The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-09-10
HE NATIONAL ERA: WASHINGTON D. c. SEPTEMBER To- ISL


of rather more than five knots an hour. At
the time the accident occurred, there was a
heavy swell on, the Niagara going at the rate
of four knots per hour; and, as the engineer
found that the cable ioas running out an too
great a proportion to the speed Of the ship, he
considered 1t necessary to direct the brakes to
be applied more firmly, schen, unfortunately. ii
parted at some distance from the stern Of the
ship. The Agamemnon, Niagara, and Susque.
hanna, are to remain q short time where the
cable parted, to try some experiments in the
deep water Of that part of the Atlantic, $4,000
fathoms, which it is considered will be OF great
value to the Telegraphic Company, and then
all go to Plymouth"
The other portions of the article, from which
the above is extracted, are comments upon the
subject, and are only important as supplying
internal evidence that the whole article was
written by an agent or director of the company,
or some one equally interested in the success
of the enterprise. Viewed in the light of this
very evident fact, the words we have italicised
should be carefully weighed. 1t will be seen
that the assigned cause of the accident is the
engineers application of the brakes. "The
engineer found that the cable ioas running oat
in too great a proportion to the speed Of the
ship, and he considered IT," &c. We suspect
that this statement does not tell the whole of
the truth.
1t is not very probable that at any time
within the first three hundred and fifty miles of
the trip, the regulation of the speed of either
ship or cable would be left to the sole RESPONSE
bility of "the engineer" and it is still less
ship had entered upon the most perilous part of
the experiment, the deepest part of the ocean,
where everything would depend upon the ut
most care and watchfuness No one can sup
pose for a moment that everything would then
be left to the uHaided judgment and sole re-
sponsibility of the engineer" without casting
reflection upon all who were intrusted with
the important and hazardous enterprise. The
idea is preposterous. The account is evidently
onesided and partial.
Examining what is told in the light of com.
mon sense, it is tolerably certain that the brake
was applied, after consultation, for the purpose
Of snapping the cable, and that this was neces-
sary in order to save the remainder. "The
cable was going at too great speed in proper
ton to that of the ship" The ship was going
at the rate of only four knots an hour, while
the cable was coursing off the coil or reel at
the rate of more than five knots" Of course,
it is to be supposed that reduction of the ships
speed had first been tried as remedy for this
running away of the cable, and tried in vain !;
and the alternative of breaking the cable was
adopted, as last resort; the plain English and
undisguised truth probably being that strong,
cross, under-ocean current was running off
with the CABLE at the rate of five or six knots
an hour. This view of the case is confirmed
by the fact that in going over the last thirty.
five miles, one hundred miles of the cable were
expended-run out.
Beside, it was often announced that every
provision had been made to render the mere
breaking of the cable no very serious matter.
Buoys were to be attached at certain distances,
80 that the end of the cable could be recovered,
and a reunion of the strands effected. There
must have been, therefore, graver causes for
the abandonment of the enterprise than the
simple parting of the cable; that, per Sc, with
the preparations, appliances, and contrivances,
made and adopted in view of that anticipated
contingency, would not have induced gentlemen
so energetic and so committed to the enterprise
to abandon it in despair, and to return home
with the brand of failure stamped upon them.
The fact almost certainly is, that it became
clear to all the gentlemen engaged in the expe.
dition that the greater part of the cable would
have been run away with by the current even
had the vessels remained stationary; and that,
without some material change of plans, all
hope of the cable lasting to anything near the
end of the trip was given up, even if the cable
could be deposited at all.
So much has been said and written by scien-
ti6c men on the most desirable and even neces.
sary qualities of sub-ocean telegraph cable,
that it does not become US to offer any remarks
on the subject. We may express the fear how
ever. that possibly an insurmountable practical
difficulty may yet be found to exist. 1t seems
to be already admitted that a heavy cable pre-.
sents difficulties of too serious character to
leave any hope of their being successfully en-
countered, and the heavy telegraph cable al
first in favor had been discarded. Difficulties
of an exactly opposite character, but equally dis
astrous, it is to be feared, will be found to exist
with respect to the lighter cable, now preferred
The question to be solved probably is, whether
a medium can be hit upon which shall neutral
ize both classes of difficulties, without encoun
tering new ones. In common with every lover
of progress and sympathizer with great human
izing projects, we cling earnestly to the hope OF
ultimate success for the Atlantic telegraph
The character of the two Governments and
peoples who have undertaken it is guarantee
that if it can be accomplished it will be and
we await with deepest interest fuller state
ment of facts, and of the purposes of the Com
pany, that we may judge whether we may hope
for its realization before another year rolls
over us.-N. Y Com. Adoertiser, Aug. 90.