Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-09-08

A correspondent of the New York Herald writes to
that paper as follows;
BURLINGTON, August %, 1857.
Would not the difficulty that has for
the time prevented the laying OF the Atlantic Iele
graph Cable have been easily remided had there been
attachment OF small buoys at Intervals, say oil W
miles, along the cattle
These buoys could have been attached BY copper
or otherwise, giving sufficient play for the swell OF
the SOC; and when the break took place, the vessels
might have returned to the last buoy and, securing
the broken end, spced it and gone on with their
work. This idea may have suggested itself TO the
directors and been rejected AZ not being practicable
but do not what objection there could be TO it,"
A correspondent of the Norfolk Argus makes the
following judicous comments on the foregoing
Fearing that those entrusted with thelaying of the
cable, for the want Of little common sense which
they have already displayed, might adopt The above
absurd suggestion. ask through your columns TO
show bow impracicable is the idea, aud propose
plan both simple and sure.
will first suppose that the cable breaks at the dis
,ance of fifty miles from tho buoy, in dark stormy
night, when the waves would sweep buoy, cable and
all far away where il would take forty fleets 10 find
il. Every one knows, who il acquainted with the
sea, how difficult it is to find single object in the
open ocean.
IL. eays the buoy would be attached by wires, civ.
inr sufficient play for the swell of the sea. This Of
course would let the cable be entirely immersed in
the water. and in Case of break the inside Of the
cable would be wet with sat water, v ch suppose
it ia desira!e TO avoid 10 preventjts rustins and co..
roGiug.
Having pointed out the strong objections to the
proposed plan, l viii! chow how these objections eau
be avoided. There are five steamers employed ia
laying this cable, the Niagara, Susquehanna, Aga.
memnon, Cyclops, and the Leopard. Now lie; The
Niagara with the cable on board, commence to Law
1t out at tho end of cay ten twenty miles. let on.
of the other seamers take the bite ii The cable aud
hold il above water until the Niagara has laid twenty
more miles, then another of the steamers takes
the bite of The cable and holds it the same man n.r
until twenty or more miles are laid out, in the mean
time the trst steamer that held the cable has dropped
ii aud returned to the Niagara ready 10 take her turn
again when required.
Should the cable break. the Niagara goes back to
the vessel tha, has the bite Of The cable, spices it
aborc water, where it is perfectly dry, and again
commences to lay it out. At the time the cable
breaks, or when it s desired that the steamer that
holds it should drop il and return to the that is
laying it out signals be given by firing gun in
the day time, or by rockets by night. The disances
n, which the vessels should be apart when the bite
of tue cable is lei go into the sea- mnst be regulated
by tne weather aud other circumstances.
Had this simple plan been adopted in the late I'm
fortunate attempt 10 lay the cable, we would, ere
this have received Geographic news from Europe BY
the way OF the bottom OF the grest deep.