The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-11-25

- 1913 ns No notice was taken of her at
first. but when she was within about hall a milo
of the 4oouesnnon she altered her course and bore
right down across our bows. A COLLISION, wnicn
might prove fatal to the cable, now seemed me
yitable, or could only be avoided by the equally
hazardous expedient of altering the Agon'enn' on $
course. The Valorous steamed ahead, and Tired
a gun for her to heave to, which, as she did not
take much notice of, was quickly followed py
another from the bows of the AgdHaemnon ana a
second and third from the Vdlorous but still the
vessel held on her course, and as the only resource
left to avoid q collision, the course OF the aga
naemnon was altered Just in time to pass within q
few wards of her. It was evident that our Pro
ceedings were the source Of the greatest possible
as~tonishment to them, for all her crew crowded
upon her deck and rigging. At length they
evidently discovered who we were and what we
were doing, for the crew manned the rigging, and
| dippine the ensign several times they gave US three
hearty cheers. Though the Aganaennnon was
obliged to acknowledge these congratulations IN
due form. the feeling Of annoyance with whicn
pidity or carelessness of those on board, was SO
near adding a fatal and unexpected mishaP to the
long chapter of accidents which had already been
encountered, may easily be imagined:
To those below, who, of course, dld not see the
ship approaching, the sound OF the nst gonc came E
like a thunderbolt, for all took it as the signal OF
the breaking of the cable. The dinner tables
were deserted in a moment, and a general rush
made I'M the matches to the deck, but before
reaching it their fears were quickly banished by
the report of the succeeding gun which all knew
well could only be caused by a ship In our way
or a man overheard.
Throughout the greater portion of Monday
morning the electrical signs from the Niagara
had been getting gradually weaker until they
ceased altogether for nearly three quarters OF an
hour. Our uneasiness, however was in some
degree lessened by the fact that the stoppage ap-
- - boa xy.1t of oypfiuuifv and not anV
defect in Insulation, and there was consequently
eyery reason to suppose that it might arise from
family connection on board the Niagara. Ac-
cordingly Professor Thompson sent a message to
the effect that the signals were too weak to be
read. and, as if they had been awaiting such q
signal to increase their battery power, the dedec-
tons Immediately returned even stronger than
they had ever been before. Towards the evening,
however, they again declined in force for a short
time. With the exception of these little stop
pages the electrical condition of the submerged
wire seemed TO be much improved. 1t was evident
that the low temperature of the water at the i'm
mense depth improved considerably the insulating
properties of the gutta percha, while the enor-
nous pressure u which it must have been sub
iected probably tended to consolidate its texture
and to fill up any air bubbles or slight faults In
manufacture which may have existed. g.,
The weather during VI Jnday night moderated
a little, but still there was a very heavy sea on,
which endangered the wire every second minute.
About three o'clock on Tuesday morning all on
board were startled from their beds by the loud
booming of a gun. Every one, without waiting
to perform their most particular toilet. rushed Oh
deck 10 ascertain the cause of the disturbance.
Contrary to all expectation the cable was safe,
but lust in the gray light could be seen the Val
orous rounded too in the most warike attitude,
firing gun after gun in quick succession towards
a large American bark, which, quite unconscious
of our proceeding, was standing right across our
~ Il -4.% nos
from a large steam frigate were not to be de-
spised, and evidently without knowing the why
or the wherefore. she threw her sails a back and
remained hove to. Whether those on board con-
sidered that we were engaged in SOM F1lllbuster-
ing expedition, or regarded our proceeding as
another British outrage upon the American nag,
it is impossible to say, but certain 1t is that, ap-
p~arently in great trepidation, she remained hove
to until we had lost sight of her in the distance.
Tuesday was a much finer day than any we
had experience for nearly a week, but still there
was a considerable sea running, and our dangers
were far from passed ; yet the hope OF our uiti,
mate success ran high. We had accomplished
nearly the whole of the deep sea portion OF the
route in safety, and that, too, under the most I'M
favorable circumstances possible. therefore there
was every reason to believe that unless some un-
foreseen accident should occur we should accom-
pIish the remainder. Observations at noon
placed us in lat. 81 % N, 16 40 W., having run
i34 miles the previous day. About 5 O'Clock in
the evening the steep submarine mountain which
divides the telegraph plateau from the Irish coast
was reached, and the effect of the sudden shallow
ing of the water had a very marked effect upon
the cable, causing the strain on the speed OF 1t to
lessen every minute. A great deal of slack was
paid out to allow for any inequalities which
might exist. though undiscovered by the sounding
line. About 10 O'Clock the shoal water of 25C
fathoms was reached the only remaining anxiety
now was the changing from the lower main COZ
IL --1 AI.a .aa ArHr
cult and dangerous operation was successfully
performed between 3 and 4 O'Clock on Wednes.
day morning
Wednesday was a beautifully calm day in.
deed it was the first on which any one would
thought of making a splice since the day we
started from the rendezvous. We therefore con
graduated ourselves on having saved a week by
commencing operations on the Thursday previous
At noon we were in lat. 50 III, long. II 4O 2 W.,
/ 9g niles distant from the telegraph station al
Valentia. The water was shallow, 50 that there
was no difficulty in paying out the wire almost
without any loss by slack, and all looked upon
the undertaking as virtually accomplished. A
about one o'clock in the evening the second
change from the upper deck coil to that upon the
orion deck was safely effected, and shortly aftel
the vessels exchanged signals that they were in
200 fathoms water. As the night advanced the
speed of the ship was reduced, as it was known
that we were only a short distance from the land,
and there would be no advantage in making il
before daylight in the morning. About twelve
O'Clock, however, the Skellings Light was seen in
the distance, and the Valorous steamed on ahead
to lead MS in to the coast, firing rockets at inter.
walls to direct us, which were answered by us from
the Agamernnon, though, according TO Mr.. Mort
arty. the masters wish, the ship, disregardine
the Valorous, kept her own course, which proved
TO be the right one in the end.
By daylight on the morning on Thursday the
bold and rocky mountains which entirely sur.
round the wild and picturesque neighborhood o.
valentia rose right before us at a few miles dis
lance. Never probably, was the sight of land
more welcome, as it brought to a successful ter
mination one of the greatest, but, at the same
time, most difficult schemes which was ever un.
dertaken. Had it been the dullest and most
melancholy swamp on the face of the earth that