Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-07-29
The Atlantic TeleGraph..Par.
ticuIars of the Second Failure.

nished the N. Y. Times with the particu-
lars Of the second unsuccessful attempt to
lay the Atlantic Telegraph Cable. The
Journal is long and minates and we con-
dense some of the most important facts
The first splice was made June 26th' the
fifteenth day out. At P. NJ. commenc-
ed paving out the cable. At S:45 just
miles of cable being out, the pressure 2,27s
pounds, when the cable got out of one OF
the grooves of the wheel into another groove
and, before it could be liberated, it parted
by being cut by tar scraper attached to
the wheel. Gable spliced again at 5 z. M.
IL miles had run out. At IL A. M. next
day the electricians reported that the con-
tinuity had ceased. At ST o'clock P. Nj.
commet ced hauling in the cable. 1t came
in slowly, the pressure increased to 4,Soo
pounds, at which point the cable snapped,
and all except about three-fourths of a mile
hanging out was lost. The part hauled in
was yery much snarled and badly kinked.
Something over 43 miles of cable from the
Niagara was lost. The Niagara and Aga
memnon were "a miles apart.
Alp. NJ. June 2sth, the squadron
again met. At P. NJ. another splice
was made, and the paying out was again
commenced at P. NJ. Supposed depth
of water 1910 fathoms. The Niagara mo-
we'd westward at 81 miles per hour, while
the cable speed was st miles per hour
Everything worked well. At 10 minutes
after 9 P. NJ. the next day, the electricians
again announced that the continuity had
ceased. Up to this hour, l40 miles $40
fathoms of cable had run out. The actual
distance run since leaving the Agamemnon
was lO7 miles, up to midnight.
June 3Oth, speed of ship stopped, no
motion to engine, no paying out of cable,
and Niagara riding wholly by the tele-
graph cable. Pressure applied to have ca
Bile part but all to no purpose; 1900 TBS.
were applied, and the weig BIT of several per
sops upon the brakes. AT 1913 A. NJ.
the cable parted out from the stern; vain
attempt was made to haul it in; the ak
was applied and 144 miles, 800 fathoms
cable were lost. This ended trial No. 8.
The writer supposes tho Niagara will
not leave Cork for another thrial at pres
ent, and predicts failure should the at
tempt to lay the cable be made. The
confidence, however, of some few, of whom
Mr.. Field is one, he says remains unshak
en-. We quote the interesting conclusion
of the account:
There was one remarkable circumstance
attending the laying of the cable. Every
time we were prepared to splice the cable,
the weather was exceedingly fine for the
purpose, and the sea smooth and so contin-
ued until the accident happenend, while
previously, and afterwards, it was rough
and stormy. Such was the case in every
instance until the ships met again. In
fact the only favorable weather we had
was while engaged with the cable. The
Niagara lost in thee trials 1872 miles of
cable, yet we return with 1920 miles of
cable on board.
In laying the cable every possible care
and attention was given to the object, and
every preventive was used TO guard against
accident or misfortune. Even the Captain
and First Lieutenant stood watch during
the process of laying, day and night. The
officer ofthe deck gave his constant atten-
tion to the log and was heaved every Is
minutes. In the cable-circle was stationed
20 men. Ten men were at the paying out
machine, while another gang was stationed
on the platform leading from circle to
machine.
The Engineer of the Company was con-
constantly at his post, or WAS relieved by
the Chief Engineer of the Niagara. There
were also two other engineers detailed TO
assist. Then there was masters mate
stationed at the brake; also two gentlemen
connected with the company, and the gen.
eral business manager, all standing watch
and regularly relieved; while one-half of
the electricians were constantly on duty, in
which department alone there are 8 per-
sons. The whole number of persons on
board in pay of the company is %.
The scene at night was beautiful
Scarcely word was spoken; silence was
commanded, and no conversation allowed.
Nothing was heard but the peculiar rattl-
ing of the machine as the cable was rum
ming out. This music was singular, with
out variation; while the lights about deck
and in the quarterback circle-it was the
first we paid out-gave brilliancy to the
scene. Some forty or fifty lanterns illu
minated the decks. Each time that it was
announced the continuity had stopped, it
seemed to paralyze all who heard the sad
news.
The mode adopted by the ships in splic-
ing was this: The Niagara and Agamem-
non made fast to each other-stern to stern
by hawser. They kept 200 fathoms
apart until two miles of the cable had been
paid out, Sufficient to reach the bottom,)
then cast off and pursued separate. courses
at rate generally fue miles per hour,
while the ships progress would vary from
81 to Al miles per hour. You will easily
imagine the sea must each time have been
smooth to form connection. The high
est pressure at any time was 4,50O pounds,
the lowest 1000. Satisfactory expert
ments prove in two instances that the con-
tinuity or break of cable occurred nigh to
the Agamemnon, and certainly beyond the
splice from our ship.
@ "Occasionar' of Forney's Press
says;
1t is stated that Mr.. Secretary Stanton,
now on the stump in Kansas against the
English bribe, will, if called upon, publish
a letter of Senator Bigler of Pennsylvania,
in which the aforesaid Bigler denounces
tho procidont opd Cabinet for rononpoinrr