Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-08-01
THE ATLANTIC CABLE.
sketch OF the Preparations for the
Departure-Thc Gable IN Perfect
Cendiuen-Strange Appearance OF
the Great Eastern.
Prom the London Times. JulyI5.l

the Great Eastern.
Prom the London Times, JuyI5l
GEEAr EASTERN, July IA. 1865
By the time that this notice reaches the pub
lie the Great Eastern will probably have begun
Der eventful voyage. At daybreak to morrow
the single Trotman's anchor which has held her
safely against wind and tide during the late Sc
we're weather. will be raised, and. under easy
steam, the monstrous vessel. with her pondsrous
freight, will be carefully navigated through bul
locks channel to the open water. aud thence
make the best of her way TO Valentia. IL seems
Ike mere iteration TO explain again ell the al.
most endless cautions which have on this occa-
sion been taken 10 secure success. Hull. en-.
gines, stowage. and fittings Of every kind, have
been carefully revised. adapted or improved.
All that the experience OF previous attempts
could suggest. all that the most earnest an
pains taking foresight could anticipate, has been
done; everything now rests with the weather. In
the four great divisions on which the success OF
the undertaking may be said to turn-nsmely,
the cable itself it, stowage. the ship, and its
gines, nothing, apparently, has been overlooked
ELECTRICAL CONDITION or INK CABLE.
As regards the cable IL still remains in the
same perfect state a. when IL Was tested at the
works. aud Ia fact. its whole electrical condition
is such n the largest shareholder In the under
taking would desire Tor H. lts various lengths
joined up, and twice every day. morning and
evening. messages are sent through. The time
which these occupy in transmission shows its
condition 10 be n nearly inyariable az possible
Last week experiments were tried with a variety
OF instruments 20 ascertain the highest rate Of
working speed with low battery power The
best OF these instruments was, Il il said. ono in
vented by Sir Marley. with which Il was found
easy TO work through the whole length VI two
thousand i've hundred miles az an average rate
OF about four words minute AZ this speed
tho signals were remarkably clear and distinct,
aud IL is atill claimed that it IL possible to devise
instruments which can raise The rate from four
words a minute to ~ high as eight or even ton
THIS, however remains to be proved
sorR woRps rnE MINIMUM RArE 90 TRANS
MISSION
Yet even in the absence OF such instruments
there can be no doub, but that the gradually i'm
proving skill OF the signaling clerks. as they be
come more accustomed TO work through tho
wire. will, with tho bettcrod electrical condition
OF the cable when at the bottom of the Atlantic
soon make four words minute the minimum OF
what can be accomplished by this telegraph. The
insulating properties of the gutta perchs arc
always increased by external compression.
When sunk in the tremendous depth beneath
which the cable Is TO be submerged IL IL cacu.
lated that the weight OF water above IL will give
pressure OF about two aud three. quarter tons to
the circular inch Under ths enormous weight
the bulk of the insulating core will probably DO
reduced one third, and, In fact, 80 compressed
on all sides "A TO most materially improve both
"conductivity" and insulation. Such aids "a
signaling excellence, ,when coupled with tho
benefit which the cable is certain 10 derive from
the unvsrying temperature at the bottom of the
ocean, are likely to do more towards increasing
the rate at which messages can be sent than
any instrument which has yet been brough,
forward.
How the PROGRESS OF TRE wosK NAT m KNOW,
ON SHORE.
During the time of paying out, signals will b
sent 10 falentia for every dfty miles OF cable
sunk, aud for every fifty miles the Great Eastern
runs Thus Il will be perfectly easy for the pub
lie TO follow her course on any map. aud know
precisely by the difference between tho distance
traversed aud the length Of the cable sunk th,
amount Of slack that 10 being paid out Thl,
slack as IL Is called. will afford the best index &c
the state Of the weather and the way In which
the Great Eastern is doing her work. No les,
than thirty three per cent Of the entire length o.
the cable has been allowed for slack, or waste
as We may better call IT, IL all goes we'll. not
more than ten per cent. Of this will be used; but
on the other hand with bad weather or irregular
going OF the Great Eastern, every coil will x
over tho stern 10 the very last mile So far %
regards the cable,
srovAGK KAsrkRS
A concerns the Great Eastern herself, Cap
tain Anderson aud his officers have taken every
possible precaution as to her stowsge aud gene
raj equipment. From outside she seems at the
fret glance TO be almost slsrmingly deep in the
water. lt is. however. less her actual depth
which creates this unpleasant impression than
the appearance which she presents OF "sagging'
amdships. OF course this awkward and most
unpleasant appearance Is merely an optical do
lusion. no doubt created by her deep trim astern
There IL difference of nearly I've feet between
her trim fore and aft. Astern she draws thirty
i've feet OF water, while under the bows 10 onl,
thirty. Levels have been carefully taken to as
certain IL any detection perceptbe under the
ponderous weight she bears No sign OF change
however, has been observable Before anv of
the cable Was coiled on board. one thousand four
hundred tons Of water were pumped into the az.
termost compartments Of the ship, aud one
thousand one hundred tons into the compart
Den,s most forward. Under these weights II
her eitremitits the Great Eastern detected nearly
an inch aud half. recovering herself directly
the water was pumped out This proof oil
strength IL. of course. very satisfactory. Ii
would have been moro so. however. II tho test
strains employed bore a closer relation TO the
enormous weights which she has now on board
All told. the Great Eastern will leave the
Thames with more than twenty FIVE thousand
whole fleet With which Nelson fought The battle
Of Trafalgar could have carried.
cHAScEs OBJ RoLL
AL the weights are slowed as high a. possible
10 connteract 10 the utmost the Great Eastern
most unpleasant tendency 20 roll. IL - populari,
supposed that this ship . almost immovable IA
any sea Against a head wind she j. certainl,
very steady, though she eau pitch well as othe
vessels. and has. ia the Atlantic, aye, and ever
In The channel taken ia heavy seas over hei
bows Neverthless in q beam she j. paru
culArly lively, and rolls Just 10 proportion e
her size-that j. 20 say she rolls very much 10
deed Her motion J. cAsy. slow and deep oc
cupying about 6fteen seconds. To make her
do THE, however. beam sea OF fifteen seconds
interval between the waves j. necessary snc
such a sea is rare even M the Atlantic q
course all her system OF stowage proceeds OF
the theory that high placed weights will prevent
her rolling The AgameGnon vas stossd aite
the sane fashion on the aston Of the late At
isntic expedition. and our readers will probsbl,
recoliect that on that occasion the grea, line Of