Suhmarine Telegraphy . 123 



padded with a serving of hemp saturated with a tar mixture. 

 In the cable of 1865 the core was protected by ten solid wires, 

 nearly ^th of an inch diameter, drawn from Webster and 

 HorsfalPs homogeneous iron, each wire being separately sur- 

 rounded with five strands of Manilla yarn, saturated with a 

 preservative compound, and the whole laid spirally round the 

 core, which latter was padded with ordinary hemp, also 

 saturated with preservative mixture. 



The weight of the 1858 cable in air was 20 cwt. per mile; 

 that of the 1865 cable was 35 cwt. 3 qrs. per mile. In water, 

 > the weight of the former was 13'4 cwt. per mile; under the 

 same circumstances the weight of the latter was 14 cwt. per 

 mile. A comparison of these last figures shows that although 

 the latter cable was so much stronger than the former, yet its 

 weight in water was increased by a very small amount. The 

 breaking strain — that is, the strain necessary to break it — in 

 that was 3 tons 5 cwt., in this, 7 tons 15 cwt., and the deepest 

 water to be encountered in each case was 2400 fathoms, or 

 thereabout. The length of cable shipped in 1858 was 2174 

 miles; in 1865, 2300 miles; and as the total distance from 

 Valentia to Newfoundland was 1670 miles, there were 630 miles 

 available to meet the irregularities encountered in its course. 



In addition to the protection above spoken of, the shore 

 ends of the new cable were further protected by iron wires of 

 still larger bulk ; so that the entire diameter of the cable with 

 its protective covering was about 2| inches. This diameter 

 was maintained for the distance of 5 miles, when the pro- 

 tecting wires were diminished in bulk, which bulk they main- 

 tained, however, through another five miles ; and so on, dimi- 

 nishing every five miles, till, at a distance of about twenty-five 

 miles, the dimensions of the main cable, as above described, 

 were arrived at. 



The following is a condensed history of the process of its- 

 submersion : — 



July 22. — At Foilhommerum Bay, " Caroline " commenced 

 laying the shore end. At 11 "30 p.m. completed laying the 

 shore end. 



July 23, 4.25 p.m. — Shore-end spliced to main cable on 

 board the " Caroline." At 4 - 50 p.m. the " Great Eastern" 

 commenced paying out. 



July 25. — " Great Eastern" telegraphs that a small fault 

 had been discovered and cut out. Now paying out again. 

 Signals perfect. Weather very fine. 



July 26, 6*50 a.m. — Cable paid out 150 miles. 9*50 a.m. — 

 Distance run 150 miles. 



July 27, 5*50 a.m. — Cable paid out 300 miles. 9*50 a.m. — 

 Distance run 300 miles. 



