New-York daily tribune., 1858-08-30
TIE ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF SUBMARINE
TELEGRAPHING.

TELEGRAPHlNG.
To the Edo, Of The NJ T. Tribune.
SIR: The following appeared in your columns on the
18th inst:
I'VE cannot make roam for reprints from columns but
the M Of She article quoted is paragraph copied iron our da
Cyen o newsIk j. had discovered mods Of teesrsphns
through bodies s aud about to sppy II 10 the crossing
a Passsc and the Hudson the line PhisdePha
ard this cy-ss it seems did He succeeded by
Insulating the telegraph wires he says with Gutta Pech IS
quite universally in spbmsIoe and ocean
telegsphi1g But hear correspOudent-ED. Tab
VITO first suggested the of Gutts Perchs for the
insulation of telegraph wire Who laid the first insu-
lated submarine wire Who msde the first specimen
of Ocean Telegraph Cable Who originated the At
lsntc Telegraph enterprise
Facts that all cone within period of ten years, and
which have been thrown before the public in discon-
neoted form repeatedly in print, and which, united,
constitute simple and connected history in which the
sbovenamed queries are conclusively answered, to-
gtther with specific and detailed statement setting
forth the origin of the first practical idea and plan OF
Submarine Telegraph cable under the Atlantic, it
would SEEM should be accessible to any moderately
Industrious and honest hstoogrspher
We propose to place these facts in competed form
before the public in the columns of The TRIBUNE.
Various attempts were made by Prof Morse and
Others TO nsulats wire with tsrred rope, pch, asphs
tum, rosin wax glass and india rubber, between the
yesrs 1912 and lSi7 but with satisfactory practical
results.
A single wire, costed with udisrubber, was lNd
scross the Hudson, between Jersey City and New
York, in 1913. by oung man named j. j. Craven IN
the employ of Prof Morse, who had been conducting
some experiments at Newark. This attempt, Ike all
the others, proved miserable failure. Up to this
time rome Of these expermenters believed it possible
to send the magnetic current more thsn five hundred
miles, without relay magnets, and tnsr highest ambl-
ton was TO be able TO cross rivers with insulated wres
Prof Morse himself repeatedly stated that he did not
believe the laying Of Atlantic Telegraph cable wss
feasible when he, with Amos Kendall, wa, urged By
Mr. s. T. Armstrong of this city TO cooperate in such
an enterprise, during the years lsi9-5O-5l.
In order 10 get at the origin of practical submarns
telegraph og will be necessary 10 refer back ID the
introduction of guts perchs the only practically avail
able material for insulating purposes, into the United
States and we present the following as being correc.
history, substantated by the most conclusive docu
meDtsIy eviteIee.
10 March. lSi7 Mr.. Ssmnel I. Armstrong Of this
city visited giant in consequence Of hsvirg received
specimens small rdipg-wbipsl of gutta psrchs,
with sn invitation from Director OF the East lndis
Company 10 exsmine the new srtics, and 10 witness
the yaIous ps ut processes for its manufacture, 50
tha. company might be formed in the United S:stes
for the introduction and manufacture Of quits psrchs
should he deem it eXpedient Mr.. A. remaiced in Ea-
gsnd until the following September during which time
be fy satisfied himself of the value Of gut.a perchs,
ard purchased tie Eugksh pstsnts, with five
tuns of the crude article, which arrived at
New-Yoik, and was entered at the Custom.House
in December Of the same year-this entry mHks
the rst u ports.ion of guits perehs into the United
States This fsct has been subsarh.ted by an exam.
iuston of the records Of the various custom houses
throughout the country.
In September, 1877, Mr.. Armstrong returned to the
Uaited States in one of the Cunard steamers, CON.
anded by Capt. Lott.
Tbe late Right Reverend Anthony Fleming, Roman
Catholic Bishop of Newfoundland, was aso psssen-
ser by the same vessel.
The first practical idea of laying submarine tele
grsphc cable TO connect Europe and America by
means Of regularly considered plan, took it's rse
from a conversation which occurred between MI
Armstrong ard this venerable prelate, while crossing
the Atlantic from Liverpool to ST. Johns, Nswiound
lard, at this time.
Bishop Fleming, who was then 81 years old, and