The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-07-25
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SUB MARlNE TELEGRAPH --0fFICI4L REPORT
or CAPTAIN HUDS0Y- 7.iN0THRR A77EhfT TO
BE MADE.
u. y. SraAx FnaArx NIAGARA,
Queenstown, qreland.) July 9Th. 1885,

i,.. Queenstown lreand. July 9Th, 1905 sa
SIR / am somewhat mortified and disappointed 10
report the arrival of the Niagara at this port the 9Th
instant after three unsuccessful attempts at laying down
the telegraphic cable. H lfHs 20 la si.liih, eat
MY last despatch of the 10th ult informed you that
the squadron were of Plymouth harbor bound to the APP
pointed rendezvous for uniting and running out the tcie
graphic cable. J iYs1. .Htl fr4.gu-s M dsq,1,
cals and light variable winds the following eight days
almost continuous gales from the west To the 81 W., and
greater part of the time heavy sea- when the weather
again moderated and our vesses which had separated
during the gales met together at the rendezvous ON tho
25h the Agaemnon having shifted about one hundred
miles of the upper portion OF the cable on her main hold
tier during the gale which portion they were engaged in
running to the gun-deck when fell in with tham.l
On the 26th Saturday. commenced our operations
by securing the Niagara and Agamcmnon together stern
TO- with hawsers splicing the cablc and easing it down
gradually with two hundred fAthoms paid out from each
ship; the hawser let go by signal and the ships sep
arated their respective courses at the rate OF three
o,irths OF mile the hour When we had paid out two
miles and forty fathoms, shown by indicator,
the cable being hauled In the wrong direction Though
the excitement careessness of Of the station
ed by it, caught and parted in the Nagaras machinery,
heavy fog and mist had set n after the ships
separated We fortunate enough, however, TO get
together again In short time, splice, lower down the
cable and separate from each other as before stated
The Niagaras speed at starting was short of one mile
the hour and gradually increased to two knots six faith
up to o'clock, p M and the cable being paid out
half knots per hour and from that hour TIL
midnghta uniform speed was maintained OF three.and.
ahaf miles the hour and the cable was paid out as
shown by the indicator, Of four-anda half miles the
hour. Our machinery was working as well MS we could
DESIRE cable running from the coils and going it with
and regularity when to great SURPRISE at fifteen
minutes past one clock, n., the 9th, (SundayD
the electricians reported that there had been signals
from the Agamemnon for the last ten minutes. We
kept going slowly previously agreed upon, until
40 a. m lin the time the electricians tested tho
cable in the ship and reported the continuity and nsa
tions perfectly when the ships hcadway was entirely
stopped and commenced heavng in with the ma
chinery. The cable parted at 456, a. m and we lost
on this OCCASION measured by the indicator Az miles
800 athoms of CABLE and started for the rendezvous
where on Monday, the 28th, the Agamcmnon and Nj
agara secured together tho splice made, lowered
down. and the ships separated as has been already do
scrbed at 80, D. M Our speed for the first hour
only three quarters of mile second hour n miles
third hour, miles and the fourth hour 81 miles
From that time until ten minutes after clock ON Tses
day evening, the 29th (when ceased to get signals
from the Agamemnon and the engines showed down.
the speed the ship had been four and half miles the
hour and the cable paid out five and half miles the
hour, as shown by the indicator. M ,l8i.. ,..g... I,
The engines were stopped at 10, p. m, and tho ship
hung in measure by the cable until twenty minutes
after midnight when it parted tho indicator showing
loss on this occasion Of I45 miles $50 fathoms Of tho
cable Our electricians agnin thoroughly tested all the
cable on board ship and found the insulation and COM
tinuy all perfect and there but one opinion among
those gentlemen that the cable parted at or near the
Agamemnon which shall ascertain when she arrives
AT TINS pOrL Lo III UP hei Ooai ftfl- ilisr{
An arrangement had been made when the ships sep
aated the 2h instant that in the event Of any accident
to the cable before either should have hrdrcd
miles, we return to the rendezvous unto the ca
bc and make another effort to lay it out; if beyond
that distance the vessels to proceed to Queenstown
fill up with coal and again renew our efforts. 7t.J
In tho Niagara had all tho coal that required
for laying down part Of the cable. There were
rous doubts however II further, any distance
beyond the one named whether the Agamemnons coal
would hold out without any expenditure in getting back
the rendenvou and leave her enough to insure steam
ing back yalcntia Bay with the cable in the event Of
no further casualty to it on the way there M
Mr. Everett's machinery has paid out the cable with
apparent and uniformity of strain and find it ad
maby adapted to the work 1t has to perform in oil its
parts.
H. NJ steamer Gorgon which accompanied us, arrived
here with the Niagara We await the arrival OF the
Agamemnon and yaorous when hope to be off again
for the rendezvous in eight days under more
favorable auspices of weather than experienced in the
month of June. aJssi u isla.
1t affords me pleasure to report the continued good
health of officers and crew.
have the honor to be respectfully your obedent sr
want, WIN. L. HUDSON, Captain Sd
Hon. I. TouoEY, Secretary of the Navy, Washington
d. C.. tt
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