Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-08-22
THE CABLE.

Dia,y Of Cyrus ". Eeid.-Rsiurn of the Great
Eastern 10 Sheernes, s,-How the Gable pas
Broken.
The British war steamers Terrible and tIalatea
arrived at st. Johns, N. F., at nine O'Clock on
Tuesday evening, the 10Th inst. The Great
Eastern returned to Sheerness on the llth
Captain Napier reports as follows:
"The cable parted on Wednesday, the "a inst,
in ], $50 fathoms of water. II was then grappled
for three timesi and raised l,200, 300, and 600
isthoms, respectively; each time the graphing
broke, but the cable remained uubroken. The
Great Eastern returned to England for stronger
aud better graphing gear"
The following is Mr.. Fields diary;
STEAMSHIP GREAr EAsTERN,
ATLANTIC OCEAN, lat 6l 20 N, long. 80 W.
MosDAY EVENING, Aug. IL, 1866 clock.
Tho ssesnshiP Great Eastern sniIed frofn tho
O'Clock. " - w
half. pasttwo O'Clock, on Monday afternoon,
Ihh, she oVerhauled the Caroline, that left
London on the 9th instant, with tho shore end on
board. She had been detained by bad weather
we took her in tow, and arrived off Valentia at
6.45 A. NJ of Wednesday
AS the weather was unfayorabe the Caroline
went into Valentia harbor, and the Great Eastern
to Beerhayen, Bantry Bay.
The next day accompanied by her AIaiesty's
steamers Terrible and Sphynx, the twenty seven
miles Of the heavy shore end were successfully
laid from the Caroline, tOwed by the steamer
Hawk.
On Saturday, the 22l, at q quarter mast si1
O'Clock, the next afternoon, the splice between
the main cable and the shore end was completed
and the Great Eastern the Terrible, aud the
Sphynx steamed tOwards Newfoundland. while
the Garoline and Hawk returned to Valentia.
All went on 10 the mopt satisfactory manner
until twenty minutes after two a. NJ, on Sunday
July oath, when a partial loss Of insulation
showed itself.
Shortly after this the speed of the ships was
reduced, and the cable paid cut more slowly.
while tests were applied to locate the fault
which Wss found to be in the water some miles
astern Of the Great Eastern.
AT $50 A. NJ. the cable W9s transferred to tbe
picking-up apparatus OF the bows, end We began
to haul in the cable.
This operation was frequently suspended by
want Of steam in the boiler attached 10 the
picking-np apparatus, and during the day n
paddle boiler was connected with the former,
AT i've minutes past eight O'Clock tLo next
morning the fault was brought on board, and
iounu TO nave been caused by piece Of iron
wire, similar TO that used in the mapufaetnre nf
the cable. about two inches long, having been
forced betyeen the onter wire, and through the
gutta percha into the copper wire
Ten and-a-quarter miles Of cable were reooV-
cred, the fault cut out, aud new splice made,
the cable retransferred to the paying out machine
at the sterni and at 410 A. NJ, Tuesday. The
25th, all was again in perfect order, and the
heet on its way to America, having been detained
thirty-seven hours and fifty minutes.
AT noon on Wednesday, the 26th the Great
Eastern was one hundred and seventy eight
miles from Vaentia and there had been maid
out, including the Beventeen miles on the shore
end, one hundred and ninety nine of cable.
Depth Of water, ono thousand seven bundrad
and fifty fathoms. Tests very good.
THURSDAY, July 27.--The shin ran. in the
last twenty-four hours, one hundred and FORTY
one miles, and paid out one hundred and fifty-
eight miles of cable. Depth of water. two
thousand one hundred and sixty fathoms. Tests
very good.
FRIDAY, July 28.-Distance made. l6614
miles cable paid out, 174 miles; water, 1856
Tests very good.
SATuRpAY, July 29.-Distance run, 100 miles
cable paid out, l76 miles; depth of water. 600
fathoms. Tests Very good
At 1906 P. NJ. il vas discovered that there
was q serious fault in the cable, which entireIv
cut of communication with the shore. The shin
was stopped, and the cable transferred to the |
picking-up gear, which commenced hauling il in
1t " IA r. M. After picking up two and a quarter |
N't~N
examination, proved to have been caused bv a |
stout piece Of wire having been driven enilrelv |
through the cable. The two and quarter miles
If cable were recovered from q depth Of nineteen
hundred fathons. The operation OF picking IN
rom this grea, depth was frequently interrupted
" want Of steam.
The night being very dark and foggy, the
'peration Of lowering the splice and transferring
he cable to the paying out machinery at the
tern, was postponed until the next morning.
The Great Eastern was, by the ablo manage
neut Of Captain Anderson, kept up all night
o the cable, and so prevented any strain, BEYOND
he cables own weight, coming on it.
AT 8. 10 A. NJ, the splice had been successfully
owered, and the ship was again on her course.
The detention by this fault was eighteen hours
nd fOrty-four minutes, and most anxious hours
nd minutes they were
On Sunday, July Both, the distance made was
wenty-four miles, and thirty-seven miles of
be cable were paid out. Depth Of Tater, $50
lthoms Tests very good
MONDAY, July 3l.-Distanoe run, l34 miles
able paid opt, 1853 miles water, ], 40 fathoms
ests very good.
Tuesday, August l.-Distanee made, 1855
lliesi cable paid ont, l79 miles; water, l,7O9 I
'thoms tests very good.
WEDNESDAY, August 2.-Atb.27 A. NJ. on re-.
nming the insulation tests, il was diseoVered
'at there was partial loss Of insulation, fhe
~,