The New York herald., 1869-07-06
THE FRENCH TRANSATLANTIC CABLE.

rarture TO SeH--The BANQUET in the City
Action OF The French acknowledgements
OF Baron Eranger and Others-God Speed
to the Mission.
BREsr, June 21, 1850.
In spite OF evil croakings and gloomy predictions
OF many friends OF the Franco-American Trans
atlantic cable, the Great Eastern has taken her de-
parture for the North American Continent, and IL
successfully layug the third cable TO bind America
TO Europe She took her departure this morning
nom or this splendid port ana under the most
favorable auspices has boldly steamed for the West
paying OUT the magnificent cable at the rate of five
nautical miles per hour.
In the Inauguration OF this great enterprise occa-
sion was taken by the managers OF the company TO
gather together at Brest large company OF repre-
sentative men who were likely 10 have interest in
the prosecution OF a great scientific and usefal
WORK. Invitations We're extended 30 leadng states
men, lawyers, merchants and journalists to partlel
pate IN tue .r5teS that were 10 be given in this
quaint Old Breton city ON the eve Of the Great East
erns departure. Your correspondent the reclpi-
ent or invitation and he came 10 this port yester
day with the lGrge company OF invited guests, IN
special train from PARIS. We let the capital at ten
O'Clock Saturday nght, and after n very rapid
transit over the CheiRia de Fer d'0uest, arrived
here at eleven O'Clock sunday. Nothing occurred
on the journey OF any Importance. The weather
fine, anu the trip was comfortable by the man
ayers of the company, who Kept The guests well
supplied With everything that could make the
journey agreeable On our arrival carriages were
found in waiting 70 take us to Our hotels, where
rooms were engaged for all. Aiter breakfast the
company was hurried on small steamers to make
the proposed visit to the levlaUhan, which had
arrived OF the port at an earlier hour than was
contemplated Ia the programme of the excursion
The weather however. fine that delay
in the departure of the Great Eastern to commence
her noble work would nave been almost criminal
and II was determined TO make the visit at once.
The members OF Gle press were place1 upon vener-
able wheeZy, dhapdated steam tug that was in-
t1lerabiy SLOW and dreadfuiy uncomfortable, called
the Fianlbeau. Other guests were placed on board
or the Admiralty yacnt southern which bore the
hlgh onlcialS OF the Marine, the Directors OF Tele
graphs de Vougy, ana the Directors OF Size Gable
Company, The balance being placed on board tile
steamtug OF the Compagnie fransatantique, smart,
handsome, craft; and we Of The antique Fiaal-
beau mad the satisfaction OF seeing our dronlng
craft left clean astern or all Others in trip
wards where lay the Great Eastern and her
This was bad management on the part OF the hosts,
and caused q deal OF dlssAtfs4a ction among The
journalists especially those OF the Paris press who
soon became dIscontented aAd matiDoqs However
the Flainbeau steamed out Oh her course, under
bright sky, VIII the sunshine Lighting up the bright
blue waters OF the GU Atlantic, and bathing the
bod picturesque rocky shores ot the main and III q
hOod OF cheerful light.
The harbor Of Brest is now one OF the finest in the
world capacious enough to shelter the neets OF all
nations, The shores on all sides are high and rocky
here and there displaying patches Of cultiyaled
fields. green with the coming harvest The sea gates
are bolG and picturesque, aud the tremendous roll
ers OF the Atlantic break Nv Their very portals
through which channel winds deep enough TO Hoat
The Great Eastern or any other craft at any stage
OF the tide. At every favorable point splendid lght-
houses tower aiot, to direct the mariner safely Ia
the haTbor at night, and dozens OF batteries cut in
the solid rock ana mounted with the heaviest arll
lery, show that Brest is not open TO an enemy.
less 1t might be neet OF ir0n-elRds dashng UP the
,,,r.or. AS we slowly steamed out OF the gateways
to the Sea thousands q 4o. isid collected at every
available point to watch the departure =. - . lti!a
squadron, or 10 catch glimpse OF the mdistinct
Great Eastern, as she laid far away dimy
looming through me blue haze tnat sotenea The
rugged outlines OF the rocky coast and lent peace
full 10 the ITSELF As We emerged from the har
Dor and felt the heave OF the ocean the scene was
beautiful. Tending TO the right ran the lofty hign.
