The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-11-25

~ CRoAoD 81 e0e A800eDDO0s q -
We have already published Mr.. Fields Journal
Of the cruise of the Niagara in laying the Allan
tic Telegraph Cable, but the following account of
the cruise of the British vessel Agamennon is 80
highly interesting that we have made the follow
ing extracts. The Ayanennon reached mid-ocean
and joined the Niagara ON the 29th July. The
cable being spliced, at IL o'clock, it was ready
for loweringNand here we begin:
In hosting it out from the side of the ship, the
lesden sinker broke short of and fell overheard /;
and there being no more convenient weight at
hand, q 32lb. shot was fastened to he splice in
stead, and the whole apparatus was quickly
dropped into the sea without any formality, for
those on board had witnessed 50 many beginnings
to the telegraph line, that it was evident that
they despaired of there ever being an end to it.
The stipulated 210 fathoms Of cable having been
paid out to allow the splice to sink well below
hawser cut loose, and the Niagara and Agameu1-
non started for the last time for their opposite
destinations.
For the first three hours the slips proceeded
very slowly, paying cut a great quantity of slack,
but after the expiration of this time the speed of
the Agomemnon was increased to FIVE knots per
hour, the cable going at about six. without indi-
eating more than a few hundred pounds of strain
upon the dynamometer.
Shortly after 6 o'clock a very large whale was
SEEN approaching the starboard bow at a great
speed, rolling and tossing the sea into a foam all
round, and for the first time we felt the possible
iy of the superstition that our second mysterious
breakage Of the cable might have been caused
after all by one of these animals getting foul of
it under water. 1t appeared as if it were making
direct for the cable. and great was the relief of
all when the ponderous living mass was seen
slowly to pass astern. just grazing the cable where
it entered the water but fortunately without
doing any mischief.
All seemed to 60 well up to about 8 O'Clock;
the cable paid out from the hold with an even
ness and regularity which showed how carefully
and perfectly it had been coiled away and to
guard against accidents which might arise in con-
sequence Of the cable having suffered injury dur
ing the storm, the indicated strain on the dynam-
orpeter was never allowed TO go beyond 100 lbs.
or less than one quarter what the cable is esti-
mated to bear,-and thus far everything looked
promising Of success. But in such a hazardous
work no one knows what q few minutes may
bring forth, for soon after s an injured portion of
the cable was discovered about a mile or two from
the portion paying out not a moment was lost
by Mr.. Canning, the engineer on duty, in setting
men TO work to cobble up the injury as well as
time would permit, for the cable was going out
at such a rate that the damaged portion would
be paid overheard in less than twenty minutes,
and former experience had shown us that to check
either the speed of the ship or the cable would, in
all probability, be attended by the most fatal re-
sults.
just before the tapping was finished, Professor
Thompson reported that the electrical continuity
of the wire ceased, but that the insulation was
perfect attention was naturally directed to the
injured piece as the probable source of the stop
page, and not q moment was lost in cutting the
cable at the point, with the intention Of making
Q perfect splice.
To the CONSERVATION of all, the electrical ties,
showed the fault to be overheard, and in all prob
ability so miles from che ship. Nota second was
20 be lost, for it was evident that the cut portion
must be paid overheard in a few minutes, and in
the meantime the tedious and difficult task OF
making a splice had TO be performed.
The ship was Immediately stopped, and no
more cable was paid out than was absolutely ne
ce1ary to prevent it breaking As the stern OF
the ship was lifted by the waves q scene of the
most intense excitement followed. 1t seemed i'm
possible even by using the greatest possible speed
and paying out the least possible amount of ca.
bic, that the ~juncture could be finished before the
part was taken QUITO the hands of the workmen.
The main hold presented an extraordinary
scene; nearly all the officers of the ship and those
connected with the expedition stood IN groups
about the coil, watching with intense anxiety the
cable as it slowly unwound itself nearer and
nearer the joint, while the workmen, directed BY
Mr.. Canning, under whose superintendance the
cable was originally manufactured. worked at the
splice as only men could work who felt that the
life and death of the expedition depended upon
their ~rapidity.
Icoucuded on Supplement page
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