The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-08-09
n the New Foundland3 Tslsszaphic
W. Gable, @

IA 80 -
y. Yesterday had the pleasure of an inter
= an Mr.. James Eddy, of the American
vS.r.nh Company, who was presento on board
Tnrlish steamer Propontis, and WIS en-
- II Iaying tho telegraphic submarine cable
M GGuif st. Lawrence. He has just re-
.alI We are thus enabled to publish the
pl l:sn,ars Of this interesting performance,
~ hitherto, has been only chronicled to the
A HsSS ~ / brief ~telegraphic dispatch.
a \. M n 9th Of July, after having landed, and
" s liz end Of the cable to the telegraphic
IA & Cape Ray, ~ steamship Propontis
e. tsssi anchor about 2 o'clock, and steamed
- ne Gull, passing out the cele at the
n = Ave or six miles per hour, reaching Aspy
" \, dape North, 1.-THE other terminus,) soon
~ / o'clock the next morning, occupying
wv w honrs. without the slightest injury to the
iy sIs or kink or bend Of any kind. q
ag TSe cable was coiled in the hold with the
~,aiest care, in such manner that each success
-. lsver was run out from the center to the
s;ssnnferencc. 1t was not necessary to stop
" engine for a moment. AS the cable passed
Ia tRe coil, it moved through a kind Of in
~ uutaS cast iron tunnel, and over two cast iron
s0sr,s encb about nine feet in diameter, weigh
w. - ! ton and q half each, and over q pully ct
w. ~ stern Of the ship. A.registcr attached to
Y. sr,,m showed the exacs, Nength Of cable paid
y. ~ hang regulated like a Gas meter-one dial
~ .sssr;nc The fathoms, another the miles. Brakes
~ q constantly brought to bear on the drums,
v hat the cable en-. fed the water straight, and
: sufficient strain was kept upon it to lay it
smoothly on the bottom.
uWhilee it was being laid in the deepest por-
lions If the Gulf, some $50 or 200 fathoms, the
snh,s descended at an angle of about rs degrees,
having that its great weight was more than
sufficient to counterba!ance the forward move
MONT Of the vessel. Communication was kept
nm constantly between the ship and the shore,
TTh;e the cable was being laid. After arriving
,tCape North, and while the cables were being
secured on shore, q temporary telegraph station
us fitted up under q tent, and electric COM
municstiop fully established between the two
chores Of the Gulf-a distance of eighty-fve
miles. This gratifying result was announced
hv the firing Of guns from the Propontis, and
elected the hearty cheers Of all in attendance.
The~ electric fluid had found its way among mcr-
maids Of the deep with the ann facility as when
nassinr between poles in the open atmosphere.
ldbe manufacturers of the wire were responsible
fr.its safety until laid in its bed, And for ten
DAYS subsequent.
On the 10th Of June, another cable was laid
from the sam ship, for the anne company,
Across the Straits of Northumberland, from
Cane T'ormentine, N. B., to Cape Traverse,
Prince Edwards Island, a distance Of thirteen
miles, with the same success; and communica-
ton is now complete between Prince Edwards
Island and the United States. This last cable
SONY q matter Of local convenience; the for
mer constitutes an important link in the great
enterprise of connecting NewYork with I,n-
don. The company expect to have the whole
line complete to ST. Johns, N. f.. in Septem-
Der next; oil that is now wanting. being the
completion Of a portion of the overland line n
Capc Breton and Newfoundland.
In case Of o steamer calling at st. Johns, the
news would be received here two or three days
sooner than by those that stop at Halifax.
The cable laid by the Propontis is Of the
same description with that previously lost, en-
seept that the portion designed for the deepest
water was somewhat lighter, and had but one
conductor, composed Of seven copper wires,
whereas the former had three insulated wires.
journal Of Commerce.