The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-15
TEL oRHPH. :
TINE RussIAN-A.AaERIcAn LINE.
u
Uniting the, Old World with
the New.
..,~~~~~>~~~~~~~~,~~~~~
A Girdle Round the Earth "A
Forty Seconds.
Conception and Inception Of
the Work.
PERSONNEL OF Tue EXPEDITION.
RErCH OF TyzN ROUTE.
ICE, ESQUIMAUX AND S!BERiANS.
ELECTRICITY TN TINE WILDERNESS.
sc. SC SIC.
PERSONNEL OF THE EXPEDITION
kErcn OF THn ROUTE.
ICE, ESQUIMAUx AND S!BERlANs.
ElECTRIclTY TN TINE WILDERNESS.
&c. sc. SIC.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF TINE HERALD.
STEAMER Gwo. S. WRIGHT,

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF the HERALD.
STEAMER GKo S. WRIGHT Il
PAurc OCEAN, lat. Al 35, Ion. 1924, jury g. 1865.
The Western Union Telegraph Company's steamer
Geo s Wright icst San Francisco the Esd OF june
destined Petropaulovski Kamtschaka She has the
honor Of being the first steamer to make voyage be
tween those two po having accomplished this in the
autunn Of last year. Thus far on our route We have
beer favored with fine weather. but We we're liable 70
experience q storm and rough at any moment Tho
North Pacific ebove the latitude Of forty degrees, rivals
Me Atlantic In the character Of It's weather It is only
IN the lower ATTITUDES ard in the region Of the trade
winds that tho Pacific is really worthy its In the
autumn and winter the region where now sail
ang is frequently disturbed by of very
character
The Wright bears the flag OF Colonel Charles =. Bulk
ley Engneer Chief OF the Russo American Telegraph
Expedition, end is now on her second voyage to the
Asiatc coast On the 18th of July of last year she left
6nn Francisco and proceeded northward, touching 81
Victoria New Westminster and other points in British
Columbia, and going thence 70 Sitka, Fort St.
Mchaes and the principal places the ccast of Russian
America From thence she proceeded among tho Aleu-
san islands Behnng Sea, and thence 10 Plover Bay,
Anadyr Bay and the mouth of the Anadyr river, the
Asiatic coast From Anadyr Bay she proceeded to Pc
saed for San Francisco voyage this year will be
Ike the ono of 1884, except that she win reverse
The original OF sailing and make fer more thor
ough survey Of the coast than accomplished last
year. She may be expected at San Francisco in No
vember, of the present year.
The Wright is a vessel Of about three hundred tong
burden, fitted with two-oladed screw, with engines
napabe Of propelling her smooth wator about nine
miles per hour. She is rugged like q hennaphrodite
brig with liberal OF canvas so that fair
wind her fires be axDgushed and she proceeds by
her sails alone Since leaving San Francisco we have
experienced very hight winds and Gains, but have man
aged to make about one-Ihrd distance under sail.
We have reached point where the winds usu-
ally favorable, and hope to make the rest of the
tourney without further consumption OF coal.
On her voyage from peiropanloysk to San Francisco
last year the Wright encountered gale that lasted,
with varying severity, for than two weeks For
the first five days OF this gale the wind blew with great
violence changing lis direction every few hours, bu,
mot abatng Its fury. Part Of the ships canvas was
blown away and II found impossible 10 spread any
portion OF the remainder The smoke stack carried
overheard by heavy wave rendering the engine use
less and for sixteen hours the ship lay perfectly help
les in the through OF the sea-" that constantly
threatened to overwhclm her. After q time tempo
Yary smoke stack made from water tank aud the
engine brough, into use. Having survived
ths gale and undergone complete refting, the Wright
is nov considered ready for any emergency.
