New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-08-18
=. against tho cholera. What are We doing in
THE CABLE.

The uncertain news Of yesterday is made Ger.
tain by Mr.. Fields diary which we publish this
morning. The cable lies at the bottom of the
Atlantic, one end fast anchored on shore at
Valentia, the other end anchored to the bed
of the ocean, six hundred miles from Hearts
Content After the two accidents heretofore
reported, both from The penetration Of the cable
by pieces Of iron wire, there was a third loss of
insulation on Wednesday, August 2. The
ship was stopped and third attempt
made to haul in the cable. The machinery
for that purpose was in the bows of the Great
Eastern, and was operated by separate en-
CINE. That engine, says Mr.. Field, stopped for
considerable time for want of water. When
two miles of tho cable had been recovered, 1t
was cut to see whether the fault had come on
board. The narrative at this point grows
little obscure, but we infer from Mr.. Fields
statement that the hauling.in process continued
after the cable had been cut, and that almost
Immediately the cable parted in.board a
short distance outside where it had been cut
With the machinery dsordered and unable to
hold it, the great strain and weight of the sus.
pended cable outside the ship carried the end
instantly overheard, and there was no time to
seize it-much less to attach buoy. The end
Of the cable went to the bed of the ocean. Yet
not quito hopelessly. The Great Eastern
steamed back twelve miles on her course. and
in 1850 fathoms OF water began dragging for
the oable-that is, she threw over grapnel
transversely, we suppose, to the line of
its laying, and went feeling about for
the wire. Probably it is the first
instance of dredging at such a depth and for
such purpose. 1t might have been regarded
as desperate expedent, yet it was thought to
be temporarily ard partially successful. On
the morning Of the following day, Thursday,
August A, it became evident, says Mr.. Field,
from the strain, that the grapncl had caught the
cable, and they began to haul in. After nearly
eight hours hauling 1,l5O fathoms of graphing
rope being on board the tackle parted, and
rope and cable together sank once more
to the bottom. As not less remark
able experiment than the graphing, a
buoy was lowered with 2,4OO fathoms Of
cable-we presume Of condemned Atlantic
Telegraph-and o mushroom" to hold it and
mark the spot. II was nothing less than an at
tempt to anchor in the middle of the Atlantic,
in 1850 fathoms Of water. This appears to
have been successful. The graphing was again
tried on the 9TH, and again Mr.. Field thinks the
cable was seized and partially hauled up,
when tho shacklcs broke once more,
and 800 fathoms more rope went to keep
the cable company. A second buoy was
lowered, rough weather followed, the buoys
rode out the gales and third attempt was made
to grapple the cable on Thursday, Aug. 10.
The grapnel came up foul with its own chain.
A fourth attempt on the 18th resulted IN another
breakage Of the shackles aits getting but 40
fathoms of rope and then the Great Eastern,
having no more rope on board, started for
England. Mr.. Field does not say whether she
means to come back and try it again,
but it is 80 reported by the steamers
which arrived at st. John. Mr.. Field
is evidently persuaded that the grapnel
really got hold Of the cable, but il is not I'M
possible that it fastened on something else. At
any rate the probability of recovering the cable,
which lies in nearly 1900 fathoms Of water, !
and marked by buoy which may easily be
made to shift. its position by storms, is very
questionable.