The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-08-20
TIE ARRITAL OF THE NLiG.4id At NEIg
INTERESTING DETAILS. - ~
prOm the New York Tribune aug. IS.
cam. .frigate Niagara passed Fire. Island light at ,

The steam rate Niagara passed Island light at
O'Clock this morning and Sandy Hook at A. M COM
Ing to anchor until high water She was detained Ry
fogs and an inadequate supply Of bad coal. Ate, a. M
Mr. Field chartered the seamtug Achilles and came up
to the city. He was accompanied by Mr. Matthew y
Field w. Il. Everett, engineer MI Woodhonse, engi-
necr baron Boye, and Purser Eidiidge The Niagara
will be rip about o clock this afternoon. uasa
Mr. Field is looking we'll although nearly worn out
by the toll and excitement which he has undergone No
doubt he will be overwhelmed with ovaos ond congat
ulatons but he longs for quiet and repose VIC hope
that to-day, at least in accordance with ms desire ne
may be allowed TO enjoy the society OF his family uidiF
turbed. He has been absent now from them Tor eist
months. ~ 81 " .rst lg..ss.,- }yi. fts III
On his arrival at the Staten Island landing tlis morn
ing the fact soon became known, and eager crowd
pressed toward the carriage TO look at the mum whose
name and fame have now become familiar as household
words He reached home about O'Clock, and ninio-
diatcly applied himself the completion Of his journal
transmission this morning to the telegraph directors
IN London.
Mr. Field describes the feeling which pervaded all ON
board the Niagara while the cable was being a as one
of the most excitement Every man cxorted him
self to tho utmost to achieve success In the work.
Throughout the six and half days the most perfect si
lence and attention pervadcd the men lest single mo-
ment of negligence should destroy the cable On the
first day after the paying out began was found TINT t
cable was being laid out at rate which, in proportion to
the distance rum would, II continued have defeated thc
enterprise. l& ss FI
This was owing to the fact that the cable the Nj
agara had caused much local attraction as to seriously
derange the copasses rendering it impossible TO steer
the ship Next day the commander of the Gorgon being
apprised Of the fact ahead OF the Niagara steering N
the most direct for Trinity bay This he continued
TO do day and night until they arrived leaving the
deck except for few moments and verifying his position
by repeated observations of the sum- moon and stars 10
his agency therefore the success OF the achievement
greatly indebted 1 2i4 H
Mr. Field landed near the telegraph station Trinity rs
Bay, at o'clock in the morning, and walked 70 The
house half mile distant, through the wilderness, not a
person being visible the beach, At the telcgyph.
house he found the operators from London fast asleep
not one of them expecting that the enterprise would
succeed Indeed they had not unpacked their trunks,
anticipating that in week two they would be ordered
back to London. 2
The reason why signals and not words werc sent
through the cable being laid is that on the pre-
vious attempt the clerks nduged in Irrelevant conyeit
ton which distracted their attention from duty at y
time when the slightest obstruction might be fatal To tho
work The directors therefore ordered that sSnalsony
should be sent through the cable from ship to ship
Both vessels had Greenwich time and the electric cur
rent played to and fro between them for ten minutes
each way. wtIm.a .ga via .oaa a b. fVa taH
The signals showed that the first day the speed Of
the Agamemnon slightly exceeded that of the Niagara
but on the succeeding days they went at the same %
there never being more than twenty miles difference be-
tween them When the cable was landed at both ends
Mr. Field applied his tongue to the end and received the
cheering information that the insulation was perfect an
shock that nearly threw him over The reason why
messages were not transmitted earlier from the act
that all the apparatus both ends and untrod
and required great deal of and skill to adjust
Mr. Field states that there is not the slightest doubt
that the cable Ia an entire success great greater
than its most sanguine friends looked forward to- Hy
the Persia to-day he writes to the directors to prepare
another cable at once as u evident Una. me present
idly as an ical line will be entirely insufficient for the
business which will flow To 1t,
Until the Ist Of September the line will be closed to
all messages those from the governments OF Great
Britain and the United States. During that time Mr.
Field will keep the public advised Of all matters Affecting
the success Of the cable. a0a