The New York Herald Newspaper, August 19, 1858, Page 1

WHOLE NO. 8020. MORNING EDITION—THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1858. ARRIVAL OF THE NIAGARA. Histcry of the Laying of the Cable. Arrival of the Niagara, Valorons, Gorgon and Agamemnon at Mid-Ocean. The Splicing of. the Cable at the Two Mile Depths. TTS CONTINUITY REPORTED IMPATRED TT THEN BECOMES MORE PERFECT THAN EVER, ~~ BAUS DEO! Change of the Cable from the Different Coils. EXCITING SCENES DURING THE CHANGES, Third and Fourth Days of the Work-— Confidence Rising and the Anx‘e- ty and Suspense Increases, ews of the Agamemnon’s Progress To- wards her Destination fent through the Cable as it was Being Submerged. ABRIVAL IN TRINIYY BAY, NEWFOUNDLAND, MAGNIFICENT WEATHER AND NO FOGS. Singular Phenomena on the Coast---The Mirage and its Seenes of Enchantment, THE NIGHT OF THE FOURTH OF AUGUST Landing of the Cable and Union of the Two Worlds, THE CEREMONIES OF THE OCCASION, fhe Atlantic Telegraph Station, and Domestic Life Fherein. The First Announcement of the Great Event to the New World. Public Festivities in Celebration of ihe Success of the Enterprise. Official Reports of the General Manager and Engineer. THE CELEBRATION IN BROOKLYN, &e., &., &e. ARRIVAL OF THE NIAGARA. wee The Welcome Home to the Ship that Laid Hal- the Atlantic Cable—Salvos of Artillery and Great Enthusiasm—The Scene inthe Bay when the Niagara was Coming Up, &e. ‘The steam frigate Niagara arrive’ yosterdsy a: 44. M., and came to anchor off the lighthones. ‘The towboat Acbilles got alongside of the Niacars about five o'clock, and took the following geatlemen, who Ihave been on the Atlantic telegrap2 expedition, up to the city: Mr. Cyrus W. Field; Mr. W.B. Everett, who de signed and planed the paying ont machinery ured on ‘board the Niagara and Agamemnon; Mr. Henry Wood- howe, one of the engineers ofthe Atlantic Telegraph Com: pany, who cooperated with Mr. Everett in laying the os ble; Lieutenant the Paron de Royné, of the Ronis navy: Mr, J. ©, Eldredge, purser of the Niagara; Capten Mat thew D. Field, who joined the Niagara in Tricity Bay. and the correspondent of the New York Hanan On leaving the Niagera, on boardof which they bad spent the most eventful period of their lies, the litte company gave the captain, officers and crow, three hearty cheers. The rigging wes immediately manned, and as the towboat started on her way to the city throe thunder fing cheers greeted the peasengers in retarn. Om the announcement of the news in thecity it was tated that, owing to the lownoss of the tide, 1b would be arrive before noon; and a number of people flocked to the Battery to catoh a glimpse of thie famous yeansl, which will be identified, for all time, with ono of the ‘Preatent evente of chs ninetadnith dénliiey, ant whion se Dag additional interost attached to her of being thé inst magnificent war sleamor in the wor! ‘The attention which this vorse! excites has somothing fn it of nations! pride, aa being identified with the large our citivene may claim of the glory of bringing thie great enterprise to 8 rucosesful completion. Another ‘and better fesling, however, mingles with this emotion, fend that ie the joy felt at the ancosae of the cable, const. dered simply for tho great resnite that will flow from it. ‘The important part borne by the Niagars in this work necessarily makes ber an object of gemeral interest just a! ‘The Scott Life Guard were deputizet by the authori Wen to fire the asalntee on the arrival of the Niagers Previously agroed upon. At noon a section of twenty men, under the command of Lieutenant Browne, proceeded to the Battery with threo sit pounders, and eufficient ammunition to fire two buntred shots, The Quard were fo fatigue uniform, sad were accom panied by a fife and dram. On their arrival oa the Batto ry twas found thet a large crowd het collected, in an totpation of seeing the frigate come up the bay. Were it not for the repeated disappointmon's of our citizens a! the mamerous false reports of the arrival of this vosset, there would bave been thirty thousand people assembled to Witness her coming up the bay, Aw |t was, there were ab Jonst tem thousand soat\ored throogh the Battery. Shortiy before four o'clock » large sieamor was (is covered entering the Narrows, and