The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-08-12
ANOTHER GRAND FAILURE.

ANOTHER GRAND FAILURE.
Every friend to science, and admirer
Of energy and perseverance, must regret
the reported failure Of SO grand a project
as that of connecting the Old World and
the New by telegraph. We trust thai
they will be able to overcome the defects
in the cable, at the distance of seven
hundred miles as easily as they did al
eighty. The Herald, in alluding to this
reported miscarriage, uses the following
language, but still believesthat twill be
all right in the end, andthe next steam
er from Europe will bringnews ola more
satisfactory character.
We have no news, says the Herald, di-
rect from Hearts Content regarding the
Great Eastern and her progressi in laying
the Atlantic cable. Nonews can hardly
be considered in this instance as good
news, since we have positive an
nouncement from Valentia bay, via Liv-
erpool, that on the 29th ultimo, when
seven hundred miles of the wire had been
laid, the insulation was suddenly lost,
and communication with the Great East
ern ceased. The steamship Cuba, which
brought this news, sailed on the day af-
ter that on which the disaster occurred,
and consequently she could bring no de-
tails; but she does bring news which
gives us reason to hope that the disaster
was slight, and that it may have been
easily repaired, though the non-arrival
of the Great Eastern at Hearts Content
is certainly very discouraging.
1t will be remembered that when
eighty miles of cable had been laid the
insulation was lost; but that after short
delay the cause was discovered and The
defective part of the wire cut out. The
Cuba brings very interesting details OF
the origin and repair of this defect, from
which it appears that the trouble dated
from the manufacture of the cable; that
it was caused by the presence of a loose
piece of fine iron wire, which had, I'M
observed, been wound under the outer
coatings of the cable, and which had,
in passing through the paying out ma
chine, cutthrough the gutta percha, and,
touching the core or copper wire, inter-
fered with the insulation. Eleven miles
of the wire were recoiled on board Of the
Great Eastern with great ease, the defect
located and cut out, and subsequently
over six hundred miles additional were
laid.
The latest news gives no report Of
storms or other natural obstacles en-
countered by the Great Eastern, and il
is safe to presume that the disaster which
occurred on July 20 is to be traced to some
such defect as that which was discovered
on a former occasion, and which, 1t is
equally safe to hope, can be obviated as
easily and as rapidly. The latest pub
lished report from the Great Eastern
shows that all was perfect for the first
five hundred and fifty miles and that, as
seven hundred miles only had been
paid out, the defect is within one hun
dred and fifty miles of the steamer
But, as the electrical tests are continually
kept up, the defect must become known
as soon as it occurs, and, consequently,
the defective point lies within the short
length of cable which must necessarily
be run out while the breaks are being
gradually applied and the ship brought
to. That the defect must have been but
a short distance from the ship is
shown by the language Of the dis
patch in stating that seven hundred
miles had been paid out when insulation
suddenly ceased. The experience in re-
pairing the first faulty piece of the ca
bic shows with what ease it can be wound
up and recoiled on board the vessel. Had
the defect, however, been repaired with
in twenty.four hours after its occurrence
we should not yet have received the
gratifying intelligence, since the Cuba
is the latest vessel which has arrived
from Queenstown. Besides that it has
been agreed upon to send no unnecessa-
ry messages through TIE wire while be-
ing laid, and the next steamer may bring
us the news OF the repair OF the cable
without deigning any explanation ofthe
lose of insulation.
We think that there is yet reason to
hope that the next steamer from Europe
or, perhaps, the arrival of the Great
Eastern at Hearts Content, will give u'
intelligence of the repair and successful
go tho 20 hlo
INTERESTING 10 APPLICANTS Fol
PENSIONS. Several applications having