Weekly Trinity journal., 1857-10-17
MEANWHILE CALIFORNIA SATURDAY, OCTOBER H. 1857.
The Ocean Telegraph,

The failure to lay the Transatlantic Teie-
graph cable successfully, 50 far from discourage
ing has had the effect of heightenng to great
degree the confidence Of all the scientific gentle
men connected with the undertaking. Ihe
source from whence the greatest dhcnlty had
been anticipated, turns out to be exactly the re-
vcrsc--the electric communication being greatly
improved bv the submersion of the cable in deep
water This favorable result Is attributed TO two
leading causes. the low temperature OF lhe water
and the compression on the pores OF the gutta
percha with which it is cnveloped. there ~ III
this one fact, great cause for increased confidence
Another most encouraging feature Is the success
addcndiRg the laying of the cable over The only
sudden dccivity that occurs on the whole CON
tcmplatad line the bottom changing suddenly
from depth Of four hundred and ten to seven
teen hundred fathoms. without producing the
slightest strain or injury aud the cable eAholt-
ING remarkable pliancy and 0eYlhlllty. IL has
also been successfully demonstrated, that the ca
be could he spliced, even during heavy sea- the
two ends on hoard the Niagara and Aeamemnoh
| were ioincd and let down to the depth ol TWO
/ thousand iathoma. Ia addition to these nscer
tanned uiumphs, it has been proved, that the pre-,
sent cable, In size. composition, ucXhllty and
toughncsa, is exactly suited to the purpose ana
/ the unanimous expression Of the Naval oIucelS
and scientific gentlemen interested in thus great
object is that form OF submarine Telegraph
could not be adopted more suitable IN every re-
spcct for the object intended to be accomplished
The cause of the whole difficulty appears 10
have been the ignorance of the person VINO acted
rs brakeman. and tended the running ont OF the
cabIe over thc rollers provided for that purpose,
as IN the momcntary absence of Mr.. bright, VINO
was in charge Of the operation, be put Il Aeau
nip' on the cable al the moment Whent reqWEtu
! easing or letting g more freely.
| A variety of opinions have bceh cNl"tS"'u "'
! to what It il best to do under the circnms'ancrS
! 4 tlot ha cable
sold tor the purpose OF communicative WIN i"""
and that the undertaking be abandoned TIL neNi
year when the whole of n new cable should be
| .hipped on hourd the monster steamer, Nica'
Eastern. and laid. The reasons given by one
writer, why the Great Eastern should he employ
ed. are as follows
i. This monster vessel will he large enough
! to atow all the wire required and which Woniu
fuoecet should be coed upon reels so that there
would be no chance Of fouling, as in the uniak-
| ing of a coli
a. She viii not pitch and If She does, there
may be a trunk constructed through her bottom
amid.hips which would obviatc the danger eX-
pelicnced in paying her cable over the stern.
-. by thc cable being on series OF reels n
/ high speed may with safety be used, and thus eaye
much lack being carried away by currents and
deyiations n the course which slow speed must
necessarily he attended with
ON the other hand, the Board of Directors. 0s.
sisted by the commanding naval officers employ
ed in the work. and by Capt Harrison, future
commander Of the Great Eastern, were in earnest
consultation, and have taken hold Of the subj ct
with renewed courage and confidence, Captain
Harrison an exp ricnccd navigator Of the Allan
tjc differs slightly with Lieutenant M1ury as to
the season Of the ycnr when the Atlantic is lrecst
from storms aud foul weather His opinion II,
that the month OF October, and the first portion
Of the month Of November, more particularly
when the cquinoctoI gales have been severe, are
usually free from any sea or atmosphere that
would be injurious to mn expedition Ike She pre-
sent From close investigation OF the subject,
we arrive ut the conclusion that the effort to lay
the cablc-so Far from being an abiding failure
has drtclmuedly shown lis entire practicabIty,
the thorough competency of the gentlemen in
charge-their determination and zeal the eX.
ccllence and adaptabity of the cable Itself, and
that of the measures employed for laying 1t
across the ocean. There is no such word rs
fail. IS T. Hcrud,