OBSERVATIONS ON A TELEGRAPH LINE BETWEEN EUROPE AND AMERICA. 



[1854. 



Observations on a Telegraph Line between Europe and 

 America. 



By L. TuRNBULL, M.D.* 



The magnificent idea of connecting Great Britain and the 

 United States by telegraph, which has long been a favourite 

 one with me, has been again revived in this conntiy, and re- 

 ceived much strength aud encouragement from the investiga- 

 tions of the depths and condition of the bottom of the ocean, 

 along the route of the merchantmen between Europe and the 

 United States. According to a recent letter of Lieut. Maury's 

 to the Secretary of the Navy, dated Ffebruary 22, 1854, Lieut. 

 Berryman availed himself of this opportunity to carry a line of 

 deep sea soundings from the shores of Newfoundland to those 

 of the Irish coast. 



The result is liighly interesting, as it bears directly, in so far as the 

 bottom of the sea is concerned, upon the question of a submarine tele- 

 graph across the Atlantic, and I therefore beg leave to make it the sub- 

 ject of a special report. 



This line of deep-sea soundings seems to be decisive of the question 

 as to the practicability of a submarine telegraph between the two con- 

 tinents, in so far as the bottom of the sea is concerned. 



From Newfoundland to Ireland, the distance between the nearest 

 point is about 1600 miles ;f and the bottom of the sea between the two 

 places is a plateau, which seems to have been placed there especially 

 for the purpose of holding the wires of a submarine telegraph, and of 

 keeping them out of harm's way. It is neither too deep nor too shal- 

 low ; yet it is so deep that the wires, but once laid, will remain for 

 ever beyond the reach of vessels' anchors, icebergs, and cb-ifts of any 

 kind : and so shallow, that the wires may be readily lodged upon the 

 bottom. 



The depth of this plateau is quite regular, gradually increasing from 

 the shores of Newfoundland to the depth of from 1500 to 2000 fathoms, 

 as you approach the other side. 



The distance between Ireland and Cape St. Charles, or Cape St. 

 Lewis, in Labrador, is somewhat less than the distance from any point 

 of Ireland to the nearest point of Newfoundland. 



But whether it would be better to lead the wires from Newfoundland 

 or Labrador, is not now the question ; nor do I pretend to consider the 

 question as to the possibility of finding a time calm enough, the sea 

 smooth enough, a wire long enough, a ship big enough, to lay a coil of 

 wire 1000 miles in length ; though I have no fe.ar but that the enter- 

 prise and ingenuity of the age, whenever called on with these problems, 

 will be ready with satisfactoi-y and practical solutions of them. 



I simply address myself at this time to the question in so far as the 

 bottom of the sea is concerned, and as far as that, the greatest prac- 

 tical difficulties will, I apprehend, be found after reaching soundings 

 at either end of the line, and not in the deep sea. 



I submit herewith, a chart showing the depth of the Atlantic,- accord- 

 ing to the deep-sea soundings, made from time to time, on board of 

 vessels of the navy, by authority of the Department, and according to 

 instructions issued by the Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance and Hydro- 

 graphy. This chart is plate XIV. of the sixth edition of Maury's Sail- 

 ing Directions. 



By an examination of it, it will be perceived that we have acquired, 



by these simple means, a pretty good idea as to the depression below 



the sea-level of that portion of the solid crust of our planet which under- 



- lies the Atlantic Ocean, and constitutes the basin that holds its waters. 



A wire laid across from either of the above-named places on this 

 side, will pass to the north of the Grand Banks, .and rest on that beau- 

 tiful plateau to whic'a 1 have alluded, and where the waters of the sea 

 appear to be as quiet and as completely at rest as it is at the bottom of 

 a mUl-pond. 



It is proper that the reasons should be stated for the inference that 

 there are no perceptible currents, and no abrading agents at work at 

 the bottom of the sea upon this telegraphic plateajj. 



* See Journal of the Franklin Institute, 

 f From Cape Freels, Newfoundland, to En-is Head, Ireland, the dis- 

 tance is 1611 miles ; from Cape Charles, or Cape St. Lewis, Labrador, 

 to ditto, the distance is 1 601 miles. 



