MECHANICS AND USEFUL ARTS. 21 



But they thought it move prudent to await the result of the late 

 expedition before making further large outlay. We have thei-e- 

 fore had to work hard to restore our lines. But in two weeks our 

 cable across the Gulf of St. Lawrence was taken up and repaired. 

 It was found to have been broken by an anchor in shallow water, 

 and, when spliced out, proved as jDcrfect as when laid down ten 

 years ago. Since then a new one has been laid, so that we have 

 there two excellent cables. 



" On land the task was more slow. You must remember that 

 Newfoundland is a large countiy ; our line across it is 400 miles 

 long, and runs through a wilderness. In Cape Breton we have 

 another of 140 miles. These lines were built twelve years ago, 

 and we waited so long for an ocean telegraph that they have 

 become old and rusty. On such long lines, unless closely watched, 

 there must be sometimes a break. A few weeks ago, a storm 

 swe^at over the island, the most terrific that had been known for 

 twenty years, which strewed the coast with shi2Dwrecks. This 

 blew down the line in many places, and caused an interruption of 

 several daj's. But it was quickly repaired, and we are trying to 

 guard against such accidents again. For three months we have 

 had an army of men at work, under our faithful and indefatigable 

 Superintendent, Mr. A. M. Mackay, z-ebuilding the line, and now 

 they I'eport it nearly complete. On this we must rely for the 

 next few months. But all winter long these men will be making 

 their axes heard in the forests of Newfoundland, cutting thousands 

 of poles, and as soon as the spring opens will build an entirely 

 new line along the same route. With this double line complete, 

 with frequent station-houses, and faithful sentinels to watch it, we 

 feel pretty secure. At Port Hood, in Nova Scotia, we connect 

 with the Western Union Telegraph Comjiany, which has engaged 

 to keep as many lines as may be necessary for European business. 

 This we think will guard against failures hereafter. But to make 

 assurance doubly sure, we shall in the spring build still another 

 line by a separate route, crossing over from Heart's Content to 

 Placentia, which is about 100 miles, along a good road, where it 

 can easily be kept in order. From Placentia a submarine cable 

 will be laid across to the French island of St. Pierre, and thence 

 to Sydney, in Cape Breton, where again we strike a coach-road, 

 and can maintain our lines without difficulty. Thus we shall 

 have three distinct lines, with which it is hardly possible that there 

 can be any delay. A message from London to Ncav York passes 

 over four lines: from London to Valentia; from "Valentia to 

 Heart's Content ; from there to Port Hood ; and from Port Hood 

 to New York. It always takes a little time for an operator to 

 read a message and prejiare to send it. For this allow five min- 

 utes at each station ; that is enough, and I shall not be content 

 till we have messages regularly from London in twenty minutes. 

 One hour is ample (allowing ten minutes each side for a boy to 

 carry a dispatch) for a message to go from Wall Street to the 

 Royal Exchange, and to get an answer back again. This is what 

 we aim to do. K for a few months there should be occasional 

 delays, we ask only a little patience, remembering that our 



