SUBMARINE CABLES. 



junction with the Ohio. Length, 2200 feet ; same 

 construction ; deposited in 1851. 



Across the Mississippi, at Cape Girondeau, in 

 the State of Missouri. Length 3700 feet ; depo- 

 sited in 18,53. 



Across the Merimmac river, where it falls into 

 the Mississippi, twenty miles below St. Louis. 

 Length, 1600 feet ; deposited in 1853. 



All these are similar to the Paducah cable. 



Across the Mississippi at St. Louis, three cables 

 for different lines, each enclosed by 14 lateral 

 external wires. Length, 3500 feet. Deposited in 

 1852-3. 



Across the Ohio at Maysville, Kentucky, a cable 

 containing two conducting wires, enclosed by 28 

 lateral external wires, constructed like the former. 

 Length, 2100 feet. Deposited in 1853. 



Across the Ohio at Henderson, Kentucky. 

 Length, 3200 feet. Deposited in 1854. 



Cables constructed by Messrs. Xewall and Co. 

 have also been deposited in the following places : 



Across the Mississippi at New Orleans, contain- 

 ing one conducting wire. Length, 3000 feet. 

 Deposited in 1853. Shown in figs. 45, 46. 



Across the Hudson, 10 miles above New York ; 

 similar construction. Length, 3600 feet. Depo- 

 sited in 1854. 



Across the Straits of Northumberland, at the 

 mouth of the St. Lawrence ; similar construction. 

 Length, 10 miles. Deposited in 1853. 



At certain places on the great western rivers 

 serious difficulties have been and are still encoun- 

 tered in the preservation of these subaqueous 

 conductors. At St. Louis on the Mississippi, and 

 at Paducah on the Ohio, for example, several 

 cables have been successively swept away by 

 tioods. Large trees carried down the stream are, 

 one after another, stopped by being caught in the 

 cable, and the number thus accumulated becomes 

 at length so great that the force of the current, 

 acting upon them, breaks it. 



Another frequent cause of destruction to these 

 cables in the Western Continent is the attraction 

 thev offer to atmospheric electricity. They are 

 frequently destroyed by lightning. Mr. Shaffher 



165 



Fig. 45. 



Fig. 46. Mississippi. 



