Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1858-07-24
Laying the All ,n,io Telegraph Gable,

The telegraph yesterday announced that ih
telegraph feet had eh the shores OF Grea
Britain. TO lay down the cable The Aga
memnon and Niagara are doubtless, to-day
speeding opposite directions. in the completion
Of the great work. and by Monday next, w
shall have heard the result Of the trial. 4
would he useless, ths,efore. to speculate dpor
the subject; but the following account OF the
experiments made previous to undertaking the
great work, will prob.bly help individuals to
make up ioembly accurate opinion Of the
difficulties 10 be encountered. Il is written by
one or the parties comprising the expedition, on
board OF the Niagata.
The fleet proceeded to the Bay OF biscay,
lat. Al deg, l2 ~, lon. 90 deg. 90 w., when
sigma was made ty 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 2530 fathoms. say about two milea and lhtee
quarters. This being deeper thnn any water
on the route between Valent,s, ireland, and
New Foundlandi the spot was nj once selected
for the experiments. Accordingly. the stern
oi the two paying out ships were connected by
haw:ers, at the distance Of about 600 fee, from
each other, and the end Of the wire cable was
sent by hauling line from the Niagara to the
Agamemnon, where il was spliced to the end
Of hers, and both ships commenced paying out.
Although the wire used was piece Of con.
demned cable put on board to be expended,
and was very detective 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 yes.
sells having meanwhile Parted, Of course the
wire was broken when stretched "taut" between
the ships-boih machines winding up at the
same time. This was regarded as highly en-.
counging. 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
Telegraphng was constant between the ships
during the process.
The second experiment was with a portion
Of the good wire, the Atlantic Telegraph cable
proper. This Wa, spliced in the sarfie way,
payed out equally we'll to the bottom, and mes.
sages sent through 1900 miles.
The wire hung at the stern OF the ships, sus-
tanning its own weight in nearly three miles
of water for an hour, electric communication
being kept up in the mean time through the
1909 miles, when the Agamemnon made sig
nal "wire parted" 1t broke neaf her stern,
from the long continued tension and chafe from
the itio,ien Of the ship. On board the Nlaga-
ra the Gable was wound up to within short
distance Of the splice where II had b.en broken
a secund time it is suppusrd BY dragging at
the bottom, while being wound up. This wire
was bearing strain at times Of 800 lbs. as
shown by the dyna memeter-and when it
came in over the wheels. was so knhed and
curled, twisted and unlaid, as to be entirely un-
fit for further use. In one place It was twisted
INTO half dozen hard knots all together.
The third and last experiment, which de.
serves fftentoh, .sas the trial Of the buoy.
The splice was made as before described,
the'cable being the condemned" like that in
the first experiment.; the hawser between the
vessels was cast off, and both steamed away in
opposite directions. Agamemnon soon made
signal, "cab!e parted" niagara kept on and
paid out IA miles, then attached the ldtge
buoy and small watch buoy, dropping them
over board steaming away from the buoys and
pay fig dut. She had hot gone more than 800
yards, when the wire parted ON tie wheels,
from its own defects The Niagara then re.
turned to Pick up the buoy, but before she
IcuCHeu IL, IL 'toppleh uVeil -suo".'S 'ne c"
bIeto be detached On examination, it was
found that the wire had cut through three
and quarter inch rope. BY whitlt II Vas at:
tached to the buoy, in 40 minutes time, mere
ly by the undulations Of the sea. My deduc.
tions FROM these experiments are as follows:
lst. That the machinery is perfect.
end. That by constant watching, and by
putting on the least possible retardalion, the
ships going six or seven knots, the cable can be
laid.
3rd That any attempt to buoy the cable in
deep water will be time, cable and buoy lost.
This has been much insisted on-this buoying;
but it is now the general opinion that under
no circumstances would the cable fail to twist
off in few hours.
4lh. That any long stopage Of the ships by
accident to ship engines. or by repairs Of de-
fectve parts Of cable, will be fatal.