lands with huge masses OF rock here and there jut-
ting out in fantastic forms, at the base of which
broke Ia white lines of foam the heavy swell OF the
Atlantic. TO the seaward lay the Great Eastern
surrounded by covey OF smaller steamers, gaily
decked with nags and streamers. Some of our Pa
rlsan friends seemed not to enjoy the regular mo-
ton Of the little tub as she rose and fell ON the
waves. Everybody was smoking when we started;
but soon cigar after cigar only partially consumed,
went over the side, and raddy cheeks grew pale ana
stomachs began 70 get uneasy. There was not much
motion, but many found 1t uncomfortable and Laid
down on deck 10 avoid unpleasant results.
Your Partisan journalist is more at nome on the
Bouevards than on the briny Deep aud is anything
but joyous and witty on the deck OF little steamer
They managed to keep np pretty good appearance
the while, and rallied trife we steamed up TO
the buoy on which few the French Dag at The end OF
the shore line OF cable This had been successfully
lad day or two previously by the Hawk, from a
little sandy cove, eight miles nom the harbor, called
Petit hinouX, over regular sandy bottom, tnat
promises to protect the cable against the effects OF
the heavy seas that roll IN on the coast during
When we had arrived at the buoy we steamed
around awhile and then sailed around the Great
Eastern which had come up and proceeded - an-
chor IN order 10 splice the nam cable
with the shore end. The great ship was ex-
ceedlngy deep The shat Of her wheels dld
not seem TO be more than six feet from the surface
Of the sea. IN order TO counteract this deep INNER
sion hai OF the ioats had been taken OF and the
balance were affixed nearer the shafts. She seemed
to De trIae by the head; but that may not be SO.
AIT saw that she was drawing thirty-two or thirty.
three feet; but could not make out the marks for
ward. she new at her fore the French hag, on the
main the burEee OF fhe telegraph Construction ana
MAINTENANCE Company, at the ni1zzen the American
ensign, and astern the British cOlOrs Her decks
seemed TO be covered 10y o small village Of houses,
put up Tor the better working or the paying pro-
cess. small army OF sailors and Workmen we're
clustered about TIE decks OF peered through the
Immense p0rtholes They cheered as we passed,
and waved their hats and handkerchiefs 10 our
company. Much ~ the disappointment Of the guests
we were informed, contrary to the express under
standing or tue company, that no visitors would he
permitted 20 board The ship, and we were cOmpelled
10 see what was presented outsde--a view that did
not at aH satisfy the Partisan journalists who were
not slow 10 denounce the whole afair az a swindie
] could not participate in these views because ] De-
ieyed u 10 be perfectly right that visitors shOuld be
lofDldden 10 90 aboard while there was 50 much at
Hah' aN ~ manly tlldliCsS Dl an declleui 70 the
cable. Tho company has Lively recollection Of the
bad effects OF even SO small object o. "a crooked
nan on one Ol the cables ~ laid between ireland aud
AlheTlcd-un accldeht tlAt came very destroy
ing the cable and putting the company 10 an i'm
rncnse expense. Il does not propose 30 run SINH
lar RISK again and 1t cannot be blamed for taxing
every precaution TO prevent an nnux Of yls-
iOrs, who possibly might contain among them
one person eYllY disposed, who could do
great damage to the cable and imperIl the
entire undertaking. presume that in our company
there were nohe such set it is all right 60 be en-
VDl Cui itp p.gfa ali M D.
can gS attached 10 tbc conyrruv,,, Company which
undertakes % lay ne cable for refusing 10 .."eve
visitors on board the big ship, 1t may be said That
the French managers were wrong IN promising their
guests the privilege OF visiting the ship, when they
dld not know that II would be allowed This and
one or two other errors that certainly dd not inter-
iere with the comfort OF the vstors created great
dissatisfaction among the Parsi9D Journalists aud
DESTROYED the ecidt OF the excursion.
AZ mad Visited the Great Eastern before her de-
p9ltre on her fret trip 10 America, with the cable
ana mad seen her departure from Valenta, Ireland,
10 Tup g1i i.hf