New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-10-09
OCEAN TELRGRAPHs.

The meeting held at the Chamber of Com.
mcrcc on Wednesday last, has recalled the at.
tention Of the public to the project of the
Atlantic Telegraph Company, and revived an
interest which the crowding events of the war
had somewhat abaied. 1t is evident that tho
present consideration Of the subject must be
substantially practical, and this was the view
taken by Mr.. Field, and the other gentlemen
at the meeting. After the cable shall have been
successfully laid and can be regularly and Ger.
tainly employed, it will be time enough for
speculation as to its political and social results.
and quite time enough for poetical and eiocu'
tionary glorification. At present. dry as they
nav be, our business is with details
From documents which were placed before
the meeting, we learn that since submarine tele.
pranbinp was first established in 1851, between
Calais and Dover, no less than 81 other sub
merged lines have been established OF these
the aggregate length Of cable in statute milo Is
I eos: the length Of insulated wires Is 1854
miles. The greatest depth OF water IN which
cables have been sunk is l.555 fathoms, in the
line from France to Algiers. The depth in the
line from Toulon to Corsica is l,55O fathoms.
II is stated that short lines, in addition to those
above mentioned, have been constructed In vari.
Gus parts of the world. There are VI submarine
telegraph cables in operation IN the United
States. Canada, and the Lower British Provinces,
the longest of which il that from Fortress Mon
roe to Cherrystone, which is % statute miles in
length.
4 letter from Messrs. Glass, Elliott & Co.
the great English manufacturers of submarine
cables. TO Mr.. Field, was read to the meeting.
They say: :" We are perfectly confident that
good and durable submarine telegraph cable can
be laid down across the Atlantic, from Ireland
10 Newfoundland, a distance Of $40 nautical
miles" Such q cable they propose to manutac-
ture upon terms which prove their confidence IN
the success, OF the enterprise. They offer q casa
subscription for a sum OF t61,OO0 IN the new
capital OF the Atlantic Telegraph Company and
have already paid in the first call o' Ii5,oo.
They furnish list of all the submarine tele.
graph cables manufactured and laid by the hrm;
they are 81 in number, and 4, l72 statute miles
in length. All these, with two trihipg eIcep-
tons. are now in perfect working order.
Another letter was read from John W. Boot.
esq. Deputy Chairman Of the Submarine Te!e.
graph Company in London. lie states the m
,ere,.ing fac, that shallow depth renders the
danger Of breaksge greater. He says: Tho
depths between England and the Continent Of
Europe average only thirty fathomS; 1t Is tins
fact which constitutes our greatest danger a.
the cables are sometimes broken in consequence
of vessels dragging their anchors In storm.
He add, that such brcakages are now repaired
with great facility. On repairing the Dover
ana Calais cable some months snce-it had
been broken by ships anchor-'he conductors
insulated in gut,a.peroha proved 10 be As perfect
a. when they were first laid, eleven years pre-
vious. This Company controls lines containin,
total of 2.5s; miles of Electric Conductor,
insulated with gutta percha aud extending ove.
-65 miles.
London Board OF Trade appointed to inquire
into the question OF Ocean Telcgraphs, was also
presented 20 the meeting. They say. as the re-
suit of their deliberations: a well insulated
cable, properly protected. Of suitable specific
gravi'v made with care, anu tested under
wato. throughout is length with the best known
apparatus and paid into the ocean with the
most improved machinery. possesses every pros.
pect of not only being successfully laid IN tho
inst instance, but may reasonably be relied on
to continue for many years in an efficient state
for The transmission Of signals"
Such ia the testimony submitted to the meet.
ing. aud it is highly encouraging and siisiic-
tory in it, character. Mr.. Field might well
say tina, :" i, has awakened public confidence"
He also stated that all the capital required by
the Atlantic Company (f6Oo, 900 had been Sc.
cured.
The great experiment thcreiorc-thanks to
the energy and enterprise Of Mr.. Fields again
To be tried under the most favorable auspices,
and with the advantage gained from the failure
of the frs, attempt All that skill, science, aud
care can effect for the achievement of the IN.
dertaking We may he sure OF; and with these
ill-sucoess seems hardly to be possible.