The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-09

laid through the Red sea and Arabian sea
10 kurrachee India, having a total
length Of SM3 nautical miles, but with
several intermediate landings Some por-
tions of the line worked satisfactorily for
thirty days but few, if any. messages
were sent over the entire length, and il
soon proved a complete failure.
1S60-Elaborate study Of the entire sub
ject of submarine telegraphs and the con-
struction of cables was made by commit
tee appointed by the British Board of
Trade resulting In an expression OF the
belief that submarine biography might
despite past failures, become successful
and profitable if sufficient care were ex-
ercsed in constructing, laying and man
aging the cable
This Was the First Success.
1S61-A submarine Geographic cable
which had been manufactured with great
care, was laid across the Mediterranean
from Malta to Alexandria, Egypt with
intermediate landing places at Tripoli and
Benghazi The cable consisted of seven
copper wires stranded together. covered
with several coatings of gutta percha, al
ternated with other nom conducting and
waterproof material, and in turn covered
and protected by eighteen iron wires
wound spirally about this core. This ca
BILE proved a permanent success ana went
into general operation shortly after its
construction. The speed of transmission
which on the Atlantic cable and shorter
submarine lines had been three words per
minute. was brought up to ten words per
minute on each separate section, but was
only three words per minute when all the
sections We're united and operated as a
single line of 1881 miles.
1S62.-A submarine cable, which had been
laid across the Mediterranean sea between
France and Algeria in 1861, proved COM
plete failure after a few months of ex-
pertinent.
1s6l-Construetion of a cable line to con-
meet India with England undertaken by
the Indian government, the line to be
laid through the Arabian sea and Persian
Gulf to connect with land lines, thence to
Calais and by the short submarine line
under the British channel TO England. The
submerged line in the Arabian sea and
the Persian Gulf had total length of
$50 miles, but with three intermediate
landing places. This line consisted of
copper core surrounded by layers of gutta
percha. alternated with other non-conduct-
ing and waterproof material being pro-
tected by an outer sheathing of twelve
galvanized iron wires wound spirally about
it, which in turn were protected by double
wrappings OF tarred hemp yara All of
these materials and the various sections
of the cable were constantly and thor
oughly tested electrically and otherwise
during its construction. The line, when
laid proved a complete success, becom-
ing the first successful Geographic con-
nection between England and India.
Fields second Failure.
1863. Another attempt made by Cyrus
w. Field of the United States, and his
associates in the United States and Eng
land 20 lay a submarine telegraph cable
from Valentia, Ireland, to Newfoundland
and the United STATES The cable, for
which the contract price was 100000.
partly In cash and partly In shares of the
company. consisted OF seven copper wires
surrounded by numerous coatings of gutta
percha and other waterproof non-conduc-
tors. This was ia turn surrounded by ten
Bessemer steel wires, this being The first
use of steel wires for cable protection,
each wire being separately wound with
pitch-soaked hemp yarn, the shore ends
being also further protected by thirty
six heavy iron wires, wound spiraily about
the completed cable. The steamer Great
Eastern. then the largest steamship afioat,
was specially fitted up for laying this
cable Great care was exercised in every
narticular. but after 1856 miles had been
laid westward from Valentia, the cable
broke In water over 1900 feet deep. and
the attempts 10 recover IL we're unsuccess-
full
This Time He Succeeded.
1856 Mr.. Field and his associates re-
neWed their efforts to lay a cable across
the Atlantic. A new company, with $1,000
600 capital, was formed with the double
purpose of attempting TO find the end of
the cable partially laid In 1865 and COM
plete the line, and also to lay another
cable parallel with and near to II. The
cable manufactured for the proposed new
line was similar to that of 1865. The Great
Eastern was remodeled to further meet
the requirements of the work. and left
valentia. ireland, July 10, 1866 paying out
the cable In a line about twenty-five miles
north of that followed on the preceding
wear. She safely arrived at NewfOund-
land in fourteen days from the date OF
leaving Valentia, and electrical commu-
nication was Immediately established be-
tween the United States and England,
which has never since been more than
temporarily interrupted. The Great East
ern then returned to the spot where the
cable was lost in 1865. and after ten days
work. succeeded IN bringing the end on
hoard from a depth OF over l1,O00 feet,
the tests Immediately made showing IL
To be In perfecting working connection
with the Valentia end. A splice was made
and the laying of the line toward New
foundland resumed, and on Sept. 3 the
cable was landed at that point and the
second successful line Of communication
between the United States and Europe
thus completed Newfoundland being al
ready In submarine Geographic commune
cation with the mainland and telegraph
systems OF the United states. The length
between Trinity bay, Newfoundland, and