The plan Of a telegraph between the Old World and
the New, by way OF Asia and Western North America,
IL being rapidly carried out aud probable that the
year 1868 will the continents united and ntanta-
neous communication secured between London aud New
York by way Of St. Petersburg and san Francisco Since
the enterprise was SET In motion l have met eonsld
cradle number OF individuals each of whom
assures that he first 20 give birth
% the idea Of constructing an overland teie
graph by way OF BeEring straits ] presume tha
many Of them speak the truth the project Of unni
che continents in this manner would naturally sug
Gest itself to any careful student Of geography whou
sntifling him 10 any particular credit. The honor
putting such idea practical belongs 10 Mr. pery
HcD. Collins native OF New York, but for time
resident OF California Mr.. Collins WIS on the Pacific
coast In 1864, when received that Russ
sia had taken possession Of the country on shs
north bank Of the Amoor river This gave the
Emperor full control from 81 Petersburg the Pacific
scean, besides the Russian possessions which cover
large portion Of Northwestern America Up TO this
chinese rendered IL useless 20 make snv appcIon FOR
right Of way, tho Csesfals earnestly opposed
anything Ike modern innovations. Mr. Collins had for
time fixed his attention upon this project aud
soon a. the news or the acquisition OF the Amoor
ty by Russia received he prepared visit the pro.
PVSeu route OF DeHufnf w uctt 10 enter
Siberia by way Of European Russia, he left San bran
cisco for A. Petersburg by way Of Washington receiv.
Ing an appointment from the stats Department as
che Amoor river. Al s. Petersburg he determped
20 make the journey through slberis in winter
Parting from Moscow IN December 1855, he travelled
~ land to the head OF the Aoor and then d.
scendsd that stream 70 ~ mouth. returning to the
United states py way OF the Sandwich islands. since
shAt time he has paid several visits To 81 Petersburg n
fsrthersnce OF hrs enterprise, and AZ last secured
river 70 tho boundary limo between British America and
khe Russian possessions The British government has
granted tine ngh, OF way inroagh rs territory and thus
kbe whole ronte 10 secured.
The charter granted by the Russian government cave
Mr. Collins the privilege 81 constructing, maintaining
ana working telegraph line between the pants n.mad
Of building block houses and erecting other defences
shat might be necessary, well o, outing timber omen
ing roads and performing other desired work me
charter vas to be exclusive thirty years al ,s
end OF which time the goverDmeni could DO Ohio
about allowing the construction o competing lines but
ia any event the right OF way 90 Mr. collins 10 Ne
perpetual The Western Union Telegraph Company nm
nsrtook the construction Of the line for winch Nj Col
Bins had procured the charter The enterprise though
undertaken by this company, was made separate affair
end was not 70 be allowed TO interfere with ~ already
established business The feasibility OF the enterprise
vas fully believed 10 by all and the stock Of the rus
san Extension did not 20 begging. II was ali
promptly taken By friends Of the enterprise and, with
M characteristic energy, The company began s work Of
uniting America TO the Old World.
The nrst step necessary was 10 lind the suitable person
70 supernieud the construction OF shs new telegraph
ine route over which the line to I've built about
sx thousand miles IN lsnyth nearly all OF through
&ions partially or wholly uncxplored. the route must
- surveyed and selected, the characteristics and
sources OF the country asceraned material transported
tne places where II would be required and Of The
enarscter engaged for The construction service
kceiy ~ the route lies through regions inhsbatcd ny
10 Indians, and was indspensvbly necessary that
~ Hanafer Of the enterprise should DO able 70 secure
mendsnip and confidence Of those people, IN order
-. .ncy might assist In the construction OF the line
~ aaeuoe and maintenance when completed
esgy and diplomacy were NECESSARY n tbe cnsracser
Snoever should conduct the great updsrtskins
- enoice iei upon Captain Charles Bniklev a that
E3neoe ~ NE Departments Of The Gulf Captain
Hsny poessed ~ the opinion Of the directors Of the
CogeN Ye guahncasiohs required In the position
vheh thsy hishSd him v OH he was thoroughly vsseed
ne $500, n t3gEsphy ana in TIE various mesns Of
&mo4 - AD4Rk tsssIsS sslrspff, ~ ussliaS