Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-09-09
Miseeilaqe.us.
The Agamemuoa End OF the Gable.

1uo AoauOn 4 AseS, OF the llth INST
contains detailed account, by its CORES,
pendent. of the laying of the European
end OF the cable by the Agamemnon. II
Is interesting, but except three or four in
cIdents. it is nothing but the record of a
rather monotonous journey We learn
from it that The Agalnemnon met her us.
nal III luck, not only in subjecting the ca.
Die to great hazards of breaking, but in
encountering adverse winds and heavy
storms. While the Niagara had an almost
unbroken scene of suitable weather. the
Agamemnon running mile for mile with
her, and paying out almost exactly the
same amount OF cable. and only three DAYS
parted. suffered for nearly half the dis
lance home from heavy gales. In going
10 the rendezvous she was five DAYS behind
the Niagara, and in starting was DELAYED
day by the slow moving Electrician. who
had not reached Queenstown. Really, her
almost invariably bad luck, always be-
mad her associate. and catching all the
storms that blew. would Justify sailors
superstition In unlueky ships. However,
she did her work, and did it well. but
there were several narrow escapes from a
repetition of the disasters of the former
trials. The splicing was effected on the
z3;h, and the ships parted for the first time
So little confidence had anybody in the
success of the experiment, that the cable,
when spliced, was let drop into the ocean
with no formality or ceremony, aud almost
without notice. There was no shouting.
AMI no interest. The ships steamed away.
but before the close of the dav the Aga
memnon got taste of her bad luck in an
alarm occasioned by huge uhale
WHALE.
Shortly after six O'Clock very large
whale was seen approaching the starboard
bow at great speed, rolling and tossing
Sfhe see into foam all around, and for the
first time we felt the possibility of the sup
position that our second mysterious break
age of the cable might have been caused
after all by one Of these animals getting
afoul of it under water 1t appeared as if
it were making direct for the cable, and
great was the relief Of all when the pom
dcrous living mass was seen slowly to pass
astern. Just grazing the cable where it en-
tered the water, but fortunately without
doing any mischief.
The next incident was Of more seri-
Gus kind. 1t seems to have been the
BLACKLIST spot in the trip, the darkest hour
IN the expedition 1t is thus described:
THE STOPPING OF THE CURRENT
Soon after eight an injured portion of
the cable was discovered about mile or
two from the portion paying out Not a
moment was lost by Mr.. Canning. the
engineer, on duty, in setting men to work
torccbble the injury, as well as the time
would permit, for the cable was going out
at such rate that the damaged portion
would be overheard in less than twenty
minutes, AMI former experience had shown
US that to check either the speed OF the
ship or the cable would, in all probability,
be attended by the most fatal result
Just before the tapping was flushed
Professor Thompson reported that the cl-
cctrical continuity of the wire had ccas-
cd, but that the insulation was still per
feet; attention was naturally directed to
the injured piece as the probable source OF
The stoppage, and not a moment was
lost in cutting the cable at that point,
with the intention of making a perfect
splice. To the CONSERVATION of all the ell
ectrical tests applied showed the fault to
be overheard, and in all probability some
nifty miles from the ship. Not second
was to be lost, for IL was evident that the
cut portion must be paid over in a few
minutes, and In the meantime the tedious
and difficult operation of making splice
had to be performed. The ship was i'm
mediately stopped, and no more cable
was paid ont than was absolutely neces-
saTy to prevent it breaking.
AS the stern of the ship was lifted BY
the waves scene Of the most intense ex-
element followed. 1t seemed impossible
even by using the greatest possible speed
and paying out the least possible amount
of cable, that the junction could be finish
ed before the part was taken out of the
hands of the workmen. The main hold
presented an extraordinary scene; nearly
all the officers of the ship and of those
connected with the expedition stood in
groops about the coil, watching with in
tense anxiety the cable. as it slowly I'M
wound itself nearer and nearer the Joint,
while the workmen directed by Mr. Can
ming, under whose superintendent the
cable was originally manufactured, work
ed, at the splice as only men could work
who felt that the life and death of the ex-
petition depended upon their rapidity.-
But all their speed was to no purpose, as
the cable was unwinding within hundred
fathoms, and as last and desperate re-
source, the cable was stopped altogether,
and for few minutes the ship hung OF by
the end. Fortunately, however, it was
only for few minutes, as the strain was
continually rising above tw, tons, and it
would not hold on much longer; when the
splice was finished the signal was made to
loose the stopper, and 1t passed overheard
safely enough.
When the excitemen. consequent upon
having SO narrowly saved the cable had
passed away, We awoke to the conscious
ness that the case was still as hopeless as
ever, for the electrical continuity was still
entirely wanting. Preparations were con-
SANITY made to pay ont as little rope as
possible. and to hold On for six hours, in |
the hopes that the fault, whatever it might
be. might mend itself before cutting the
cable and returning To the rendezvous to
make another splice. The magnetic need
Lees h