The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-10-14
From the LONDON o bserver.

From the Lcaioa Observer.
Up 10 late hour on Saturday night the
electrician had been unable to discover the
precise locality where the interruption OF
electric current takes place. 10 the letter
written by Mr.. Whi,ehouse, the late elec,rl'
clan Of the company. that gentleman holds
out the hope that the damage which has
taken place would be found to be but IA
Q short distance from the shore, and could
be easily repaired by the substitution Of me
larger cable intended for the shore end Of
the telegraph. This heavy portion OF the
cable, weighing about six tons to the mile,
or rather more than six times the weight OF
the line which has already been laid, is at
present lying at Keyham. 1t was not taken
on board the Agamemnon, for 80 improba
bic seemed the chance for the successful
nbmergence OF the cable, that il was not
deemed necessary 10 send the shore end to
Valentia until the result Of the second at
tempt was ascertained. As soon Us the
communication had been established, orders
were sent for the shipment Of the shore end
and the Bilboa steamer was sent TO Key
ham to take il round 10 Valenta While
engaged in putting the cable on board a
message was Unexpectedly received to dis
continue the process, and leave it still at
Keyham. This message was, we under
stand, forwarded from Valentia, as il was
found by the electrical tests which were ap
piled that the interruption Of the communi
cation was not within such distance of the
shore as would admit of the fault being
remedied by the substitution Of the heavier
cable. The shore end OF the telegraph is
that which is most exposed to the action Of
the sea, and with respect to which the great
est fears were entertained by the public ;
but il turns out that this portion is perfect,
and that the defective part Is at a point
much farther distant from the land. To
many persons it will appear impossible, by
any mechanical or other scientific arrange.
ment, to ascertain the spot at which the
continuity OF an electric current may cease.
1t is difficult enough TO conceive the practi-
cability OF transmitting an electric spark
along two or three thousand miles Of wire
or even through much shorter distance.
But this is done every day, and we have
less doubt that the subtle fluid which starts
from London will reach Edinburg or the
place to which il is directed than that the
railway train will reach its prescribed ter.
minus. But to ascertain the spot at which
the lightning leaves its track and escapes
into the depths OF the Atlantic, is task
which would appear TO be even more diff
cult than for the manager at EastOn station
TO learn, without the aid of telegraph or
other communication, the place where the
express train had left the line by some un.
happy accident, after it had started on its
Journey 10 tbs north. Strange as il may
seem, the electrician has the power of as
certaining, by means Of the electric fluid it.
self, the locality and the tiny outlet by
which it escapes into the sea. Some time
since a most ingenious piece Of mechanism
was made, by which the electricity could be
weighed, the fluid being made to act upon a
magnet; and this, upon the end of u nicely
! po11ed steelyard, would tell with accuracy
the weight Of the current transmitted from
The other end of a wire at long distance.
Following out this experiment, We believe
first shown by Prof. Farraday, at the Roy.
al Institution, other electricians have ar
ranged very sensitive piece of machinery,
by which the amount Of resistance opposed
10 the passage Of the electricity by the con.
dncting wire may be correctly ascertalned.
tn amount Of resistance offered through the
whole length Of the Atlantic cable. or even
one half of it, is something very much larg.
Ethan any which can be marked by the
\. late machinery hitherto employed upon
ker distances Of wire The consequence
- that the electricians have not yet been
- satisfactorily to ascertain the place
VIE the cable is defective.
OF one thing. however they are certain,
that is, that the fault does not occur within
stWenty or thirty miles Of the land and We
are informed that within the first two or
three hundred the continuity is still perfect
and complete. Beyond this distance all Is
still doubt and uncertainty, and ii il Idle at
4 present TO speculate upon the subject
Should the defect b found to exis, in the
deep parts Of the sea, the public must be
content to hear that for the present the At,
lantic telegraph j. failure. II will no, be
possible to raise the sunkeu portion OF the
wire. or repair it. when laid in great depths
Within a lew miles Of the shore the wire
may be under-run but when il has been
sunk at the depth Of two or three miles be-
low the surface, the great length Of cable
which would be suspended, and the resist.
ance which the water would give 10 IT.
rising, weuld produce strain upon the wire
much greater than its strength would bear.
A cable which would be strong enough N
snstsin liz ow weight while sinking might
not possess the requisite strength 10 admit
Of its bling hauled up through the water.
Reiur. Of = DtssI agui-h.d Fugiti,e.