Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-10-28
the ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.


II IL confidently expected that, in
July uext, . renewed attempt will be
made TO lay . telegraph cable scro.s the
At attic. The directors Of the Atlsu-
tic Telegraph Company have succeeded
after very great ekestion,, in obiaining
q subscription list Of about $4,000
towards the new capital required 10
make and lay the cable. Having OBJ
tanned thia sum, the directors referred 10
scientific committee, consisting o!
Capt. Galtcp, Mr.. VIM. Farbsirn, Mr..
Whitxorth, Prof WLeatstone, and
Prot. Thompson, the various plans for
the construction Of the cab's, which had
been sent in by different makers. The
result Of the reference was, that the com.
nittee made preliminary report. and
recommended the directors to accep,
the tender Of Aessss. Gisss and E iott.
This secommenda alton, however, applied
only to the copper Of the conducting
wire, and tho covering Of gutta pcrchs,
the committee declining to give any
opinion ~ to the external coating until
they had made number Of experiments
to enable them to decide upon the bet
form TO DO adopted. There are SEVEN
copper wires formed into one strand to
form the conductor. Livery portion Of
the wire 10 to he carefully tested tor
"conductivity." and this testing is Tow
going on at the works Of Messre. Ga.s
4 Elliott, under the supcrintendence Of
an electrician appointed TO represent the
company. Some surprise he's been ex-
pressed that the committee should have
recommended the use OF gu,,a percha
instead Of the mole complete Insulating
material, India rubber. The COMMITTEES,
however, state in their report that in a
matter of 30 mn ch importance, and in .
work Of sach magnitude - tie Atlantic
telegraph, it wonld not be advisable to
make anything ike an experiment, bet
that the proper COURSE would be TO fol :
low the practice hitherto adopted.
Without expressing An opinion as to the
relative merits Of India rubber and gnt
ia percha, they adopt the latter material
simply On he ground that it has bssu
used and tried on former occasions.
The experiments which were made by
the government committee some time
since proved, in the most conclusive
manner, that India rubber was a much
better incubator than its rival, and it "a
. matter Of regret that this substance
has not yet been more extensively
opted. At present the supply OF gut
Ia percha is complete monopoly, and
We are Informed that the email body oil
capitalists who import or purct a.e all
that comes into tho county, finding
that tho material Of which they had
| large quantities in store would be re-
CURED for the Atlantic cable, had raised
the price more than fifty per cent. The
monopols.s, however, finally consented
to soms modification Of their terms
but, as it ia, the cost Of the core Of the
cable alone, the copper wire and its thin
covering of gotta perchs, will cost abon,
fl20 per mile. II the electricians and
engineers would for once leave the
beaten path and try the more servicea.
bic and not more expensive India rub
Der, they could establish a competition
which would DO most wholesome and
valuable to tie cause Of electric tele-
graph.
The entire cost Of making and laying
the cable has been estimated at G6OO,
900, and OF that sum the subscribed
capita of the company being only $500,
OOO-tho contractors take upon them.
selves, in round numbers, one-half. Thei,
interest 10 therefore identical with and
equal to that Of the general l,ody Of
shareholders. The risk which they no
dertakc 10 very serious one, ard it is
only by the complete success of the I'M
dertaking that any profit can be real
lied. On the laying Of the cable and
transmission ofthe fret message the con.
tractors will receive one installment, and
one each month until the expiration oi
the first year of the actual and continued
working OF the telegraph !; they will also
receive further installments, until the
whole Of the contract has been paid to
them. The experiments which have
been made lead to the belief that the
rate Of the Transmission through the
cable when laid will be 1t the rate Of
e ght v, rls a minute. The tariff will
probably be Ave shillings word, 90 that
. very large return Of profit may be
looked for, if only the line continues to
work. The government Of the United
States gives minimum subsidy of SIS.
600 year, and our ON government
100000 year 10 the company so long
as the lice continues to work, to 90 IN
payment OF the messages sent ~ the 70.
speotive governments. The two govern.
mcnts also give joint guarantee Of
eight per cent. on the capital expended
while the line it at work. 80 to the
laying OF the cable nothing has Of course
yet been decided but if the Great East
ern should be delivered from her present
financial troubles, and be again made
fit for sea, it might Be very usefully EN-.
pIoyed for carrying and laying the At
lantic telegraph.
EaSlasa Won't Go 70 War.
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