The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-08-09
Laying Of the Newfoundland Telegraph Cable

anu unally recoVefeu III washington ClCy.
Laying Of the Newfoundland Telegraph Cable.
We yesterday had the pleasure of an in
terview with Mr.. James Eddy, of the Amer
lean Telegraph Company, who was present
on board the English steamer Pr .pontos,
and was engaged in laying the te egraphic
submarine cable across the Gulf of St Law
renee. He has just returned. We are thus
enabled to publish the particulars of this in
teresting performance, which hitherto has
been chronicled to the public by brief tel
egraphic dispatch.
On the 9th of July, after having landed
and secured the end of the cable to the. tel
egraphic station at Cape Ray, the steamship
Propontis, weighed anchor at 2 o'clock and
steamed across the Gulf, passing out the
cable at the rate of five or six miles per hour,
reaching Aspy Bay Cape North (the other
terminus,) soon after 5 o'clock the next
morning, occupying ISL hours, without the
slightest injury to the cable, or kink or bend
of any kind. The cable was coiled in the
hold with the greatest care, in such man
ner that each successive layer was run out
was not necessary to stop the boats engine
for a moment.
AS the cable passed from the coil, it NOV
ed through kind of inverted cast iron fun
mel, and over two cast iron drums, each about
nine feet in diameter, weighing ton and a
half each, and over pulley at the stern of
the ship. A register tached to the drum
showed the exact length of the cable paid
out, being regulated by a gasometer, one dial
showing the fathoms, another the miles,
Brakes were constantly brought to bear on
the drums, so that the cable entered the wa
ter straight, and sufficient strain was kept
upon it to lay it smoothly on the bottom
While it was being laid in the deepest por-
tons of the Gulf, one hundred and fifty or
two hundred fathoms, the cable descendeda at
an angle of about 25 degrees, showing that
it's great weight was more than sufficient to
counterbalance the forward movement of the
vessel.
Communication was kept up constantly
between the ship and the shore, while the
cable was being laid. After arriving at Cape
North and while the cables were being Sc
cured on the shore, temporary telegraph
station was fitted up under tent, and cleo
communication fully established between
the two shores of the Gulf-a distance of IS
miles. This gratifying result was announced
by the firing of guns from the Propontos,
and elected the hearty cheers of all in at
tendance. The electric fluid had found its
way among mermaids of the deep, with the
same facility as when passing between poles
in the open atmosphere The manufacture
ers of the wire were responsible for its safe
ty until laid in its bed, and for ten days sub
sequent.
On the 10th of June, another cable was
laid from the same ship, for the same Com
pany, across the Straits of Northumberland,
from Cape Tormentine, n. B., to Cape Ira
vers, Prince Edwards Island, distance of
Ii miles, with the success and communica-
wards Island and the United States. This
last cable is only matter of local convent
eence the former constitutes an imp rtant
link in the great enterprise of connecting N.
York with London. The Company expect
to have the whole line complete to st. Johns,
N. F., in September next; all that is now
wanting being completion of a portion of
tie whole route to Breton and Newfound-
land.
In case of steamer calling at St, Johns,
the news would be received here two or
three days sooner than by those that step
lat Halifax. sss 80 @ so as
The cable laid by the Propontos is Of the
same description with that previously lost,
except that the portion designed for the
deeper water was somwhat lighter, and had
but one conductor composed Of seven copper
wires. whereas the former had but three in
sulated wires.
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