Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-09-17
The Atlantic Cable.

From the official report of Mr. Charles
Z. Bright to the Directors of the Atlantic
Telegraph Company, we take the following
extracts showing his opinion of the cause
of the failure. Mr.. Bright was engineer
in-chief of the Company. After referring
to the cable being thrown ont of the
grooves, and the difficulty of replacing it,
he says.
Shortly after this the speed of the cable
gained considerably upon that of the ship.
and up to o'clock, while the rates of the
later was about knots by the log, the ca
bic was running out from 1-2 to 81
knots per hour The strain was then rails
cd % cwt.: bat, the wind and sea incrcas-
ing. and a current at the same time carry
ing the cable at an angle from the direct
line of the ships course, it was not found
sufficient to check the cable, which was a.
midnight making 21-2 knots above the
speed of the ship, and sometimes ilnperil
ling the safe uncoiling in the hold.
The retarding force was therefore in
creased at 2 o'clock to an amount equiv
alent TO 80 cwt, and then again, in consc-
quence of the speed continuing to be more
than it would have been prudent to permit,
to 30 cwt. BY this the rate of the cable
was brought to a little short of five knots,
at which it continued steadily until 3:45
when it parted, the length paid out at that
time being 335 miles
l had up to this time attended person
ally to the regulation of the brakes but
finding that it being necessary that should
be temporarily away from the machine TO
ascertain the rate of the ship and TO see how
the cable was coming out of the hold, and
also to visit the electrician, the machine
was for the moment left in charge of a
mechanic who had been engaged from the
first in its construction and fitting, and was
acquainted with its operation.
l WAS proceeding to the fore part of the
ship when l heard the machine stop; |
Immediately called Quito ease the brake
and reverse the engine of the ship, but
when reached the spot the cable was bro
KEN
On examination the machine, which
was otherwise in perfect order, / found
that the brakes had not been released, and
to this or to the handwhecl of the brake
being turned the wrong way may be attrib-
utei the stoppage, and the consequent frac-
ture of the cable.
When the rate of the wheels grew slow
err as the ship dropped her stern into the
swell, the brake should have been eased !;
this had been done regularly before when
ever an unusually sudden decent of the
ship temporarily withdrew the pressure
from the cable in til, sea; but own 6 to our
entering the deep water the previous morn
ing, and having all hands ready for any
emer yency that might occur there, the
chief part of my staff had been compelled
to give in a. night, through sheer exhaus-
ton, aud hence, being short h .nl'el, / was
obliged for the time to leave the machine,
without, as it proves sufficient intelligence
to control it.
perceive that on the next occasion it
will be necdful, from the wearing and anx-
ious nature of the work, to have three sep
arate relays of staff, and to employ for at
tention to the brakes higher degree Of
mechanical skill. se.sa -
The origin of the accident was no doubt
the amount of retarding strain put upon
the cable but had the machine been prop
erly manipulated at the time, it could not
possibly have takerspIacc.
Several days will elapse before any de-
termination will be made respecting future
proceedings.