The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1865-07-26
THE PROSPECTS OF THE GREAT
CABLE. .u.


tendency of the Gslways packets from
1850 to 1863, has written to q contem-
porary on the subjectof the employ
of the Great Eastern in laying the Trans
Atlantic submarine cable, and has re-
marks are deserving of some notice. La
reference to the accumulation of musses
on the bottom OF this ship, as reported by
the divers, who were sent down TO ex-
anime hers Admiral Patey considers that
the foulness is not an advantage. IT has
been stated that it will be rather difficult
to keep the Great Eastern at the low rate
OF steaning calculated upon for the pay
ing out ofthe cable with safety, and that,
consequently, the retardaLion from this
cause will be beneficial rather than other
wise. The gallant Admiral, who com
nissioned the Amphion frigate in 1862,
states that, after lying at her moorings in
the Midway tor fur months, she was
locked, and thong she was a wooden
vessel with copper sheathing, six tons OF
mussels we're scraped from her bottom.
From this he argues that the foul state
of the Great Eastern will destroy her
steerage way, if she meets with wester-
ly gale, drawing, as she does, thirty-four
feet of water. There can be no doubt
that large proportion of the shelltish on,
the bottom of this large ship will drop of
on her passage round from the More to
the coast of ireland; but a sufficient
quantity may adhere to impair her steer
age, and considering how she behaved
when in cross sea, we must agree with
the Admiral to certain extent in his
views. From the reports of the naval
agentsto the Galway steamers he finds
that, during the month of June, July and
August strong westerly winds, with heavy
seas, prevailed; and his experience OF the
Atlantic weather, when in command of
her Majesty's ship Resistance, confirms
those statements, since he arrives al the
conclusion that, as there is every proba-
bility of the Great Eastern encountering
strong head winds on her passage out,
she should proceed direct to Newfound-
land and commence operations from that
place. he Strengthens HE argument by
remarking that there ia prevailing cur
rent from The westward, accompanied by
awind from the same quarter, nine months.
of the year, and a prevailing swell. The
superiority of starting from west 10 east
inste d. of east to west consists in the
fact that she will have consumed coal,
stores, and water sufficientto Tighten her
two feet. From this Admiral Patey con
tends that she will be more under
control running before westerly gale
than battling against it deeply laden, and
that the foul state Of her bottom, with
the growth of mussels attached thereto,
will be OF less consequence in the man
agement of the ship with fair wind and
following sea than in battling against a
gale and sea ahead Whether the pre-
valence of westerly winds has had due
consideration or not, rests with the off"
Gals of the Company to explain but we
suspect il has never baen left to the dis
erection of Captain Anderson, who now
commands the Great Eastern for this trip,
to select from which side he shall COM
mence first. 1t is known to every one
conversant with steaming over the A'lan>
tic, that the voyages from America to
England are made in shorter average
time than those from Europe, and the
reason is equally patent The westerly
winds lengthen the time in making the
outward passages, and diminish the
homeward. It is not too ate to change
starting point, if deemed advisable. 1t
is only the question of the delay Of alb 'ut
a week or so at most; for if the Great
Eastern is put on At full steaming power,
she ought to make the run from Ireland
to Newfoundland in six days il fine
weather, and from her great speed and
momen tum she should not overrun this
by more than from twenty-four TO forty
eight hours. If the change entalled a
loss of several weeks, at the most tavora-
BILE season of the year, it would be unwise
to defer the beginning till August; for,
thought that month has been noted for its
oalms, it is likewise proverbial for strong
westerly breezes.
In selecting an officer OF high attain
menls from the service of the British and
North American Royal Mail Company to
take charge OF he Great Eastern it is PEE
sumed that the best advice has been had,
and that all contingencies have been duly
calculated. Our own experience of the
Great Eastern, is that she is the sleadiest
ship that was ever built for working
against head wind. She never pitches,
and what would stop or very much retard
an ordinary vessel has no appreciable eff
feet on the leviathan. Her weight and
momentum, in proportion to the seas that
mset her ahead, are different from that OF
any other vessel afoat She has a sharp
bow aud fine run forward, and as she is