Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-07-16
The Ocean Telegraph Cable.

' AChCSGdpD CADAcs
A correspondent of the New Yorl
Journal of Commerce, written from or
board the steam frigate Niagara, a,
Plymouth, Eng, June 8, gives an inter
esting account of the experimental trip
of the telegraphic fleet to test the prac.
ticabi!ity of laying the cable. He
says -
The fleet proceeded to the Bay of.
Biscay. lat. Al II, N. long, 9oo 80
w., when signal was made by this ship
to the Gorgon to sound. Immediately
her boat was seen in the water engaged
in complying with our request, and in
about two hours the depth was reported
at $3.50 fathoms, say about two miles
and three quarters. This being deeper
than any water on the route between
Valcntia, Ireland, and Newfoundland.
the spot was at once selected for the
experiments. Accordingly, the storms
of the two paying out ships were con-
nected by hawsers at the distance of
about 600 feet from each other, and the
end of the wire cable was sent by a
hauling line from Niagara to Agamem-
non, where it was spiced to the end of
hers, and both ships commenced paving
out. Although the wire used was piece
of condemned cable put on board to be
expended, and was very defective in many
parts, yet it reached the bottom in perfect
safety, and was wound up afterwards
nearly to the surface Of the water; but
the hawser connecting the vessels having
MEANWHILE parted, of course the wire
was broken when stretched '.aut' between
the ships-both machincet winding up at
the same time. This was regarded as
highly encouraging. The experiment was
made at night, under disadvantages, and
with the old cable too The machinery
performed its part, both in paying out
and winding up admirably. Telegraph
ing was constant between the ship during
the process.
The second experiment was with
portion of the good wire. the Atlantic
Telegraph cable proper. This was splc-
ed in the same way, payed out equally
well to the bottom, and messengers sent
through 1900 miles.
This wire hung at the STERN of the ship
sustaining it. own weight in nearly three
miles of water for an hour, electric com
munication being kept up in the meantime
through the 1900 miles when the Again.
emnon make signal wire parted 1t
broke near her stern. from the long con.
tnued tension and chafe from the motion
ofthe ship. On board the Niagara the
cable was wound up to within a short
distance of the splice where it had
been broken second time. it is sup.
posed by dragging on the bottom while
being wound up. This wire was bear
Ing strain at times of 500 lbs. as
shown by the dynamomater and when
it came in, over the wheels, was 50 k:nk.
ed and curleI, twisted and un.a;d, as t.
be entirely unfit for further use. In one
pace it was twisted into half dozen
hard Knots all together.
The third ind last experiment which
deserves mention, was the trial Of the
buoy.
The splice was made as before dascrib.
ed, the cable being the .cUndemed, like
that In the first experiment; the hawser
between the vessels was cast off, and both
steamed away in opposite directio,.s.-
Asamememnon soon made signal, cable
parted Niagara kept on and paid out
3 Ia miles, taen attached the large buoy
and small watch buoy, dropping them
overheard, steaminy away from the buoys
and paying out. She had not gone more
than 800 yards when the wire parted on
the wheels, from its own detects. Mag.
ara then turned to pick up bouy, but be-
fore she reached it it topplel over
showing the cable to be detached. On
examination it was found the wire had
cut through 3 IA inch rope by which
it was attached to the buoy. in forty
minutes time merely by the undulalion
of the sea. My deductions from these
experiments are as follows:
lst. That the machiaerr is rfect.
3d. That by constant watching, and
by putting on the LEAST POSSIBLE RE-
rAEDAr1oN, the ships going 6 or knots,
can be laid.
Sd. That any attempt to bouy the ca
bic in deep water will be time, cable ard
bouy lost. This has been much insisted
on-this bouyng; bat it is now the gen
erl odinion that under no circumstan,
ces would the cable fail to twist off in
few hours,
4th. That any long stopage of the
ship by accident to shipe, engines, or by
repairs Of detective cable, will be fatal.