The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-05-20
From the London Times of April 90.
The Great Atlantic Submarine
Telegraph Gable,

a'auds the factory OF Messrs. Glass and
Elliot where The great submarine cable
by which it is hoped to connect England
with America is in rapid course of com
flotion. The rolls Of wire, tons of hemp
yarn, and singular looking drums from
the Gutta Percha Company, which are
necessarily pouring into the works ,beto.
kon the presence of an unusual kind of
manufacture, and this idea is quito borne
out by mere glance over the promises
themselves. The first object which at.
tracts the visitors attention on entering
the yard is tho vast bulk of cable already
completed. Ga each side of the path
are two large circular docks or pits, in
which about GOO miles are piled away in
four massive coils, each 50 feet in diam.
eter. IL appears so manageable and 50
supple as the men drag it from the
building in which it is manufactured
that it is difficult to realize the fact that
the greater part Of its bulk is iron wire,
or that light and slight looking rope Of
That Riud Is intended to form a pcrpotu.
Al medium of communication under the
3,oUO miles of une of the deepest and
stormest seas in the world.
Before entering further into tho sub.
Jcet we may as well mention that the
whole cable is being constructed 10 two
equal portions-one half being made at
Nlessrs. Glass and EIliott's at East
Greenwich. The reason for this subdi.
VISION is that i, was quite impossible for
one manufactory to complete such pi.
gautic undertaking within the allotted
time, Each firm is bound by contract
to have 1850 miles ready for shipment
ny July, and as many miles more as they
can get completed in that time Already
at tho two manufactures about 1900
miles have been made. Glass and Eli.
OFT produce at the ratio of 70 miles rcr
week, but with an additional machine in
COURSE Of erection they will in few DAYS
be able to increase that amount to 90
miles We believe both firms expect to
have about 400 miles completed within
the period specified in .h2ir agreement
Inc half of tho cable made at Newalrs
works will DO shipped in July IN board
the Niagara American screw frigate, the
longest and largest vtsso. Of its class
yet built. She will tc ACCOMPANIED for
1 t, occasion by the Mississippi frigatc
Ahc Inc made at Greenwich will be
coiied on board the Agamemnon, which
VIII also be accompanied by one of our
largest steam,frigates TO assist in laying
aowr.-1he four vessels will proceed in
company to the centre of tho Atlantic
"nerc the ends Of the cable will be care.
i'n'iy lined aud each ship will make tho
'es' of Its way TO its own shore, the Nj.
oogara steamer TO Trinity Bay New
Ioundlhnd, near the peninsula of Avalon,
aud the Agamcmnon to Valencia Bay.
county Of Kerry. on tho soutb.vest
coast Of Ireland. By this method tho
Wholo cable is expected to be laid in a
week or ten days at most. Five miles
Of The cable, where it j,ins in the centre
will be made Of steel wire. to opobls i,
TO bear the great strain at starting. For
Siteen miles from the coast of ireland it
will also be made Of immense strength
and thickness, to secure il from ipinrv
from ships anchors The same prccaI.
lions arc also to be adopted at the other
extremity at New foundland. though only
for five miles distance from the shore.
as the water there is very much doepc,
1t is intended to sink the cable across
the extensive plateau or bank formed bv
too course of the Gulf stream on ia
northern side. The greatest dentb her.
is 2,I0O fathoms. or nearly two miles
and q half The AVERAGE 3en,h of Ito
whole route is 400 fatbom, or li,tis
moro than ono mile and half The di.
rect distance from Valencia TO New.
foundland is 1850 geographical miles
81 that between 400 and 500 miles of
cable are allowed for slack " and casu.
aities.
Tho Atlantic cable, of the construction
and ultimate destination of which we
have thus given an outline, is hey ond all
doubt beautiful specimen of manufac.
turing skill, 1t possesses several essen.
tial requisites. Its cost, wo believe. is
only flO0 per mile its weight is onlv
ore ton rcr mile. l, is contracted for TO
bear strain Of 8 tons 2 cwt.. but it is
stated to stand tons with safety Its
specific gravity is between three ana f,ur
its diameter is small. and il is az f.x;bls
m o,A;,os.. '~'S