Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-10-04
The Atlantic Cable.

The Valencia correspondent Of the London
Times closes IA long article reviewing the laying
Of the cable &c, with the following remarks:
There is still very generally prevalent idea that
Of the principal faults in the cable liz conpar.
ntycly near shore, aud though this supposition ia
opposed to the very conclusive experiments of
Prof Thomson and Mr.. Marley yet il is n question
whether, for the full satisfaction Of the sharehol-
ders, it would not be worth while taking up the
cable for n few miles from either shore, aud then
testing through the middle portion. These ore
rntions would undoubtedly be attended with CON
siderable expense. and it is, therefore, probably
not thought advisable To engage in them until il
Is asccrtalned how matters stand at the American
terminus Of the cable. Mr. Lundy. one of the
electrical assistants, proceeds to Newfoundland
on Tuesday, by the Prince Albert. from Galway.
for the purpose Of ascertaining the condition Of
the wire nj the other terminus. and also for the
purpose of arranging n day on which n certain
new code of signals to be sent at concerted
times from both ends, and to endeasor thus to re-
establish lntclligiblc communication Even look
ing at matters in tho worst light, and enpposing
the cable as far rs practical working goes u fail
ure, not only has the practcnbility ofsubmerging
it been demonstrated but also the practicabily
Of working and signalling through ii.
Therefore, it is not to DO supposed for one mo-
mcnt, that the public, both on this and the other
side Of the Atlantic, will ever allow the grand
scheme for connecting together the Old and New
Worlds to fall to the ground, even il ten cables
instead If one be sacrificed in its nccomJ lshmcnt.
Al the same time, private enterprise, unless ndc
quatclS o., olrigod by tho two Govc nment,, can
not be expected to come forward and cApend vast
sums OF money in the manufacture and submcrg-
ing al another cable with fair chance against
them Of using both capital and interest. The At
laniic Telegraph Company have expended nearly
half IA million IN the manufacture and laying Of
the present cable. for which the American mud
I'll.
for n certain Poriod. contingent upon success. But
should ia" present cable prove n failure, both the
capital and the Government subsidy are lost, and
the shareholders ar" expected To subscribe anuth-
or hall million Tor another wire, IN the sct-same
basis NJ before, and with the same chance of los
ing all before them. Under these circumstances
IL ~ not surprising the difficulties Ut raising the
capital for ncw cable are looked upon as almost
inenrmouutall". IL the American and English
governments are rcally anxious for an effective
Geographic communication between the two coun-
tries they have Ut to guarantee IL certain though
small Ter ecntagc on the total capital expended in
the conn ctun of tho line, aud money will he
forthcoming for the new wires, should five or six
bc lost before one is successfully completed.
From Mr Lonion Gi,br l1M.
Matters look bad for the Atlantic Telegraph Com
pnny They appear to have indeed thrown their
money into til" sea. Much as we must regret the
misfortune OF the $50 spirited individuals who sub
scrlbrd rlooO each To- attempt tho junction Of the
New World and the Old, there is some little az
ISOLATION in the reflection that there is no actual
rum in the case. No diyidendess widows, or
struggling orphans, will have their hopes crushed
for the $40 of substance, Ia whom the
loss gam of flUou IL the source of no very ok
traurdlnary pain or PLEASURE But the accident to
the cable Of the fatal result of which there mp
pears To lie now scarcely doubt, is no national
calamity. 1t il simply the failure of on, of the
experiments which necessarily preccde the solu-
ton of any great untricd problem, aud the effect
is merely Of delay. In certain important
respects the experiment succeeded, and the ncxt
attempt will be mulo under circumstances Of
greatly increased advantages; ~ that, with view
to the consummation, the E35O,OOD has not been
spent who'll in vain.