The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-12-19
The New Atlantic Gable.

The manufacture of the new Atlantic telegraph
which Is to be submerged between Brest and n
suitable terminus on the shores of the State of
New York, Is progressing satisfactorily. The
new cable Is almost identical in construction with
those which were completed in 1866, the only
difference being that the diameter Of the conduct
ing copper core is slightly greater, and the out
side wires are of homogeneous BcSsemer steel,
galvanized, having a breaking strain Of about
900 pounds, while the wires outside the exist
ing Atlantic lines have a breaking strain of only
about 500 pounds. The new cable will be laid
in two lengths, one from Brcst 70 ST. Pierre, in
deep sea, of 1926 miles, not including slack, and
the other from -. Pierre 10 the terminus, of
l,l22 miles IN length, not including slack. The
latter section viii be similar To the Persian Gulf
cable, n it will have TO be laid in comparatively
shallow water, and Its exterior wires Will be pro-
tcctcd by Bright * Clark's patent siliceous COM
pound, which consists PRINCIPALLY of powdered
flint and pitch. The construction Of the shore
ends viii be similar 10 that of the existing Attain
tic lines, and Will gradually become thinner until
they assume the deep sea Dimensions. During
the summer Her Majesty's ship Camel took
sOundings along the proposed route, and from the
results OF the operations II is understood that the
bottom OF The ocean Is nearly the same i'm charac-
ter n the bed in which the existing cables are
laid. and Of about the same depth. Little but
mud and OO2c were found along the route. In
order to avoid The dangers of injury from rocks
and iccbcrgs, the new line will be laid to the
south 81 tue present CiplcS, bclOW the southern
edge Of the Great Bank, 50 that 1t may be laid in
deep water. Sir james Anderson. who will COM
mand the Great Eastern during the expedition
organized for the submcrgence of tie line. has
made the following observations regarding the
New Eoundland Banks:
by keeping in the 500 fathOm line upon the
Milne Bank, and around the southern edge Of the
Grand Bank, there il no possibility Of ice or any
other agency that can be suggested iniuring the
The northern edge Of the Grand Bank
avoided because it is uncertain Mt what depth
the icebergs ground. They are said, upon good
to ground at times III ninety lathoms.
1t is not certain Mt what depths the vessels en-
plOyed iii the seal trade may sometimes choose to
drop an anchor for the purpose Of keeping in the
track of ick-hoes. These dangers are avoided by
the track chosen for the proposed cables. and L
an justified by my own experience in saving that
the track from the southern edge Of the Grand
Bank 10 st. Pierre, and thence 10 the place of
landing in America, is entirely free from any
from ice, and does not cross any anchorage
resOrtcd to by the feet OF fishing vessels"
The breaking strain of the new steel cable will
DC u tons, and the strain required for submersion
need not be more than fourteen hundred weight.
Even if at any time it be necessary to haul up
portion OF it already laid, the strain need not
,Xceed = ton and 4 half In the deepest water.
The weight of copper forming the conductor of
he existing Atlantic cables is 800 pounds Ter
The Graf Eastern has arrived ut Sheer
whence she Will proceed with the cable
probably in the end OF next June. After leaving
he Midway she Will - to Brest TO finish cualing,
md will thence start on the telegraph expedition.
Times, October -.