New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-06-24

thst had TIE cable been successfully laid lat yes'.
the e,ectrioists would have been unsoe TO send
messages through it.
A new machine has been put on board each vessel
for payirg out the cable. In tie general features,
this machine 10 similar to that used last year. The
cable passes four times around two revolving drums
in grooves cut On their surface; large pulley pro-
yided with brake is keyed on the same shalt with
one Of tee drums. The two shsfss are connected
by toe neceesary gesI-wheels to msAe them reyol'e
together. ald small steam engine placed on tue
side of the apparatus msy IN moment Dc yoAru 10
it, and, by making the drums turn Backward Woo
M the cable cut of toe sea- This mschlre weighs
only five tuns. while the old one weighed y. The
brake Of last year consisted OF two blocks plscea
on opposite sides Of the shaft against which they
were pressed by means Of tcreW; these blocAs
were attached 10 lever, and the ED OF tbs lever
was fastened to q spring balance, when, uuder
the spIelston of adybamoneter, indicated, not the
tension of the cable but the amount Of friction on
the brake. In the ne " mschire there is hilet OF
weed attached to band around fat wheel; this
bard is attached to lever, at the end of which Is
suspended weight which presses the wood sganst
the wheel. An even friction is obtained BY always
letting part Of tie wheel reSolye in water. Ano'hef
lever, acting to raise the first allows OF easing the
friction With this arrangement, the attendant can
only release the machine, but cannot entirely step
ito motion. The dynamometer, which ia separate
from the machine, consists Of weighted sheaye 10
Rame, free to move up and down between vert-
cal guides, and uuder which the cable is made to
pass. When the tension Of the cable is small. the
movable pulley ia down on rest when the tension
increases, if is raised more and more AMI the part
of the cable which sus aims it approaches more and
mere the horizontal position. Near the pulley IS a
scale on hch the tension corresponding to It's hight
is Indicated. If sprios were substituted for the
weight attached TO this pulley, it would sc. as the
safety apparatus spoken Of above, provided ito mo-
ton we're as crest as that Of the pitching OF the
stern; but if is, it merely substitutes the inertia
Of HE weight for the inertia of the cable. IL mas
nevertheless the advantage Of subtracting from the
resistance to sudden motion the friction OF the cable
in the water.
The squadron, composed of the Ag amemnon and
Niagara, with the yalorous and the Gorgon in at
tendance, started on the trial tip on the 29th ult
They reached deep water opposite the western
coast Of France lat. Az ~ N, lon. 190 - W.,
ard began experimenting on Msy3l. The depth OF
the water was found to be three miles, or 1850
fathoms; there was not breath Of wind, and the
sea was AZ smooth as a sheet Of glass with long,
deep swell from the ocean. The two ships were
connected by a hawser 500 feet long; the Niagara
sent over Ter end of the cable and they proceeded
to make q splice on board the Agamemnon. In
order to prevent any undue strain on the splice,
piece of wood fifteen feet long. and shaped like
a crescent was used. Each end OF the
cable is placed in a covered groove, CUT
along the branches of the crescent; the ends
pass out of it through sideholes near the center,
in the same manner that thread comes out Of the
shuttle Of q sewing machine; and the two ends are
joined by regular splicing of the conductors cov-
cred with gutta -percha and with iron wires. This
apparatus was passed overheard with heavy
weight attached to the apex, in order to prevent
the differently twisted cables from uutwistng.
The splicing occupied several hours, aud at p m.
they proceeded to pay out the cable from both
vessels. In each ship, man placed at the brake
in front Of the dynsmometer, and when the vessel
lurches and the tension increases in consequence
he eases the brakes in proportion. When,
at 9 O'Clock p. m, each vessel had
paid out mile Of cable, signal was made to
stop and try hauling in. The steam engine was
connected and the machine got in motion the re-
verse way. A portion OF the cable was wound up
with perfect ease; at "a o'clock, both vessels again
began to pay out till the splice had sunk to two
miles After the cable ceased running, its down
ward tendency continued for half an hour, and the
strain Indicated was varying between 400 pounds
and 900 pounds At ll4 o'clock, the i2-hor'e
power machine was again applied to haul in; this
time it proved insufficient, and several men
were called in to help by pulling at
the 0y.wkeel to make the cable WIND
up-the strain was then 4, $50 pounds. Soon,
the cable got under the hawser, which was
cut in a few minutes, and both ships fell of, but
were kept at proper distance by means of
their engines. At l2i q. m. of June l. after
mile had been hauled in, the portion Of the cable
belonging to the Niagara broke in the water.
The Agamemnon continued to haul in, till at 9
o'clock a. m. the splice was again on board. The
wood Of the crescent was penetrated with salt
water; one of the arms was split, and small rod
Of iron forming q portion Of the apparatus was
bent, as if the whole had been strained sidewise.
The recovered cable showed much twisting;
the outside wires were unlsid, and the gutts-
percha exposed in many places. As for the
portion beyond tie splice, it was coiled into
l~kx. l.