The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-11-25
Ri PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
concluded from fourth page-l

But all their speed was to no purpose, as the
cable was unwinding within a hundred fathoms,
and, as q last and desperate resource, the cable
was stopped altogether, and for a few moments
the ship hung on by heend. Fortunately, how
ever, it was only for q few minutes, as the strain
was continually rising above two tons, and 1t
would not hold ON much longer; when thesplice
was finished, the signal was made to loose the
stopper, and it parsed overheard safely enough.
When the excitement consequent upon having
50 narrowly saved the cable had passed away, we
awoke to the consciousness that the case was still
as hopeless as ever, for the electrical continuity
was still entirely wanting. Preparations were
consequently made to pay out as little rope as
possible, and to hold on for six hours, in the hopes
that the fault, whatever it might be, might mend
itself before cutting the cable and turning to the
rendezvous to make another splice. The mag
netic needles on the receiving Instruments were
watched closely for the returning signals when
in a few minutes the last hope was extinguished
by their suddenly indicating dead earth, which
tended to show that the cable had broken from
the Niagara, or that the insulation had been COM
pletely destroyed.
In three minutes, however, every one was agree
ably surprised by the intelligence that the stop,
page had disappeared, and that the signals had
again appeared at their regular intervals from the
NIaga a. 1t is needless to say what a load OF
anxiety this news removed from the minds OF
every one, but the general confidence in the ulti-
mate success of the operations was much shaken
by the occurrence, for all felt that every minute
n similar accident might occur. For some time
the paying out continued as usual, but towards
the morning another damaged place was discov-
cred in the cable there was, fortunately, how
ever, time to repair it in the hold without in any
way interfering with the operations, beyond tor a
time slightly reducing the speed of the ship.
During the morning of Friday, the 3Oth, every
thing went we'll ; the ship had been kept at the
speed Of about FIVE knots, the cable going out
about six, the average angle with the horizon at
which IL left the ship being about l5', while the
indicated strain upon the dynamometer seldom
showed more than l 900 lbs. to 1,7OO lbs: I'd
servations made at noon showed that wehad mace
good 90 miles from the starting point since the
previous day. with an expenditure, includingsub-
seauent stoppages. of 135 miles of cable Dur
ing the latter portion of the day the barometer
fell considerably, and towards the evening it blew
almos. a gale Of wind from the eastward dead
ahead of our course.
As the breeze freshened the speed of the en-
zines was gradually increased, but the wind more
than increased in proportion. 50 that before the
sun went down the Agdmannon was going full
steam against the wind, only making a speed OF
about four knots an hour. During the evening
topmasts were lowered, and spars, yards, sails,
and. indeed. everything aloft that could offer re-
si.tance to the wind. was sent down on deck but
still the ship made but little way, chiefly in con-
sequence of a heavy sea, though the enormous
quantity of fuel consumed showed us that If the
wind lasted we should be reduced to burning the
masts, spars, and even the decks, to bring the
shin into Valentia. 1t seemed to be our particu-
lar ill-fartuue To meet with head winds whichever
way the ships head was turned. On our journey
out we had been delayed and obliged to consume
an undue proportion of coal for want of an east
erly wind, and now all our fuel was wanted be-
cause of one. However, during the next day the
wind gradually went round to the southwest,
which, though it raised a very heavy sea, allowed
US to husband our small remaining store OF fuel.
On Saturday. the 31st of July, observ-
atoms at noon showed us to he in lat. 500 % N,
and Ion. 26o A W., having made good l2O
miles of distance since noon of the previous day,
with a loss of about q per cent. of cable. The
Niagara, as far as could be Judged from the
amount of cable she paid out. which by a previ-
GUS arrangement was signaled at every ten miles,
kept pace with us within one or two miles the
whole distance across.
During the afternoon of Saturday the wind
again freshened up, and before nightfan it again
blew nearly a gale of wind, and a tremendous sea
ran before it from the southwest, which made the
Aoaznezanon pitch to such an extent that it was
thought impossible the cable could hold on through
the night; indeed, had il not been for the con-
stant care and watchfulness exercised by Mr..
Bright and the two energetic engineers, Messrs.
Canning and Clifford, who acted with him, IT
could not have been done at all Men were kept
at the wheels of the machine to prevent their
stopping, as the stern of the ship rose and fell
with the sea, for had they not done so the cable
must undoubtedly have parted. During Sunday
the sea and wind increased, and before the eve
ming il blew a smart gale.
Now. indeed. were the activity of all engaged
in the operation tasked to the Mr.. Hoar
and Mr.. Moore, the two engineers who had the
charge of the relieving wheels of the ~dynamome-
ter. had to keep watch and watch alternately
every four hours, and while on duty burst not LEI
their attention be removed from their occupation
for one moment. for on their releasing the breaks
eyery time the stern Of the shipf fell into the trough
of the sea entirely depended the safety of the ca
bic. and the result shows how ably they dis.
charged their duty. Throughout the night there
were few who had the least expectation of the ca
bic Hlding on till morning, and many remained
awake listening for the sound which all most
dreaded to hear-viz- the gun which should an,
nnunce the failure of all our hopes. Butstill the
cable. which in comparison with the ship from
which il was paid out, and the gigantic waves
among which it was delivered, was but q mere
thread. continued to hold on, only leaving a sill
very phosphorus line upon the stupendous seas
as thew rolled on towards the ship.
With Sunday morning came no improvement
in the weather; still the sky remained black and
stormy to windward, and the constant violent
SQUALLS Of wind and rain which prevailed during
the whole day served to keep up, if not to aug
ment, the height of the waves. But the cable
had gone through 90 much during the night that
our confidence in its continuing to hold was much
restored. At noon observations showed us to be
in lat $50 26 NJ. and Ion. 23e l6 W., having
made good 80 miles from noon of the previous
day, and about $50 miles from our starting point
in mid-ocean.
We had passed by the deepest sounding Of
2.4OO fathoms and over more than half of the
deep water generally. while the amount of cable
still remaining in the ship was more than sufh-
cient to carry us TO the Irish coast, even sup
posing the continuance of the bad weather
should oblige MS to pay out the same amount oi
slack cable we had hitherto been wasting. Thus
far things looked very promising for our ultimate
success. But former experience showed US only
too plainly that we could never suppose that
some accident might not arise until the ends had
been fairly landed on the opposite shores.
During Sunday night and Monday morning.