I derive this inference from a study of physical fact, which I little 

 deemed, when I sought it, had any such bearings. 



It is unnecessary to speak on this occasion of the germs which phy- 

 sical facts, even apparently the most trifling, are often found to contain. 



Lieut. Berryman brought up with Brook's deep-sea sounding appa- 

 ratus specimens of the bottom from this plateau. 



I sent them to Professor Baily, of West Point, for examination under 

 his microscope. This he kindly gave, and that eminent microscopist 

 was quite as much surprised to find, as I was to learn, that all these 

 specimens of deep-sea soundings are filled with microscopic shells ; to 

 use his ovTi words, " not a particle of sand or gravel exists in them !" 



These little shells, therefore, suggest the fact that there are no cur- 

 rents at the bottom of the sea whence they came — that Brook's lead 

 found them where they were deposited in their burial place after Ihey 

 had lived and died on the surface, and by gradually sinking were lodged 

 on the bottom. 



Had there been currents at the bottom, these would have swept and 

 abraded and mingled with these microscopic remains, the debris of the 

 bottom of the sea, such as oaze, sand, gravel, and other matter ; but 

 not a particle of sand or grfivel was found among them. Hence the 

 inference that these depths of the sea are not distva-bed either by waves 

 or ciuTCnts. 



Consequently, a telegraphic wire once laid there, there it would re- 

 main as completely beyond the reach of accident, as it would be if 

 buried in air-tight cases. Therefore, so far as the bottom of the deep 

 sea between Newfoundland or the Nortli Cape, at the mouth of the St. 

 Lawrence, and Ireland is concerned, the practica,bility of a submarine 

 telegraph across the Atlantic is proved. 



The present state of Europe invests the subject of a line of telegraph 

 wires across the Atlantic with a high degree of interest to the govern- 

 ment and people of the United States. A general European war seems 

 now almost inevitable ; the attitude which this government will assume 

 with regard to all the belligerent powers that may be involved in that 

 war, is that of strict impartial neutrality. 



The better to enable this government to maintain this position, and 

 the people of the United States to avail themselves of all the advantages 

 of such a position, a line of daily telegraph communication w3h Europe 

 would be of incalculable service. 



In this view of the subject, and for the purpose of hastening the 

 completion of such a line, I take the liberty of suggesting for youi' con- 

 sideration the propriety of an offer, from the proper source, of a prize 

 to the company through whose telegraphic wire the first message shall 

 be passed across the Atlantic. 



From the above interesting and instructive letter, the follow- 

 ing points are to be decided by the telegraphic engineer : — 



1st. " To find a time calm enough, and a sea smooth enough 

 to lay down a telegraphic cable." In my own mind, this first 

 difiiculty can be overcome as easily as the observations of Lieut. 

 Berryman were made, if times of calm are found for such care- 

 ful observations as he has made, by means of a twine string so 

 as to let down a cannon ball of sixty-four pounds, and then 

 raise a tube filled with the shells and earth of the depths of the 

 ocean, we are almost certain a time calm enough and a smooth 

 sea can be found to stretch a wire cable from land to land. 



The second difiiculty is, " a wire long enough." On this 

 pomt we have accurate data to follow. The cable from Calais 

 to Dover is 24 miles long, and consists of four copper wires, 

 through which the electric currents pass, insulated by coverings 

 of gutta percha. These are formed into a strand, and bound 

 round with spun }'arn, forming a core or centre, around which 

 are laid ten iron galvanized wires of 5-16ths of an inch in dia- 

 meter, each welded into one length of 24* miles, and weighing 

 about 15 tons per mile. The rope weighs altogether about 180 

 tons. It formed a coil of 30 feet diameter outside, 15 feet in- 

 side, and 5 feet high, and was made in the short space of 20 

 days, by a machine invented by Mr. George Fenwiek, an en- 

 o-inoer of the Leaham Harbour Iron Works in Durham. 



