The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-15
THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH
Correspondence Of TIC London News

Correspondence OF the inndon NewE
vArI,TrA Friday Sept. 24.--Snce my last comnrni
cation no improvement has taken place in the electrical
condition the Atlantic cable nor ndesd until within
the last few days, have any operations experiments
beyond those the results Of which have already been
communcated been undertaken TO ascertain the nature
of the leakage in the cable the probability of working
through it in its present condition Up to yesterday
everything remained in dfu go During each alternate
hour the regular Of signals previously alluded
to despatched aud during the intervals the gavan
oneters of Professor Thompson watched for
dcaiions of currents from the other side but these
fortunately seldom ut all and st rarely
can these slight defections be depended currents
from Newfoundland However there still much cause
for satisfaction that the fault does not get any
time while it occasionally for time improves Con-
siderable and distinct reYersals from Newfoundland
cernible The opinion prevalent among many here
that the principal fault in the cable is comparatively near
shore daily gains ground and though Professor Thomp-
son opinion is directly opposed to such suppositon,
cannot help thinking that there really is in ii than
first supposed For the given In my last
letter there is no doubt fault existing in the cable upon
the bank which divides the shoa from the depths
of the Atlantic about 22o miles from the Irish coast
But this fault without the existence OF several minor faults
nearer shore would for The total nteruptiono
the currents from either crnn All that Professor
Thompson, Mr. Henley, Mr.. Varley say respect
ing the fault is that 1t gives resistance to the electric
equal 500 miles of the cable But it does not
therefore follow that the interruption is 800 miles away
for by passing the current through few yards OF fine
wire in basin of salt water the very amount
of resistance can be Produced Though the distant
fault may tend inerrt the small portion Of the cleo
c current which passes the faults yet if these
accessible repaired it is the opinion OF
many here competent judge Of the matter that the
supposed loss Of insulation out at would not material
ly affect the working OF the line The adj
vices from Newfoundland decidedly tend strengthen
the opinion that the main interruption is close this
place very similar defect to the present occurred
short time ago in of the North Sea cables Mr. Ynr
ley and other scientific gentlemen tested the cable and
pronounced the defect to be 40 miles off The cable
accordingly underrun and cut at distance Of 80 miles
from the shore when il found that the defect
much nearer and after variety OF other experiments
had been tried the faulty place in the cable discov
cred not out all but actually in the portions of
the cable buried in the beach The above incident which
believe 70 be substantially correct should teach the
authorities Of the Atlantic Telegraph Company not TO
PRONOUNCE their scheme failure until the theoretical cx
pcrirnents (Which are but uncertain guides no matter
how ably conductei) verified in some measure by
practical tests.
The practical tests cannot he obtained without under
running and cutting the cable distance from the
coast The operations Will undoubtedly require fne
weather 10 render them entirely successful The Cork
steamer which arrived here Wednesday last brought
Mr. Hcnleys gigantic magnetic electric machines which,
they were landed put together, and got
into operation On the following day With the aid OF
this instrument Mr. Henley hopes to be able TO work
through the cable during part Of each day. II
the fault should prove breparable \.
variety Of experiments have been tried lately, both