The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-01-07
The Atlantic Cable and its Traducers.

The Atlantic Cable and its Traducers.
The efforts which were commenced some three
months ago to injure the credit of the Atlantic
cable, by denying the authenticity of the des-
patches transmitted through, having been re-
Gently revived with great virulence by the
friends of a kindred enterprise, we have gone to
the trouble of searching the files of the Ameri
can papers and the London Times, respectively,
for the purpose of satisfying the public in mat
ter so impor tant.
A careful inspection of the various cable des-
patches, as they appeared in these journals to-
gether with thorough collation. and verlfication
of the statements, as they were published on one
side of the Atlantic, with the facts and dates as
they occurred on the other, have satisfied us that
in no single instance has there been any decep-
ton practised on the public, or any attempt
made at deception Our research extended over
the whole time during which there was any pre-
tence that the cable was in working order and
we here give the result seriatm:-
lin the London Times of August II, second
edition, appears the first despatch which is Of
announces the arrival of the telegraph feet in
Trinity Bay on the 5th, and the successful land
ing of the cable on the 9th of August The latest
dates in England at that time from this side
were up to the 4th received by the America from
Halifax.
This, at the first glance, does not seem to be
very great feat as ten days appear to have
elapsed between the landing of the cable and the
announcement of the fact in London But when
it is recollected that after the landing ofthe cable
a week or more elapsed before the necessary ad-
ustments were made, and the line got in work
ing order, the delay will be easily accounted for.
AS it was, however, the news was published in
London five days in advance of its reception by
steamer-the steamship Jura, with American
dates of the 10th August, and carrying the first
announcement by mail, not having arrived at
Liverpool until the 23d.
1.-THE collision of Cape Race between the
steamships Arabia and Europa occurred on Sa-
turday, August IA, and was published in the
London Times on the 2lst. Here an elapse of
seven days is seen between the date of the
disaster and the announcement in London. This
delay is partially accounted for by the fact that
the news of the collision did not reach New
York until Tuesday, the 18th, and that the des-
patch to London was sent on that day from this
city by Mr.. Cunard. When, however, that des-
patch reached Trinity Bay, the operator there
refused to transmit it, alleging as an excuse, his
orders not to transmit any private
business messages until the line was fully open
to the public On learning this fact Mr.. Cunard
made application to Mr.. Field to induce him to
use his influence with the directors for relaxa-
ton of their rules, so far as to meet the exigen-
cies of this case. Mr.. Field did so, and the re-
suit was that Mr.. Cunards message was resent
from New York, with Mr. Fields endorsement.
on the evening of the 18th, and was published in
London on the GOTH
But there was another despatch connected with
this collision, the transmission of which over the
cable goes to show that at one time the commu-
nlcation between the two shores was almost per- |
feet When the news of the collision was first |
received in London, (Which was on Friday. the |
goth August,) the information conveyed was
deemed too meagre, and therefore despatch |
was transmitted from that city, asking for further
particulars. This despatch left London at five |
o'clock on that evening" and an answer giving
the particulars asked for was received at half. |
past seven on the same evening. This fact is
explicitly vouched for in an editorial in the
London Times, which publishes both dispatches
in full on the 2lst
3.-On Monday, August 3d. the London Tines
prints the Queens congratulatory message to
President Buchanan, following which is the Pre-
'dents reply. The despatch embodying the
Queens message was received in New York, in
'art on the l6th and a corrected copy on the
9TH. The Presidents reply was transmitted
'ver the cable on the 10th, and published on the
I'D, as above stated. There was doubtless,
much delay occasioned by the message being
ent to the Queen before its publication.
The Times Of the last named date, Aug 23,)
so announces, for the first time, the fact Of the
reaty of peace with China, which was received
London the previous day by telegraph from
u. Petersburg. A despatch embodying this
ews was transmitted through the Atlantic tele-
raph, and published in New York in the even
,g papers Of the 26th-just three days
fter its publication in London. This news, |
should be borne in mind, was
ct received at valentia by telegraph,
ut in the ordinary way by mail. It did not,
therefore,, reach there until the .25th. In this
ase it will be seen news which left the shores of
roland on certain day was published in the
american journals the next morning. Ia
4-On Tuesday, August. "a, the Times pub
shes the congratulatory message of Mayor Tie.
lam, of New York, to Sir Robert Garden Lord ! 4