The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-08-07
MAKING THE SPLICE.
Second Day-sunday, July "a.

vALssriA, July "a, 1865.
rRs PARTY TO WITNESS THE spIIcE
The party who to witness tho making of the
splice and the final starting left valentia in the Hawk
the Great Easerns rapid tender, after nine in the
morning Among those board were Lord John Hay sr
X Peel, p, the knight of Kerry, with his daughters
Che Misses Fitzgerald, Captain White, r. ~, Captain
Hamilton, Mr. W. H. Russell, Mr. Edwards Mrs Glass &c
The western extremity OF Ireland in about an
hour and soon afterwards the magnificent carries
the skelg light Wild stupendous of cliff which,
amid deep water rises from the TO a height of
eight hundred ieet and which tie ncesssn beat OF the
Atlantic seems To have worn into and angry gaps
that almost undermine it's base About fifteen m,tos
beyond these rocks the Great was at rest not
moving to the dull swell though her guards of
honor the Terrible and sphinx, rolling slightly
while the Caroline with the end of the shore cable ON
board, and locking uger than ever that she was
light and outof water, especially lively II is dim
cult TO describe any but the Of fact terms
the routine process which marked the commencement of
this enterprise Il had already begun when the Hawk
arrived and the paddle box boats OF the men of war and
the cGters Of the Great Erstsrn 6led with cable
which, passing through the paying ont machine astern
~as being slowly owed from The great ship TO the Caro-
line
TN orrRAnoS SPLICING
Soon afer O'Clock the tols Of the deep sea cable
were safely wound on board the Caroline, work
OF splicing them at commenced This was don, by
stripping both ends Of hemp, outside wires and ptra
percha for short distance iii the copper conductor Of
the line was LAID bare and pared to fine wedge.
shaped point at either end The connecting cundu tors
then Overlspped in the form known AZ .,scarfD
joint and firmly bound together with fine threads of
copper wire, ill the junction made even stronger
than the main portions OF the line The threads and
conductor we're then soldef.d together thcky sr
Of soft gutts percha, like bands Of brown tape we're
wound layer over layer and their edges closely pressed
80 as 10 form one homogeneous mass I'LL certain thick
ness wa completed Then came coating Of insulating
material called Chsterton's compound aud then agan
another layer oi gta percha tape, unit, the whole was
inccsed IN four Tngs Of the gutta perchs and three Of
the compound.
rrsnSa rHr SPLICE
The joint then immersed Ia cold water for ts,ting
and the signals proving perfect the las protection OF
hemp and outside wire wa. added and the JOINT sunk
again into the Sea that it's perfectness ss TO conducvy
and Insulation might be ssc.rtaned from the extreme
end OF the whole length OF the cable board the Great
Eastern II pa -four clock fore the lest o these
tests was concluded, not that did test well from
the nrst but SIMPLY because was intended 10 exhaust
every trial known TO electricians before the great journey
CAME wonderfully dsno into m< inarumeu rom o|h,
reouln0 house at the head Of Fohommerum BAY and at
80 the flags board the Caroline aud Great Eastern
were hauled down 10 show that all wa ready
CASING rHE srIifs INTO
BY that time the 6rcatEssern, which had always kept
NOV Ing her paddles at intervals had forged ahead Of the
Caroline some two or three miles paving out the cable
slowly she went and leaving the lsticr vessel the
only float by which portion Of the wire wa. kept
above water The instant however that N, naes s.pi
down the last fsseniugs which held u 10 the Carolne
were cast adrn and With great splash the final Joint
Of the Atlantic telegraph snd the FIRST thirty miles or s
length went down slowly INTO the blue water and we're
out Of sight
PAINTING slLurE rBE oREar sAsgsx
Long before this ST Robert Peel aud Lord John Hay
had returned on board the Hawk which at once etoamd
away, when the spi turned adfif 20 overake the
Great Eastern This easily done for while the
latter wa barely steamDg hve knots hour The former
was running fourteen A. the tender came near the thin
rope of cable could be seen passing over the last
wheel asern, and sinking gently INTO the foam without
strain OF any KIND ~ u seemed for moment or ~ to
float slowly at before II disappeared under The swell that
stil kept rolling deeply IN. The after deck sponsous
bridge and paddle boxes Of the Great Eastern were |
crowded ~ the Hawk came alongside and It wa easy
from tie distance which the iesder held to distinguish
the iaoes 81 those on board they their
cheered In the midst OF this the Great Eastern fred two
guns from her bows at half past 1--WE clook 10 mark
The commencement Of her Journey, aud Sir Robert |
Peel, mOubiiDR 10 the little quarter deck Of |
The Hawk marked time while three small brt |
earnest cbcsT were given by The select company on
board "a the of the great enterprise In return
came bHok swelling hearty from AL tho cable
ship, with the ast salute ~ Of hats aud cars
aud haudkcrchafs the tender dropped asiern Leaving
tbc Great Eastern dipping slowly but steadily aheod ut
The rate o. about ia knots hour Both the Terrible
and spbns ,loo nj hand, contributing ittlr and
but a ,t, to ID, huge volume OF smoke aLcl l,eir
igInta slTozd far aud wid Over the sea srd
Witch sDDoarsd In the dsaEoe " tn,ut the O..e