The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-06-18
THE GREAT OCEAN TELEGRAPH.

The Experimental Tcip Of tbs SOU sdroa-De-
psIture from Pay mouth Arxlval at LsSI-
tude a. Dogs. ~ wlAs. Njrcn, LSngttods D
Dogs. 30 Minis. West s,ucdnngv ~de ~
the Gorgan, AID 1850 Faanom. aep srtcd -
Commence mcnr OF the -spiic.
Ing and Paying Oat of tho Cabie-saccess-
fuI Opsr at.ons OF the slacniaery = rne Cable
can be Laid at tho Rate OF Between seven
snd Ell nj Miles an Hour-rne Pr1ccss %
Buoy leg -ftssa e OF eae Es-
PedisiCn-Rsport Of the Engineer, &c., 81.
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
Plymouth, land, june 4, 1858.
The Atlantic Telegraph squadron, consisting Of the Ma
gsrs the Agauemron the Vaorous and the Gorgon, left
Plymouth Saturday. the 2e.h of May, and arrived
thursday tho Sd Of June having been about six days
ssa the experimental trip The Porcupine which
Is one Of smallest vessels appointed by the British
government found 70 be inadequsle on account OF
her size and inability to carry coal for more than eight
days. consumption For this was left behind,
and application INN: diatey made to the British Admi
rally another steamer Of larger dimensions Daring
the whole of the trial experimental trip the Gorgon
acted escort 70 the Niagara and the Vaiorous as an
Escort to the Agamemuon.
The day on which the squadron sailed from Plymouth
Was remarkably fne and there had been continuous
gale Of txo weeks duration entered upon the
work before with every prospect Of long spell OF fair
weather-a prospect which were not disap pointed.
Everything necessary TO the success Of the trip was ar
ranged two days previous departure The
machinery was in excellent working ordsr the buoys
were provided with the necessary tackle, and the
experience which the bad obtained by work.
ing at the cable proved VI the creates. advantage
in making the experiments consultation was
had between the captains and the engineers OF The
company In regard 70 the point at which the vesssls
should their experiments, and after due de
liberation It was decided that la.. Al lon 10 would be
quite far enough. This ast the verge Of the Bay Of
Bscay which bears such terrible reputation for boIs
ferrous weather. and which supposed would afford
every opportunity for testing tn practicaoity splicing
and laying the cable in rough sea and under the most
unfavorsbe circumstances. So lat 81 long TO- select.
cd as the precise locality for the experiments After
leaving Plymouth Sound therefore, the squadron made
direct course possible for this point It between
four and five o'clock the afternoon Of the Goth OF May
wbeo the four vessels got under waytoe Again smnon
leading the Gogon the Niagara and the yaorous follow
ing in regular succession. They started rate of five
miles and during their out varied from that 10
speed OF eight miles per hour The whole OF Sunday
change observed In the green color Of the water de-
noting greater depth, and the squadron kept without
making soundings. Monday, however, had turned to
deep blue showing that had reached the great depths
upon for the experiments. Signal was made by the Cor
eon, under the command Of Captain Day pan, to sound
and the whole squsdron hove TO TO await the result
We were In lat Al 12N., long. 80 w., or about
thirty miles distant from the point decided upon before
starting from Plymouth, aud, as was subsequently
showa by the souudngs Of the Gorgon in $50 Atnoms
wafer This then, II evident the place we were
In search Of and determined that should pro.
coed make experiments at According 70 the
memoranda up by the enginecrs the Niagara sp
preached the Asamsmnon within convenient distance
when line passed In bat 10 the Agamsmnon, by
which ha user WINS hauled board the latter and by
which also the two ships fastened 10 stern.
mus; not supposed from this, however ha they
actually In contact, for they were some seven or egh,
dred apart aud each vessel had steam NJ there
was danger with proper management, Of their coming
in collision roe two vessels being nrmly secured,
the end or the telegraph cable passed from the Ma
saTa 70 the Agamsmscn, whnts was agreed tho splice
prove the prsctcabiny Of accomplishing what rs,
considered, ol the most diiicun operations Of the
| the cable in mid ocean rho greatest intsres, was
manifested on board ship While the splicing AZ beng
| performed Agamemnop, aud every impa.
lent 70 see The cable lowered from her stern although
the work performed with praise worthy celebrity. II
was about hall past I'VE when tho signal was displayed
from that ship announcing That they were ready, and
few minutes after could the spced portion hanging
oves the stsrn Downh went until disappeared below the
ths, vas on It's way 70 the bottom, which lay depth
Of twenty-five hundred fathoms beneath the snip.
eaaa 10 toe asan,y used IA passing The cable
from ship 10 ship, 80 thai tho splice nht be In the cen
tire Of The line formed BY the cable between the shps
Gag hcsted from the Agsmemnon conveying nteh
senoe Of the fac, W the NsgarA This ~ered by
similar signal the Niagara, when the Two commenced
paying out quarter Of mile Of cable zach, at the rate Of
/ mile an hour.
The cable used In this trial portion OF that which
ha been laid las, year and which was mucn weak eaed
II nv In "
armor was oniiDed that the rust hal rot,ed the
hemp which covered the su,A pcreha- For this
rnents, but al tho same time without interfering with
/ their successful accompaniment
qu,rter q mile. has been stated, paid out,
and, ID conformity with memoranda, the signas
both ships hauled down, indicating that no more
ps,p out should DC done until ney were as.n display
hosted aud another quarter Of mile let down mo
tie at the same speeds mic an hour Tnis process
repeated until whole mile had oeen run out from
the coil and over machinery OF each snip, making
total expenditure OF two miles from boh vessels Tne
process out performed bv the engine COZ
necsod with the machinery until The weight Of cable in
tho water sufficient 20 turn the Wheels Mr. foilaus
bce The chief engineer OF the Niagara the engine
his charge AL this time, and Mr.. Everett, took bis
stand at the dynsmometer where he regulated tho pres
OF the brakes, Captain Hudson keep bright look
the poop OF the ship The Naorous and the Gorgou
we're obliged play tho part Of cookers and with Little
profit information, as tney we're OF course entirely H.
OF The operations on board either Of the cable sap3
while the frat splice was beng male, Captain Prce-
i dy, Of the Aganemnon, sent tho following despuch
through the insulated conductor, 10 Captain Hudson
1 ave sha finish the splice IN half an hour"
Throughout the experiments thus far the machinery
answered our highest expectations and proved s entire
adsptsblty 10 the work. The brakes were under tho
most compete CONTROL and The dynanomeer by showing
the stras which the cable SUBJECT placed in too
power CT the al the wheel 10 increase lessen that
strain circumstances might demand or justify Last
year, ~ may be remembered, the oply dincdy IN
the msclmery me wnoes over which the Gable passed
would rovolve when required, and the sreogn OF
twenty mon exersed upon them In VAN Then tue
brakes when put morally stopped the action OF the
whole machine and brought STRAIN upoo the line thu
almost always fatal Indeed so patent had this fact
become 10 all in the expedition, that was douote1
hundred miles OF the cable ccuId DO successfully sub
merged and the cby sonder that they he'd manssei
70 get three hundred miles out OF the chip before
parted Every agreed 10 regard 10 the qualities Of
the pay ing out machine On that there Is difference Of
opinion, whatever there may be Ia regard ~ other mat
trs connected with tho Atlantic Telegraph enterprise
The Indicated by the dynamomeer equal 70
Twelve hundred pounds and this can be gradua ed from
any amount between Eve hundred and DIV Eve hundred