sailing for the Quaran- fine ground, The news speed Nico wildfire that “uno Niagara wae coming,’ and tho crowd hurriedtiy ram to the waters’ eiye to fee the famed etoamer, This yorse! war frat dincovered at the barge office, in the cnpots of watch were & cluster of revenae officers sod report ore, Tk Was soon divoovered, sR Qewer, that the yense! entering wae pot the Niagar, “Ar 5 pelle? Washington. This last piece of news wae not known to the crowd, who gave expression 16 their feelings by re peeted cheery. The gane were got resay for fring, and the Washington would bave certainly had @stlate were M wot that & perty from the barge office notified the com wandirg ¢ficer of the mistake. At ten minutes past four, however, @ person in aa éle- vated position, and with good eyesight, might have seen in the dictance s mere speck upon the waters—s steamer covered with figs, dashing around the point that enters into the Narrows, this time there coukt be no misiaue, and ins few momonts the guns of the Spanish steam fri- pate Rarrenguela, now laying off Quarantine, fisehed out a thunderous welcome to the noble American vessel. In a few momerte the bay was live with small boste and crowds clustered along all ite ehores. ‘The Niegara, at first a misty, moving epot inthe dis- tance, soon onjarged ‘ta dimensions, end loomed up grand. ly ag it appoached the city. She was fairly covered with fisge and streamers, above all of which floated the Ameri- an ensign. As a00n a8 the Barrenguels ceased firing the Soott Life Guard commenced, and two hundred guns were I¢t off a’, intervals of five seconds between each ebot. The guns were excellently handled, and seemed to keep & continu- ons roar until the isst shot was fired. ‘Me clipper ship New Worid, which {s lying at the At- antic dock, fired minute guns while the Niagara was comingup, The revenus cutter Washington, tying off the Yattery, also fred a sslute of thirty-three guns. The scene was one of great interest. The day was Dright, and though close, there was a pleasant breeze from the water. The shouting multitude, tho shots from ship ‘and shore, and the Niagara herself, one of the finest ves- sels that ever graced our waters, went to make up a pic: ture of surpassing beauty, and one not ofien witnessed. The Niagare arrived at four A M., «ad at two P. M. crossed the bar an¢ came {ato Gedney’s chaanel, where ehe met the steamebips Persia, hence for Liverpool, and the City of Washington, from Liverpool, with whom ehe exchanged tignais. On her way up the bay she wae met by the steamships Daniel Webster and Roanoke, outward bound, with whom she also exchanged courtesies. When near the Narrows she was ealuted from Fort Hamilt0n with thirty-two guns. From thence to the city she was saluted on al) sides with cheerg, steam whistles, belie, gans and every other avail- able thing that would make noise, At Quarantine, avery hindsome display of flags waa made by R. A. Locke, Eaq., Boarding Offcer of the United States Revenue Station. The schooner Amy Chace, tender to the Sneqaehanna, also made a show, while the clipper ship Swallow and British bark Celia were dressed trom truck to deck, and the other vessels in Quarantine all dis- pleyed more or less bunting. The Niagara auchored in the North river, off the Battery, at 4.50 P. M., where she continued to be surrounded by vessels of all sizes and Tho City of Hartford, which caually satis at four P. M., delayed her customary trip yesterday to afford her pas- Rengers a view of the Niagara. She delayed until after that vecsel came to anchor,whon she steamed down the Fast river and went around the steam frigate, to give all on on board an opportunity to see this famed veeucl. Other ‘steamboats did the same thing. ‘The Niagara passed in the East river on her way to the Navy Yard at 6:40 P. M., amid the cheers of the muiti- tude who were crowded on the pier heads, complotely Tining both shores, to the nerghborhood of the Navy Yard. The river was crowded with boats of every description, and with the ringing of bells, blowing of seam whistles, &c., it eeemed as if every one was on- desvoring to give her the reception she deserved. The following ie a list of the officers of the Niagara:— Captain—Wm. L, Budson. Tieutenants—J. H. North, J.D. Todd, Jobe Guest, W