Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-08-27
The Atlantic cable-How 1t was Laid.


the New York papers We take the following synopsis
from the Tribune:
Mr. Field describes the feeling which pervaded all on
board the Niagara while the cable being laid as
Of the most intense excitement. Every exerted
himself to the utmost to achieve in the work.
Throughout the six and half days the most perfect
silence ard attention pervaded the men, lest single
moment of negligence should destroy the cable On the
first day after the paying out began, it was found that
the cable was being payed out at rate which, in pro-
portion to the distance run, would, if continued have
defeated the enterprise. This owing to the fact that
the cable on the Niagara had caused much local at
traction to seriously derange the compasses rendering
it impossible to steer the ship Next day, Capt Day
man. of the Gorgon being apprsed of the fact ahead
of the Niagara steering in the most direct for
Trinity Bay This he continued to do day and night
until they arrived leaving the deck except for
few moments and verifying his position by repeated OBJ
servatlons OF the sum- moon and stars
| When his arduous task accomplished, his eyes
were swollen and sufused with blood from long loss of
sleep, and he was almost Frustrated from the immense
fatigue which he had undergone Without his assistance
the cable would have been exhausted long before the
Niagara reached land and to his agency, therefore, the
success of the achievement is largely indebted.
| On Wednesday morning, August A. at o'clock, land
appeared to the n W. about So miles distant. An
hour later the Agamemnon sgnaed that she had payed
out 926 miles of cable being precisely the quantity
as that ayed from the Niagara. At ~ 2. NJ her
Maestys steamer Porcupine hove in sight and Captain
Otter, her commander who had for weeks been
gagged in surveying Trinity Bay and the Bay of Bulls
ARM boarded the Niagara to pilot her into the harbor
At P NJ Capt Otter reported the telegraph station
19 miles off, There had been paid out from the Nigga
"a 995 miles u fathoms
have waited for daylight before resumng operations the
steamer kept right through the night. Captain
Otter who is skilful pilot is also very prudent
Anticipating that the Niagara might arrive in the night
he had caused boats to be stationed up the bay along
the laid out for her. and at signal the men in
them kindled blazing torches and people along shore
lighted huge bonfres to guide the mariners their
way.
The Niagara guided by her careful pilot, steamed
slowly up the bay and at i o'clock on the morning of
Thursday, August s. she to anchor close to the
Shore in seventeen fathoms Of water having succeeded
in her share of the great undertaking. She had payed
out lOl3 miles, and Geographic signals constantly
flowing through the entire length.
Mr.. Field landed near the Telegraph Station, Trinity
Bay, at O'Clock in the morning, and walked to the
StatonHouse, half mile distant through the wilder
ness, not person being visible the beach At the
Telegraph House he found the operators from London
fast asleep not one OF them expecting that the enterprise
would succeed Indeed, they had not unpacked their
trunks, anticipating that in a week two they would
be ordered back to London the station house
finished, work upon it had ceased and Of the in
strumens had been prepared for The establishment
of the operators when they learned that the cable was
laid may be conceived. At 245 A. NJ, signal
received from the Agamemnon, stating that she had
payed out ,Ol0 miles of cable. Mr. Field then tele-
graphed to the Associated Press the glad tngs of
cess.
When day broke, the boats were all lowered and 800
fathoms of cable carried ashore First Lieut. JAS
Ii. North handed the shore end to Captain Hudson,
who placed it the beach, A procession then
formed, headed by Capt. Hudson ard Mr.. North fol-
lowed by the officers of the Niagara, Captains of the
GOrgon and Porcupne their officers crews, and the
crew OF the Niagara Each taking hold of the cable
they marched up from the beach to the telegraph station
house distance of half mile, where they deposited the
end of the cable Capt Hudson then offered prayer and
few remarks appropriate to the occasion, when the
ceremony Of landing terminated The officers and crews
then returned to their respective boats reaching their
vessels at o'clock in the morning. The Gorgon and
Porcupine carried the American flag at the FORE the
Niagara the English flag at the FORE and the telegraph
flag at the mzzen.
The Agamemnon tntgraphed at l P M on the same
day Ihursday, Aug. s. that she had landed her end Of
the cable. On the announcement of this fact the Cor
gon fired salute of twentyone guns, and her crew,
manning the rigging gave three hearty cheers which
were heartily returned from the Niagara. All hands
!, then went below to rest from their labors.
In conversation with Mr.. Field we learn that the rea-
son why signals and not words sent through the
cable as it being laid, is that the previous at
tempt the clerks INDUCED iii irrelevant conversation,
which distracted their attention from duty at time
when the slightest obstruction might be fatal to the
work The Directors therefore ordered that signals only
should be sent through the cable from ship to ship
Both vessels had Greenwich time and the electric
rent played to and fro between them for ten minutes
each way.
The signals showed that on the first day the speed of
the Agamemnon slightly exceeded that of the Niagara,
but the succeeding days they went at the rate
there being than twenty miles difference be-
tween them. When the cable landed at both ends
Mr. Field applied his tongue to the end and received the
cheering information that the insulation perfect in
shock that nearly threw him over. The reason why
messages not transmitted earlier the fact that
all the apparatus at both ends and unried and
required great deal of care and skill to adjust
Mr. Field states that there is not the slightest doubt
that the cable is an entire success, great greater
than its most sanguine friends had looked forward to-
By the Persia yesterday he wrote to the Directors to
prepare another cable at once, is evident that the
present one, which will in short time he believed trans
NIT messages rapidly aerial line will be entirely
insufficient for the business which will flow to it.
Until the lst of September the line will be closed to
all messages those from the Governments OF Great
Britain and the United States. During that time Mr.
Field will keep the public advised of all matters affect
ing the success of the cable.
WORD OF COMBINATION.
All on board the Niagara unite in giving the highest
praise to Mr. Field whose determination and energy
character under the most dscouraging circumstances
was sufficient for so formidable enterprise. To Mr..
Everett is due the credit of devsng the machinery
without which the cable would not have been laid. He
also unremting in his attention to the engines
the ship regulating them at all times to meet the
exgencies OF the occasion Capt Hudson and his off
and entitled to the highest honors for Their
unweared labors in the work. "There was but one
man board the vessel said officer, who was san
gulne, or even confident of success-and he was Mr.
Field. He seemed almost certain of success when none
. others dared hope less they be disappointed" OF Mr.
Everett the officer said Even he had but little
confidence of success but to him is the triumph due
Without his skill the cable must have snapped"
A New USE FOR CRINOIINE-HOop skirts are as