Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1858-08-21

cbeertully give il all the currency We c,n The article
epesks for ITSELF but Il may not DO ams to say ,ha, Mr.
Cooke is himself pioneer In the cause of education
that he is man Of ripe experience as well as of solid
a'tsinmeots and tina, whatever be may say on such
subject is worthy OF consideration.
PROM tAs National I.teiiige~oer. -
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH
Amid the general Civilizations with which tho compile
on OF telegapbic communication between Europe and
America is hailed, the gratitude of all il naturally turned
towards those who have been pre-emnent IN iu,a,ipv
the measures which have conducted to this grand result
The history OF the corporation under whoee auspices and
by whose indomltable energy the magnificent
has been brough, to cousummation Justly els LARGE
space nhc eye OF those called contemplate the areu
eies to which primarily indebted for the Tr.p Az,
lspac Telegraph. EpeciaS Is great rr,ss ax.rIea .r
Justly awarded, 10 that now renowned citizen of New
York. Cyrus w. Field, Esq WHOM, more th.n to any
organizcd effort test the p,accabiHy of this s,nsn
dous Undertaking Submarine cablcs is true had brn
already laid between many points OF the carths
rom inc une Nhen in the year 1850, the first telegraph
&c COT acc ION was Instituted between Dover and CsIsis
distance OF twenty-four miles But the vide ine,va
sneh parted The two continents OF Europe aud America
.ne uoeno~h cnataeter OF the dark upathomed caves
Al the bottom OF the Atlantic, combined with the d III c
~ At first encountered in the transmission of the lec,j
iorce through submarine underground coils of ,a,,
epgtn were supposed tor time to present almost usur
mountaoe barriers to the speedy accomplishments OF this
titanic task Asauwhie, before science was ass;lr
ousy az work IN her clolsers, and the latter difficulty
not wholly overcome, at least believed 10 be gu
ooVaied TO justify sn attempt to translate theory into
isct by proving the feasibility OF Transatlantic telegram
IL was at this stage Of the Preparations preliminary 10
| trial Of the grand e1perinea; that the New York
NeWioundland, and London Telegraph Company" was
formed, mainly through the tact business can,ciiv al
rate intelligence Of is Wee President Mr. Field The
hrst sep taken wss 70 charter Tor the
ton This was obtained in April 1854 from the Cnlo.
NAL Government Of Newfoundland and the nn,poac. ~
the company further seconded by the Pfovipc,. ~
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and finally by the mon
sed aid aud cooperation OF Great Britain and the United
states In laying the cable and contributing to supper, OF
the work i ever brought into actual operation
oreat Britain granted an uunua subsidy of $4,000
sterling until the nett profits OF the company reach sx ~
cent annum the hole capital of es5O 400 sr;f
the grant then TO be reduced to 10000 sterling Nor an
mum Tor period OF Twenty-Five years The United States
am an annual subsidy OF $4,000 until the nett profits
weld six per cent per aunuD then be reduced 10 $50
900 per annum for period OF tSeuy FIVE years uhi.c,
to termination OF contract by Congress after ten
on giving years notice. Both nations also sgssd a.,
inroish vessels to lay the cable. y
ROOT Morse was appointed electrician of the compapv
"meh prosecuted to connect ST. JONAS New foun dland
Hh the nnes already IN operation in the British North
American Provinces and in the United States bv INNER
ns thirteen miles OF cable across the Straits Of Nob
h-rl'nd, aud eighty miles in the waters Of the IS,
lawrence -
The New York, Newfoundland and Ion,lo, T. r,,.,,t
Company, hayg mex; procured decisive scienuG,. a.
surance from BE -. Ni'inan Whii.i,otse ana ChoI
DlEut, Dptl Of the Of
enterprise, deputed thes Wise President Mr. Germs II
Field 10 visit gland n the summer OF 1856 for be mr.
pose OF eiecing such arrangements might seem
dent TO promote the success Of the undertaking M.iu
throueh MS agency the existing Atlantic telegraph Com
psny was called into being Ouly a. elaytsr,I hut
also as DIofegei corporation comprising III, hol ~
three hHndrel snd hity shares Of thousand paapSs
each The charter Of the Original c0m,auv cons rrio
upon the exclusive right To land telegraph caEl no
the chores Of Newfoundland aud other psfts ~ Nh
America, and for twenty-five wears 20 do the ssne Mn
AnVa SrD.ia
nc" association, together with all concessions be, rr
upon the undertaking which might hereafter obtained
and sl the patent rights OF Aessrs Whitehouse and
bright which IN ans Way concerned the working of in
s'ruments IN marine circuits Of great length.
