Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-07-27
The Failure Of tIe CaBIc-What the World
still Expects.


The attempt to lay the Atlantic telegraph has
again failed. We are that Mr.. Field did not
abandon the undertaking and return to Queenstown
too soon, and that the Agamemn0n is not still wait
ing ct the ocean Rendezvous for her cons0rt These
doubts, however, will soon be cleared up, and we
shall know the true conditions under which the fail
ure occurred So far as now can be seen the failure
is simply mechanical one, and in this age of me-
chanical triumphs does not by any imply that
the telegraph will not yet be successfully laid. The
world has now become accustomed to the use of
teegraphs for all the purposes of civilized life On
either side of the Atlantic there already erected
some 600 miles of electric telegraph, aud all the
great interests of the world look to q union by the
Atlantic cable.
When such an event shall take place the world
will acknowledge new impulse. The great centres
Of civilization will receive instantaneous intelligence
of what is passing elsewhere, and its first application
will be to those transactions that distribute the
plus products of the earth among the nations. The
operations in the great markets of the two hemis-
pheres will be reported daily TO each other through
the agency Of the Telegraph. Under It's guidance
commerce will cease to be that system Of uncertain
adventure which it was in the oden time The wants
Of the consumer will be at once made known to the
producer and the merchant, cessing to be the specu
lator increasing his reCompense through the posses
sion Of exclusive intelligence, will become merely
the legitimate medium at exchange between the two,
and receive the equitable reward Tor his labor Thus
the benefits Of production will be equally dis
tributed among all to the manifest advantage Of all
But tin the moral, and particularly in the political
world it's efec will not be less certain and palpa-
bic. For outstripping the sun in his daily course
round the GLOBE it will recount to each people it
rises to the abors of the day the acts and thoughts
of those whose day has already past. If throne
be overturned in France, or a Ministry in England;
If a revolution occur in Spain, or a conspiracy be
discovered in Russia; if representative OF one or
other Of the conteldng parties among ourselves be
elected to guide for time destinies a nation
whatever event stirs the great heart Of people,
will be Immediately known to all the rest and they
will be engaged in considering its bearing andresults
at the same moment of time This facility Of in~
Simultaneous intercourse will make the nations better
acquainted with each other, and through that &C
uuaintance soften and ameliorate the relations of
political and international communion. With nations
it is the same as with Acknowledgment inter
course modifas their appreciation of each other and
and often creates personal regard. <
But it is not in detail that the vast results to man
kind from the successful laying of the Atlantic cable
can be estimated In order form any idea of these
we must contemplate the Atlantic telegraph marshal
ling he mind of the whole civilized world TO unity
Of thought and action. In this annihiation oftime
and space how great will be the expedition given to
the march Of human progress There will be no
waiting to know the positions that other nations
have occupied before we advance; each division of
the great army of civilization, knowing the line of
march aud speed Of its fellows, will advance unhesi,
tatingly in the path of its development, receiving
and giving continual support. with such a per
fscrion of system and intelligence, how much more
rapid must be the trlumphs Of mind over the mater
ial world, and how much greater its moral and in
telectual development! Such are the results we
yet expect TO see from the establishment Of tele
graphic communication between European America;
and the present failure will only urge the world to
renewed exertions to attain success.-N l. Herald.