The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-05-04
CABLE BREAKINt.


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The morning dispatches stats thHt all
the cables but the direct one are inter-
rupted. This piece OF news gives per-
tinence to the following suggestions
from the Newfoundland correspondent
of the New York World. ''3ss''
Referring to the repeated breakages OF
that line he says that II is believed that
" q ring" "pf speculators on the Stock
Exchange IN New York. having confed-
crates In I4ondon, are at the bottom of
II. Their plan is to purchase anglo
stock when low, and on the breaking OF
the direct cable an immediate rise fol-
lows and immense profits are realizedy'
Mr.. Bramwell, on the subject OF the
cable breakages. demonstrates that
they have occurred In perfect cable
aud through thoroughly sound metal,
and have been caused by the whole hav-
ing been torn asunder under violent
tensile strain"
The report also khows that the pro-
cess of severing an ocean cable in eighty
or one hundred fathoms of water is very
easy. A schooner Of eighty or one
hundred tons has only to drop over
board an anchor or grapnel to which
is attached stout Manila rope,
and with wind that will ena-
bic her to cross the track of the
cable at speed Of five or six knots,
the force thus applied is sufficient to
sever the strongest cable without raising
it to the surface. It is evident that this
could be done in such way that only
the skipper and one or two besides would
be in the secret. 1t is also clear that d
small steamer, well handled would do
the work far more effectually than a
sailing vessel. Ns
Putting these things together the in
ference is natural that the breaking Of
the direct cable four times In six months,
Is due to the villainous workings Of
parties interested in the interruption of
telegraphic communication.
The World correspondent goes on to
say:
There are five cables OF the Anglo
Company within very limited area
one between st. Pierre and Duxbury
and four between Placentia, in New
foundland, and Sydney, in Cape Breton.
A smart little steamer. armed only
with grapnel and Manila rope,
could, in less than a couple of days,
sever the whole of these cables,
as the track of each is mapped
out. The organized conspirators who
have been operating on the Direct
Cable may extend the range of their in
dustry, provided they see their way to
make It profitable: and it is not diff
cult to see how 1t might prove enor-
mously lucrative. Fancy America and
Europe for a week without telegraphic
communication. A repairing ship might
occupy more time than week In restor-
ing communication even with one cable.
Suppcsing that The Ring spectators
above referred to should resolve to
operate on all the. cables which connect
America and Europe. what gigantic for
tunes might be made by skilful manipu-
lators who knew that at certain date
telegraphic communication between
the two hemispheres would be cut off
How disastrous the confusion that
would follow such contingency in the
commercial world In many depart
ments business would be entirely sus-
pended.
Efforts have been made to discover
the villainous conspirators, but as yet
they have eluded vigilance.