10 regard 70 the route by which proposed terrapb
should RUIZ viii be obvious to the reader that besides
the advantages ia point Of diminished distance furnished
ny that lying between ireland and Mes loundsrd this
eciou vas also determined by other indspepssb. COO,
alterations, the result OF explorations made by Lieutenant
brTryman, OF the United states NAVY who armed Uitb
the Ingenious apparatus invented By T., Jsh Rrcot
Tor the taking Il deep souudngs demon s.,,I bc
existence VI vast submarine plain (ilfeaiy commands
Anovn az Ire Ieiegraphc PaiTau) which at its preatr
depth u scarcely tNeve thouaud feet below the level Of
the sea, and extends in continuous ledge Irou C,ne
Race Ia Now Foundlsnd to Cape Clear in Leland Tll
plain u generally level and deep enough IN be- hIo Al
'ufOng causes lts bed Is composed OF particles OF hl
30 infinitely tiituraed render tter character up
eoverAoe save Sith the cid OF microscope ia tbs hsd
curity.
The route being faslly decided the mcdaniel con.
tiruouon OF the cable 20 he cous,dered H..
contrary cooditions Of the problem afforded by no means
an easy solution Of the question sel under this head
II was apparent that the oabls must not be TOO gbt
or u would refuse TO sink Il not he too he,vy or
the loop 0eiSeeu the two del veTng vessels would ak
OF its own weight Besides, IL too light IL wond no =,
the mercy OF th0 while descending ard rn, ,
rick OF fracture while being laid II too heavv ~
csnd $500 miles OF it be clipped banded and saielv
depostedE Alter repeated estimates aud experiments i
vas found that the cable should not Eerb tpore H..
ton per ite la The next place it must be Of the utmost
ienacy consistent with this standard If ", ivIt rJ
flexible enough 20 adapt itself 10 the appa-sf,s - -
out we'll n admit Of it, being readily is,hu,2s
70 coils in The work yards end on toard he vessels To-
order 20 give idea Of tbe pains which we're t.ksn
h thiA ofacn OF the investigation IL will suffice 70 say
mat "Stg-f~o different kinds IF ROPE were sureced 10
close experiment before the form aud chsfacte Of
the cable 10 be employed determined The e,bls
hnaly adopted 10 thus described
"The central conducting wire IL a strand ,,.do -, -
seven wires Of the purcst copper Of the gage knou 10
the trade az No %. Toe strand itself l. about lie %
tsentb OF an inch 10 diameter, and IL formed Of one
s,raghily drawn wire, with six Others twisted r,ud Il
tbis is accomplished By the central " ire beio Ir.gt
from drum, through hole ia a horizontal table Sbile
me table itse revolves rapidly under the impulse Of
iisam, carrying near its ccumie nee six reels or do
'aen armed With copper wire Every drum revolves upon
s oWn horizontal axis ard devers lis sire "a n ,s
his twisted lorm u cOuducog wire was fret adontod M
he rope laid the s. LaWrence ip 1ssg ara -,
employed With view TO the reduction 70 the lowest poa
bie amount Of the chance Of continuity being dtovcd
70 the circuit IL IS improbable In the highest decree
u HaotgTe coud no accidentally produced NJ precisely
ne same spot IN more than the wires Of this tis
% strand. AT the wires might be broken Al d.
erent parts OF the strsod come hundteda Of time
md YET it capacity for the transmission Of tho ssct
current not be destroyed reduced 10 any nconv.nept
iegree The copper used 10 the formation Of tbeas wires
ss'aJed from time TO time during the manufacture 10
nsure absolute bomoseneity and purity The strand H.
eh when subjscied 70 strain, will stretch twenty Der
'ent OF iis length without giving Vsy and indeed With
,u having its electricity conducting power much uodi
led or impaired"
Such h brief review Of the agencies which have
,een Immediately brought into combination for tho pYr
'oc OF ehecng The mighty undertaking. In the gradual
procession OF the causes and By Which 10 hss
marched toa triumphant accomplishment art and AKIN
ave only advanced side ~ side vh the slowly fsbo
ed results Of science 10 pluckDg from the verv heart u
Ns'ufe the eecfe. Of her laws and m9vsfnru.a And
renee, in awarding 9s need Of n'aise 10 the uts
gent faith Which iraoe sd tho uutring nertev rarce
'hich, appalled, d. stois bag brought tbs pfest
york 70 s desired crnsummaton t % rot forget our
obligations 70 The equally patient II lees conspicous n
'7rs OF The philosophical student porting In bic cabinet
,yer the mysteries Of nature until he reads in charsc "a
u light the s'cret cphtr Of her beng The world win
,ut knows but little Of these anxious and laborious en-
Ol the Ia af