The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-01-15
An OLD TELEGRAPalC CABLE FOR SALE.

II may not be generally known that the ship
Egmont which Is now lying at the Atlantic Dock,
Brooklyn with about 500 miles Of telegraphic cable
on board has had rather Improbable history since
the day she left England in the winter OF 1885, It
viii be remembered by all who familiar with the
peculiar way the Western Union Telegraphic Com.
pony had in making contracts for wires and apparar
tus Tor the Russo American Telegraph at that period
that it decided by the OF the corpora
tion that cable to cross the Behring's Straits or
sea, should be manufactured in England at very
cheap rates and without regard to the poor quality
OF the article used In the manufacture. The
Messrs Henley & Co.. OF London, obtained
the contract, and the cable when finished was
placed on board the Egmont to be forwarded 70 Its
destination. After the ship had LEFT on her voyage
o scientific Journal In London. called the Engineer,
published very striking article on the merits Of the
cable. In giving summary OF the cables manufac-
tured during the year 1866 the editor In the article
alluded to reference to this special cable wrote
follows -
Five hundred miles of slender cable, ,chtcn can
neUer last anywhere a tlCeicenaonth, have been
shipped forhe sea portion near Behring's Straits OF
the ne IN y the western uaon Iss
engineer was employed IN any step OF the
proceedings. In March we predicted that the money
gauntlet through host OF dangers. the fulflment
Ofsthe prediction has already begun. The ship,
cable, while trying to get arolnd Cape horn strained
herself and had to round the Cape OF Good Hope
70 Mauritius the cable i y SAID Would nave 70 0e
careful supertnIendence, would probably end In the
destruction OF the cable ct once ~ the melting Of tine
gutta percha II exposed to tropical sun.
This statement OF the editor brought out reply
from the London agent Of the Western Union Com
pany, IN which he vainiy underworld TO prove shat
the cable had been manufactured and tested BY
competent engineer. To this the editor OF the En-
gtneer gave the following quietus:-
We are aware that the cable had been occasionally
On hs gerv e on
the part OF the company was, we have heard on good
authority, only taken at the urgent request q the
manufacturers. Except Tor this step thrust upon
them this company would apparently have bought
500 miles OF telegraph cable through their London
have ordered 500 fathoms OF half.inch hemp. The
testing admltted-though we feel curious TO know II
designed the cable OF that size and proportion for shall
low water in 1867 Who designed and Inspected the
supply Of machinery who was n electrical charge
direct the whole operation OF rettting the ship and
relaying the cabel we shall watch and crlticse
each step in this cables existence, which. we
certain, cannot occupy time long, for de-
termined that submarine teegraphy shall not again
suffer through want Of criticism Of works undertaken
IN the same reckless manner a. that which once
threw 1t back so many years.
It Is almost needless to state that this article was
not replied to by the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany, for the simple reason that the questions put
by the editor could not be satisfactorily answered.
After leaving London and strainlng herself in her
attempt to get round Cape Horn, the Egmont ar
rived at Esquimault, Vancouver Island, when tho
cable was tested BY putting one end to the earth
and connecting the other to the magnet and battery,
merged IN a water tight tank on board the vessel.
In the opinion OF the western Union Company this
test was very but me Teeraphsr OF this
nenly asked-"what particular difference would
have resulted by this method oil testing II yard or
two OF the insulation had been stripped or the
cable, as the water IN this tank was not IN connec-
ton with the earthfo
The Egmont after lying In port with the cable for
some time, was offered Tor sale TO the East India
Company, the cable 10 be used in dOubly connect
ing tue Indies with China, but the East india folks
couldn't see the p0int,n and reused TO be swim
died. The vessel then departed for Victoria b. c.,
where she lay for some time, the Western Union
induce somebody who might not htiow any better to
purchase tine worthless cable, butA to no purpose
Everybody declined to get badly sold to the profit
Finally. last summer the Egmont came to New
York and lay at the foot OF wall street for some
time, waiting for cable purchaser, with no sue
cess. and she Ii now. with ner precious cargo, laid
up at the Atlantic Dock BROOKLYN awaiting until the
Western Union can SO gull the United states govern
ment to induce them TO buy what competent tele-
graphic engineers have declared TO be very worth
less drug In the telegraphic market
The company now propose to sell this all-around-
the-world relic TO the government Tor the moderate
sum Of nalf million dollars intrinsic value
and Il Is reported that senator Nye has bill before
Congress, which II made law, will enable the West
ern Union Company TO reimburse themselves and
give q handsome fee 10 gentlemen OF the Congress
sionai lobby who have the matter In charge.
willie the lobbying for the job rs going In Con-
Rress tne junk dealers at New YORK and Brooklyn
should see 10 II that an article, wnicn beongs by
right and fact TO their list OF salabie goods should
not be taken out of Its proper channel or trade.
When the governments eyes shall have been opened
TO the full value OF this wonderful cable The ..0ld
ironr folks may lind, even II they have 10 pay one
half cent per pound for IT. that t may be made prod
table in many uukerinQ WAYS