Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-09-30
The Atlantic Cable---weighing Electricity.

The Atlantic CabIe---Weighing Electricity
The intelligence from London touching the
future of the Atlantic Gable is discouraging.-
The Times of the 18th says the $1,000 shares
had declined to between f42O and f46O. 1t aP-
pears the recent experiments induced belief
that the fracture or fractures-for 1t is thought
that there may be twO-wil be found at dis
tance of between 200 aud 800 miles from the
shore. For about 23O or 249 miles the depth is
only 4lO fathoms, and within that range the
mischief could easily be repaired, but sudden
descent then occurs to 1918 iathoms, where it
is extremely doubtful if anything could be done
The probability seems that it is at this abrupt
point where the damage has been sustained.
The London Observer also presents some very
interesting facts touching the Cable, weighing
electricity, and the machinery to test the locale
of breaks in continuity. So little confidence is
felt in tte occasion to use the heavy shore eud
of the cable, that the orders 10 ship it from Key
ham have been eountemanded. The shore end
is the most exposed to the action of the sea, and
the arrangement was TO replace the light wire
with a cord weighing SIX tons to the mile. 1t
turns out that the part supposed to be most
exposed continues perfect, a d the break in
continuity is beyond where it was proposed to
extend the strong cable. Says the Observer:
Strange as it may seem, the electrician has
the power Of ascertaining, by means of the elec
trio fluid itself, the locality and the tiny outlet
by which it escapes into the sea. Some time
since most ingenious piece of mechanism was
made by which the electricity could be weigh
ed, the fluid being mAds to act upon a magnet;
and this upon the end of a Hieely-pOised steel
yard, would tell with accuracy the weight OF
the current transmitted from the other end of a
wire at long distance. Following out this ex-
pertinent We believe first shown by Prof. Far
raday, al the Royal institution, other electr
clans have arranged very sensitive piece of
machinery. by which the amount Of resistance
oppose TO the passage Of the electricity by the
conducting wire may be correctly aseertained.
The amount Of resistance offered through the
whole length of the Atlanti; cable, or even one
half of It, is something very much larger than
any which can be marked by the delicate ma
chinery hitherto employed upon shorter dis
tances of wire. The consequence is that the
electricians have not yet been able satisfactori-
y to ascertain the place where the cable is delec-
tive
or one thing, however, they are certain, that
is, that the fault does not occur within twenty
or thirty miles Of the land, and we are inform
Ell that within the first two OF three hun
dred miles the continuity is still perfect and
complete. Beyond this distance all is still
DOUBT and uncertainty, and it is idle at present
to speculate upon the subject. Should the de-
feet be found TO exist in the deep parts of the
sea, the public must be content TO hear that for
the present the Atlantic Telegraph is a failure
Ii viii Not be possible to raise the snnken pOr-
tion ofthe wire, repair It, when laid in great
depths Within few miles of the shore the
wire may be under run but when it has been
sunk at the depth Of two or three miles below
the surface, the great length Of the cable which
would be suspended, and the resistance which
the water would give to its rising, would pro-
duce strain upon the wire much greater than !
Its strength would bear. A cable which would
be strong enough to sustain its own weight
while sinking, might not possess the requisite
strength to admit of its being hauled up thrO'
the water