Year: 1866




The Atlantic cable has undoubtedly proved
SO far great success From the time that the
paying out commenced at the Irish coast of
Valentia until the present the continuity has
been perfect, and messages have been regularly
transmitted. Since Sunday morning we may
say that America has been in direct telegraphic
communication with Europe. Intelligence of
vast importance to the interests of the latter
continent-the peace between Austria and
Prussia has reached us on the submarine
wire. We are promised that in a few days
regular business communication will be opeEed
pated will be fairly commenced. The weather
appears to have been highly favorable to the
enter prise for there has not been for many
years so fair trip made across the Atlantic at
this season as that of the Great Eastern and
her consorts; and we judge by the very moder-
ate length OF cable paid out-only 1866 miles
from point to point-that the vessel must have
kept o very steady course. Altogether the
matter has been well managed, and may be
regarded throughout as q very fine achieve
ment of science, skill and enterprise.


So far, then, all is we'll but will the success
of the cable be permanent VIII the tele-
graphic current from continent to continent
remain unimpeded by the accidents of waves
and currents and the Irregularities Of the
ocean bedi We think this Is doubtful. The
surveys SO carefully made show that the
bottom Of the sea for some five or six hundred
miles from the coast Of Ireland is interrupted
! by rocky ridges and chasms, In the midst Of
which there Is much danger OF the cable get
ting chafed, by tho bearing down Of its own
weight into the hollows, and the scraping of its
surface upon the ragged edges Of the rocks.
Again, towards the coast Of Newfoundland
there are rapid and changing under-currents,
which may materially affect the safety Of the
wire. All these probabilities must be tested
before we can pronounce success perma-
nent. There may be q radical error In
the pan Of running the cable directly
westward from the Irish coast over these
rocks and chasms, which sooner or later
will wear 1t away, and it will probably part, It
may be in few days or a few months. Why
not make a curve southwark and meet the Gulf
Stream, which We know makes o smooth bed
for itself, and which does not flow 50 far north
% the coast Of Ireland. By following this
curve of the Gulf Stream the uneven bottom
Of the OCEAN would be avoided. This course
might insure perfect safety for the cable,
although 1t would involve the necessity of laying
q few more miles. In its present position we
cannot regard its permanency as at all certain.
But fortunately we will not be dependent
solely upon thus Atlantic line for our future
telegraphic connection with Europe. There
are other lines in contemplation which
appear to have less d fHculties to con-
tend with. For instance, the line across
Behring's Straits to Siberia and Russia
we look upon as one certain to be es-
tablished but even should II fail We have
still two other routes In view from our south
ern seaboard-one via Bermuda, and another
to the Azores, and thence to the coast of Spain.
These cables would have the double advantage
oflying at the bottom OF comparatively calm
part Of the sea and Of having . resting place,
as 1t were, in mid ocean, rendering the vast
stretch across the whole Atlantic unnecessary.
Therefore should the recently laid cable
hold good, and the Russian line be successfully
completed and the Great Eastern succeed in
raising and connecting the old cable, We shall
have Ave modes Of submarine communication
with the Old World by and by; and II they
should happen to fail, Il b pretty certain that
the Southern routes will be tried, and they will
no doubt succeed. So that We do not despair
in the least Of seeing the two continents con-
nected by telegraph even should the buoyant
hopes entertained Of the continued success OF
the great Atlantic cable not be realised. Il
has not been fully tested yet. Time alone can
prove whether II can be considered . fat &c
compii.