The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-05-20
From the European Correspondence ofIhs n. Z.
HsraId.1

-NsNSS~--
From the European oOrrSspondenoe or Ihe n. Z.
Hsnld.l
The Ocean Telegraph.
The work Of ceiling the csbie on board
both the Niagara and Agamemnon d going
on most successfully, and there 10 syery
prospect of their both being ready to leave
Plymouth on their trial trip about the 20th
Of next mohth. The number of miles plac.
ed on the two vessels is between seventeen
and eighteen hundred, leaving from eleven
to twelve hundred yet to be put on board
Of this amount the latter has ten hundred
and fifty, and the former some seven hun.
dred coiled in the cable circles. Every at.
tention and care has been given ID this es.
sential part Of the work, and every f0ut OF
the cable is minutely inspected as Il passes
into the circles. When defective part 10
detected the process of coiling Is suspended
until the imperfect portion Of the wire ID
cut away, and the whole is respliced In q
manner that not only secures the perfect in.
sulation Of the conductor, but actually adds
to the strength Of the cable. There 10 m
fact no department Of the work in which
there = more skill and ingenuity displayed
than in that Of splicing; and it is Particular.
ly deserving OF remark here, that only i'm
one instance, during the last expedition,
was the cable known to part at splicing.
This, however, requires on explanation.
from which it will be seen that the case was
an extraordinary one, and such as under the
new arrangement will not be likely 10 oc.
cur again. The splice had been made at
the junction OF the shore erid of the cable
with the deep sea line, and was not as per.
feet as could be desired, on account of the
difference in size between the two portions.
30 that when subjected to strain it parted
while in the act of passing over the wheels
or sheaves OF the paying out machine. The
second attempt to join the two parts was;
however, most successful, and by the aid Of
hawser to relieve the spiced portion from
any undue strain, it was lowered safely in:
to the water. The continuity was found to
have been uninp tired by the fracture, and
the cable worked us we'll as If il never part:
ed. With this exc 'ption it will be seen
that the process Of splicing, SO far from
weakening the great sea line, has actually
tendency to strengthen it, and has no in.
curious effect upon the electrical condition
Of the conductor. Every attentitn then be.
ing bestowed upon this important processs
no apprehensions need be felt ia regard 10
the strength of the c,ble, which il as per:
feet as when 1t frst came from the manu-:
factory.
1t is expected that both ships will leave
the Kfyham basin on the l4th of next
month, or that they will be able to leave
before that time. This is very necessary;
as they will draw SO much water on account
OF the increased wei sht as to render it nee.
essary to get into the stream during tbs
spring tides, which prevail then, and via.
out when they would be unable to leaye [Ae
dock where they now are, for at least al:
other mon'n. The ceiling can, however.
be proceeded with when the vessels get in.
to the stream, as the line may be tdkeh oil
board from the little steamer Adonis, which
10 expected at Plymouth in less than d
week, with four hundred additional miles,
which nave just been manufactured al tho
works of Messrs. Glass Il Elliott, in GPeen.
wch. With cJai and all on board; tho Nj,
agara will draw about twenty six and huff
feet OF water; and the Asamemnon at least
foot more than that No time will ba
lost, you may depend upon it, in getting to
sea the moment the cable Has been placed
on the two ships.
In former letter it was stated that tho
greatest speed attained by Dr.. WhilehoIse,
the chief electrician o: the company, irt the
transmission Of messages throu III twenty
six hundred miles OF cable did not exceed
sixty-nine words per hour, or little more
than word per minute. This was the re-
suit OF several months experiments, but
within the last week Il still greater rapidisy
has been accomplished, and as this il a
matter oil the greatest importance both to the
working and paying value Of the line, il is
deserving of special consideration. Pro-
lessor Thompson, one Of the faculty Of the
highest University in Scotland, which has
produced some OF the most learned and abba
men IN Great Britain, was Invited I'd ldkS
part IN the experiments. For three days he
gave his undivided attention 10 the subject
made large number Of experiments, and
rep rfed tile gratifying Intelligence to Mr.
Field, that he had done sufficient 10 Justify
him in stating that he could send six words
through the whole length Of wire in one
minute, and that by still ftttther e&peri-
ments, he had no doibt whatever he could
improve still thore on the rate of speed.-s
But have moi yet told the whole story III
regard to The electrical department, aud the
success Hhich has been achieved in work.
ing through the cable. Mr.. Henley; wh6
ID also a prominent electrician here, has
been making experiments, and with nd
less gratifying success, So that ProfeS6Gf
Thompson is fully corroborated and stfs-z
tained BY the best possible evidence -thal
OF practical test by another. Mr.. Hen
ley, after weeks attention TO the subject:
succeeded in sending through message at-
ter message at a speed Of six words in q
minute He does not stop here, however;
ne goes still further, and states that curl
rent cun be sent through the cable generut=
ed by an English shilling, which is about
the size Of an American quarters rather
Lilliputlan battery, it must be acknowledge
ed. Let him speak for himself. In a Brisf
statement which be presented to Mr.. Fiela,
at that gentleman"s request, and to whicR
he signed his name, he says: ..,,.
A current can be passed through The e..
ble-tWo thousand six hundred miles-pen-
Grated by q shilling and piece Of zinc of
the same size, with piece of paper moisten.
ed with the tongue. H. T. HENLEY.
One Of the paying out machines is finish
ed, and has been subjected to the criticism
OF whole army Of civil and naval engI-
neers, captains and other scientific and unS
scientific men. This examination hGS seen
mad at the special request Of Mr.. Everett.
VINO was desirous Of submitting his work to
an unreserved judgment from men whe
nave made the science Of engineering thsir
special atndv and "a, ho ara tho oforn uaA.