AMEBICAN INSTITUTE. 457 



Elder all matters of importance to be brought before the Association, and to 

 determine the limits within which every subject is to be discus.-ed. 



The Association adjourned to the second Thursday in September, the 

 subject to be " The Economical Sources of Power." 



Polytechnic Association of the American Institute, ) 



Septe?nber, Sth, 1859. j 



S. J). Tillman, Esq., Chairman, pro tern., — John Johnson, Esq., Secre- 

 tary, pro tern. 



The following communications from Judge Meigs, were read : 



the new ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH, 



It is said will be between the Land's End, Cornwall, and Blanc Sablon, 

 an island in the Straits of Belle Isle, at one of the entrances to the Gulf of 

 St. Lawrence, about 150 miles longer than the old Valentia route, to avoid 

 the steep sub-marine mountains oif the coast of Ireland. No outer coat of 

 wires — 7 copper insulated wires, with manifold insulators — outer coat, 

 hemp. Strain 2 tons ; cost half the old Valentia cable. 



Lindsay is telegraphing ^ a mile across the Bay without wires. 



The Atlantic cable has been recently examined, and appears to have 

 suffered at the point indicated last year by this Club, viz : about 260 miles 

 from Valentia, where submarine precipitous mountains wero found by 

 sounding. 



If deep lines be laid, they cannot long remain sound ; causes known and 

 unknown must destroy it. It is now known that electric currents destroy 

 their conducting wires. So true is this that economy demands their being 

 laidwhe re they can be accessible for repairs. The land route over the 

 world, connecting by the narrow strait of Behring, in which any number of 

 cables may be laid at only 200 feet deep, and of course readily taken 

 up and repaired. 



THE world's telegraph, BY RUSSIA. 



Russia has commenced a line from Moscow, eastward 2600 leagues, to 

 the mouth of the large river Amoor, whose outlet is in latitude about 55° 

 N., near the Okhotsk sea. Old stories call this river country a land of 

 gold and promise. The banks are covered with forest — pine, cork, oak, 

 lime and maple trees. Fish plenty — river 1600 miles long. An American 

 steamer, called the America, ascended it some considerable distance in 1857. 

 It is navigable the whole length. Frozen hard every winter, it is then a 

 highway for sleds, &c., and the project is to continue the line across to 

 America. 



ocean telegraph. 



Mr. Shaffner has obtained the bark Wyman of 200 tons, to survey a route 

 by Greenland, Iceland, Faroe islands and Scotland. He began in 1853 the 

 plan from Newfoundland to Ireland. He believes a 1000 mile sub-marine 

 line impracticable in one circuit. 



