Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1858-08-05
Atlantic Telegraph Failure Official Re.
port Of Capt. Hudson.
U. S. STEAM FRreATE NIAGARA, }

SIR: am somewhat mortified and dis
appointed TO report the arrival Of the Nigga
ra OF this por, on the 9th instant, after three
unsuccessful attempts at laying down the
Geographic cable.
NV last dispatch, CT the 10Th ut.. in
formed you that the squadron were of Ply
mouth hsrbor bound to the appointed rem
devious for uniting and running out the
,elegraphIc cable.
During The first three or four days Of our
passage we had Gains and light variable
winds; the following eight days almost con-
tinuous gales from the west TO the south
west, and the greater part OF the time heavy
sea, when the weather again moderated
and our VESSELS, which had separated du-
ling The gales. met together at the rendez-
vous Oh The 25ih, the Agamemnon having
shifted about one hundred miles off the up
per portion of The cable on her main hold
Tier during the gale, which portion they
were engaged in running 10 the gun deck
when we fell in with them.
On the 26lh Saturday, we commenced
our Operations by securing the Niagara
and Agamemnon together, stern TO, with
hawsers, splicing the cable and easing it
down gradually with two hundred iathoms
paid out from each ship; hawser lei go by
signal, and the ships separated on their re-
speclive courses, at the rate of three-iourths
Of mile the hour When we had paid out
two miles and forty fathoms, as shown by
our indicator, the cable, being hauled in the
wrong direction, through the excitement or
carciessness Of one Of the men stationed by
il, caught and parted in the Niagara's ma
chinery. A heavy fog and mist had set in
soon after the ships separated. We were
fortunate enough, however, to get together
sgain in 4 short time, splice, lower down
tie cable, and separate from each other as
before stated. The Niagara's speed at START
ing was short of one mile the hour, and grad
ualiy increased TO two knots six fsihoms up
TO o'clock P. II. and and the cable being
paid ont for three and half knots per hour
and from that hour Till midnight uniform
speed was maintained OF three and half
miles tie hour, and the cable was paid ont
as shown by the indicator, Of four and 4
half miles the hour. Our machinery was
working as well as we could desire cable
running from the COLES and going over with
ease and regularity, when 10 our great sur
prise, at II o'clock, A. NJ, Oh the 9th.
Sunday the electricians reported that
shore had been no signals from the Aga
nemnom for the last Ten minutes.
We kept going on slowly as previously
agreed upon, 4:40 A. ", Gin the meantime
the electricians tested the cable in the ship,
and reported the continuity and installations
perfect, } when the ships Roadway was en-
tiyely stopped, and we commenced heaving
in with The machinery. The cable parted
., 4:56 4. NJ, and We lost on this occasion,
a, measured by the indicator, ~ miles 500
f.thoms Of cable, and started for the rem
devious, where on Monday, the 28th, The
Aganemnon and Niagara were secured
together, the splics made, lowered down,
and the ships separated, as has been already
described, at 7:30 NJ. Our speed for the
first hour was only three-quarlers of mile;
second hour p miles; third hour 8 miles,
and the fourth hour 81 miles. From that
time until 9:lo on Tuesday evening, the
29!h, (when we ceased 20 get signals from
the Agamemnon. and the eng ines slowed
down the speed of the ship had been a
miles The hour, and the cable paid Out 81
miles the hour, a. shown by the indicator.
The engines were stopped 10 P. NJ, and
The ship hung in measure by the cable
until twenty minutes after midnight, when
it parted, the indicator showing loss on
this occasion of l45 miles, $50 fa!homs of
the cable. Our electricians again thorough
" tested all the cable on board the ship, and
found the insulation and continuity all per-
feet, and there was but one opinion among
those gentlemen, that the cable parted at or
near the Agamemnon, which we shall ascer.
tain when she arrives at this port TO fill up
her coal.
An arrangement had been made, when
the ships separated the 2Sth inst, that in the
event of ony accident TO the cable before ei-
Their should have run one hundred miles, we
were to return TO the rendezvous, unite the
cable, and make another attempt 10 lay il
cut; if beyond that distance, the vessels
were TO proceed TO Queenstown, fill up with
coal, and again renew our efforts.
In The Niagara we had all the coal that
we required for laying down our part Of the
cable. There were serious doubts, how
ever, il we run further, or any distance be.
yond the one named, whether the Agamem-
mons coal wonld hold QUIT without sny ex-
psnditure..in getting back to the rendezvous
and leave her enough to insure s,eaming
back 10 Valenlia Bay with the cable, in the |
event Of no further casualty 10 it on the way
there.
Mr.. Everrett's machinery has paid out
the cable with apparent case and uniformity
Of strain, and we find il admirably adapted
to the work it has to perform in all its parts
Her Majesty's steamer Gorgon, which
accompanied US, arrived here with tina Nj
ngara. We now await the arrival OF the
Agamemnon and the Valorous, when we
hope to be of again for The rendezvous in
seven or eight days, under more favorable |
auspices Of weather than we experienced in
the msnth OF June.
1t affords me pleasure to report the con.
timed good health of officers and crew.
have the honor TO be, respectfully, your |
obdicnt servant, VIM. L. HUDSON. Capt |
Hon. |. ToucEY, Secretary Of the Navy, |