122 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



finger. The point proposed to be reached, Cape Grinez, the nearest 

 landmark to the English coast, and between Calais and Boulogne, is a 

 distance of twenty-one miles, so that a surplus supply of nine miles of 

 \vire was held in reserve for the purpose of slackening. The connect- 

 ing wires were placed in readiness at the Government pier in the har- 

 bour, and likewise at the Cape, where they run up the face of the 

 acclivity, which is 194 feet above the sea-mark. 



Some interesting experiments were first made upon a small scale to 

 show the practicability of the plan. A mile of wire was paid out off 

 the deck, from the pier to Shakspeare's ClifT, and the sinking process 

 was proved to be a practicable performance. A communication was 

 also sent through twenty-four miles of wire. On Wednesday morning 

 the experiment of sinking submarinely was practically commenced. 

 The Goliah put out to the pier, with her telegraphic tackle and appara- 

 tus on board, under a calm sea and sky and a favoring wind. The con- 

 nection between the thirty miles of telegraphic wire was then made good 

 to 300 yards of the same wire inclosed in a leaden tube on shore, to pre- 

 vent it being bruised by the shingle on the beach, and to enable the ex- 

 perimenters, as they proceeded out to sea, to send communications on 

 shore. The vessel steamed out at the rate of three or four miles an 

 hour into the open sea, in a direct track for Cape Grinez. The wire 

 weighed five tons and the cylinder two. The operation of paying out 

 the thirty miles of wire commenced on a signal to the sailors to " Go- 

 ahead with the wheel, and pay out the wire," which was continuously 

 streamedjout over a roller at the stern of the vessel, the men at every 

 16t,h of a mile being busily engaged in riveting on to the wire square 

 leaden clamps, or weights of iron, from 14 Ibs. to 24 Ibs. in weight, 

 which had the effect of sinking the wire to the bottom, which, on the 

 English coast commences at a depth of 30 feet, and goes on varying from 

 that to 100 and 180 feet, which latter, or 30 fathoms, is the greatest depth. 



The whole of the casting out and sinking was accomplished with 

 great precision and success, owing to the favorable state of the day. 

 The only conjectured difficulty on the route was at a point in mid- 

 channel, called the Ridge, between which and another inequality called 

 the Yarne, both well known and dreaded by navigators, there is a 

 deep submarine valley, surrounded by shifting sands, the one being 

 seventeen miles in length, and the other twelve, and in their voitex, 

 not unlike the voracious one of the Goodwin Sands, ships encounter 

 danger and lose their anchors, and trolling nets of fishermen are fre- 

 quently lost. Over this, however, the wire was successfully sub- 

 merged, below the reach, it is believed, of either ships' anchors, sea- 

 animals, or fishing nets. The remainder of the route, though rougher 

 on approaching the coast of France, was accomplished cleverly, but 

 slowly. A communication, dated Cape Grinez, Coast of France, half 

 past eight, P. M., and received at Dover by submarine telegraph, was 

 as follows: " The Goliah has just arrived in safety, and the com- 

 plete connection of the under-water wire with that left at Dover this 

 morning is being run up the face of the cliff; complimentary inter- 

 changes are passing between France and England, under the strait and 

 through it, for the first time." 



