The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-07-19

The Atlantic TelesrasN,-PrcSsbI Is.ue o.
the Urdsrt~ixisg--Pxo Aaiaccs ana SusAes-
tiuns.
The report made BIZ the master Of the ship
Alice Munroe, arrived off Boston on Friday. and
which we published 10 Saturdays and Sundays
HERALD, would seem to augur III for the success
of the latest attempt to lay the Atlantic Tele-
graph cable. He fell in with two vessels Of the
fleet-the Niagara and Gorgen-on Sunday,
the 9Th ult., in latitude So deg. min. north,
longitude 80 deg. Is min. west; aud like prac
teal, intelligent man, bore up to learn the news
of the expedition. MIR. Field came on board his
vessel, and informed him that the squadron had
experienced very bad weather from the time of
Its leaving port, and had not made its connec'
ton for sixteen days. that two attempts to lay
the cable had been unsuccessful-the o0mnuni-
cation cessing ON the second occasion on the
morning of this interview, after only forty miles
Of cable had been paid out; but that he (Mr.
Field still entertained hopes of successful ter
mination to the enterprise.
We apprehend that Mr.. Field will not find
many persons now 80 sanguine of the result as
he appears to have been. On the contrary, all
the circumstances appear to indicate that the
enterprise will prove failure; and unless the
next day or two bring us news Of mere favor
able character, there will be but one opinion
entertained as to the fate of the undertaking.
The captain of the Alice Munroe calculated that
the squadron had not met at the rendez vous,
where the Niagara and Gorgon were awaiting
the Agamemnon and Valorous, before the 2Sth.
Assuming that they met that or the next day,
and that after time for splicing and further con-
situations and experiments, they again sepa-
rated by the first of July, we can imagine no
reason, consistent with an idea of success, why
the Niagara has not yet reported her
self The calculation was that the steam.
ers in paying out the cable would
travel at the rate of four miles an hour,
or one hundred miles day. At that rate eight
OF nine days would be all the time that would
be occupied in going from the rendezvous to
either point. Twice that time has passed, and
the Niagara has not arrived. Even if she only
went at the rate of three miles an hour-as slow
pace as We can easily imagine steamer to
be propelled-she would have arrived at her
destination in twelve days after the day Of
starting, ifnothing untoward had occurred, aud
we should therefore have heard of her week
since.
We are afraid that these premises admit OF
but one logical deduction to be drawn from
them, and that u.s. either that the attempt has
failed altogether, or that the cable has been
broken once, twice or several times more, en-.
failing unlocked for delay. The latter may
prove to be the case, and the end may yet crown
the work; but such repeated failures are apt to
damp the ardor of the most sanguine and enthu-
sastic. Mr.. Field, who has the management of
the affair, and who has large interest staked on
its success, is man of indomitable perseverance
and apparently inextinguishable hope; and so
long as there remains the glimmer Of chance
Of laying the cable now it is certain that he will
persevere. The vessels were provided with
three thousand miles of cable-the distance
being less than seventeen hundred miles-and
though it may break time after time, still, so
long as the portion left is Of adequate length,
the attempt, we presume, will not be abandoned.
All concerned in 1t must feel that there is little
hope Of obtaining the aid OF the two govern
ments for a third attempt, even if the stock
holders themselves would care to risk any more
money in 1t; and therefore 1t is but reasona-
BILE 10 suppose that no possible chance will be
left undeveloped this time.
If the effort prove abortiye, the company
will have lost two millions and a half of dol
lars in the undertaking, besides the half million
at which the expenses Of the two governments
are estimated. The great bulk of the shares
are in English hands--the largest shareholder
in this country being Mr.. Field himself
The fact of the brittleness Of the cable may
be accounted for in this way After the former
unsuccessful effort to lay IL, all Of IL that had
not been submerged and lost for the time being
was placed in immense tanks OF water, to en-
able the electricians to make experiments; and
we believe it was 80 kept until it was again
coiled on board the receiving vessels. The
portion that was submerged last year was found,
after its being raised, so corToded in parts by
rust that It was condemned as unfit for use, or
az being too liable to snap in the paying out
Now If that was the effect on the portion lying
in the bed Of the ocean, why must it not also
have been the effect on the other portion that
was lying in water in the vat where IL was kept
1t may lie that the possibility of its being rust
eaten was overlooked; or, IL the danger was ap-
pretended by those who were responsible, that
Il was concealed in the hope that their fears
would prove illfounded. Certainly the fact Of
the cables breaking twice in couple Of days
for the failure OF communication mentioned
by Mr.. Field probably arose from a breskage
Oft the Agamcmnon-w would seem to give q
good deal of plAusibility to this superstition;
and IL this should turn out to be the case, it
would certainly convict the engineers and cleo
tricians Of the grossest stupidity or careessness
There may still, however, in the chances and
uncertainties Of the undertaking, be possibility
A. I...il.. L.. III. ...i...l m