A. Webb, E. ¥, McCanley, B. Gherard!. Surgron— Daniel J. Green. Purser—Jon, E. Eldredge Lieutenant Marines—W. 8. Boyd. Passed Asvistint Surgeon—¥rancis Gaunen. Assistant Surgeon—W. G. Hay. Gheef Engineer —J. Folianabeo. First Assistant Ragineers—Jorn Faron, W. 8. Stamor. Seomd Assistan: Engineers~George R. Johnson, M. Keliceg. Third Assistant Bnginesrt—J, MeElwell, Geo. F. Kutz, W. G. Buehler, Joeeph H. Bare. Captain's Clerk—Jonn W. Hudeos. Purter’s Clerk— ——— Millard. Master's Motes—J. W. Goodrid, J. R, Hudson, A. M. Mason, H. W. Prooke, Geo. Keyworth, A. Stockholm. Boatswain—Robdert Dixon. Gunner—Jobn Webber. Curpenier—H. P. Lealie. Sailntaker—W. B, Pogitt. LAYING OF THE CABLE. Special Report of the Correspondent of the New York Herald. ‘The United States frigate Niagara left the Cove of Cork for the telegraph rendezvous on the 17th of July, and ar- rived at her destination, or within » few miles of it, on the evening of the 234, having made the passage in six days. Ae ‘it had been previously decided that each ship should make the best of her way to mid-ocean, the vessels did not sail In company, the Gorgon and Valorous having started some hours bere the Niagara, while the Aga memvon did not leave tll three o’clock next morning. ‘We saw nono of the ships therefore till after our arrival at the readezvoun, ‘Tho weather, which had been, with one day's exception, very fine during our stay im Cork, looked heavy ant threatesing the evening of our departure. Great masses of leaden colored clouds shut out the bios sky and sent down shower after ‘shower of drenching rain. Then sweeping in upon the land, they descended upon ft in the form of & dense fog, concealing the inland mocntaine and throwing out in strong relief the bold headlands of the iron bound coast. The heavens had cer- tainly a most funeral pect, aod overshadowed our prow pects with » gloom that seemed to sffect every one elther more or lese. We were now on our way to make the second attempt to lay the Atlantic telegraph cable, sn when we remembered the result of the first, we might »¢ pardoned if we were somewhat dubious as to ite termination, although, of course, we all “hoped for the best."’ Were we to pass through another gale bofore we should be able to make the splice, and when that splice ‘war made, Wore our e(Toris to ond in another inexplicable break of continuity, or fracture of the cable? These were questions that pressed rather heavily upon some of us, and converted = conriderable number into confirmed skeptics. However, here we were outside of the Cove of Cor':, bound for the telegraph rendezrous, an‘ ageapmined (0 resume the work with the #6 enapyy, if not with the “ane hoogant and sanguine feelings with which we eptered upon it the preceding month. The skeptics still remained ckeptical, an? the hopeful sustained themasives with tbe idea that thoro was a chance of sue. cons yor ‘The proepect of fine weather, which appeared #9 gloomy ft the Lime of our departure, grow brighter as we in- tng clouds began to clear away, and the barometer, which had exhibited a very decided downward tendency, now began to rise, and continued rising til) it had reached the gratifying altitude of 90 deg. 40 min. The only thing of which we had any just cause of complaint was the wind, and that blew from the wrong quarter with the ‘Most disgusting persistency. But ft did not blow all the time, for we had rome three or four days of the calmest weather both before and after arrival at the rendezvou that has ever been seen in these intftudes, To say that it wee calm is not doing full justice to It—there was not breath in the air, and the water was ag smooth as thmt of ‘8 mil} pond. Even the wake of the ship ruffled its surface, and the gulls—which bave visited ue almost daily, and to which Gur benevolent Mberality has dispensed innumerable pisces of pork—throw an almest unbroken shadow upon it me they stoop im their flight to pick ap the largest and most tempiing. ‘Those lacy looking white clonds hanging over the western horizon have not changed either their form or their posi- tion for the inet two hours, and that particular one to which the imagination has given the form of a human face i just as grotesque and as much like a haman face as it was an hour ego. The officer of the deok haa been trying to