Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-16
THE NEW ATLANTIC CABLE.
| Another Attempt TO be Made this Year-Ths Great
Eastern Sail in June.
From the London HeraId. Februarv q. l

From the London Herald, February q.
During the last few days the Telegraph Construc-
ton and Maintenance Company have begun in real
earnest. Little had been done since the return OF
the expedition in August last as there was no reason
| why the cable should be ready very much sooner
than it will be needed. The Great Eastern still lies
at her moorings in the Midway, with the remainder
of last years cable on board and this will again be
used during the present year, when that part oil the
cable which will have then enjoyed twelvemonths
rest on the bed of the Atlantic will be grapped for
Captain Anderson will once more have charge OF the
big ship, and he will again have the invaluable
assistance OF Mr.. Halpln, the chief officer. Mr.
Canning and Mr.. Clifford will be, as in last sum-
mer, in charge of the laying of the cable, and Mr..
DE Sanity will be again in charge of the electrical
department Thus, so far as skill goes, there is
everything in favor of the success of the coming
petition, which will set sail in the beginning of
June, bearing with it the good wishes of all Eu-
rope. As at present arranged, the. Great Eastern
will carry the new cable, Yill lay it to Newfound-
land, will there coal and return to the mid Atlantic,
where she WILL with her consorts grapple for the
lost end, the locality of which can be ascertaned
within quarter OF a mile through the observations
taken last summer by Captain Anderson and Cap
tain Moriarty 1t is not intended that the part of
the old cable which now lies in the Great Easterns
tanks shall be again slowed in her hold the out
ward trip. 1t will be carried in another vessel until
it is needed. The graphing will be done in this
way. Three vessels, including the Great Eastern,
will be provided with graphing apparatus. Last
year, it may be remembered the graphing was
done with makeshft appliances. In fact, the CRAP
ping lines were only buoy ropes, and the swivels
| which broke while the cable was being hauled up
were never intended to bear any such strain as that
to which they subjected. In the new graphing
tackle there will be no swivels; perhaps even no
shackles. Each line will be, if possible, in one
piece, certainly not in more than two joined together
by strong shackle. There is, therefore, little fear
that if the cable grappled, of which there can be
no reasonable doubt in the mind of any one con-
versant with the subject it will be brought to the
surface. And there is the more probability of this
because the cable will be grappled in three places
at intervals of about two miles, One vessel will
grapple and, if necessary, cut her end by Of
q steel blade set in the graphing iron the middle
ship will haul up. and the third vessel will also raise
the cable TO lessen the strain. There will therefore
be three bights on the cable or two bights and an
| end and this end will be prevented from slipping
by the formation of the graphing iron in which the
cable will be jammed. No one ted with the
project appears to entertain the slightest doubt
about the success of this section of it. When the
end is recovered and a message sent through to
| Vaentia as test of the electrical condition, the
splice will be made with the cable lying in the
Great Eastern, and then all will be plain sailing,
except in of another accident similar to that of
last year, when all would have TO be done over
again; but this would be the worst damage. If one
graphing is successful there is no reason why
second should not be, and even third and
fourth if it should come TO that. The laying of the
old cable may therefore be considered a certainty,
80 far as anything about cable laying can be GER
tain. But hope deferred will probably not make
sick the hearts of shareholders beyond next July.
The new cable which is to be laid first is very dfe-
rent in appearance from that of 1865 That was
black but not at all comey. This is fair to see in
point of COLOR but rough withal, and fbrey-to
coin word for the occasion. But, save that there
is no dark composition soaked into the Manila hemp
which forms the covering of the outer wires, this
BILE is identical with the last. So far, however, as
strength goes, the new rope will bear a strain of
from 10 cwt to a ton more than that of last year;
and as is obvious this additional strength may just
make the difference between breaking and holding,
if it should unfortunately be necessary to haul
back to the ship at any time. The reason why it is
possible to dispense with the composition for coating
is that in the new cable the outer or protecting wires
are galvanized About 160 miles of the new cable
have been already made, and when all the machinery
is set to work, as it will be, the mandatory
will proceed at the rate of 100 miles per week. By
working overtime, this immense speed could be
nearly double but ofcourse, overtime will be avoid
ed if possible. In all departments of the machinery
the capacity has been much increased since last year.
For instance, there are double the number of tanks
which hold the core of the CABLE and there is one
new machine which alone turns out four miles per
day of complied cable.