Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-11-27
| CITY & NEWS ITEMS
SATURDAY. MOGNING, NOV. a7,:1s5s.


LIEUT.. MAURY's LEcTURE.-Every available
place in the Melodeen was crowded on Thursday
night by those desirous of hearing and seeing the
world renowned Maury, on the subject to which
he has given more attention, and is more conyer-
SAINT with, than perhaps any other man living
Curiosity to see the lecturer doubtless attracted
very many, as the innumerable essays, poems and
arguments which have been poured forth upon the
Atlantic Telegraph have rendered it a fossil subject
which few care 10 hear again.
The lecturer commenced with brief description
of the cable and the manner in which it was laid.
He gave as the reason why the cable was not now
in good working condition, that whereas the inter
ior copper conducting wires were straight, and
the iron ones surrounding the gutta percha twisted
aboutI it like the strands Of rope, the copper
wires had been unable to bear the strain and Lad
parted one by one until but two, one, or perhaps
none were left uninjured. The sharp corners and
fresh fracture would enable the electricity
to leap the breaks in continuity for a time, but
soon these becoming rusty, would effectually pre-
vent the passage of the electric fluid. The cable
was too heavy for the purpose. Had the iron COW
erng of the gutts percha been dispensed wi b, and
the covered copper wire alone been paid out
slackly it would have sunk quietly to its bed in the
deep seas and would now be daily CONVEYING mes
sages to and from the old world. There are no
under currents abrading forces to wear and tear
the cable and had it not parted by its own weight
the Telegraph would now be iu good condition.
The Telegraphic cord mot cable) would yet be
laid and work successfully. The times are ready for
it. Through many years the sciences of electricity
and magnetism have been gradually unfolding and
growing more and more clear, and more and more
prepared for this last crowning event He review
ed the discoveries and experiments in these
branches from the time when the gavanic throes of
dead frog drew attention to galvanism, through
the times of Volta, Galvani 0rstee, Arago, Sebeck,
Davy, Barlow, and many others down to 1887 when
Morse first fed cayeat for ihis first operating tel
egraph 1t was during the year Of this first tee
graph that gutta percha was discovered, that sub
stance which is 50 necessary in laying submarine
telegraph.
High tributes were paid to Morse and Field who,
in spite of the seventy-two men who have come
forward and claimed to be orignators of the Allan
tic Telegraph, still are the two who have carried it
llLV suCCGSSlul DpEIdLIOI OlutI5 udut uU UOuDlf
thought of telegraph before Morse constructed one,
but it was he who took the magnetic fluid, taught
it its letters sent it to school, and then trained it
until it would run on errands throughout the world
Others had doubtless thought of a telegraph across
the ocean, but Field was the first who had ever put
such projects into working order
The error Of the popular idea that lightning did
the telegraphing was shown, the virtue being in
| the magnet.
The Telegraphic Plateau between Newfoundland
and ireland was referred to, and the reasons for
concluding that no under-currens exist in the deep
seas
Mr.. Maury is far from being an egotst, and
speaks but little of his own discoveries and achiev
ments, which in reality are many and great. The
lecture, although more than an hour and half in
length, was listened to with much attention,
| ing from a man who knew whereof he spoke.
In connection with the Telegraph question, we
notice, in the Boston TraUelier, description of
''Roger's Deep Sea Telegraph Cord,' which is be-
ing manufactured by company in Baltimore
This cord is but little than quarter ofan inch
in diameter or one third the size of the Cable al
ready laid, and consists of a copper wire in the
centre about as large as good sized knitting nee
die, covered with layer of gutta percha and
next with braid of fine fax or hemp thoroughly
saturated with pitch. 1t is flexible yet very solid
and evidently durable
Lieut. Maury, in a letter to the manufacturs, IN.
der date of Oct 29th, says:
''You ask my opinion of your submarine tele-
graphic cord It is just the thing. Another beau
ty OfyOur cord besides its cheapness IS its mani
pulabiitg; you can stow on board of one vessel
enough Of it to span the Atlantic she can then to
use a sailors term, pay and go" with it, and run
across the ocean as quick as though she were
making an ordinary passage. Moreover, sne can
lay it at any season OS The year, the only condi-
tons as to the weather being that she should not
encounter gale heavy enough 10 compel her to
lie too" 1t is a fact not generally known, that
common lines of hemp fax, &C., when subjected to
deep sea pressure, become specifically heavier than
the water. In one of the deep sea soundings on
the telegraphic plateau, Lieut.. Dayman hauled up
200 fathoEs Of sounding line in a coil almost as
heavy as lead from the bottom. A piece OF pine
plank sunk to the depth of 500 fathoms, hauled up
and thrown overheard, will sink like a stone
The wrapping which you propose is Of such q
nature that it will become heavy with deep sea
pressure, and cause your cord to sink faster and
faster the deeper it goes.