The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1869-08-06
The French .ltLuSatic CNLLe.-1Ne
Process Of Ocean TeLcOrapIainO.

Monday afternoon q number OF gentlemen
connected with the newspaper press were
invited to the rooms of Mr.. Moses +. Far.
mcr, the we'll known electrician, 10 inspect
model Of the Atlantic Cable, and to exam
inc the workings Of instruments by which
messages arc sent through the Franco
American Cable. 1t is well known that
on land lines Of telegraph each signal Is
made Ivy suspcnding the flow Of tho electric
current for Two different intervals of time,
called IDIOTS and dashcs"--thc use Of which,
in different orders, constitutes the alphabet
of the telegraph. When they ore printed
they arc read by" sight" but ordinarily the
operator reads them by sound" - easily
as the musician reads the letters OF the scale
by the same sense But the method of sig.
nnlizing through the Atlantic cable is exact.
" reversed from that on the land lines. II
will bc remembered Ivy those who took the
pains to inform themselves, that when tho
first Atlantic Cable was finished something
new was required 10 overcome the tardy
manner in which messages were transmitted.
The cause for this slowness is obvious. The
gutta pcrcl,a covering of the copper wires,
under tho pressure Of a great depth Of water,
becomes IN absorbent OF the electricity
which Is being sent through them To the OK.
tent Of 90 per cent. Tic first portion of tho
electric wave of 10 per cent. crosses the
ocean 200 niles in two seconds, and II
would liz followed by succession of waves
from the restoration Of that portion Of thu
electricity which has been absorbed by the
gut;a pcrchn in impulses, and the signal
would I've repeated like echoes. and produce
not only confusion but great delay. TG
overcome the difficulty the common relay
instrument used IN land lines was abandoned
aud the rejecting galvanOnlctcr adOpted-au
instrument which defects u ray of light
The device IL as simple rs It Is Ingenious Il
consists Of u minute pclarized needle, sus'
pended on single strand Of delicate sill
fibre. III the centre of this necdlcis placed
an almost microscopic mirror. which reflects
q single ray Of light from u powerful lamT
In bOx, the whole suspended in tho ccntr.
of the coil. The currents Of electricity ef
feet this needle alternately 10 the right ant
left, for space of time corresponding K
that occupied IN the signal on the land line
tho same Kind Of alphabet being used II
10th cases. The receiver mot opcratorl Sit
in dark room, and the small mirror rcflect'
the ray Of light upon piece Of white papc
on the wall before him, on which bIacl
line Is drawn, 10 the right and left Of which
the light Is alternately reflected. The ~
ceiver reads these signals by ''atght," and
transmits them to another person, place.
outside of the dark room, by means Of q
ordinary instrument. The Morse alphabet
with some slight alterations, Is used Th'
:. hclix" consists of coil Of wire contain
ing many thousands of circles, through
which the electric current traverseA Con
trary to the general idea enlertained, tn
battery required 70 work the cable ID vcT]
small, and can be carried In ones vcs
pocket
The instruments for the French cable o.,
substantially tho same - those In use on tn
present cable, and were sent to Daxbusy
few days sir,ce, having 6rst been tested b,
Nj. Farmer. m