The Washington union., 1857-04-24

THE UNION OF THE OLD AND NEW WORLD.

the elegraphic cable which TO connect the
opposite shores Of Europe and America She will be as-
sisted by two English naval steamships and the United
States steam irigate Susquehanna and it is calculated
that the expedition will be accomplished in two months
from the present time and that Immediately thereafter
instant communication will be established between the
New World and the Old The New York Herald of yes
terday contains elaborate article upon the subject
from which we gather the following facts This great
enterprise was originated and conceived in the United
States, and was commenced about four months ago by
small company of American capitalists
In face of all the objections that urged against IT,
they perseyeTed with determination that was proof
against all Encouragement. 1t supposed by some
that the laying of cable the bed Of the Atlantic
was an utter imposSibty, and that attempt must
end in discontinue and disastrous pecuniay loss
who should engage in the attempt But the New York.
Newfoundland and London Telegraph Company com
posed of men who be deferred by such fears
and being convinced of the practicabty of the
dertakng, they entered upon il with will and
estness that no obstacles could overcome. They
tended that, II il possible to lny q submarine
telegraph between England and France, with proper
means and facilities the could be done between
America and Europe; and these and facilities they
asserted we're at their disposal The task which they
have undertaken is, il must be confessed supendous
but many things have conspred To favor those
who have undertaken it, that there is little
doubt of its ultimate Success The company consists of
the following gentlemen, all of whom have been connect
Presilent-Peter Cooper. Treasurer Moses Taylor
Electrician Samuel +. B. Morse DircctorsPeter Coop
er Moses Taylor Cyrus w Field Marshall O. R0l.erts
These gentlemen, about three years ago obtained a
charter from the colonial government of Newfoundland
granting them the exclusive privilege for fifty wears Of
running telegraph that island aud through any
of the adjacent waters. They also obtained appro-
pration of twenty thousand dollars for the eostruc
ton of bride path the southern portion Of the
country which considered indispensable for the reg
uaton and repair of the telegraph In addition to this
they were secured the interest two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars for twenty years and present Of fifty
square miles OF land, which the company allowed
the liberty of selecting in any part of the island These,
with other substantial marks OF the favor with which the
Newfoundland government regarded the enterprise,
willingly bestowed upon the company with the best wishes
granted by the governments of Prince Edward island and
New Brunswick the teegraphic rather the
route of the proposed eegraphic connexonbetween the
United States and st. John on the extreme western
point of Newfoundland was established In the latter
part of the year complete communication estab-
shed between those points by the successful laying of
submarine cable across the Gulf of st. Lawrence from
Cape Ray to Cape North the land lines having been
peted two or three years previously.
Thus far the company had been successful but till the
connexion should be completed between Europe and
America, the work for which they had organized could
not I've said to have been accomplished Through the
agency of Mr. Cyrus W. Field the whole amount Of cap
ta $3.50 000 which Is equal to SlTj0 00Ol has been
subscribedthe shares amounting TO s5 600 each The
proportions IN winch these shares been
one hundred and one in London. eighty eight in AmeTi
ca eighty-sx IN Liverpool thirty-sEren in Glasgow.
twentycght in Manchester and the remainder in other
parts of England. The British government have also
signifed their willingness 10 raw four PS cent. On the
capital for the privilege of transmitting messages out
ward and homcward through the Inc, with the under
standing however that Il they should 'n any year. at
the usual tariff rate amount to larger sum- such addi
tiona payment shall be made is equivalent thereto
The government OF the United States win enter into
similar contract with the company aud each government
has detached two steamers to operate in the LAYING OF
the cable across the Atlantic and between the points al
ready stated An agreement has been made with the At
antic Telegraph Company, under whose direction !, nj
present being manufactured by which ,neY have bound
themselves to lay i doWa and yer it into the posses
sion OF the Ncw York, Ntwioindland, and toaop Tele
graph Company in perfect working or,srr
The core conductor Of tho great Atlantic cable is
composed OF seven copper wires wound together The
cable will be two thousand five hundred miles in length
the surplus over the actual distance to be traversed being
considered necessary in case OF emergency to make for
the inequalities in the bed of the and the yaris
tions that may be caused BY the winds and currents
The protecting wires are meae into strands each COM
posed of seven Of TIC best charcoal iron wires The ag
gfeRae tngth of the smaller wires required in the
acture of one mile of the cable is hundred and TWEEN
y-sx miles, and the Uhols cable R require three hundred
and fifteen thousand miles Of this trire.
The cxbility of this cable is great that it can he
made as manageable small rope, and it is capable of
being tied around the without injury Its weight is
but 800 pounds to the me and its strength such that
it will bear in water over six miles of its length if
suspended vertically Some doubts being entertained as
to its sinking IL to bottom, is enough know that it
Is heavier than those shells which have been taken up
from the bed of the ocean by Commander Berryman
while engaged in sounding alone the line of the telegraph
plateau 1t has been asserted too that the strands of
slender iron wire by which II il protected will suffer cor
rosion OK decomposition In short time after their sub
nefson but In doing the material of which they con-
sis will enter into chemical union with the soft mud in
which the cable is imbeddcd and will thus fes1. con-
atn - L,