Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-08-19
Arrival Of the Niagara-The Atlantic CabI,


The United States Steam Frigate Niagara an
chored of the New York Battery yesterday af.
ternoon, at s O'Clock, and was greeted with sa-
lutes.
Mr.. Cyrus w. Field says that he has not the
slightest doubt Of the entire success Of the enter
prise. He describes the feeling which pervaded
all on board the Niagara while the Cable was
being laid, as one OF the most intense excitement
Every man exeTted himself to the utmost to
achieve success In the work. Throughout the
six and half days the most perfect silence and
attention pervaded the men, lest single moment
Of negligence should destroy the Cable. On the
that the Cable was being laid ont at a rate which
in proportion to the distance run, would, IL con.
tinned, have defeated the enterprise.
This was owing to the fact that the Cable on
as to seriously derange the compasses, rendering
II i'm possible to steer the ship. Next day the
Commander of the Gorgon being apprised OF the
fact, ran ahead Of the Niagara, steering in the
most direct course for Trinity Bay This he
continued to do day and night, until they ar
rived, never leaving the deck, except for a few
moments, and verifying his position by repeated
observations of the sun, moon and stars To his
agency, therefore, the success Of the achievement
Is greatly indebted
Mr.. Field landed near the telegraph station,
Trinity Bay, at two O'Clock in the morning, and
walked to the house, half mile distant throup b
the wilderness, not per.on being visible on the
beach. At the telegraph house he found the on
orators from London fast asleep, not one Of them
expecting that the enterprise would succeed In
deed they had not unpacked their trunks, anti.
cipating that in a week or two they would be or
dered back to London.
The reason why signals and not words were
sent through the cable as 1t was being laid, is,
that on the previous attempt, the clerks indulped
in irrelevant conversation, which distracted their
attention from duty at time when the slightest
obstruction might be fatal to the work The
directors therefore ordered that signals only
should be sent through the cable from ship to
ship. Both vessels had Greenwich time and the
for ten minutes each way.
The signals showed that on the first day the
speed OF the Agamemnon slightly exceeded thu at
OF the Niagara, but on the succeeding DAYS thew
went al the same pace, there never being more
than twenty miles difference between them.
Field applied bis tongue TO the end and eceived
the cheering information that the Insulation was
perfect, In shock that nearly threw him over,
The reason why messages were not transmitted
earlier from the fact that all the APPARATUS at
both ends was new and untried, and required
great deal Of care and skill to adjust - :
Mr.. Field states that there is not the sIivhfsst
or greater than its most sanguine friends looked
forward to. By the Persia be writes to the direc
tors to prepare another cable at once as n {, evil
dent that the present one, which will In a short
time transmit messages as rapidly as an aerial
line, will be entirely insufficient for the business
which will how to Il. 81 - -.
Until the LIST Of September the line will be
ernments Of Great Britain and the nited State.
Daring that time Mr.. Field will keep the public
advised Of all matters affecting the success Of the
cable. ..-a u as...- .sF.a