persnade hiinaelf that those fleecy, vaporous afaire are mare's tails,” and that the breve, of which they are regarded by the nautjoally learaed as tha sure foreranners, mut enon come; bet whatever may be the roles in enoh cacet made ead proyited, taey are certainly at [hult thig time, for there ie a» breeze, add act the resastest preda- nility ofeny, The long etresmer which is diep'ayed from our main truck bavge lazity againet the maet, and even the dog-vane, which tells from which qoarter the wiad comer, says nothing upon the subject. It is indeed & desd calm, snd bot for that never ceasing awell, which bas rightly been denominated “the pulse of the tes,” our vessel would be as motionizes as ‘a painted ship upon a printed ocean.” The tmecke which comes up from our engine fires through the hoge chimneys rises liko pillars, and spreads out in « broad canopy over the masta. “Phere comes # bresze dead ahead,” says one of the sailors, pointing in the direc- tion of the bow, and the clear and distinotly defined biue line which marks the horizon seemed to indicate the ap pearance of wind in that‘quarter; but an hour bas passed since then, end still the dog-vane remains unmoved, the streamer basge idly against the mast, and tho canopy of smoke is becoming denser. The clouds have changed, it is true, Dut no wind will come from them. The human face hag been converted into the head of an eagle, and those baoks of white silver cumuli are very slowly charging their appearance. So thorovgbly has the calm affected everything and everybody im and about the vessel, as to throw « sort of dreamy repose over al!. It's isapoegible fo get up @ conversation om the most interesting topic, and you would imagine that cur ship hed conned to be a part ofthe great world in which she moved, and that her living freight bad nothing in common with the rest of humanity, but belonged to thd unreal creations of dream land. And yet this is the very cosan, and wa are within a few miles of the point where that terrible gale buret upon us snd \bosehuge angry waves bulleted and torsed us about for eight or nine days. This settied, dreamy calm bas rosied on the ocean for four days, which are clheed by sunsets an gorgeous as any 6very seen uLn- der a tropical aky. The whole heavens are suffused with the golden glow from the descending sua, and as he dis- apptars below the horizon it turns to a deep crimson, which is reflected in the umruitied ocean until there ap- peara to be but one sky, and the ship seems suspended in space. The allver grey of evening brings us back again to the world; the golden glow and the deep crimion have disappeared, but the pleasant twiligh\ remain:, and will continue with us #0 lopg as to leave but a small portion of the twenty-four hours for the night. In fact the summer nights in theee nigh latitades sre hardly entitled to the name, and what between the long twilight andearly day break have ecarcsly time cnough to get rightly dark. We have now been five days out, and if we have only ordinary luck we will certainly be on or near the precise point which is marked by a dot on the chart of the North Atlantic, about half way between Ireland and Nowfound- land. To-morrow evening, Friday the 234, Is fixed upon ‘as the time of our arrival, and everybody is indu’ging in speculations as to the Agamemnon being there before us. Im this all absorbing question everything clee gcems to be forgotten. We no longer hear of the prospects of the herces and heroines of the romances and novels which have furnished topics for animated discus- sion for some days past, and no one seems to care wheth- or the hard-hearted fathor has or has not been struck with remorse, and consented to make his lovely ard amiable daughter superlatively happy dy marrying the man of her choice, The dark designs of tho echomer who bas been baffled by the superior abilities of the lover (lovers are always a very superior class of men, although generally poor,) have eecaped that con- demnation and sentence which all virtuous and bigh mind- ed readers sre supposed to pass upon such characters, aud even bis terrible fate is hardly thought of in the great question which agitates the minds of all on board our ship. ‘We are about one hundred and thirty miles from the rendezvous and at the rate we aro