Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1857-09-05

bear. It gave way under the pressure, aud,
parting AZ some dista nee from the ships stern,
il sank down like lead through the mighty
waters on that portion Of the telegraphic pla-
teau between Ireland and Newfoundland where
the Atlantic reaches Its maximum depth Of
not less than 1000 fathoms. At the time of
the ssverance the Niagara bad made from 200
to $50 miles In = direct course from Vslentia
harbor, and the length OF cable that bal eeen
let go was about $50 miles.
II is remarkable enough that a somewhat
similar failure has hitherto attended almost all
these submarine enterprises in the hrst instance.
The provisions OF science are extraordinary,
but they cannot quite dispense with the teach
ings OF experience. The general opinion
amoag those most qualified 10 form a judgmsnf
rppears 10 be, that zee haze lsarHsd sHOsgh iH fAis
first essay 10 reader the success Of fhe hf1f al
tempt morally ~osrfGiH. The important points
have been decisively set at rest BY what has
already been achieved. The unparalleled
length Of the cable, and the vast depth to which
it was sunk, have presented no obstacles to ITS
telegraphie working; until the hnal disaster
occurred, messages were flashed with the
most perfect success along 2 500 miles length
OF wire, a portion Of which was submerged to
the depth Of very nearly two miles IN the
ocean. Another point relates 10 the rate az
which the cable can be paid cut. II has been
conelusively proved that there is no obsta lie to
laying it down at the rate Of fire miles per h0aT'
in the gredie5i depth Of rafu that e-isfs On NJ
proposed line Of sEbnsersiOa, betresn lTsiaad
and Newfoundland. The principal defect ap-
pears to Be in the - paying-out gear" the ma
chinery by which the cable is delivered from the
ships deck intO the ocean. Another dihenity
to be overcome in sinking a cable OF sueh length
10 a depth 20 great-a difficulty which mas
probably been more fully demonstrated by the
results Of this experiment than It could nave
been by previous calculations the great
force Of the under-current. While TIE onect
course Of the Niagara was only about 2SO miles
the expenditure Of cable was about 3o0-a DIFF
erencs which q PrioTi could scarcely have been
calculated upon.
In the next venture every circumstance OF
this kind viii be taken fully into calculation
the mechanism for passing the cable INTO the
water will no doubt receive all those improve
menis Of which it is susceptible, and, II the
time be so fortunately chosen asst 10 secure three
weeks Of favorable weather "a circumstance
by no means immateriai,) there eaS be no rea-
son whatever Tor despairipg of ultimate sue
cess.
From the star
1t does not appear that the accident was ow-
ing any way TO the too great weight Of the pay
ing out machinery and gear on the Niagara
but the machinery is susceptible OF considers
j a. AANA "a Aaa 11aak "a 49,
command Of the expedition urged the desira-
/ blsness Of raising up the 800 miles, or Of spill
cling that quantity on to the shore end again
: and going on towards the Newfoundland shore
10 spite OF the catastrophe that had OccdrTed
t but it was eventually determined to return
: home, rs it would in all probability be foun'
I, that the expedition would neither have enodgt
% slack - nor available cable to complete III
E length to be submerged between shore an
[ shore. Taere were two representatives OF th
5 Russian Government, one OF the French Gov
? eminent. two Of the British Government an
two Of the American Government with the eX
e petition. together with Mr.. J. W. Brett, n
Z well-known father Of submarine telsgrsphs be
) tween England and France, and the Meditsr
~ranear, who arrived In town shortly after Mi
Field.
The directors Of the Company hold a spscia
meeting on Wednesday next, to consider an
; determine whether attempts shall be renewe
Z in October next, after the equinoctial gales, c
E whether the further prosecution Of the enter
q prise shall be deferred until next sumner. Va
rious opinions are sfoat with reference TO th
4 strength Of the cable, but it lie asserted tina
; were it either stronger or wesker, the desire
8 end in view would not have been arrived a
ard that upwards Of sixty different kinds {
II rope were experimental on before the presei
form Of cable was determined on This IS q
4. first electric cable that has be6R suHs either in tt
or any other coHRfry 70 ise erienf Of three has
> dTed AID fhrtg-frs miles but it is a singuli
10 fact that. with the exception OF he NOrWl
l. gian telegraph cable, OF some ninety milf
Ie long. thS first attempt in ertTy P%TeUioss sEper
. ment for laying dOVR q submarine eGbie b,
.e been q fdilare. GiftOEgh The sse0Ed a!iemPts hci
le been specsssfEL The entire length Of wiz
e copper aud iron, in the cable amounts to thr'
q hundred and thirty-two thousand five hUndrs
- -Ef-r - auorgb 20 % thirteen fgmeg rom
,e the earth.
le With reference to the arrangements c
board the Niagara, for regulating the " strain
a which unfortunately caused the cable to breal
g it appears that the cable weighed one ton to
" mile, and could bear a direct strain Of foI
! tons upon its strands. When, however, accor.
" ing to Prof. Whitehouse and Mr.. Bright, Il
"a engineers, it was immersed in the sea lie rel
tive weight was diminished, and its downwal
pressurs on the salt water vas a little und
fourteen hundred weight per mile. TIE grea
est depth over which the vessels would have
pass, In depOsiting the cable, was a little mo
l. than two miles, aud this depth was reached
C. the time that the cable broke, consequently,
: enough Of the rope were suffered to hang n
IN ~tionless from one Of the vessels, TO reach Il
Of bottom in this depth, the strain to be borne
ls the cable would be one ton and a half. A
T cordiRg to the arrangements, hoTever, for u
~ ] UANlMZ OUT tie EnAAE "bAlA 0E NNAoA-A-l
E. motion, " With only a sufficient restraining pow
IN upon it to control and regulate its psssil
from the Niagara until this was increased
a rate slightly faster than the progress OF Il
vessel.
In this condition Of things another mOdif,
ing influence came into operation, TO act fu
A Their in relief Of the strain. Inc cable wou
m not only be somewhat buoyed up, so to sPea
:, by the water, but also by the influence Of fri
or ton. Il would not descend as it was paid o
~ in A vertical line, because the friction of j
"a sides against the water retarded the sinking
the mass. The amount Of this TetaTdatioR, a
=. the length that would lie between the stern
= the vessel at The bottom Of the sea, were dste
= mined BY the rate at which the cable was pa
out, and at which the paying-out vessel move
IL 10 fact, so far from there being any strai
consequent on the weight Of the cable, SUI
cient to injure its integrity, it was general
thought aud expected that there would be j.
bv pull enough to drag it gently out % The vess
over the revolving sheayes.
The arrangements, in the event OF snythi
- going wreng, were to back the Niagara as "a
- idly as possible, aud 50 slacksn the csble-t
break being bound down on the friction dr.
to arrest the outrun Of the cable. The TO
NJ would then be hauled in on board, and on
" bcing discovered, the imperfect part cut OF
it, place supplied by sphcing in fresh cab
and the paying-out resumed as usual.
The expectation, in the event of success, y
that, with a month at the furtherest, msssag
mt might be flashed through both England q
OF America, and it is now, even In the face
he Temporary failure, supposed that the grand
70, teTnational result may be regarded more mere
ne as a matter Of time than OF actual aud possil
e. accomplishment.