The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-08-05

however, they add 10 this that the electricians
on board. had experimented On the broken
cable, ard had thereby arrived at the conclu
sion that the breakage had occurred at or
near the Agsmemnon, they take the
matter altogether out Of the depth Of the
uulearped public, and leave 10 ~ imagine or
suspect anything weplease. II IL is possible
10 measure over 80 approximately the length
OF wire by electrical experiments at one
end. then we have nothing 10 do but wonder
al the progress Of science and art. But we
wait for further information, particularly
from the people on board theAgamemnon.
The electrical conditions Of the problem
being known, this ia only mechanical ques.
| ton, with no other chances 0f uncertainty
than those o. an ordinary maritime charac.
| ter, winds, waves, currents, aud what may be
| called the deep sea anchorage on which the
cable was to be laid. With regard, then, 10
the mechanical difficulties, and to the provs-
ions made against them, it cannot be said that
this trial was very hopeful one. Two ships
geye double chance u failure. Each was
evidently unequal to its moiety Of the work,
having neither proper stowage room for the
cable, nor Tor the proper quantity Of coals.
The Niagara lett our shores 50 deep in the
water a. TO excite misyivings 10 all who saw
her; and then We were told that, though the
Agamemnon looked better she was in fact a
ship Of less tonnage.
The paying out the tackle and the brake
had been proved with success which the
scientific alone could appreciate. The spec
ulation was, that just now We should proba-
bly, have the Atlantic at il calmest, which,
an II turn out, has not been the case. TO
Judge from the picture Of the expedition AS
1t sailed from our shores, the Agamemnon
and the Niagara 40 filed with their huge
freight that the gigantic coils spread from
the hold into every gnn'rooTn, gangway and
cabin We were relying too much on the favor
Of the elements, and laying ourselves at the
mercy Of their caprice. 1t lis premature,
indeed, TO say that we have been beaten by
the elements but the next attempt ought
to combine every precaation suggested by
the past.
a suggestion has been made several times
in these columns, and seems TO us worth
considering. The L.viathan is as yet only
a shell. Excepting that II has not even its
engines On board, it is exactly in that state
to which. at great difficulty and cost, the
Agamemnon and Niagara has been reduced
for this service. In the Leviathan, any
length Of cable that could possibly be re-.
qnred could be held and slowed in the
manner most convenient for paying out
The pitch Of that huge vessel will be quite
inconsiderable In the toughest seas and the
strains on the cable will therefore be uni
form. Sufficient length may be taken on
board for the most lavish use Of the cable. "a
even twice the distance from one shore to the
| other.
II is plain we mast not be stingy Of ma.
terial il VIZ are TO succeed. The ingenious
writers who eulighten the public on the
wonders Of the deep tell US that currents
carry the cable miles out of the ships eours,
before it touches the bottom that, ever 80
freely payed out, the cable probably hang,
10 iestoons from one submarine mountain
top TO another and that, even il the cablt
is so fortunate as TO escape the sharp edge Of
a precipice. mere suspension between two
distant points may stretch il beyond II,
strength. II this he 70, the more cable We
/ HhNt, Wthlu tthsolii lHt ottttF.
No ship aaoat but the Leviathan could
carry ample supply for tho whole distance
II alone could carry Goals sufficient for pay
/ ing out the whole cable at the rate Of five
four or three miles an hour, il necessary and
could afford even in the ms'st of the pro
cess, TO make any delays that might b.
thought advisable. Whatever may b,
thought OF this suggestion, We feel sure thai
nobody really expects much from fleet o
four ships sailing out TO rendezvous in th,
middle Of the Atlantic to lay down one ca
be--al the ships confesselly overtaske,l, AM
all OF them reckoning upon good weather
aud other favorable circumstances. Their,
is unity and simplicity about the under
taking which i'll accord vito SO compleN
and hazardous process.
An officer from the army writing from
Washington Territory in relation to Colone
Steptoe's defeat, says the route eastwar,
and northward Of CoIeville is now virtual
ly blockaded, that no one can cross Snak,
river, and that il will require force tie,
times rs large as is now there before peace
can be restored.