now going we shail be ‘At our post to-morrow cvoning, so that we may commorce the work of laying the osble the fellowing morning by daybreak. Throughout the whole of Friday every one was on the lookout for the Agamemnon, but the beet telescope on Doard failed to discover that abip, and #0 we lay as near ‘that imaginary point called the Rendezvous as the wind and surface current would permit. Saturday moraing arrived but with i no Agamemnon and by seven o'clock Salurday evening wo again made the Rendezvous, having drifted considerably during Friday aight. To be brief, we had no better success now than the day before; and as man is a somewhat restless animal, wo Ddecame both reatiers and impatient in our desire to begin ‘the work. The weather, which caanot be too extensively eulogized, was magnificant for cable laying, and the baro. moter gave tbe strongest assurance of its continuance. Had she arzived on Sundsy it would be useless, as the religious scruples of our captain interpose an insu- perable obstacle; aad so we must pationtiy wait till Mon. day, the 26th. It was, however, somewhat consoling to Jearn that the Valorous had arrived on the morning of the ‘2btb, although she had neither seen nar heard of the long expected ship. She was first seen at six o'clock, Dutes she came along under sall alone she did not ap. proach pear enough to exchange signals till nine. “ T bope you are all well,’ waa the purport of the sig. ‘nal made by our ship. ‘Very well, I thank you,” was the reply. “Bave you seen the Agamemnon!” asked the captain of the Valorous. “No,” replied Captain Hadsoo, and then asked in ro- turn if he bad seen the Gorgon, but to this he also received 4 negative response. And after this brief interview and atiil more laconic conversation, the two ships separated. Monday afternom, July 26, the Valorows waa in sight, and the sea was as calm as we bad yet observed it—so calm, to use the words of one of the crew, that it would be mere child’s play to Jay the cable under euch circumstances. About ton o'clock Captain Altham and one ot his leutenants paid usa friend. ly visit, and remained sbout an hour, The 27th was, so far ae the weather was regarded, © perfect counterpart of the 26th. This day we were favored with an- other arrival, though not that we had first expected: The Gorgon was dercriod about two o’clock in the after. n90n coming from the onstward, and it waa afow minates after five when she came up. Now as two ships can hardly come together on the bigh seas without having something to say to cach other, it is not to be expected that the Niagara and Gorgon weak! pasa cach other without indulging in some remarks. And #0, Captain Hudson and Captain Dayman bad the following brief bu. pithy dislogue — Captein H.—T hope your aro all well on board? Captain D.—All well, thank you—bope you are the same? Captain H.—(Nodding an affirmative, and finiehiog the rest of the sentence by word of mouth)—Thank you. Captains H. and 1. (logether)—Have you seen the Aga- momnon ? A pause, and the question is repeated by Captain Hud- ton alone. Captain D.—No, not since we parted. Havyo you acy conl to spare’ We have bad head winds all the way out. Captain H.—None at all. We have aleo had hoad winds. T think the Agamemnen could give you some, av she can’t have burned much singe she left, ‘Thus ended the conversation, and the Gorgon presed on to pay her reepects to the Valoruus, which was abou! two miles off our port quarter. Towards evening we observed Doth vessels had hoisted thelr ensigns, bot the weather had become overcast and we could Rob discern «any other = ship. We also displayed ours, however, #0 that if it chould tara out to be the Agar memnon she might be fully aware of our arrival. Wo felt confident that ehe bad been sean by the Gorgon aad Valorous, and that she would make her appearance next morning and aoswer for herself, Five days before wo had made (he rendezvous, and we wore just beginoing to get tired of waiting, and during that time what splendid days we hare had-—days whioh the Atlantic Telegraph Company could not purchase at ten thousand dollars apiece from that inexorable myth the Clerk of the Wea ther! However, according to Lieut. Manry, we oan afford to be a little prodigal this month, and if we do lose a fow days, why, after