New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-01-05
Nr,p11prk Dailp Gribnms
THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH
WHY 1T FAILED-HOw TO SUCCEED.

HoTt Pofrtof eEdesvoe to explain the causes VI the
failure Of the Atlantic telegraph, and 20 describe the
Ahd of cable which would insure succsss. On the
fret point he says:
"The COY. Of the Atlantic cable IL surrounded with
eighteen strand, each Consisting OF seven wires
trtslsd together The strand. thus formed round
spiroHy around the core, aud form = spsraLf1y Of
twisted strands. And the relation existing between
THE sprallay sud the twist the straods Ia such that
Strengthening the strands by upwfodiog them VIII
tighten their wit ant tbs may be carried to such an
ext.bt a. TO destrOy them by osion. To, cable is in
this respect, similar 10 t"is,ed rope.
Now the strain upon the Atlantic Cable While pay.
il out was quite unlike what would occur in testing
short piece 10 the usual way for while the part at and
near the bottom Of the ocean was Yearly free from
strain, the strain in he upper part when not under
way was equal TO the specific gravity OF the sus'
pended part, the strain gradually iLcreasns IN IN.
ersity from the bottom up yard that IN depths o.
two miller the strain at the point Of suspension was
about 600 pounds. The effect Of this concentrated
strain TO stcsghten the sprai-ay, by unw1ndlng
the ttrands Of this part, ard, in dong So tghsencg
the twt in the strands 20 impair tneir strength
by torsoD to such extent as To cause toe cable -
part under lees than half the strain cJd bear safely
uucer circumstances Of uniform tension-5uch rs
would take place in thort length when both ends are
held secure; and, tie lower part being bat slightly
styaired, and consequently free to Tevo We the III
winding Of the upper part s thIowa into thls lower
slack part, that the winding OF tfs part becomes
frightened and the twists 10 strands reduced 10 the
ZANE proportion trait the winding Of the upper part s
reduced and the twst in the strands is tigotened
sequeptly the lower slack part will be thrown
into qurls, folds festooDs, euch as are liable TO
change so as to form sharp krks disortng and sep
araDg the loose nDtwi.ed strands from the core,
leaving this rttoi port naked snd exposed to the full
force Of the pres Of the water. Ard, Considering
how III part Of the must have be- n strained by
extension and twisting shle passicg fro the snip,
causing the tar TO ooze ffon, 1t Ike sweat as some
have expressed it, it surely rot be expected sfter
such abae 10 be able to rest the enormous pressure
of the water at depths OF tao miles aud more. This
is without doubt the why the present cable ~il
rot work and ~hy il old not work b, tier 1t fret. The
possibility Of rapc communicative has therefore, not
been fairly t. se0 in this cable for the reason that tne
co,e fss pre- baby been defective from the frt Had
il been rf ole the result would, without doubt, have
been iar more satisf Glory
Mr. Sevsrson suggests
"Ihat the cor ductor De made of single copper wire,
spiced strong and compact, to make the requisite
length, making the splice slightly stronger than the
plain wire, as be done. l would have it siogle,
because it will then hSve much less external surface 10
be acted upon by external and influence than
the same amount Of conducting aterial will have
when divided into several small wires The difference
OF surface ben in or 10 seven wires Is about as
il to u. This regsId as very iDDortapt-Dot new,
except go far as to show how be made practical
in submarine cables. / would cover such conductor
by winding around it several tlhckpesses OF tbrous
gutta percha material, euch as hne cloth perfectly rat
nrsted snd distinctly coated that the fbrous part
Of each layer as wound around the wire shall be sep
arated from each other by tue coating and thus make
it iUpervious and Insulating Over THE would apply
perfect coating OF gutts percha OF elastic gum. By
fibres will be to hold the conductor safe in the
center Of the corethe furthest possible from external
influences, such as have acted 80 mischsvonsy on the
conducting wire of the present Atlantic cable.
"Around this core would place wires ara GIT ard
parallel to each other, and Of su N size will give
sufficient strength to the cable and will, when closely
pressed to the core, just cover its eurfsce These
In1A fry,h hue 10 min
with anneaed wire, and then cover the whole well
with tar. by means of thus serving the cable, the
main wires and the can be go compressed as to
remove AL danger from leaking. Tine loogitudioai
wires can be splced neatly and strong as to make
the splice the strongest part, and they may thus be
made continuous through the entire length of the
cable.
"And ss they will be straight and parallel, Their
will be no danger Of twisting Nor will such a csbi
stretch perceptbly in the operation of laying 1t in deep
wster consequently the conductor and its surround
pgs will not be injured by extension twisting viii b.
oot of the question. These are tue advantages OF the
gYe ateit importance in submarine telegraph cables
And speak tsus positively to the nou.extensive
quality of straight wire csbes, because kHou thein
to be But knowing also that this tact Is not only
not generally known, but that wire is thought to be
greatly tepsive in te nature and liable to bect me
much elongated by tension. will here state that
have ustd wire cables ties III connection with cast
iron girders because nave learned by actual tests
that tbs notion OF the enslveness OF wlre is hke
high quarters, erroneous.
at may appear at fret sight that the application
Of the serving wire is not economical does not
add directly TO The eneive capacity of the cabe but
it to protect the whole, its application H. on
the whole, econ omica as well as most imp ortant.
Then If there should be occasion for it, such cable
can be taken up by under running, from nearly es
great depths those to which II can be put down In
safety, which will appear ore clear when II IS under
stood why twisted cable cannot be raised from any
grea: depthwheh is, that ia under running the con.
centrated strain in the part near the ship drives the
twist before It, it moves along down toto the lower
and less strained part of the cable causpg this part
TO revove ami form into festo JOS or balls of such
weight as to part the upper and unnGturay strained
part and there will of course be an end of it A cable
of straight construction cannot fail from any such
causes.
"Tbat twisted cable does become thus distorted,
there can be doubt for al the reports show that
the spirallay becomes Strengthened near the ship,
where the train is greatest Then, Of course, hat
ever winding is driven ont of this part, must be
thrown into some other part and thst 1t cannot be
thrown into the pait board the ship is quite plain.
1t must therefore, be sent down into the lower and
lets strained part.
That This is 60 the reports Of the appearance Of
the cable, after hauling it in shows most c.neiu
sively.
BRAIDED cables are without doubt an improve
nent the twisted FORM but their construction too
is Of yielding nature. TIE wire itself may not yield
in length. yet the direction Of tee strands is not
straight they be applied TO the with such
ughtness ana cOmtftsroh ss Is reQuIcu lVi p'lIcCN
protection. 1t will therefore yield considerable in
length when strained t-nsvely IN consequence Of the
natural tendency of the wire to take straight FORM
ard from the compression Of the core, which may
prove fatal.
Therefore the straight wire, wei and tightly
served TO be the only reliable form Of consruc-
ton, and it is probably as cheap mode a. can be
devised for great depths. Such cables may OF course
be made to carry more than conducting wire, aud
If any sze and strength that may be desired. For
shore erd' they may be served with large wire, and