THE LAYING OF THE ATLANTIC CABLE.

West Coast Times, Issue 309, 19 September 1866, Page 2

THE LAYING OF THE ATLANTIC CABLE.

(FROM THE EUROPEAN TIMES,

JULY 26.) Foilkommebhum Bay, July 22.

By the time this letter is laid before the public, if no accident intervene, 1 the Atlantic cable will be out of all danger,' and the long-deferred hope of telegraphic communication between the Old . World' and the New on the point of being accomplished. Two hours since I received a private message from the Great Eastern, and the signals through the whole length of wire, more than 1200 miles of Svhich are now at the bottom of the Atlantic, came with even greater rapidity and exactness than when first sent through the shore end, only thirty miles from land. Every hour that passes, the pressure of the water and the equable temperature of the ocean depth increases the eleotrical condition of the cable, and even the high estimate formed [of the speed at which words may be telegraphed is likely to be exceeded by the use of Professor Thomson's and Varley's instruments, and the employment of Capt. Bolton's numeral code. One of the most gratifying messages and one which took a load of anxiety off all minds, was received here late on Thursday night, or rather early on Friday morning, to the effect that the coil had been safely passed from the after tank to that right forward * As the bottom of the aftermost tank was reached, the ship was slowed down to the lowest rate of speed which would keep steerage-way upon her, the cable at the same time allowed to run free out from its own weight, but with no additional impetus derivable from the speed of the ship. When all was ready, the bight of the last coil was safely passed \ip from the tank, and the length placed on the pulleys which guide it down the leading troughs from stem to stern. In another minute after this the whole began to run easily out from the length of the ship fore aud aft, and the Great Eastern then resumed her course, the insulation and " conductivity" tests being, as perfect as before. Soon after this, however, -some inconvenience was occasioned by the altered trim of the ship. The after tank had contained 840 knots of cable, which, with the water in it, represented a weight of nearly 2000 tons, and the want of this counterbalance, of course, brought the vessel very much down by the head. There was a head swell on, too," at the time, into which the ship pitched heavily — the very worst motion which a cable ship has to dread. This was soon relieved, though it is not stated how, as, of course, it is obvious that it could be done by pumping water into the cellular water-tight compartments aft. Two or three hundred tons of this would amply suffice as a counterbalance, for with every mile of progress the forward tank would be rapidly lightening — lightening, indeed, at the rate of some 250 tons per twenty-four hours. To-night's telegram reports her as having paid out about 1250' knots of cable, the distance run being about 1025, the slack being at the usual rate of 12£ per cent. From this it will be seen that 400 knots out of the 670 in the foroward tank have already been submerged, so that the undue weight forward has been relieved now, and the ship is on a level keel. The whole of the contents of this forward tank will be used to reach Newfoundland, and then only the midship tank, containing 864 knots to complete the wire "broken last year, will remain on board. Four hundred miles, however, have gone •in the Albany, and this "will be stowed in the forward tank, and the after part of the Great Eastern filled up with coals. Thus she will again start on a level keel on her great effort to grapple for and splice the end laid last year. The mesbage giving latitude and longitude of the Great Eastern to-day showed her to be just entering upon the last and most difficult portion of her task, where for a stretch of nearly 150 miles the water is deeper by some threequarters of a mile than in any other part of the North Atlantic, that we know of. When this is passed, as it will be by to-morrow night or early on Tuesday morniug, all will bo safe. From that time the ocean begins slowly, but very steadily, to shallow. From 2400 fathoms its bed gradually rose to 2000, then to 1500, 1200, 900, 700 and 80 on, till in Heart's Content Bay, one of the moat easterly spurs of rocky

headland on the south f Newfoundland it will be landed in depth of some fifty fathoms. The place chosen for its landing is a deep, rocky inlet, very much of the same kind, though, of course, on a much larger scale, than this at Foilhommerhum. It is more sheltered than Bull's Bay, where the cable of 1858 was successfully lauded, just as this flittle. rocky cove is better suited than Valentia harbor, from which it was then laid. The reason for laying this year's cable widely apart from that which broke last year is, of course, obvious. Last year's rope has to be grappled for and raised, and there would be a risk of catching up the new and good cable while searching for the old. The position of the old cable has been ascertained beyond all doubt, so that with a distance of thirty knots between it and the present cable there seems little danger of mistake, even in an Atlantic fog. It may be worth mentioning again that this cable of last year continues absolutely perfect up to the point' of fracture. Cables, when- once safely submerged, last a long time without change Thus, of the cable of 1 858, a considerable portion of it was reco : vered, and is now to this day, in sections of different lengths, doing efficient duty for the Dutch, French, and English Governments, in various parts of the world. The sy&tem of working the present cable continues day and night, and nothing has occurred to mar clear signals. Valentia, July 25.— The following telegram was received from the Great Eastern this day :— " Noon, ship's time, July 25. — Canning to Glass. Latitude 49-30. N., longitude 4811 W. Cable paid out, 1610 miles; distance run, 1430 miles. Insulation and continuity perfect. Weather foggy, with wind and rain. No observation. All going on well." A telegram from the Great Eastern announces that the line is considered certain to be completed by Friday, and requests the British and Irish Magnetic Electric and International, and United Kingdom Companies to iiave everything in readiness for commencing at once the transmission of messages for the public.