all, it can hardly be considered « loer when we come to reflect that July and August are the two dost months inthe year for cable Inying. We are cer tainly entivied to some consideration after the gale through which we passed last month—s month we were led to be- Neve waa the mildest in the whole year. Mi On board of our ship every precaution haa’ beon taken to eneure svoceas, The machinery has been put in proper Tanning order, and the watshes are ali made ov! for the different departments, The captain and the first lieute nant, Mr. North, keep watch and watch, that is they divide the day into aiternate watches of foar hours each, with the usual interposition of dog watohes,”’ between four and sight fn the afternoom. Mr. North, it nay bo remem pered, was also Arst licutenant of jhe Ningws inet your, \ and hat taken (he mast clive interest io the enterprina, ‘The duty which be pertorms ia ooanes\ion with Taptaia Hudgoa i¢ an entirely voluntary one, ae, according to the roles of the pavy, he i@ not conaitered ® watch offiser, snd his services are therefors given fresly, and pot in compliance with any obligations arising from his official praltion. All we want now i¢ 4 ovntinuance of the fine weather ‘wo have bad nesrty the whole of this month, to Isy the cable, for we stil) feel convinced of the practioadility of the work, deepite tho unexplained break of continuity and fractare of the wire. CEREMONY OF LAYING THE CABLE. FIRgT DAY—JOLY 28. We were right in cur surmises that there must have ‘Deem some reason for the Vatorous and Gorgon digplaying their flags, and our hopes that the Agamemnon had as Inet made her appearance, though invisible to us in con- gequence of the fog prevailing st the time, was now fally realized. About fiveo’clock this morning the mist Degan to clear away; and some ten or iifteen minutes after, our sister ship omlt be distinctly seen hetween two end three miles of our port quarier. Mr. Field had offered s reward to the man who would first dis- cover her, and ss may be supposed the crew were thoroughly wide awake, and on the lookout for the expected vessel, Two or three days before she same there were reports innumerable as to her baying been neon, and at almost every point of the compass, The smateat speck of a cloud, barely visible through the bast telescope on board, was converted into smoke hy thoze who wore determined to see her, even ifshe were « hua- dred miles away. “That certainly must be her,” ssid one of the quartermasters, pointing at seme ima- ginary object with the telescoxe, which he hat juat taken from his eye. ‘Yea, that’s her, and no mie- take this time.” “Where?” asked a dozon anxious querista all st oats, and allas eagerly stretching out their hands for he (ele- scope. “There, there!” he repked, looking towards the cloud. Jess horizon—there! don’t yon see it, right there on the starboard bow, about three pointay’’ ‘The msn who had been most fortunate in securing the glass first tock @ long obsorvation at the point thus indi- cated, and after scanning it three or four times announced in a tone of disgust that there was no smoke, and that it was “Cape Fly: away’’—a nautic:! expression, which, lite rally transiated, signities “nothing.” The more energetic and enterprising would occasionally run upto the head of the topgaliant mas's snd takoa view of the horizon from that elevation, but with no bet- ter success than those who, of a less aspiring mind, re- mained on the deck or kept their lookout from the fore- castle or poop. Nover was grostor interest manifeste t in any chio than the proffered reward created in thet ves sel; and yet it was not the amount, but rather the dis- tinetion which the discovery would confer upon the min ‘by whom it should be made. Then there was the exc’ ment of the thing itee!f, an! thet alone would be sufficient toaroase the feclings of the most Indifferent. Oaly those who have been at rea for any length of time can flly appreciate the value cf this word, or how little it takes to getup an excitement {at sea, where life is but one constant round of monoto- nous incidents which follow each other in as regular guc- cession as the hours on a dial. Tho ‘‘reward,” therefore, grew into all the magnitude of an important question, and ‘with the addition of scine whales, which occasionally n- dulged in spouting, served to make the time pass some- what less heavily on our bands. ‘Tho arrival of the Agamemnon overtopped all other sud- jects and knocked into cocked hat the various opinions whichhad been circufated in regard to her engines having Droken down. “There she is, sir,” said the delighted sailor to the officer of the deck, when he observed her heavy looking hull slowly emerging from the mist which still hung over her masta like a veil. ‘There she is, sir, on our port quarter.’ And there she certainly was—no mis- take this time—there were the two white streaks, but still more conclusive than this—-there was the cable whoo! over her storn and there wea the otherover her bow. [twas the Agamemnon, ten daysont from Cork, having made the rendezvous the ovening before, as wo subsequently learned. An bas been stated, she was between two and three miles abe bad been saving her coal, and had sailed the greater part, if not the whole, of the wav. This we after wards found to be incorrect, as she had consumed two hundred of the five bandred tons with which she started, and that sho ‘Dut as it lasted only twenty-four hours, and as the wind @id not freshen into a gale, there was no ground for made its way into the ward- some of the bulkheads. But for the head winds sbe would have arrived two or three days and thus given us the advantage of the fine weather with which we heave been «9 wonderfully favored since we lef Queenstown, end, in fact from the time the equedron left midocean In Juno, up to the date of our reappearance on the rendezvous tis month. Here we are at last, however, ready to com- mence operations once more, and determined if success be possible we will make every effort to secure and deserve slmost avy other body of mon, they have exhibited a determination that is deserving of all praise, and s hops falness that no disasters could eubdue. Preparations are now being made to resume the work, and although there aro many who think {te useless expenditure of time and money, yet there are others who are eangeine as to the result, There ie no want of energy certainly among our mon, end if you could only witness the hearty assent thet in given to the following inscription which has been made in chalk on the outside of one of the cable circles, you would ay there is no want of enthusiasm in them — « The wire will be laid, and wo will go to New York.” About balf-past nine o'clock the Agamemnon, haviog got up steam, was observed slowly approaching us, aa (n somewhat lees than an hour after she crossed our bow, previous to taking her position on our stern, ro a3 a# to be ready for splicing. All the preliminary preparations had deen made om board the Niagara, and everything was in Teadinets for the commencement of the work #0 far as ste wan concerned, The mon were at their posts by the ma chinery, the stoppers wero al! arranged, the electricians ‘were on watch in the long vacant office, the tar tubs were pat in their proper places, the scrapers adjusted, and nothirg wae left nndone that buman foresight could provide for, Within the boundaries of the rope that en- closed the machine none but the privileged few wore allowed to enter, and If any one dir! #0, through ignorance, the inscription which was poste! coneploucurly In front, and which reads as follows, warns! bim against furtber intrnaien « Fo one here except the engincer's watsh.’ This was cortein!y laconic, but if ¢ was not moins for the purpose the marine who stood clore by informed him that he must leave. Thies was pot all, however, for If umder the improssion that be was at liberty to tale to the oyerttor in charge of the dynamometer, he was goon made aware of the absurdity of such an idea by another notice, to the effect thet no conversation was allowed with that particular individual. Then, in addi- tion to all this, the officer in charge of ibe platform, whisk ‘was raised above two of the coils to fao'litate the paying out of the cable, took oars that none but those fully au thorized should go up there. The curious were thus ex cluded from every point where they might interfere wit” tho operations of thore on watch, bat still they bad amply opportunities to witness all that was going on, and outside of the bounds they certainly indulged themselves