Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-09-02
CorrespOndents.
VOYAGE OF THE AGAmEmNON.
HIGKLT INTERESTING ACCOUNT


HIGHLY INTERESTING ACCOUNT
what Caused the Failure of the Previous
Thrilling Hncidents---E TO-
Hopes and Ee1rs--a nae rieSn essels Net
First Meeting, &c.s dc.
The London TJaes has iull and graphic account
Of the work Of the AgamemnOn in laying her part
Of the Atlantic telegraph cable It opens with a
reference 10 the disOouraging circumstances under
which the expedition sailed; the want of enthusiasm
and hope Of success manifested by the spectators
as the ships left the harbor Of Queenstown; de-
scribes the voyage mid ocean, the splicing Of
the cable; the separation Of the Niagara and Aga
memnon, and thea details at length tbs return VOy
age Of the latter We subjoin the following thrill
ling incidents;
A wHALE-WHAr CAUSED The FAILURE OF THE PRE-
vIOUs EXPEDITION.
Shortly after six o'clock on the day mid ocean
was left. very large whale was seen approaching
the starboard bow great speed rolling and toss
ing the sea into foam all round and Tor the first
time We felt the possibility Of The supFOstion thai
our second mysterious breaksge Of the cable light
have been caused after all by one Of these animals
getting foul of It under Il appeared il
we're making direGI Tor the cable, and geaI The
I relief Of all when the pOnderOus living mass was
seen slowly to pass astern, just grazing the cable
where it entered the water but fortunately without
doing any mischief
INJURED CABLE.
All seemed to 70 well up TO about o'clock when
an il ur,d portion Of the cable discovered abou'
/ a M u Two from the portion paying OUT; not
/ nom ut was lost by Mr. Canning the gineer
duty IN setting TO work to cobbe up the injury
as well as time would permit, for the cable gO
/ inc out at such rate that the damsged portion
/ 10 IN 1aag han min
utes, and former experience had shown US that to
check either the speed of the ship the cable
I woold in all probability be attended By the most
fatal results
THE ELECTRICAL CONTINUIrT CEASES.
Just before the tapping was finished, Prof Thorn
son reported that the electrical continuity Of the
wire ceased, but that the insulation still Ierfec
attention was naturally directed TO the injured piece
as the probable source Of the stoPpage, and not
moment was lost in cutting the cable that point;
] with the intention Of making perfect splice.
! CoSsrEREATIos- NE DIFFICULTY UNDER WATER
To the CONSERVATION of all, the electrical tests
applied showed the fault to be overheard; and in all
| probability some so miles from the snip. Not
second was 20 be lost, for il evident that the
cut portion must be paid Overheard in few Minutes
and in the meantime the tedious and difficult opera
ton Of making splice had to be performed
THE SHIP STOPPED.
The ship was Immediately stopped, and no more
]
vent its breaking. As the stern Of the ship was
lifted by the waves, a scene Of the intense ex
| element followed II seemed impossible even By
using the greatest possible speed, and paying out
the least possible amount Of cable that the junction
could be finished before the part was taken out Of
the hands of the Borkmen.
ISTENsE ExCITEMEST-ExTRAoRDIEKRY sCFSB.
The main hold presented an extraordinary scene;
nearly ell the officers Of the ship and those
ed with the expedition. stood in groups about the
4 coil watching with intense anxiety the cable as il
slowly unWound itself nearer and nearer the joint
while the WOrkmen, directed By Mr. Canning, work
ed at the splice as only men could work who felt
that the life and death af the expedition depended
upon their rapidly.
THE CABLE STOPPED
But all their speed was to 10 purpose as the cable
was IN winding within hundred fathoms and as
last and desperate resource, the cable stopped
altoqether and for few minutes the ship hung on
BY The end Fortunately, however, it only for
few minutes, as The was continually rising
above two tons, aud it would not hold much
longer; when the splice was finished the signal was
made 20 loose the stopper and it passed overheard
safely enough.
TIE CABLE HoPELEss-HOPE ExTISGUIsHED.
When the excitement consequent upon having so
narrowly saved the cable had passed way aWeke
TO the consciousness that The still hope
less as ever, for the electrical continuity sill
entirely wanting. Preparations were c0nsequent-
ly made pay out as little rope possible, aud 70
hold on for six hours, in the hope that the
fault whatever, II might be, might mend itself be
fore cutting the cable and turning 10 the render
vous 10 make another splice. The magnetic nee
dies on the receiving Instruments we're watched
closely for the returning signals, when IN q few
minutes The last hope tinguished by their sue
denly indicating dead earth, which tended 20 show
that the cable had troken from the Niagara, that
the insulation had been completely Destroyed.
, Ais WELL AGAE-MoRE CABLE.
In three minutes, however, every one was agree
ably surprised by the intelligence that the stoppage
had disappeared and that the signals had again sp-
peared At their regular intervals from the Niagara
Ii is needless TO say what a load Of Anxiety his
avs removed from the mind Of every one, but the
general eou6dtnes in the Ultimate success Of the
oteratons vas much shaken BY the occure nee, for
] | all felt that every minute similar accident gbi
| occur For some time the paying out continued
= as usual but towards the morning another dam
aged place was discovered IN the cable there was
foruparelv hoWever, time TO repair II in the hold
without in any way interfering with the operations
, beyond for time slightly reducing the speed Of the
shin During the latter portion Of the day the ba'
ros3ater fell considerably and towards, the even
in, il blew almost g le Of wind from the eastward
dead ahead Of our course. ..-
A the breeze freshened the speed Of The engines
was gradually increased, but the wind more than
increased in proportion, that before shutdown tbe
: Aeamemnon was going full steam against the vino
only making spetu OF AuOuJ lOuF knOts an HoNi
70 During the evening topmasts we're lowered, and
spars yards sails and indeed, everything that Ws'
aIoft that could offer resistance to the wind, va
= sent down on deck; but still the ship made oa
little way, chi fly in consequence Of heavy sea
though the enormous quantity Of fuel consumed
showed us that if the wind lasted We should De re
duced to burning he mss's, spars and even IN
decks, to bring the Ship into Nalenlia. Toward
evening however, the wind changed and oeeam
a more favorable, but on Saturday, me next gay N
7zind AGAIN fresheued up and before Bightfall
= again blew nearly gale Of wind, and tremendOu
l. sea ran before il from the southwest, which mad
te the Aqamemnon pitch such extent that it va
thought impossible the cable could hold on thrOug
ID the night,
FEAR OF DIsAsTER-IETEEsE ANXIETY.