Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-05-29
THE ATr,ANrIc TELEGRAPH AGAIN.

Strenuous efforts are now being made in
London to have another Atlantic Telegraph
Cable laid, and two companies are already So
liciting public favor with reference to it. One
is the old Atlantic Telegraph Company which,
nothing daunted by It's first tremendous loss
and failure, is again endeavoring to restore
public confidence, not only in the scientific
practicability of the scheme, but in the COM
mertial success that must follow upon its COM
pleton C. w. Field, Esq, who has so long
labored with indefatigable zeal in the promo
ton of this great cause, submitted his PROPOSE
tons to Earl Russell upon the subject, with
view of obtaining a joint guarantee from the
American and English governments upon the
entire capital required. The gst OF the pro
positions, made were to the effect that capital
of S3.500,000 would be required to carry out
the scheme in an efficient and permanent man.
ner; that the English and American govern
ments should Jointly contribute one-third of the
entire amount, leaving the remainder to be
taken up in shares on both sides of the Attain
tic in the usual manner, the two governments
having certain rights and privileges in return
for their money.
The second competitor for the honor of ac-
complishing this great enterprise is the North
Telegraph Company, q company formed to
effect telegraphc communication with Americn
by such a route as would avoid the danger of q
long stretch of sea way between Vaentia and
Newfoundland, and, above ALL the difficulty of
working through such an unbroken length of
wire. To accomplish these important objects it
was decided to lay the line in four distinct sec
tions-the first from the north of England to
the Farce Islands, and the second from the
Farce Islands to the easternmost point OF Ice
land. Iceland itself is to be crossed by short
length of land line to Reikiavik, the capital.
From Reikiavik the cable is again to be taken
under the sea to Julianshaab, the capital OF
Greenland, and thence across the entrance to
Davis's Strait to the southernmost point of Lab
rador. The advantages of this route are that
its greatest stretch of submarine wire is only
between 700 and 800 miles-not rure, allow
| ing for slack. than about one-third of the dis
tance by the old deep sea line to Newiound-
land while, on the other hand, the sections
could be easily replaced or repaired, and it is
in the highest degree improbable, almost I'M
possible, in fact, that all four sections would get
out of order at once, and so totally interrupt
the communication. The British government
were applied to about two years ago to allow q
series of deep sea soundings to be taken along
the proposed line, and they at once acquiesced,
and Sir Leopold MClintock was dispatched tc
make the survey. The result of this showed
that the Egreatest depth of water between the
north of England and the Farce Islands to Ice
land did not exceed 500 fathoms, and was gen
orally very much lower, averaging about 25(
Throughout. From Iceland to Greenland thu
water is much deeper, though not any where
exceeding 1900 fathoms while from Green
land to Labrador the greatest depth is 2,OO(
fathoms. The author of this scheme is Col
Tai. P. Shaffner, of Kentucky, who made thu
first survey of the route. We hope that boil
companies will be successful in obtaining fund.-
to lay cables. 1t is only by practical expert
ente that the best route for an Atlantic tele
graph can be determined. We have no doub
but the telegraphic business between Europ
and America would be more than sufficient f
keep two lines busy.-Scientifc Ame1'icaH.