Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-08-25
NEWS FROM THE ATLANTIC
CABLE.
Failure to raise the Cable after 1t
Parted.
THE ENTERPRISE NOT GIVEN UP.
HEvRr's CONTENT, N. f., Aug. Is, |
via Aanv Pav II

The gunboat Terrible and steamer Galatea
arrived at st. Johns at 9 o'clock Tuesday
evening, l5th inst. The Great Eastern re-
turned to Sheerness on TIE llth. Capt. Ma
pier reports a summary as follows
The cable parted Wednesday noon in $50
fathoms Of water. They grappIed it three
different times and raised 1900, 900 and 600
fathoms respectively. Each time the Crap
pling broke, but on no account broke the ca
BILE in graphing. The Great Eastern has
gone for more and better gear
Mr.. Varley writes me encoursgingly. He
says be found no difficulty in graphing the
cable whatever, even in the greatest depth,
and that probably ss soon as proper tackle is
prepared be will grRpple the cable one hun
dred miles east Of the break, where the water
is only fifteen hundreds fathoms deep. The
buoy has rode the gales we'll, being fastened
by pieces Of condemned cable.
Mr. Field is in good health and spirits
The following is from his diary.
STEAMSHIP GREAr Eastern,
Atlantic Ocean, North lat 5l.25, West long 80.
Six Friday Evening, Aug If, 1865. )
The steamship Great Eastern sailed from
the More, off Sheerness, Saturday, July l 5,
at IL 80 p. m. At half past two O'Clock Mon
day afternoon, 18th, overhauled the steamer
with the shore ends on board She had been
delayed by bad weather. We took her in
tow and arrived off Vaentia at 6.45 a. m,
Wednesday, the 9th inst. As the weather
was unfsvorable the Caroline went into Va
lentia Harbor and the Grea; Eastern to Banty
Bay, followed the next day by H. NJ. S. Ter
rible and Sphynx.
The twenty-seven miles of the shore end
Fill. IL
towed by the steamer Hawk, on Saturday,
the 22d. At quarter past 5 o'clock the next
afternoon the splice between the main cable
and the shore end was completed. and the
Great Eastern, Terrible and Sphynx steamed
toward Newfoundland, while the Caroline
and Hawk returned to Valentia.
All went on in the most satisfactory man.
ner until 2.20 A. NJ on Monday, the Gath,
when a partial loss of insolution suddenly
showed itself. Shortly after this the speed
Of the ship was reduced and the cable paid
out more slowly, while tests were applied to
locate the fault, which was found to be in the
water some miles astern Of the Great Eastern.
At so A. M. the cable was transferred to
the picking up apparatus at the bows and we
began to haul in the cable. This operation
was frequently suspended by want of steam
in the boiler attached to the picking up appa-
ratus and during the day portable boiler
was connected with the former.
At five minutes past O'Clock the mex,
morning the fault was brought on board and
found to have been caused by piece of iron
wire, similar to that used in the manufacture
of the cable, about two inches long, having
been forced between tie outer wires and
through the gutta percha into the copper
wires.
Ten and quarter miles of cable were re-
covered, the fault cut out and new splice
made. The cable was then transferred to the
pay out mochine at the stern, and at 10 A.
M, Tuesday the 25th, all was again in per-
feet order, and the telegraph feet on its way
to America, having been de etained thirty seven
hours and fifty minutes.
At noon on Wednesday, the 26,h, the
Great Eastern was l7S miles from Valentia,
and there had been payed out, including the
shore end, 1873 miles Of cable ; depth of water
1850 fathoms tests very good. Thursday,
9th, ship ran last "a hours l4l miles, and
payed out 1853 miles of cable: water 2l60
fatnoms; tests very good.
Friday, 2Sth, distance made, I55 1-2 miles;
cable payed out, ia miles; water, 1850
fathoms tests very good Saturday 29lh,
distance run, 100 miles /; cable payed out,
l76 miles; water, 1900 iathoms tests very
good.
At l.26 P. NJ. it was discovered that there
was serious ia alt in the cable, which en-
trely cut off communication with the shore.
The ship was stopped and the cable transfer
red to the picking up gear and commenced
hauling in at 9.l4 p. M.
After picking up two and half miles OF
cable the fault came on board, and on exa-
minaton proved to have been caused by
stout piece of wire having been driven en-
tirely through the cable. The Ia miles of
cable were recovered from depth Of 1900
fathoms. The operation of picking up from
this great depth was frequently interrupted
by want of steam. The night being very
dark and foggy the operation of lowering the
splice and transferring the cable to the pay
ing out machinery at the stern was postponed
until next morning.
The Great Eastern was, by the able man
agement of Capt. Anderson, kept ell light
up to the cable, and so prevented any strain
beyond the cables own weight euming upon
it and injuring it.
At $40 A. NJ. the splice had been success
fully lowered, and the ship was again on her
course. The detention by this fault was 8
hours and A minutes, and most anxious
hours and minutes they we're.
Sunday, 30th, distance made "a miles and
payed out 81 miles cable depth of water,
1860 fathoms test very good. Monday,
Slst, distance run. 1874 miles cable payed
out, 1853 miles water, l770 fathoms test
very good.
Tuesday, Aug. /, distance made l55 miles