a charter which had
been previously obtained in New Brunswick,
and have since obtained one from Canada,
with full liberty to cross their territory at any
point that should be necessary. They Also
made valuable agreement with Prof. Morse
for the use of his patent and all renewals.
This gentleman, who Is the highest author
ity on the subject in the world, was sanguine
Of the success of the enterprise, and soon be-
came personally connected with il.
The Company was formally organized in
Nav. 1854, bv the choice of Peter Cooper
Moses Taylor, Marshall o. Roberts, Cyrus w
Field, and Chandler White, Esqrs., as Dinct-
ors Peter Cooper was chosen President
Moses Taylor, Treasurer, and Prof. Morse
Electrician. From these names it will he
seen that the business is in the hands of men
who, TO say the least, an not generally re-
garded as visionary, but as those who look
far ahead, and are apt to carry through what
they have once begun.
The Company Immediately commenced
operations. They at once purchased the
steamer Victoria, and sent her to Newfound
land with an engineer and assistants. 4
road was to be cut across the whole extent o.
the Island, four hundred miles, through :
work about 600 men were employed during
the whole of the season. 1t now appeared
that the Government of Newfoundland, Will,
granting a charter most liberal and HONORABLE,
TO themselves, had yet acted wisely for tn,
interests Of their own province. A new
spring was given to industry, and treasure
were found where they were not known &,
exist. Last summer the Company employed
Al. IL. IL
who discovered two mines of coal, one o
copper, one of lead, and also quarries of slat
and alabaster, and very valuable tracts o
sbip-timber. This will develope rapidly tn,
trade Of the Island, which before has bee,
confined almost wholly to its fisheries.
So Tar all Went well. he .woxk was.s,e
II1Escing successfully. Less thai
j = '1dndfed miles of submarine cable wer
needed to stretch across to Cape Breton, an,
when this was laid, and the line completes
to St Johns, there would be direct tcle
graphic communication east from New Yor
about twelve hundred miles. This certanl
was a long stride toward Europe. But no.
came the great difficulty. They had reache
the rocks Of Newfoundland, but there befor
them was the mighty ocean, raging Wild
around those cliffs. as untamed as when CT
lumbus FIST crossed the sea. To advance il
to these deep waters was the next aud tn
perilous step Proposals had been receive
from an European company to unite wit
them in the enterprise, and in January la:
one of the Directors sailed for ENGLAND /
complete the negotiations.
In this he was entirely successful |
London he formed a contract with the Trani
atlantic Telegraph Company, composed
English and French capitalists, whereby I'll
latter engaged to construct and lay down
their own expense and risk, a submarine-ci
bic, extending from ireland to St. John
Newfoundland, and to have it completed f
operation on or before the ODD day of Jam
AIRY, 1855. The two companies, Europea
and American, each will own the line whic
it constructs, but their contract obliges ther
to operate in connection with each other, [
the exclusion of all other lines, for the perio
of fifty years, which is the limit of the Amel
lean company's charter. At the same tim,
favorable contract was made for the sui
marine cable to connect Newfoundland wit