The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-09-02
THE ATLANTIC CABLE.
Interesting Letter from Captain Ander-
SON, OF the Great Eastern.

GREAT EASTERN, August 10, 1885.
MY DEAR SIR have doubt hat you will read with
interest the opinions OF sailor whom you know,
respecting telegraph cables across the Atlantic and
pecaly as to the cause of our present failure was
formerly dOubter then, as became intimate with the
and means TO be employed to overcome all the diff
cultes had thought or became hopeful but now that
understand personally the difficulties in the way Of
practically laying cable in an ocean Of great depth
have become sanguinc.
The cable has failed for the present. principally from
the of its wires penetrating the guta percha
core and that has been far fatal only because II
was unanticipated. mean by that, If we could have
forcseen this probability and sufficiently understood the
action Of this ship appliances could have been arranged
that would have recovered the faults without the elao
rate process that past experience has taught to be e
cent
They can generally tell Immediately when fault
occurs Very l,tle-ony few IN les-is necessary to
be hauled in for this purpose the cab has to he passed
from the stern to the bow Of the ship the best OF
times hazardous thing 10 do and in this long sh
difficult operation An engine applied 10 the paving-ou
gear as to and haul at once bcorc the cable
had reached the bottom, and while tho fault being
located would have reduced our three fa1ts TO very
small risk So that even this cable--wbcb in all other
respects perfect-could n efficiently laid when
we have obtained the appliances new experience has
taught 10 be necessary.
II never was anticipated that we should have TO at
tempt the recovery OF lost cable from the depth Of two
and half miles and for the same reason we failed Our
graphing gear was inefficient.
Three times out of four attempts We hooked the cable
and raised 1t from the ground several hundred fahoms
Upon occasions the swvcs of the grapne broke
and upon the third occasion our rop which was made
up OF ships stores. added to the proper rope and
whcn had more begun 10 be nopciul, VI
gune good looking six inch rope broke like thread
This much, however, have establishcdwe can have
the cable whenever choose and we fairly believe that
with proper appliances We can lit II and complete its
laying
No one can be blamed for anticipating this unfor
tunate result Every kind Of experiment had been tried
and the wire had never before the core This
and other aspects seem to have fixed the idea in
some Of the leading minds that the faults have been the
result OF malice incline TO the opinion that they were
the result OF accident, know by experience that
accident will produce more curious results than design
and they easily explained one way as the other
But this follows that appliances should be used that
would prevent such fatal results whether produced by
cause or the other This can b. done hereafter by ma
chnery know how TO construct, and the adj
ditiona secIry be had Of making those wires Of
number OF smaller ones thai no one would he sum-
centy strong 10 penetrate the CORE or II necessary
cover the core with canvas or wire gauze make IL
still more secure.
This done there can really BE- no difficulty with this
ship in laying submarine cables all round the world.
II would be long and useless story 10 tell you how
hopes aernated betwrt hope and hopelessness dur
the dear old thread Our backs very much up and
all OF long the cable and pres
tge have become positively eager and hope circum-
stances will admit Of nv finishing what have begun
NY opinion now is that the companies Interested in the
Of this cable are really upon the point Of success
have fear they may be dshoartened, and wonders
but another attempt cannot fail, humanity speaking
We know the cable perfect In ts Insulation or capacity
for transmitting messages know II has the right spe
ciac gravity and the right strength and know only
falls In pointthat u wounding itself; and even "
that cannot completely bc overcome with our new ex-
dare say the hope will be thought visionary by many
Yet in your interests, hope all concerned will ut
once order a new cable % be made and completed by
May The Eastern could then sail lay with
tanty and In the season pick up and complete the
| one for the present abandoned.
This would be, beyond all question: the best way
10 oconomize the affairs OF all the companies embarked
In this enterprise; and my regret Is that number Of
capitalists were not here TO imbibe the confidence that
| experience has given all Of us engaged In IT,
Al all events the attempt should be made 10 pick up
the cable and there Is as fair prospect Of success
there can be about anything not yet accomplished
We are returning 10 England with tho hope that capt
taiss will zee II as do Mr. Field is buoyant and
hopeful beyo all he would at at the picking
up and would like TO indulge his wish. But we cannot
possibly get the necessary app In the way Of
chner wire rope and complete the necessary repairs 70
the well used boilers of this ship within two months II
would probably be morecoud not be less and there s
every probability that the winter gales would drive
from our work. and without the sun we could not find
our fishing ground
Az these opinions In substance what all engaged
upon this enterprise really feel there s no reason why
you should not read them 70 any whom you may
| think they would interest
With kindest regards 10 you and yours, remain my
daor NJ ven vHN yQprh 1AES ANREBsQG-