Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-09-03

successive Hoods subsequently visited the
township, and the colonial government were
at last compelled to move the settlement to a
higher and drier site than the frequently in
undated valley of Gundagai
TIE TRIP or THE AGAMEMNoN.-The Eng
lish papers give Il long and graphic narrative
Of the laying of the Atlantic Cable by the
steamer Agamemnon.
The very first evening, the cable was en-
dungcrcd by whale, which approached the
starboard bow at great speed, rolling and
tossing the sea into foam all around. 1t APP
pcarcd as if it was making direct for the
cable. and great was the relief of all when
the rundcrous living mass was seen slowly to
pas astern. Just grazing the cable where it
entered the water. but fortunately without
doing any mischief.
The relief experienced by all at the disap-
pcarance of the whale was very shortly dis
pclled by the discovery of an injured portion
Of the cable about mile or two from the
portion being paid out. The mending OF the
cable and the loss Of the continuity, which
created so much dismay on board the Niaga-
IA, with the recovery of the signals, are de-
scribcd in the following extract
" Not moment was lost by Mr.. Canning,
the engineer ON duty, in setting men to work
w,nld normit Gnr tbe cable was goinr out at
such n rate thot the dnmarcd norton would
bn mid overheard in less than twenty min
utes and former oxnerienco had shown us
thot to check either the snoed of the shin or
the cable, would in all probability, be attend
| ea hv the most fatal results. Just before the
tapping was finished Prof. Thompson reported
that me elc.,, ~, .i";tty Of the wire had
ceased, but that the insulation was stlii pol-
| feet. Attention was naturally directed to
the injured piece as the probable source of the
stoppage, and not IA moment was lost in cut
ing the cable at that point, with the inten-
ton of making perfect splice. To the con-
sternation of all, the electrical tests applied
showed the fault to be overheard, and, in all
probability some fifty miles from the ship.
Not a second was to be lost, for it was evident
that TIE cut portion must be paid overin Il few
minutes, and in the meantime the tedious and
difficult operation of making splice had to be
performed The ship was Immediately stop
ed and no more cable paid out than was ABB
sulutclv necessary to prevent 1t from breaking
as the stern of the ship was lifted up by the
waves \ scene Of the most intense excite
mcnt followed 1t seemed impossible that even
by using the greatest possible speed and pay
ing out the least possible amount of cable,
the junction could be finished before the part
was taken out Of the hands Of the workmcn
The main hold presented an extraordinary
scene, nearly all the officers Of the ship and
those connected with the expedition stood
in groups about the coil, watching with that
intense anxiety which is seldom seen but
round the foreign gaming tables, the cable AZ
it slowly unwound itself, nearer and nearer
the Joint, while the workmcn directed by
Mr.. Canning, under whose superintendence
thc cable was originally manufactured, work
ed at the splice as only men could work wht
felt that the life and death of the expedition
depended on their rapidity. But all their
speed was to no purpose, as the cable wa
unwnding within hundred iathoms anc
as a last and desperate resource, the cable
utes the Shin hung on by the end. Fortuna
telv, however, il was only for few minutes
as the strain was continually rising above
two tons. and it would not hold on mucl
longer. when the splice was finished, the sig
nal made to loose the stopper, and it passeC
overheard safely enough
When the excitement consequent upol
having so narrowly saved the cable had passe
away we awoke to the consciousness that tn
ease was still as homeless as ever, for the elec
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