The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-26

a group of three French ISLANDS, consisting OF
ST. Pierre and Great and Little Miquelon, off
the south coast of Newfoundland and oppo-
site the Gulf of st. Lawrence: it has an area
of 1O6 square miles and a population not far
from 1000 It is of great importance to
France as fishing rendezvous, employing,
with the two other islands, as many as $1,000
men. The island is scarcely anything more
than rock, with a soil so scarce as almost
entirely to preclude vegetation.
DUxBURY,
selected as the western terminus, is a town in
Plymouth county, and is 3G miles S. Sc of
Boston. Here, at "Rouses Hummock, the
western end of the cable will connect with
the shore line built from Boston. This is
situated near the Gurnet light at the entrance
of Plymouth harbor and in a direct line is
about one mile and half from the village,
but it cannot be approached without driving
around the beach a distance of five or six
miles, unless one feels disposed to cross
marshes and rivers, which in direct line in
tervene between it and the village. The
Hummock is a conical shaped hill, and en-
braces about thirty or forty acres of land,
covered with a slight growth of wood. Its
highest point is about fifty feet above the level
of the ocean, from which a beautiful view of
the majestic ocean and the surrounding coun-
try can be had. The cable company have
erected building at this place, in which the
stantly be stationed in the building, to guard
the cable against danger, and in case Of a
break it will be tested at this point.
THE DISTANCES
10y water are from Brest to st Pierre, 1926
nautical miles, and from St. Pierre to Dux-
bury, 722 nautical miles; the other sections
will make the total length 3iO7 miles. The
portion of the cable between Brest and st.
Pierre was successfully laid by the steamship
Great Eastern; that from st. Pierre to DuX-
bury by the steamers Scanderia and Chiltern.
THE MAIN OFFICE
is in the old bank building at Duxbury village.
This Office will be under the charge of Mr.. l..
G. Watson, of New York, the General Super
intendent and Managing Agent of the COM
pany, assisted by Mr. r. Il, Brown, of London,
the manager of the land lines. Mr. NJ. j.
Gaines formerly Consul-General for the
United States at Tripoli, but who for the past
seven or eight years has been engaged in
telegraphic service in the Mediterranean, is
to be the chief clerk in charge of the cable
and force Of about twelve electricians will
be required to perform the duties of the cable
and land lines.
LAYING THE CABLE.
On the 18th of June the shore end of the
cable was submerged at Brest. On the DIST
made, and the expedition started for st.
Pierre at an early hour in the morning. At
noon on the 22d, ia nautical miles had been
run; on the oath, 377 miles; the 26th, 574
miles During this day there was a detention
of over three hours, caused by an interrupt
ton of the signals, which difficulty was sue
cessfully overcome) the 27th, G97 miles;
the 2Sth, S23 miles; the 29th, 92O miles;
at . o'clock on the morning of the 3Oth,
1t
on board the Great Eastern were going to
cut and buoy the cable; communication was
not had with the steamer again until July ,
at noon, when it was ascertained that fault
was discovered in the cable on Wednesday,
June 30, and the Great Eastern was obliged
to stop and locate it, and remove it, A heavy
gale prevailed, and in order to avoid the pro-
bability of a serious accident to the cable, it
was decided to cut and buoy it, which was
done with success-the cable was recovered
July >, the fault removed, and the work of
paying out recommended; July 3, at noon,
114G knots run, and 1891 knots of cable
paid out; July 6, at 10 o'clock A. NJ, the
Great Eastern arrived in American waters;
up to noon of which day she had
run 1924 knots, and paid out 100 knots of
the cable; at noon, July Z, 1889 knots run,
and 1910 knots of cable paid out; at noon,
July s, 1854 knots run, 1877 knots of the
cable paid out; at noon, July 10, 2023 knots
run, 2287 knots of cable paid out; on the
morning of July II the steamer was off New
foundland, and only thirty miles distant from
the place where the splice was to be made;
July 13, the Great Eastern arrived off the
island of st. Pierre, and on the 14th the
splice was made with the shore end, and COM
munication opened from st. Pierre to Brest,
the first message sent being a sealed message
which was prepared by the Emperor of the
French and placed in the hands of Sir James
Anderson, by whom it was transmitted.
The short cable from st. Pierre to Dux-
bury was then laid by the Chiltern, the shore
end being landed on Friday evening, July %.
-BOStOH IrageIor.