The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1858-09-23

luy uoNn tHC nNiuhbiS N'uo'"ii", w"
BILE. resulting in a disastrous failure.
The cable was $500 miles in length
weighing nearly one ton per mile,
capable of bearing a direct strain of
over five tons without fracture. The
centre of the cable was formed by
seven fine copper wires, twisted into
a cord l.l6th of an inch thick. This
strand was coated with gutta percha,
forming a small rope, 3.ss of an inch
thick; then coated with hempen twine
twice soaked in pitch and tar; lastly,
an external shcathing of 10 iron wires
each wire being a strand of seven
finer wires, making in all one hundred
and twcnty.siX wires.
The submersion was commenced on
the 5th August, 1857. There were
present the six steamers. Niagara,
Agamemnon, Leopard, Susquchanna,
Willing, and Mind, intended to assist
in various parts OF the operation,-
The cable came up from the hold Of
the ship, around a central block, so to
the open space above decks; it was
there wound round grooved sheaths,
geared together by cog, and firmly
planted on girders. Thence it passed
over a fifth sheath. out over the stern
into the sea, sinking by its own weight.
a trliling accident happened on the
9th; this was repaired, and on the llth
$50 statute miles had been submerged.
The engineer here concluded that
there was too much "slack" in the ca
blc's course, and some modification in
the machinery was consequently made
This appears to have been badly at
tended to by II subordinate. The ca
BILE snapped and thus ended the at.
tempt Of 1857.
1t having been concluded from Lieut..
Maury's calculations that the average
state Of the weather was much better
on the Atlantic in the early part Of
the summer, it was decided this year
to make the attempt Of laying the ca
BILE in June. 1t was also thought best
to begin the submersion in mid ocean
and pay out towards either shore
Accordingly the telegraph fleet con-
sisting of the United States steam fri
gate Niagara and her Majestys steam
ers Agamcmnon, Valorous and Cor
gon, left Plymouth on Thursday, June
18th 1858. The Niagara had $50
tons. and Agamemnon $50 tons coal
and each about 1890 nautical, or a
little less than 1860 statute miles OF
cable on board. The weather, at first
favorable, became unusually boiste-
rous. SO that tie feet were not ready
to commence operations until late on
the 25lh Of June.
The first splice was made between
the Niagara and Agamemnon on the
morning ofSaturday, the Goth Of June
and after each ship had payed Out
about three miles the cable broke OF
board the Niagara, owing to its over
riding and getting off the pulley lead
ing on to the machine. Both vessel.
put about and returned, fresh splic,
was made, and again lowered over al
half-past seven. The paying out pro
ceeded beautifully until early on Sun
day morning, when the signals sud
denly ceased. The cable was cut
and the Niagara repaired to the rem
devious. The cause of the rupture
was equally mysterious to those boart
the Aaamemnon, and no satisfactory
conjecture has since been made.
The cable was again spliced on the
2sth and the steamers parted. Eve
ry thing worked beautifully during
the night and the next day. But at
o'clock p. M. on the Goth, the an
nouncement of''no signals was mad,
on board the Niagara. At the tim,
l42 miles Of cable bad been layed out
1t was subsequently ascertained tina
the cable parted, fer some reason un
known, about six fathoms from th'
aern of the Agamemnon. About 4Ol
miles of cable were lost during thes,
j trials, the effect Of which upon th'
public confidence in the final success
! Of the undertaking was most deprcss
; ing.
But the managers continued indie
iatigable. The fleet sailed secon,
time from Queenstown on the nth @
July. joined the cable on the 29th, AN
on the fifth of August the world hat
news of SUCCESS.
The cost of the telegraph cable ha
> been put down as follows:
Price deep sea wire per mile, 500
c Price spun yarn and iron wire per mile 20
Price outside tar per mile, 9
Total per mile, SiS
For $500 miles, Sl,2l2.5O