The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-08-24
THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.
Hr Eieln,s Diary.

diary:
STEAMSHIP GREAT EASTERN, ATLANTIC,
IN NORTH LAT. SIC IS, w. Lone. 390 I
so'clock Friday Eve'g, Aug. Ii.
The steamship Great Eastern sailed
from the More of Sherness, Saturday, July
18th, at 1880 O'Clock, and at half past Nv"
O'Clock on Monday, 18th, she overhanled
the Caraline that left London on tn" 10Th
with the shore end on board. She had been
detained by bad weather. We took her IN
tow and arrived OFT Valentia mt 6:i' n. M
Wednesday. AS the weather was unfavor-
able. the Caroline went into Nalentn har-
Dor and the Great Eastern to Beekhaven,
Botany Bay. The next day, by her Ma
iesty's steamers Terrible and Sphvnx, the
twenty-seven miles of the heavy shore end
were successfully laid from the Caroline,
towed by the steamer Hawk. On Satur-
day, the 22d, at quarter past o'clock, the
splice between the main cable and shore
end was completed and the Great Eastern
the Terrible and the Sphynx steamed to-
wards New Foundland, while the Caroline
and Hawk returned to Valentia. All went
on in the most satisfactory manner till 2:2O
a. m on Monday the oath, when partial
loss ofinsulations suddenly showed itself
Shortly after this the speed of ships was
reduced and the cable paid out more slow
ly, while tests were applied to locate the
fault, which was fonnd to be in the water
some miles astern Of the Great Easten.-
At $50 q. IN. the cable WAS transferred to
the picking up apparatus at the bows, and
we began to haul in the cable. This oper-
alton was frequently suspended by want
of steam in the boilers attached to the pick
ing up apparatus, and during the day 81
portable boiler was connected with the for
mer.
At five minutes past o'clock next NOR
ming, the fault was brought on board, and
found to have been caused by piece of
iron wire similar to that used in the man
nfacture of The cable. about two inches
long, having been forced between the out
er wires, through the gutta percha into the
copper wire. Ten and quarter inches Of
cable were recovered the fault cut out and
new splice made, the cable returned to
the paying-out machine at the stern, and
at 4:1O a. M. Tuesday the 25th, all was again
in perfect order, and the fleet on Its way to
America, having been detained thirty-sev-
en- hours and fifty minutes.
At noon on Wednesday the Goth, the
Great Eastern was us miles from Valencia
and there had been paid out, including the
seventeen miles on the shore end 100 miles
of cable; depth of the water 1850 fathoms;
tests very good.
THURSDAY, 27th.-Ship ran in the last
twenty four hours 141 miles, and paid out
1853 miles of cable. Depth Of water 2, $50
fathoms; tests very good.
4 FRIDAY 2Sth.-Distanee made, 1855 miles;
cable paid, ia miles; water 1850 fathoms;
tests very good.
SATURDAY, 29th.-Dstancs run. 100
miles; cable paid out 176 miles: depth water
900fathoms; tests very good. At12o'clock
p. M. it was discovered that there was a
serious fault in the cable which entirely
cutoff communication with the shore. The
ship was stopped and the cable transfer
red to the picking up gear, which com
menced hauling it at 9:15 p. m. After
picking up two and quarter miles of the
cable the fault came on board, and on ex-
animation found to have been caused by
stout piece of wire having been driven en-
tirely through the cable. The two and
quarter miles of cable We're received from
depth Of 1850 fathoms. The operation of
picking up, from the great depth, was fire.
quently interrupted by the want of steam.
The night being very dark and foggy the
operation of Iowerin the splice and trans
ferring the cable to the paying out machin-
cry at the stern was postponed till morn
ing. The Great Eastern was, by the able
management of Captain Anderson kept up
all night to the heavy sea. prevented any
strain beyond the cables own weight COM
ing on it. At $40 a. m. the splice had been
successfully lowered and the ship was
again on her course. The detention hy
this fault was eighteen hours and ferty-
four minutes; and most anxious hours
and minutes they were.
SATURDAY, 30th.-The distance made
was rs miles, and q miles Of cable were
paid out. Depth Of water, 1880 fathoms
tests very good.
MONDAY, 31st-Distance run, 1874 miles:
cable paid out, 15s miles; tests, very good
FRIDAY, Aug. lst-DiStance made, 1856
miles; cable paid out. 179 miles; water,
1,709 fathoms; tests very good.
WEDNESDAY, 2d--At 5:27 on re.uminc
insulation tests it was discovered that
there was yartial loss of insulation. The
ship was soon afterwards stopped and the
cable transferred to the picking up gear at
the bow. The operation of hauling in
commenced bynoon. The engine used for
picking up stopped for want Of water for a
considerable time. Two miles had been
recovered and the cable was cut to see
whether the fault had come on board At
about 1890 p. IN. the cable caught and
chafed in the mouth Of the horse pipe and
was with considerable difficulty removed,
and at 1885 it parted on board where it
was injured, Just behind the shoppers, and
in a moment the end disappeared in the
water. Distance run in the last "a hours,
il6 miles; cable paid out. 1872 miles: recov-
cred two miles; depth of water, $50 faith
oms; total distance from Valencia. .O63
miles; total distance to Hearts Content,
500 miles; total cable paid out, 1872 miles,
equal to IA per cent. non .I
The steamer backed toward Valencia
twelve miles and commenced dragging for
the cable. On Thursday at a. m, it being
evident from the strain that the grapple
had caught the cable and we began to haul
It. At 11:50, when 1,15O fathoms Of crap