Year: 1865

At last the mystery OF the breakdown
of the cable is known in all its details.
The master OF the Hawk, which returned
here this evening, having left the great
ship last night, brings full particulars both
of the extraordinary nature Of the acci-
dent, and the still moro curious manner
in which it was discovered its place as
certained the cable hauled in, and the
piece cut out. When about so miles off
land, with dead calm weather, the ship
going six knots, and the cable, We are
told, running outas softly as '.silA rope"
the usual test Signals were being sent
through, when suddenly both those to and
from the shore gave most serious indlca-
tions ofiaulty insulation. The utmost
alarm was felt for this discovery. The
connections Of the instruments were care
fully re-cxaminel, and the most rigid
eXactncss observed in the final tests. All
gave the same results, and. what was Il
still more certain and ominous proof. the
return currents from Valencia showed an
equal loss. Notice was instantly given
to Mr.. Canning and Captain Anderson.
and the speed Of the Great Eastcrn,whlch
was then in 800 lathoms. was reduced to
almost standstill. 1t must be renem-
bcred that all these signals were sent and
received through the whole length OF $500
nautical miles, or about 200 statute
miles, of wire. Valencia was instantly
communicated WITH and the whole cleo
trical staff under Mr.. De Sauty set to
work to ascertain by resistance tests
whether the fault was in the ship or in
the 50 miles that had been paid out.
Trials Of SO delicate a nature and Of such
vital Importance to the success Of the un-
dcrtaking were, Of course, conducted with
the most viglant caution, and the calcu-
lations based upon their data made and
rcmadc to insure certainty. The result
of all was a unanimous decision that the
fault was not on board, but in the so
miles of submerged wire. When this
dicson had been arrived at the cable was
at once cut on board the Great Eastern,
and the length under water tested by Mr..
Saunders, With wonderful skill his tests
at once 'locaized' the spot where the
fault cxistcd,-ll miles from the stern Of
the ship, and within quarter of mile
from where it actually was. Instantly
preparations were made for getting the
Great Eastern round, and employing the
winding g-in-apparaius fixed forward speci-
ally to be used i'll case Of such mishaps.
1t was hoped, Of course, that its use would
never be required, and very many beliey-
cd that whether required or not it would
never accomplish what it was intended to
achieve. The result proved the tallacy
Of both hopes and fears. The severed
portion Of the cable was passed into this
machine, and the Great Eastern steaming
back over the ropes course, the work OF
reeliog in at once begin. The cable came
up with singular ease. The strain on the
ldynanometer of the machine never ex-
ccclcd Is ewt., which was nothing to a
cable guaranteed not to break under
tons, and equal, from its specific gravity,
to supporting II miles Of its weight i'll
water, or through a deeper sea than sound
ings have ever yet found in the world.
As we have said, within q quarter Of a
mile of the spot indicated by Mr.. Saun-
dcrs, the fault was found and nothing
can more strongly indicate the endless
pcris with which successful submarine
telcgraphy is beset than the trivial and
almost unavoidable accident which had
caused it.


As the lengths Of wirc Of l0G or l50
miles were manufactured at Messcrs.
Glass X EIliot's they were taken down in
bargcs and coiIed away i'll the tanks on
board TIE Great Eastern Each as it ar
rived was OF course spliccd up to that
which had Proceeded it, and this was Of
ten done in the tanks themselves. The
operation Of splicing not only means join
ing the conductor, but also joining the
outside wires, the Junction OF the latter
being made at different loneths-thc bits
OF wire cut cut being thrown away. 1t
seems, however, that Que of these atoms
Of wire, about two inches long, and as
thick as Il stout darning needle, fell on
the soil unnotced-as, indeed, who would
notice it, or for moment tank oi the
consequences which its disrcSarded pres
cnce in such spot mi ght surely OCCASION
The weight OF tho ayers Of the cable
laid above this fragmcnt--as insignificant
as shaving in a carpenters shop-press-
cd it firmly into the tarrcd hemp which
forms the outside covering Of the
cable. To this it adhered. While in the
tank it did no harm, but When this por-
ton came to be paid out the small dlan-
eter OF the eight leading wheels which
give access to the paying-out machine,
aud the light Of the jockey pu!leys over
these which keep the rope in its place
bent the stout iron wire so sharply that
it passed between the hemp. pierced the
gutta pcrcha through al least two or three
of its four folds and there remained. In
this state it was found and instantly re-
cognized as piece Of wire from splice
Joint. a short length Of cable was at
once cut out, Il new splice made, vigilant'
ly tested and gradually sunk. When OIL
the bottom it was again rc-tcstel for
some hours, and the signals were shown
to be absolutely perfect.


During all of tuis time the Great East


ern remained quietly hove too. The sea
was calm, and even the throbting swell
of the Atlantic had died away into the
mere undulation Of wave. The motiol
in her therefore was barely perceptlbIe tt
the feeling, and could certainly not be de


tectel by the sight, save by watching th'
little arc Of a circle which her topmast
now and then described. The whole ac