The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-15

by Professor Thomson and Mr. Henley to discover the
relative power Of different electrical currents 10 pass
fault These experiments besides showing the kind oi
electricity best adapted for working through the cable in
its present defective state also show most coneiusyey
that one defect Ia the insulation however great would
not be sufficient 10 interrupt the communication there
must be several faulty places Ia the line That some, il
not the majority, Of these places close 10 the land
there can be very little doubt The soundngs fTo Va
ieniia f about 60 miles show rocky and irregular
bottom which, indeed, the PERCEPTIONS cliffs which line
the coast and the lofty islands which surround
Ii in all directions would show without the aid Of the
lead Over these submarine hills and valleys very
strong current sweeps to resist which 1t would reqaire
cable al least three times thick the in
The small piece Of the Atlantic cable which connects Va
ientia island with the mainland distance of about
English mile Is repeatedly being cut and injured by the
tide drifting II across the rocky bottom and 1t Is quite
possible TO suppose that the rapid current outwaEds from
the bread estuary of Dinge Bay may have the ef
feet upon the thin Atlantic cable which Its
mouth 1t Is the unanimous opinion Of nearly all here
that the laying Of 10 IL miles Of the thick shore end
Of the cable would tend permanently to obrate great
many Of the difficulties with which the electrical depart
ment of this undertaking has been hitherto interrupted
Beyond the continuance Of the few experiments which
have alluded to- nothing will be done with the cable
until the econceted experiments at both ternni Of the
line have been made. The days upon which they arc
20 take place have been fixed for early in the ensuing
month The results Of these experiments will doubt
show with greater certainty the nature and position OF
the results than could be shown end only These
researches win also demonstrate the possibility impos
sibty Of making the line work IN its present defective
condition
The Liverpool Post says GAS had anticipated the
conflict between the directors Of the Atlantic Telegraph
Company and their late electricann-c chief Mr. White
house. continues The latter has put in rejoinder to
the long manifesto Of the former published last week
Mr. Whitehouse replies the charge OF dsobedence Of
orders that there in which disobcdence iS not
only duty but virtue be, in substance, states that
the directors have been incapable and insincere
that their positive neglect has been Of the least of
their sims and urges that the repositories of great
public trust their motives should have been above
picion Mr.. Whitehouse thus concludes
= have thus at length replied TO the garllcd mani
fasto OF the directors Of the Atlantic Telegraph Company
do it duty to myself my profession and the pub
lie. am suppanted man, Others VIII he after
sacrificed to private and personal considerations know
have proved itbut do not resent il. make appeal
ad n1ssrioordan-I seek for sympathy scientific
grounds sufficient fcr me that have been identified
and from the first with that prodigy of this age, which
may become starting point in history till the end
of time. The effect Of this defeat has been to
awaken in America feeling which unknown before
Two nations naturally united but historically estraged,
have nsantaneosly clasged the hand Of brotherhood
great responsibility rests upon those who have in any
way contributed to the failure Of this enterprise but for
my part safely say that neither zeal, labor,
! caution, anxiety wanting upon my part
In discussion at the meeting Of the British Assoca-
on for the Advancement Of Science the construc-
ton and laying of Atlantic and other submarine telegraph
cables Mr. Newall maintained that the conducting wire
Of the Atlantic cable is much too thin to conduct e
GENTLY for distance Of 1000 miles and that the nsu
lating covering is not sufficiently thick He described
the successful laying down of the Malta and Corfu cable
extending length Of 1000 miles in water deep
the Atlantic through which, be said, is words minute
are transmitted and il the Atlantic cable had been
sructed On the sarac plan and paid out in the
ne he felt assured there would have been difficulty
laying it down, and the results would have been salts
factory,