Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-08-25
VISIT OF AN ENGLISHMAN TO THE u.
S. STEAM FRlGATE NIAGARA.

From the Warrington IEng.) Guardian, Aug. l. ]
We sailed close up to the Niagara, boarding
her that we might see the American leyiathan,
and also that wonderful cable which is to bind
nations together. On reaching her deck, we
found her captain repeating to Lord Talbot
part OF q speech by our Premier on the cable
being likely to dispense with diplomacy With
true seaman's pOliteness, he begged us to fol-
low him-to be for once like a flock of sheep
and he would shOv us all worth seeing, only the
ladies must not run away with any of his tars
His state cabin was the first place we entered
and that we found he had all but given up to
the scientific gentlemen who were to 90 with
him to see the cable laid. From thence we were
taken through the midshipmen's mess room to
the compartment fitted up for the cable or
rather tor part of it. On the captain intro
duclng 10 the young gentlemen, ''My Lord Tall
bot, aud the members of the Archaeological So
eiety, few OF them rose and returned the sa-
lutte but most, with true American politeness,
would not rise for either lord or ladies
The immense quantity Of rope. the beautiful
way In which it was cOiled, and the smallness
OF Its size, were especial objects of interest
Can II be that that rope, not thicker than your
thumb, is to be under the Atlantic. and convey
messages from the one continent to the other :?
les; tnat Is Its intention, and our readers NAV
see part OF 1t In our local museum. An in
spectlon OF the three mighty engines which
move the monstrous screw of the Niagara. was
our next work. Then came the cooking appa-
ratus tor 900 sailors and marines; after that the
lower decks of the vessel, and finally the con-
strrctlon OF the cable was explained to us by
Captain Hudson, in his own cabin, and the ma
chlnery for paying out the cable on deck
On deck everything had the appearance of a
machine-making establishment An engine was
being erected upon it, and a series of drums
and pulleys to prevent the cable running ont
too fast, In case of an accident. We found that
1t was perfectly true, as the Times had said
that one part of the cable was spun left handed
and the other right-a thing, the captain said,
which no sailor would have done Another
curious mistake we learned. The receptacles
In his vessel were made to hold $50 miles of
the cable, but 100 miles had to be slowed on
deck, owing to his half Of it being spun the
eighth of an inch thicker than the other half
During our tour through tho noble vessel, Can't.
Hudson enlivened the company with his ccnu-
Inc wit, delighted us all by his gentlemanly
bearing, and made US personally feel in sha-
king hands, and wishing him a successful vow
age, that in the words of an officer of his sister
ship, the Susquehannah, we were parting with
n man who was every inch Of his flesh, and
every drop of his blood, sailor and a gentle
man" 1t will please many of our readers to
know that, with n crew of 500. he slowed the
cable at double the prescribed speed, by relays
without trenching upon the Sabbath, which he
refuses to violate.
On leaving the Niagara, our band played
" ankee Doodle" and hearty and long were
the cheers we gave, returned with equal warmth
by the sailors who manned the yards There
was one thing, remarked by all, to the dispar-
agement OF the American crew. On our near
ing the Niagara her decks swarmed with sail
ors in most dirty and idle condition The
dirt we might have overlooked, as the result of
the cable slowing; but to sec the seamen of a
Government ship lolling over the sides, hands
IN their pockets, or under their chns, some
half shaved, others who never had been +; some
with one kind of clothes, and some with another
badly contrasted with the remarkably clean
condition OF the men Of the Hastings, lying not
far off.