The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-09-04

power Ito regulate commerce with foreign ma
tons and among the several States" we
should have general Quarantine law for the
whole country, under the supervision Of the
officers of the revenue. We should then have
officers capable of knowing what Quarantine
really means, instead of Board of Health
made up of Aldermen and Councilman who
pay no attention to their duties, and Health
Officers from the rural districts-men who
never saw the inside of vessel until they were
appointed to discharge the most important
duties, to exercise the fullest powers, and to
assume the weightiest responsibilities connected
with the shipping and commercial interests OF
the metropolis. Every department Of our State
and city government is in bad way; but the
Quarantine, with its wars, fights, corruptions,
stupidities and humbugs, is the most trouble
some of all There is some strength in the
federal government, and let it be exercised to
reform the Quarantine laws. New Jersey will
zee the propriety Of giving up part of the Hook
to the government which already has possession
Of portion for lighthouses and forts, and thus
the whole matter may be amicably arranged. In
the meantime, the temporary Quarantine must
be at Sandy Hook. The New Jersey people are
nearly as much interested in the matter as we
are, and as the Hook is nothing better than
Sahara of sand, the Quarantine can do no harm
there. Let it be dore at once.
WORKING OF THE ATLANTIC CABLE.-The ex-
citement created by the great fact which we
have been lately celebrating is now over, and to
the rejoicngs by which it was hailed will sue
coed an anxious expectation of results. After the
enthusiastic applause bestowed on the labors Of
all connected with the consummation of this
glorious undertaking, it will be difficult to mo-
derate the popular impotence in regard to the
enjoyment of its benefits. As it is known that
messages are continually passing backwards
and forwards for the furtherance of expert
ments the public will be naturally DESTROYS to
learn the progress made, and the extent to
which the hopes Of the electricians carry the
capabilities of the line. There is no reason, in
fact, why the messages which form the subject
matter Of these experimental communications
should not have public object and interest
AS well may our merchants profit by the facill-
tee thus afforded, as for the telegraph directors
and operators to expend their labors in mere
personal courtesies. Even should the in
formation thus conveyed prove imper.
feet and unsatisfactory, the public will
make allowances for it, in view of the
conditions under which it is forwarded.
The feasibility of the enterprise established, and
due credit awarded to all concerned in it, there
can be no motive for Withholding from us the
facts connected with its working difficulties,
whatever they may be. We are sufficiently sa-
tisfed with the partial success that has been
achieved to regard with patience and indulgence
any delay that is unavoidable in the general
working Of the line. We do not see, however,
why the receipt of at least one daily despatch
Of political and commercial news should inter
fere with the experiments of the electricians.
Most Of the improvements effected In the ma
chinery Of the land lines have been carried out
without arresting in any way their general bu.
siness. As it has been shown that the instru-
ments of the Atlantic telegraph, defective as
they may be, are capable Of doips soisaih
amount or work snInK that the public are
entitled to the benefit Of Its facilities to any ex
tent which will not impede their experimental
operations. The directors should recollect that
we are in the position Of the child kept from a
coveted play thing-impatient to pull the wires
and set them in movement ourselves
But even were 1t not expedient that the line
should be partially opened to the public, we
can see no object that Is to be gained by OBJ
serving silence as to the progress Of the expert
ments. The public feel almost as anxious an
interest In the executive details OF the enter
prise as they did in the laying Of the cable
itself They wish to be Informed from day to
day how its organization proceeds, 80 - TO be
able to form some opinion as to the extent Of
the facilities likely to be realized from the line.
AS the undertaking is an international one, and
enjoying the support Of the two governments,
there can be no necessity for mystery about the
preliminary working arrangements There is
the less reason for II, from the fact that on the
other side the public are kept regularly In
formed Of the progress Of the preparations at
the yalentia terminus.