New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-01-25
THE FRENCH ATLANTIC CABLE.

The manufacture of the Geographic cable,
which IL is proposed submerge between France and
America next Summer proceeds with satisfactory rapid
fly The cable 70 start from the French coast at or
near Brest and TO be laid across tho Atlantic 10 the
distance OF 2,S25 miles. Communication with the main
land will be effected By OF additional line,
which Will be LAID from the island 10 probably some point
in the State OF NewYOrk. This will represent further
distance Of about 722 miles that the whole length OF
two sections Of the system will be about 3Ot nautical
miles These figures however only indicate the length
r ID mes sub Soae certain amount
OF slack cable VIII be necessary for the
process OF paying out" aud also provision against
such an accident as that which caused failure Of tho
Cuba and Florida expedition WITH the ADDITION OF SLACK
about 2.s8 miles including las miles for shore ends, and
the auxiliary hno. &c miles. that altogether total
for the purposes Of the proposed expedition The cons
Of the deepsea Cable will be similar 70 that OF the
strengthened with serving" OF tanned jute, and is
protected With 10 galvanized homogeneous iron wires,
nrst strengthened With strands Of Manila hemp
saturated with tar. The shore ends attached to
the deep-sea Cable will be Of different weights,
intermediate section next the main line weighing about
six tuns and the heavy end on the shore about 20 tun
have ordinary sheahiDG served with hemp and an
other with stranded wires servings Oh heHp anu az,
wire sheahng Of zen galvanized IRON wires VIII be used
island OF st. Piefe with the continent OF America This
covering will be also protected with servings ofhempa
"a observed that all the materials employed its manufac-
be OF excellence The copper wire re-
ceved the guttapercha works where the insulated core
il being made is first tested thatts quality and conductive
iy may be ascertaned when 1t has passed the neees-
duotor which consists of strand Of wires. In
this part OF the manufacture the center wire is passed
through bath OOntsluiDg mixture OF tar and gutta
percha, known "ChattertOn's compound" before IL
receives any OF the remaining six wires which subse
ouenty wound round 1.-THE object OF this process being
10 prevent water perDeatDR through the strands Of
CONDUCTOR The stranded conductor then receives alter
nate coats Of ChattertOn's compound and Rutta
peroha until IL assumes the required cOnsistence.
Tbe core for the deep-sea cable Is 20 be OF the
following weight Conductor, 100 n insulatOr, 400
total 500 per mile for the shallower section, con.
may be Incidentally remarked that the insulated core Is
larger Of any other cable hitherto constructed
Az RE old Malta and Alexandria line be alone eXceDted
when the core has insulated II Kept Tor "a hours
I'm water At temperature OF 70 deg Fahrenheit, ana is
then subjected TO series Of electrical tests Having
forwarded to the works. where the final sheathg is put
on and It is then coed away IN tanks until us reHoVai
70 the ship from which u Is 70 be paid OUT h0slA'OI-
able reports Of the progress Of the manufacture nave We
understand been given by the electricians VINO nave
tested the portion Of the cable already constructed
Joints in the have frequently presented serious
eules 20 engineers and others engaged IN the e1eHsVu
Of submarine teegraphy Ia the OF the new line u Is
prObabe that these difficulties will be almost entirely OBJ
Waited for Of Joints examined, only has been
found IN degree defective. About 600 miles or the
deem cable have been already manufactured, at the
rate Of about So miles week The Great Eastern is being
fitted up with for the reception Of the cable These
will DO three In number, Of which the largest viii Do 10
feet In diameter aud l6i feet high The cable Will be con
yeyed 10 the "big ship" in hulks filled with waerught
tanks The shipping expected 10 begin aDout second
week 10 January.