Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-10-08
THE ATLANTIC CABLE.

THE ATLANTIC CABLE.
The London Times publishes the following
letter and report:
SIR: / am instructed by the directors to for
ward for publication the annexed report from
Mr.VsrIey, the electrician to the Electric and
International Telegraph Company He is one
Of the gentlemen who has been consulted by the
Board In reference to the present state of the
Atlantic Table. Yours, truly, +.
GEORGE SAwARD, Sec'y.
graph Cable.
LONDON, Sept. Is - arrived at Valentis on
the evening OF the 9TH inst, when found that
no words had for many days been received
through the cable from Newfoundland
On the 9th, 9TH, 8th, 9th and 10th, tested
the cable. at intervals, in fOuPdifferent ways
TO ascertain its condition. The following are
the results:
/. There is fault Of great magnitude at a
distance of between 2ij and 300 statute miles
from Valentia, but the locality cannot be more
accurately ascsrtsined until a portion of the
cable, 20 or 80 miles in length, has been tested
against my standard of resistance and until
the log has been consulted 10 ascertain the
amount Of slack paid out. would suggest that
the piece Of cable at Greenwich be carefully
measured and tested against my standard in
order to obtain the most correct estimate of the
distance Of the fault. Assuming. however, that
1t Is al miles, and allowing y per cent for
slack, it is possible that the chief defect is in
shallow water-4lO fathOms.
2. The copper wire at the faulty place above
alluded to does not touch the iron covering of
the cable, as is proved by its forming a yoitaic
element, which gives rise to a continuous posi-
tive current from the copper wire varying very
little in tension -
3. The insulation of the wire be Valen-
~ md ha far, =, s..
no defect Of sufficient Importance to be percep-
uble, or to materially influence the working
were the cable otherwise perfect
L. Inc copper wire is continuous and conse-
quently the cable has not parted Faint sig
mails, or reversals, are still received from New
fOundland, but the power used will shortly cat
away the exposed copper wire in the faulty
place by electrOlytic decomposition.
The actual resistance of the fault apnears tn
be at least equal to ten miles of the cable but
Is most probably greater.
Taking it at its lowest resistance viz ten
miles, and assuming that n newfoundland is only
using loO cells of Daniel 5 battery, the strong
est current received thence during my stay
was only l-2ith part of the force that il should
be were there but this one fault When il is
however, borne in mind that on the other side
they are probably using more power, aud also
that the defect first alluded to probably offers
more resistance than that assumed, viz. ten
AuAlcc, II - cbIucnt Inal I0eTe Is another and
more distant fault, the approximate locality of
which could not pretend to estimate at this
end without being able to speak to Newfound-
land.
From authentic data shown to me at Valen-
tia am o. opinion that there was a fault on
the Agsmemnon before the cable was SUBJ
merged, at distance of about 500 miles from
one end and $40 from the other
The following are the data in question. but
on Hnat occasion they were obtained [ am un-
able to state. They were, however probably
taken when the ships were at Queenstown:
Tssf'ng Of coils Os board the Aga1lsmHon, eox-
St5ttHg OF about ,2UO statHts miles of ca6Is
l. When the upper end was discon-
nected the current entering the ca
BILE from a battery was....... 6 ) parts
= When upper end was put to earth
current entering the cable was. IO5
J. Current going out OF upper end Of
cable 10 the earth.
4. When the lower end was discon-
nectsd the current entering the ca
Die was. -................. 85
5 When lower end to earth ...:...... los "
o Current going out Of upper end of
cable 10 earth. th..........-........ As
showing that if there were faulti was nearer
to the upper end, but not far from the middle
Of the coil.
When 200 miles had been removed from one
end OF the coil, (but from which end am not
at present sware) leaving 1000 miles, the
amounts were .E-
l. ---.....- - parts. 4. .......... SIS parts
z ....--... ls25 :" ...:...... rs :,
D. --....-.- % " o ......... 6-5 4"
indicating that there was fault, by rough cal
culation, at about J6O miles from one end and
40 from the other.
With the 200 miles of cable amounts we're
4 --'- .---- parts. !. parts
...-...... 40 S. ......... 4O5 :"
....- 3s5 6 ......... 3s5
TsSE Of the sHtiTs caJIs on board ths Agams,uaou
aud NtGgdTd-rix. :, 500 miles.
Battery At Agamemnon end
q. Current entering the cable, the Mia
agaTa end being DISCONNECTED. Is parts
2 Niagara end TO earth ..... 4gx -