New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-12
OCEAN CABLE CONSTRUCTIONS
DEVELOPMENT OF THE GREAT SYSTEM
OF SUBMARINE TELEGRAPHY.
SUCCESS LARGELY Due TO AMERICAN ENTER.
PRGsE-NEFD OF A PACIFIC CABLE

Washington, March II fSpecldl.-lne GeNtlopHifhl
Of the submarine telegraph from mere gutta
percha coated wire laid in New-York Harbor by
Professor Morse IN 1872 to the great cables which
engirdle the en.re earth except the bed OF the
Pacific is described IN "A statement just issued by
the Treasury Rurcru OF Statistics entitled "Chro-
nology Of Submarine Telegraph Construction
Throughout the World and the Development Of
Submarine Tclegraphy." This publication, which
has been prepared by the Bureau OF Statistics in
view OF the special interest Just now developed in
"A subma rine telegraph line 70 connect the United
States with Hawaii Guam. the Philippines and the
AsIatic Coast. shows not only the location number
and length Of the submarine telegraphs OF the
world. but also the history OF this great system
and the part which American genius and enterprise
have had in It's development.
The statement credits Saliva. Spanard. with the
first recorded suggestion OF submarine telegraphy,
made before the Barcelona Academy OF Sciences In
1886 Aldin a nephew OF Gavini. performed ex-
periments In the transmission OF electric signals
under the near Calais. France. in 1903: Schil-
ling ignited gunpowder 10y electricity transmitted
through subaqueous conducting wire under the
Neva River near ST. Petersburg In 1872: teegraphc
signals were transmitted through insulated wires
under the River IIoogly in India by the director OF
the Eas India Company's telegraph system In 1879.
and IN 1892 Professor Morse transmitted electric
currents and signals through an insulated copper
wire laid for that purpose between Castle Garden
and Governors Island IN NewYork iIarbor and
IN the fOllONlDR year SuBEtSl'u SuDnaiIH' '''~''N
communication between the United States and
Europe. In 1916 Ezra Cornell. in conjunction with
Professor Morse laid and successfully operated sub
marine copper wires in the Hudson River between
New-York and Fort Lee and In lA1 section OF
the telegraph line connecting New-York and Wash
ngton was laid through the water OF narrow
creek by J. ]. Craven, OF New-Jersey, thus demon
strating the practicability OF actual submarine
telegrapnic service. In 1870 submarine telegraph
line was laid the English Channel. and Sig
nails were exchanged. but without further success.
though in the following year n cable containing
four copper wires insulated with gutta percha and
protected by galvanized iron wires wound spirally
about II laid across the English channel ana
put Into successful operation as submarine teie-
graph lire.
These experiments having proved the practicable
fly OF submarine teegraphy, the great enterprise
OF a telegraph line under the Atlantic Ocean was
undertaken. and the later developments are de-
scribed in the statement as follows:
1S7-First attempt 70 lay a submarine telegraphic
cable across the Atlantic Ocean. the enterprise
and Charles Bright J. VI. Brett and others.
Of England The llne was to extend rom
OF cable necessary being estimated at 2'lV
miles The construction OF this cable was
After 255 miles had been laid from Nalentia
westward. the cable broke and the Work was
Renewal by Mr. Field and his associates OF
the attempt 10 lay submarine Geographic
EavsI vessel Niagara and the British vessel
Agamemnon. carrying each one-halt OF the
ing the ends OF their respective sections. on
July o. proceeded westward and eastward
paving out the cable and reaching their re-
spectivc destinations. Newfoundland and Naien-
tia. on the same day. August o lsoS; wntn cree ,
~ coble which ihey had thus laid Congratu-
Iatorv messages were exchanged between the
President Of the United States and the queen
IN both Countries over what was pronounced
the great event Of the century. After less
cable ceased working. and it was never OPP
StSd f9F 6r NOR tSe time Of its operation
7s0 messages OF about ten thousand words
were passed over it. Its total cost was 1'Z6'-
1894 submarine teegraphic cable TO connect Eng
land with British India was laid through the
Red Sea and Arabian sea TO kurrachee. Indla
having "A total length OF 304S nautical miles.
but with several intermediate landings some
portions OF the Inc Wotked shLIsla,,oilly doa
thirty days. bat few. II any. messages We're
sent over the entire length, and 1t soon proved
complete failure.
is6O-An elaborate study Of the entire subject o.
submarine telegraphs and the construction OF
cables was made by committee aPpoih'tu
by the British Board Of Trade. resultlng In an an
raphy might. despite past failures. become sue
cessful and profitable II sufficient care were
exercised in constructing. laying and manas-
ing the cable.
1874 submarine telegraphic cable. which had
been manuf9ctured with great c@feii was ia a
exandria Egypt with lntermediate landing
consisted OF seven copper wires srahGeu 70
gethcr covered with several coatinRs OF gutta
p1d waierproof material and in turn covered
and protected by eighteen iron wires wound
permanent success. and went into general
operation shortly after It's construction. The
cable ana shorter submarine lines had been
three words minute was brought up TO ten
words a minute each separate section, but
was only three words minute when all the
sections were united and operated as a SIN
g1a n. a mi
lss2-A subrnarin cable which had been laid across
the Mediterranean Sea between France and
Algeria in 1851 proved complete failure after
few months Of experiment
Of cable line to S connect Gm%1 IG 6
eminent. the line TO be laid through the
Arabian Sea and Persian cuff 10 connect
short SUBJ su6marine line under the British chan
mel 10 England The submerged line In the
length OF l4j0 miles. but with three inter.
mediate landing places. This line consisted OF
a copper core surrounded by layers OF guta
percha alternated with other non-conducting
and waterproof material being Protscted by by
wires wound splrally about II. which IN turn
were protected by double wrappings OF tarr req
various sections OF the cable were constantly
ana '6or9ugh tes,ed The I Inc when
laid proved a complete success. becoming the
first successful Geographic connection between
England and India
1S65-Another attempt made by, Cyrus w: Field and
his associates in the United states and England
Valentia. Ireland 10 Newfoundland and the
United States. The cable. for which the con-
tract price 100000. partly IN cash and
partly in shares OF the company, consisted OF
seven copper wires surrounded by numerous
coatines OF gutta percha and other water
proof on-conductors. This was In turn sur
rounded by ten Bessemer steel wires. this
being the first use OF steel wires for cable
protection. each wire being separately wound
Win pich-soaked hemp yarn the shore ends
being also further protected by thrty-sx
heavy iron wires wound spiraIly ABOUT inc
connie, cd cable The steamer Great Eastern,
then the largest steamship atoat. was special
ly fitted up for laying this cable. Great care
was exercised IN every particular. but after
llss miles had been laid westward from Val.
entia the cable broke in water over ll.0oO feet
deep and the attempts 10 recover ~ were un-
successful
lsGC-Mr Field and his associates renewed theit
effor,s TO Law a cable across the Atlantic. A
new company with 50. 900. 600 capital was formed