12(5 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVEUY. 



land evidently extends below the surface of the water; the nncvomicss of 

 our soundings and condition of the cable indicate this most plainly. We 

 accordingly decided upon leaving the neighborhood of Bull's Island alto- 

 gether, as the cable in its present state at that part of the bay will not repay 

 the cost of recovery. We agreed simultaneously to attempt to raise the 

 cable off Heart's Content, and ascertain its condition there; this being the 

 most promising part of the bay, from the information we have been able to 

 collect. Accordingly, on the 1st of July, we sailed to this locality, and grap- 

 nelled for the cable in smooth water. We finally hooked it, in one hundred 

 and forty-three fathoms water, some four times or more. It sometimes 

 lifted off the ground before parting as much as forty fathoms, sometimes 

 only fifteen; in no instance did it come near the surface of the water. On 

 two occasions the iron strands of the cable left most unmistakable impres- 

 sions on the grapnel, and iron rust, resembling that usually found on the 

 cable, adhered to its claws. The bottom consisted of green mud and light- 

 colored clay, the latter very compact, and in consistency not much unlike 

 the blue clay of London; some parts of the bottom were of stone. 



Having found it quite impossible to raise the cable, we concluded, after 

 careful consideration, to make a last, but hopeless, trial at the mouth of 

 Trinity Bay, and if unsuccessful to take the steamer and men to St. John's, 

 to avoid further expense. On July 3d, the steamer reached Break Heart 

 Point, a little before 4 A. M. We grapnelled for the cable from about six 

 and a half miles off, in one hundred and sixty-five fathoms water, to within 

 one and a half miles of the point, where the water was still over one hundred 

 fathoms. We did not succeed in finding it ; and had we done so, the Atlantic 

 roll setting into the bay was so heavy, and the current running out so strong, 

 that we could not possibly have raised it to the surface, but only have deter- 

 mined its position. It is quite possible that the cable was hooked Avithout 

 being perceived by us, owing to the depth of water, and to the fact that the 

 cable, especially where laid over stone, is very rotten. At six miles out, the 

 bottom consisted of clay covered by a thin stratum of mud. At about 

 four and a half or five miles off, the bottom appeared to consist of stones, 

 and this continued to within one and a half miles of the. "point," 

 where the water was very deep. Those portions of the recovered cable 

 that were wrapped with tarred yarn were sound, the tar and hcrnp having 

 preserved the iron wires bright and free from rust. This will be further 

 reported on when the pieces of recovered cable have been more closely 

 examined. 



ON TIIE PRESENT CONDITION OF SUBMARINE TELEGRAPHING. 



The unfortunate failure of the Atlantic Telegraph, with its long series of 

 mistakes and miscalculations, has exercised, and still to a certain extent 

 continues to exercise, a depressing influence upon all important schemes for 

 submarine telegraphic communication. We can scarcely say that confidence 

 in the working practicability of any Atlantic telegraph whatever, submerged 

 along the old deep-sea route, has yet been established, while, regarding such 

 a scheme merely in the light of an investment, a commercial speculation 

 by which money is to be made, we need not remark how, at the present time, 

 even the best inaugurated enterprise of the kind would soon have the grief 

 of seeing its shares at half discount, unless the most rigid and practised 

 caution was exercised both in the choice of route and choice of cable. In 



