NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 129 



from Stockholm a line may easily cross the Gulf of Bothnia to St. 

 Petersburg. The whole expense of this great international work is 

 estimated considerably below 500,000. 



Another enterprise has been actually started, with every prospect 

 of consummation. A portion of the line is being prosecuted with 

 vigor, and the company propose transmitting intelligence between the 

 Old and Xew World in four or fiye days. A charter has been granted 

 by the British Colonial Government to the " Newfoundland Electric 

 Company," with a capital of 100,000, to construct a line of telegra'ph 

 from Halifax, X. S., to Cape Race, touching af St. Johns, and crossing 

 the Island of Newfoundland to Cape Ray, thence by a sub-marine 

 line of 149 miles, across the gulf of St. Lawrence, a landing being 

 made at Cape East, on Prince Edward's Island and going through 

 that island, it crosses Northumberland Straits by another sub-marine 

 line of 10 miles, landing at Cape Torment in New Brunswick, and so 

 on to the boundary of the United States, whence by an independent 

 line to New York, the connection is completed. The total distance 

 traversed by this line will be between 1,400 and 1,500 miles, of which 

 150 are sub-marine. It is stated that steamers can make ordinary 

 passages between Cape Race, Newfoundland, and Galway, Ireland, in 

 five days. 



Three several attempts have been made to connect England and 

 Ireland by a telegraphic line, but as yet the enterprise is unsuccessful. 

 In the last attempt, the contractors had got within seven miles of the 

 Irish coast all right ; and when they found they could not reach the 

 land, they began to arrange for marking the end of the rope with 

 buoys, when it unfortunately slipped away from them and sank in 

 deep water : and the whole task must be commenced anew. 



The telegraph between Paris and Bordeaux is probably the most 

 perfect line of magnetic communication in existence. The wires, ten 

 in number, go the whole distance under ground. They are five inches 

 a part, and form a hollow square. To guard against humidity, they 

 are supported upon wooden blocks, with the necessary isolation, and 

 encased in a coating of gutta percha and lead. 



A sub-marine line between France and Algiers, a distance of 400 

 miles, is about to be constructed by the French Government. 



In Prussia the wires are generally buried about two feet below the 

 surface, and carried through rivers in chain pipes. About 1,700 

 miles of telegraphic lines are in operation. 



In France about 750 miles, and in Germany about 3,000 miles are 

 completed. 



In Austria, Saxony, Bavaria, Tuscany, Holland, Italy, Spain and 

 Russia, great progress has already been made in establishing lines of 

 telegraph, and communication will soon be had between the capitals 

 of eyery State on the European Continent. 



In India, a line has been laid between Calcutta and Kedgeree, 71 

 miles, and an extensive system is projected for that country. 



The following interesting description of the telegraph in India is 

 given for the instruction and encouragement of those interested in the 



