Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-10-21
Faults Of the Ocean Cabie---
Facts in the CaSe of the FauItS.

Bv the Araao which left Liverpool o
the 22d ult.. and arrived at New York o
Wednesday, we received the highly interes
, inc report from Mr.. Varley, an emineu
electrician, which we published yesterday
We also have reply of the Managers
the Atlantic Telegraph Company to M'
Whitshouse. The Canada, with Europeal
news to the 25th, which reached Halifa'
yesterday, does not bring any further new
respecting the Ocean Cable. '.tt-.
Mr. Varley's report, though necessaril,
scientific, is generally ineligible. H,
reached valenlia on the 5th of September
and found that no words had been received
from Newfoundland, through the Cable
for several days. Five days experiments
during which the Cable was subjected t.
various tests, brought the following results
which we repeat here:
1. There is fault of great magnitude
at distance of between 245 and 800 stat
ute miles from Valentia, but the 10, ality
cannot be more accurately ascertained until
portion of the cable, twenty or thirty
miles in length, has bee tested against my
standard of resistance, and until the log
has been consulted TO ascertain the amount
of slack paid out, would suggest that
the piece of cable at Greenwich be careful
ly measured and tested against my stand
ard, in order 10 obtain the most correct es-
timate of the distance Of the fault. As
suming, however, that it is two hundred
and seventy miles, and allowing twenty
two per cent. for slack, it is possible that
the chief defect is in shallow water-four
hundred and ten fathoms.
2. The copper wire at the faulty place
above alluded to does not touch the iron
covering of the cable, as is proved by its
forming voltaic element, which gives rise
to continuous positive current from the
copper wire, varying very little in tension.
g. The insulation of the wire between
Valentia and The fault, is perfect. or at
least contains no defect of sufficient i'm
portance to be perceptble, or to materially
influence the working were the cable other
wise perfect.
4. The copper wire is continuous, and
consequently the cable has not parted
Faint signals, or reversals, are still receiv-
ed from Newfoundland, but the power used
will shortly eat away the exposed copper
wire in the faulty place by electrolytic de-
composition.
The actual resistance Of the fault ap-
pears to be at least equal TO 10 miles of
the cable, but is most probably greater.
Taking it at its lowest resistance, viz:
ten miles, and assuming that Newfound-
land is only using $50 cells Of Daniels
battery, the strongest current received
thence during my stay was only l-24th
part of the force that it should be were
there but this one fault. Whom ii is, how
ever, borne in mind that on the other side
they are probably using more power, and
also that The defect first alluded to pfoba- |
bly, offers more resistance than that assum
ed, viz: 40 miles, it is evident that there is
another and more distant fault, the ap-
'proximate locality of which l could not
pretend to estimate at this end withoth be-
Ing able to speak to Newfoundland.
From authentic data shown to me at
Valentia, am of opinion that there was
fault on board the Agamemnon before the
cable was submerged, at distance ofabout
$50 miles from one end and $40 from the
other.
The data presented to Mr.. varley show: /:
Firt, that if there were fault, it was near
70 the upper end, but not far from the
middle of the cell: Second, that there was
n fault at about $50 miles from one end
Of the cable, and $40 from the other: Third !
toat there had been considerable leakage
on that potion of the cable on board the
Agamemnon: Fourth, that the currents
through the cable, even iInmediatly after
it was submerged, were so weak that re-
lays were useless, and that not one perfect
message was recorded by them, everything
that was received being read from the re-
Elections Of a galvanohie.er: Fifth, that
there is fault, offering resistance equal
TO 1000 or 200 miles of cable, situate al
4 distance of about $50 miles from one
end of the 1900 mile coil on board The
Agamemnon: Sixth, that this cannot be
he fault alluded to before, situate about
20 miles from Valentia, bul may have
,een the one which caused such alarm {
when the ships were 500 pliles from Ire {
and, and when the signals ceased alto
yether, and never certainly recovered: Sew
NTH, that it is not al all improbable that {
ne powerful currents from the large induc-
ion coils have impaired the Insulation, and
hat, bad more moderate power been used,
Ia /
If transmitting messages: Eighth, that
when there are imperfections in tue insula-
ing covering there is very great danger
arising from using such intense currents:
Ninth, that the size of the present conduct
ing strand is too small to hare aoorked
satisfactorily, eUen had the insulation been
'ound. With strand Of larger dimaen-
ions less intense currents aCold be requir-
I'd, and both speed and certainty increas-
d.; Tenth, that it is not altogether impro-
,abe that inteHigible signals may get be
-eeeiued through the cable.
These statements are unfavorable TO the
success of the present cable. No, indeed,
10 we expect it now.
Here is another extract from Mr.. Var
ey's report, which is exceedingly interest
pg: a
He is satisfied that the cable has been
if not fatally, impaired by the use
# too powerful currents from the large in
luction coils, especially from this side, and
hat the present conducting strand is too
mail TO have answered its purpose, even
lad the insulation been found. We here
quote what he says: =--r