The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1858-07-01
The Atlantic Telegraph.

The Atlantic Telegraph.
Much anxiety now exists in the minds
of many for the success of the great
undertaking of connecting Europe and
America by means of telegraphic
cable. tits now feared that the second
attempt to lay the Atlantic telegraphic
cable Will result in failure. However
much we may desire its success, and
hope for it, still plain, undisputable
facts, when presented to us, though
they may be contrary to our cherished
feelings, demand our attention. TWAS
at first reported that the experiments
of the telegraphic squadron with the
cable, upon the coast of France, were
perfectly satisfactory. That both the
cable and the machinery fully withstood
the test, and were all that could be
desired. But such proves not to have
been the case. The squadron started
on the trial trip on Sunday, the 3oth of
May. They reached deep water, oppo-
site the coast of France, and began
experimenting June Est. The depth
of the water was about three miles;
and the sea as smooth as glass, when
they made splice on board the
Agamemnon. This splicing occupied
several hours, and at p. M. they
began paying out from both vessels.
After proceeding several. miles, the
l2-horse power machine was applied to
hasTl in but proved insufficient; and,
the hawser, made fast to the Agamem-
non, having been cut off, the cable
parted. On Wednesday morning the
cable was again spliced and paid out; ;
but a few hours afterward, upon at
tempting to haul in, it once more imme-
diately parted. Thus far a portion of
condemned cable had been employed,
but the further experiments were made
with the best quality. 1t was spliced
for third time and in half ar hour
again parted near the Agamemnon
from the passing over of defective
portion. A portion of the night was
devoted, on the Niagara, to winding in
the cable, but the splice broke and two
miles of cable were lost. Here ended
the experiments in paying out. A few
miles of cable, however, were laid down
and the ends fastened to the buoys of
which we have heard so much; but in
both cases it broke away from them
before they could be reached again.
The last experiment on the Agamem-
non was to ascertain if it were possible,
in case of a fault going overheard, to
hold on by the cable and make splice !;
but the cable broke twice in succession
before it could be wound up. Such
was the result of the experiments made
to test the cable and machinery. We
hope that the present attempt to stretch
the cable across the Atlantic may prove
successful, but the above facts cast a
gloomy shade over the prospect.
The squadron returned to Plymouth
and started on the 10th of June for
mid-ocean, to make the second attempt
to complete this great undertaking.
The expectation was that the work of
submerging the cable would commence
somewhere between the 10th and goth
ofJune. The whole amount of cable
on board the Niagara and Agamemnon
is 1910 miles, or little more than so
per cent. on the distance between Ire
land and Newfoundland. a few DAYS
will suffice to ascertain the result of
the present undertaking. Let us hope
for the best though our worst fears be
realized.