Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-07-24
The Atlantic telegraph a Failure.

The third and, for the present final attempt
to lay the cable for the Atlantic telegraph has
proved failure and the Niagara has returned
to Queenstown, Ireland, the place ofrendezvous.
This result was confidently predicted by most
of those who had watched attentively the record
of the preceding experiments although they
would have reoiced had their predictions
proved false. Until the Agamcmnon, the Brit
ish vessel employed with the Niagdrd, returns
we shall not know the exact cause of failure
Both ships proceeded to mid-ocean and after
joining the ends of the cable proceeded each
way to pay out. After about $50 miles had
been laid by the Niagara and while the cable
was running out well all signals suddenly
ceased.
The Cork Reporter of the 9th inst, supplies
the following details of the disasters
All the vessels having at length arrived at
their central point of junction, the first splice
Of the cable was made on the Goth. After
having paid out two and half miles each, ow-
ing to an accident on board the Niagara, the
cable parted. The ships having again met, the
splice was made good, and they commenced to
give Oul lllt lllllc Dul after lilCN
had each paid out 40 miles it was reported that
the current was broken, and no communication
could be made between the ships. Uufortun-
ately, in this instance, the breakage must have
occurred at the bottom, as the electricians, from
the fine calculations which their sensitive in
struments allow them to make, were able to de-
clare such to have been the fact, even before
the vessels came together again. Having cast
off this loss, they met for the third time and
recovered the connection of the cable on the
2Sth. They then started afresh, and the Mag
ara having paid out over 80 miles of the ca
bic, all on board entertained the most sanguinc
anticipations of success, when the fatal an
nouncement was made upon Tuesday, the Goth,
at 8 j. NJ, that the electric current had ceased
to flow. As the necessity of abandoning the
project for the present was now only too mani
fest, it was considered that the opportunity
might as well be awaited of to test the strength
of the cable. Accordingly, this immense YES
sci, with all her stores, &C., was allowed to
swing to the cable, and, in addition, strain of
four tons was placed upon the breaks vet, al
though it was blowing fresh at the time, the ca
bic held her as if she had been at anchor for
over an hour, when a heavy pitch Of the sea
snapped the rope, and the Nt0gara bore away
for this port. Before starting, an arrangement
was made that should any accident occur in
giving out the cable before the ships should
have gone 100 miles, they should return to
their starting place in mid-ocean; but that in
case that distance should have been exceeded
before any casualty should happen, they should
make for Queenstown. In accordance with this
understanding, the Niagara, having made 1909
miles before the mishap, returned to this port
Upon her homeward way she must have passed
the -AgomemHOn, but owing to the heavy fogs
which prevailed for the greater portion of that
time, she missed seeing or gaining any tidings
of her.
1t is thought by good judges that the enter
prise will not succeed until the wire is all laid
by one vessel proceeding from this country to
England. The Leriathdn is the only vessel in
the world capable of carrying such burthen,
and no better use can be made of this floating
monster. This failure will only prolong the
undertaking. That the result aimed at will be
effected in few years at the farthest cannot
admit of rational doubt. The present cable
if it has been successfully laid might have been
deficient in capacity for a successful conveyance
of Geographic signals. Future discoveries in
this branch of knowledge will, without doubt
soon be made, and cable that will transmit
distinctly and rapidly all signals will shortly
connect the two continents.
The cost of the experiment thus far has been
about three million of dollars of which the
company furnish two and a half millions, and
the two governments the rest