Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-08-14


undertaking. The consequence of this visit was
the formation of the existing Atlantic Telegraph
Company, comprising the holders of $50 shares
OF one thousand pounds each, and having Mr..
BRIGHT and Mr.. WHrTEHoUsE, who had taken
such prominent parts in the preliminary pro-
ceedings Of investigation, as their advising and
acting engineer and electrician. The services
of these gentlemen were at once secured, with
the conviction that in no other way could the
success Of the enterprise be so materially aided.
The charter of the New York, Newfoundland,
and London Company comforting upon it the
exclusive right to land telegraph cables on the
shores of Newfoundland and other parts OF
North America, and for twenty five Years to do
the same thing on the shores of Nova Scotia,
was then made over to the New Company, to-
gether with all concessions bearing upon the
undertaking which may be hereafter obtained,
and all the patent rights of Mcssrs. WHITE
HOUSE and BRIGHT, which in any way concern
ed the working of instruments in marine cir
cults Of great length were prospectively secured
to it. In order that the capital subscribed might
be entirely applied to the immediate object of
the undertaking, the projectors Messrs. BRETT
and FIELD, and Messrs. BRIGHT and WHITE
HOUSE, considerably arranged that compensa-
hon for the privileges assigned, and for past ex-
pendlture and exertions, should be left entirely
taking. The final agreement with these gentle
men was, that upon attaining success, half
yearly dividend of ten per cent. per annum on
the capital should first be paid to the sharehold-
ers, and that then one-half of any further profit
should be given to them, and the other half be
retained by the Company, it having been esti-
mated upon very moderate computation of the
probable amount of revenue, conioined with a
consideration of the comparatively small work
ing expenses where there can only be two ter
minal stations to be maintained, that very sat
isfactory result might be secured to all parties
upon this ground"
The next step in the undertaking was to Sc
lcct route. 1t would not do to lay the cable
where sharp peaks and crested ridges abound as
by them the wire would Be soon worn in pieces
by attrtion; or, in the deep intervening chasms
where it would break from its own weight
Soundings had been made and verified BY Lieut..
bergman, of the United States Navy, which
demonstrated the existence of a vast sub-ocean
plain, to be known hereafter as the TELEGRAPH
Plateau, which is scarcely 1900 feet below the
level of the sea, and extends in continuous
ledge from Cape Race, in Newfoundland, to
Cape Clear, in Ireland. This plain is generally
level and deep enough to be below disturbing
causes. Its bed is composed Of particles of
shells, so infinitely triturated as to render their
character indetectible save with the aid of mi
croscope. In this bed it was believed that the
cable could repose in perfect security.
The route finally fixed, the mechanical con-
struction of the cable was to be discussed. 1t
must not be too light, or it would refuse to sink
1t must not be too heavy, or the loop between
the two delivering vessels would break of its
own weight. Again, if the cable was too light,
It would be at the mercy of the currents while
descending, and run great risk of fracture while
being laid. If too heavy, how could $500 miles
of it be shipped, handled, and safely deposited
After repeated estimates and experiments it was
found that the cable must not weigh more than
one ton per mile. In the next place it must be
of the utmost tenacity consistent with this stan
dard of weight, and flexible enough to adapt it.
self to the apparatus for paying out, as well as
to admit of its being readily distributed into
coils in the yards and on board the vessels. In
order to give some idea of the pains which were
taken with this branch of the investigation, it
will suffice to say that Sirty-tro different kinds
ofrope had been subjected to close experiment,
b fore the exact form and character of the cable
to be employed were determined.
"In the cable finally adopted" 1--WE quote from
the Iimes,) "the central conducting wire is a
strand made up of seven wires of the purest
copper, of the guage known in the trade as No.
%. The strand itself is about the sixteenth of
an inch in diameter, and is formed of one
straightly drawn wire, with six others twisted
round it; this is accomplished by the central
wire being dragged from drum, through hole
in horizontal table, while the the table itself
revolves rapidly, under the impulse of steam
carrying near its circumference six reels or
drums, each armed with copper wire. Every
drum revolves upon its own horizontal axis, and
80 delivers its wire as It turns This twisted
form of conducting wire was first adopted for
the rope laid across the st. Lawrence in 1856
and was employed with view to the reduction
to the lowest possible amount of the chance of
continuity being destroyed in the circuit. 1t is
improbable in the highest degree that fracture
could be accidentally produced at precisely the
same spot in more than one of the wires Of this
twisted strand. All the seven wires might be
broken at different parts of the strand, even
SNiN SuS VI tiheo, aiiu lCl ilS lOT
the transmission of the electric current not be
destroyed, or reduced in any inconvenient de-
gree. The copper used in the formation of
these wires is assayed from time to time during
" the manufacture to insure absolute homogenie-
ty and purity. The strand itself, when subject
ed to strain, will stretch 20 per cent ofits length
without giving way, and indeed, without having
its electricity conducting power much modified
Or impaired"
The first attempt to lay the cable was made
in August, 1857. The wire was deposited one
half on board the Niagara and the other on the
Agamemnon. 1t was determined at first to pro-
coed to mid-ocean and there splice the ends and
then each vessel to proceed towards their re-
spective countries, paying out the cable in their
course. But this plan was altered. 1t was f.
naliy decided that both vessels should proceed
to Valentia Bay and that the Niagara should
then commence the work, the Agamemnon keep
ing her company until all the cable on board the
American vessel had been laid; the wire to be
then spliced and the British vessel complete the
work. On the 1lth of August, after the Mag
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