Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-07-17
From The ". r. Herald, July lluh.
The Atlantic Telegraph Squadron

Just one month from yesterday the squadron
left Plymouth with the Atlantic Telegraph
cable. According to previous calculations
the Niagara should have arrived in Trinity
Day several days ago. and her non-appearance
up to this time has naturally created much
surprise and not little anxiety for the sue
| cess of this grand enterprise. 1t is somewhat
remarkable that no vessel arriving at any of
| our ports has fallen in with the squadron. so
as to be enabled to give us any idea of their
| operations One steamship. indeed, had been
| seen, but not spoken, on the 23d of June,
thirteen days after the squadron sailed
which may have been the Niagara the
AgamemnOn; but that is the most definite in
| telligence we have of them since their depar-
| ture thirty days ago. 1t was understood that
they were to proceed under sail as far as lati-
| tude So deg 2 min. North, longitude 33 deg.
| Is min. West-about fifty miles nearer the
| Irish coast than the American-where the
junction of the cable was to be effected and
/ the paying out commenced. They would
| doubtless wait favorable opportunity, calm
weather and still waters, before undertaking
this delicate part of the work; and as the
weather on the Atlantic has been more severe
| than ii usually is in June, they may have met
considerable obstacles at the very outset.
| Then again, we find by various reports of in
coming vessels, that fogs and icabergs were
| unusually frequent for the past two or three
weeks; either of which, if the Niagara fell in
with Them would render great caution neces-
sary and considerably retard her progress.
From the nature of the instructions furnish
ed for the guidance of the mechanical and
electrical departments of the expedition, 1t Is
evident that very speedy contamination
made no part of the calculations of the pro-
jectors: but, on the contrary, that speed was
in all cases to be sacrificed to safety. The
orders were as follows
First.-In case the cable should break after
definite amount-say $50 miles-had been
paytd out from each ship, the ends are to be
reunited after recovering as much as possible,
and the paying out is to be renewed unless
circumstances may have arisen to induce the
engineer to determine otherwise, especially
in the event of larger proportion OF slack
having been expended than was reckoned
upon.
Srcond-If signals should fail to be received
between the paying out ships. the engineers
will continue paying out for at least six hours,
and much longer as the electricians ana
engineers may deem necessary and desirable.
Third-In case electrical signals fail as the
ships approach the land, without other evil
dence of breakage, soundings at the time
being not deeper than two hundred fathoms,
the ships are to go on paying out and land
the ends.
Fourth-ln case the cable break after more
than two hundred and fifty miles have been
paid out from each ship, and before 1T has
been possible to reach soundings of two hum
drcd fathoms, the ships are to return to
Queenstown for orders.
Fifth-The cables are to be united in lat
50 deg min. North Ion. 33 deg. lS min.
West
Sixth-After the cable has been successfully
laid Mr. Field is authorized to dispose of any
surplus cable that may remain, at rate OF
not less than Els $3.50 per statue mile Of
l,760 yards.
Seyenth-After the cable is laid the ma
chinery on board the United States steam
frigate Niagara is to be taken on TO New
York and transhipped from the Niagara on
board vessel bound for the United Kingdom.
If the cable should unfortunately have
broken again this time or any other accident
should have bcfallen the machinery and COM
PEELED the enterprise to be abandoned, it is
probable that no other attempt will be made
To lay the cable until discoveries in insulation
shall be arrived at, whereby a stronger cable
can be used for the purpose. The two efforts
already made to Law the cable will cost some
three millions of dollars, and capitalists can
not be expected to advance money for mere
scientific experiments. There is, however no
cause to pronounce the present attempt a
failure, for we have no data whatever except
a little overrunning of the time upon which
to base any calculation either a. to success
or defeat. The weather in the neighborhoud
of Trinity Bay seems TO have been very clear
and calm, and the wind favorable for "a few
days past; so that the Niagara may make her
appearance at any moment, bringing the good
tidngs with her of the triumph of the greatest
scientific enterprise of the age.