The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1865-08-10
THE LAYING OF THE ATLANTIC CABLE;

The following graphic account Of the opera,
ton preliminary to the sailing of the Great
Eastern, and the final departure of The tele-
graph expedition from VAlentis, we extract
frcm the London Times, of the 26.h ut;
Ii is difficult to describe 10 any but the most
matter of the fact terms, the routine process
which marked the commencement of this en-
terprise. 1t had already begun when the
Hawk arrived, aud the paddleebox boats of
the men of-war and the cutters of the Great
Easera were filed with cable, which passing
through the paying out machine astern, was
being slywly lowed from the great ship to the
Caroline The operation of splicing was one
of time and difficulty, for smooth as tie sea
had seemed from land, the regular leave of
the Atlantic was deep enough. Sir Robert
Peel, Lord John Hay and Mr., Russell mats
aged to get on board the Great Eastern, but
with such difficulty that few others were in-
duced to venture on the risk Of the under
taking, and still fewer to aecomplishit Soon
after o'clock the coils of the deep sea cable
were safely wound on board the Caroline,
and the work of splicing them at once COM
menced. This was done by stripping both
ends Of hemp, outside wires and gutta percha
for short distance, till the copper conductor
of the line was laid bare, and pared down to
a e le wedge shaped point at either end Tie
connection conductors were then overlappsd
n the form known as "scar 2'' joint, and
firmly bound together with fne threads of
copy er wire, till the junction was made even
stronger than the main portions of the line.
Fhe threads and conductor were then soldered
together thickly, and strips Of soft gutta per-
cha ike bands of brown tape, were wound
layer over layer, and their edges closely press
ed, 30 as to form one homogeneous mass, till
certain thickness was completed. Then
came a coating Of insulation material called
Ch4t,srton's Compound. and then again ano-
yh9s layer of gutta percha tape. until the whole
was iuclosed in four rings of th, gutta percha
and three of the compound The joint as
tlen immersed in cold water for testing, and
the signals proving perfect the last protec-
ton of hemp and outside wire was added, and
the joint sunk again into the sea that It's per.
fec ness as to conductivity aud insulation
might be ascertained from the extreme end oil
the whole length of the cable on board the
Great Eastern. If was past four o'clock be.
fore the last OF these tests were Concluded
8ll the signals from end to end of the wire
| came wonderfully distinct into the instrus
men; room of the rec living heuse at the head
of f ,ilhommerum Bay, and at a 80 the flags
on board the Caroline and Great Eastern
were hauled down to show that all was ready.
| By that time the Great E 4stern, which had
| awa7s kept moving her paddles at intervals,
had forged ahead of the Caroline some two or
| three miles, paying out the cable slowly as
she went on, and leaving the latter vessel the
| only float by which one portion OF the wire
| was Kept above water.
The instant however, that the flags went
| down, the last fasteDiogs which held it TO the
Caroline were cast adrift, and with a greet
| splash and final joiat of the Atlantic tales
| graph and the first thirty miles of its length
went down slowly into the Blue water and
were out ofsight. Long before this Sir Rob-
| ert Peel and Lord John Hay had returned on
board the Hawk which at once steamed away,
when the splice was turned adtift, to overteke
the Great Eastern. This was very easily done,
for while the latter was barely steaming five
knots an hour, the former was RAINING four
teen. As the tender came near, the thin mar
| row rope of cable could be seen passing over
the last wheel astern. and sinking gently
| into the foam wilhouls rain of any kind, as it
seemed for a moment or 50 to float slowly aft
| btfore it disappeared under the swell that still
| Kept rolling deeply in. Toe after deck, spon-
| sons bridge and paddle toxes of the Great
Eastern were crowded as the Hawk come
alongside, and it was easy from the distance
which the tender held to distinguished the
faces Of those on board as they waved their
hats and cheered.
| In the midst of this the Great Eastern fred
two guns from her bows, at so, to mark the
commencement of her journey, and Sir Rob-
ert Peel. mountngto the little quarter deck
of the Hawk, marked time, while three small
but earnest cheers were given by the select
company on board to the suce ess of the great
enterprise In return came back swelling,
hearty roar from all on board the cable ship,
as with the last salute of waving bats and
caps and handkerchief the tender dropped
as ern, leaving the Great Eas ern dipping
| slowly but steadily ahead, at The rate Of ABOUT
six knots an hour. Both the Terrible and
| Sphynx were close at hand, contributing a
little, and but little, to the huge volume of
smoke which their gigantic consort spread
far aud wide over the sea, aud which even
appeared in the distance to faint the blue
mountaios of Kerry on shore AS long as
| signs could be made or hats waved, the vessel
was anxiously watched, but she soon hid hers
self in her own smoke, and when The Hawk
| neared the Irish coast mere broan clond in
| the horizon was all that showed where the
greatest ship in the world was steaming away
70 endeAvor to accomplish the realization of
| an idea even more vsntuIsoms and infinitely
| more important than that which che hersef
enbodies.
Qn II Il A II A g Il L e 1 c Il {!