(j-1 
Quarterly Meeting, October 19th, 1858. 
W. Fairbairn, F.R.S., &c.. President, in the Chair. 
Mr. Charles Sever and Dr. W. P. Harrison were elected 
ordinary members of the Society. 
It was moved by Mr. Curtis, seconded by Dr. Satter- 
THWAiTE, and resolved, “ That inasmuch as the Council of 
the Society had resolved that due notice not having been 
given of the alteration of Rule 27 (which was voted at the 
last Annual Meeting), such alteration fell to the ground, the 
same be entered on the minutes of the Society.” 
The Chairman having remarked that he had been informed 
by Sir C. Bright that the Atlantic cable had been submerged 
in an imperfect state, some surprise was expressed that so 
important a duty as the construction and care of the cable 
had been neglected by the engineer. In explanation it was 
alleged that Sir C. Bright was only employed to superintend 
the submersion of the cable, but had nothing to do with its 
manufacture or the care of it previous to embarkation. Mr. 
Dyer thought that the apparatus employed was not such as 
would ensure the cable to lie evenly on the bed of the ocean, 
and suggested a plan to remedy this defect. Mr. Woodcock 
believed that the circumstance of the cable lying exposed to 
the sun’s rays at Keyham was fully sufficient to account for 
its bad insulating power. The action of long continued high 
temperature was to destroy the pliability and elasticity of 
gutta percha. The mere weight of the super-imposed coils 
would tend in time, especially at a high temperature, to cause 
an alteration in the position of the conducting wire with 
respect to the gutta percha. Referring to india rubber he 
remarked its very great expansibility at a high temperature, 
and in the vulcanized state its great permanence as a spring. 
He instanced the valve on the air pump of a steamboat which 
Proceedings No. 2.— Session 18>58-9. 