to the utmost, There seemed to be a farcination for them in everything connected with the process of paying out, bat more particularly in the work of unooiling the cable. The outside of the circle was crowded wilh spectators who watched (n silence the long black line as it unwound itself and pacsed over the machinery on 4 way into the great ocean depths. There they stood, hour after hour, looking at the removal of one flake after another, as if it were something new, and each mile served but to imaroase the attraction, The Agamemnon has now taken her position abouts hundred fathome from the aiern of the Niagara, and the baweer bas been passed between the two ships previous to making the splice, Before the commenoament of operations, however, Ceptaina Treedy and AlJbam camg | om board of our sbip, amd Mr, Field sui ono of tho siec- Wicians visited the Agamemaon to make furthor arrange ments in regard to the work before us. After ths noors Bary time these sre made, and it is concluded thet If the cablothould be broken after 150 miles shall have besa payed out from och ehip both versels shall at once pro ceed to Queenstown, there to await orders from the oow- pany regarding the final disposal and stowage of the cable, The captains have returned to their ships, the splice is made and the work of paying out proceeds, while the two ships move go slowly through the water that their moticn is hardly perceptible. The rato of the cable is certainly mach faster than that of either of the vessels, for the simple reason that it han to descend to @ dopth of about two miles, and it will take a considerable time to do that, The announcement comes from tho olec- twician’s office soon after the splico has been lowered, thas the continuity is perfect, and with (hus sesurance the en- gineers go on more boldly with the work. In fect, the epgineers may be said to be under the control of the electricians, for: if they report any thing wrong with the cable they are brought (oa stand until they aro allowed to go om with their operations by the auuounctmen: that the fusulation is perfect and the continuity is all right. The sailors, who are somewhat in the dark as to the acion- Ufic definition of the term, are generally supposed to Lave 8 partioular animosity to it, under the beliof that it is 1: which causeg all the difficulty. ‘Darn the continuity,’ said an old sailor, at the end of s acientitic but rather foggy discussion which a number of his moesmates had on the subject—‘Darn the continuity; I wish they would get rid of it altogether. K bas cost a darn’d sight more trouble than the hull thing is worth. 1 aay they ought to do without it, and let it go, I believe they’d get the cablu down if they didn’t psy apy attention to it, You see,’ he went on, “I was on the last exbibition” (expedition, be meant, but it was all the seme—his messmates did nat misapprebend his moaning), ‘end I thought l’d never hear the end of it, They were always talking about \\, and one pight, when we were out last year, for two hours, and wo thought that wae ta affair, snd we would never hear of itagain. But it came back, and soon after the cab’e busted. Now,! teil you what, men, [UL never forget that night, I tell ye; we ail felt wo bad Jost our best friend, aud I never board the word continuity or contiguity mentioned but I was always afraid something was going to happen. And that’s « fact.” This was conclusive on the mind of the majority of his hearers; but a number were of the opiaion that it was ali right, and, at the risk of being’considered humbugs, as- serted their belief that whatever might be said against the continuity they couldn’t do without tt, aud that be- cause it was gone all the trouble had occurred. The work of paying out the cable was commenced at one o'clock. The speed of the vessel was gradually ia- creased after suiicient had been lowered over the stern to reach the bottom, and by two o’clock five miles had left the ship, and she had gone two miles from the start- ing point, The observation taken by the Agumemaon aad ‘Niagara showed the position of both ships, as follows: Lat. 52 09, lon, 32 29, To accomplish the work, the former bas eleven hundred nautical miles and three bun- dred tons of coal; while the latter bad the same amount of cable and five hundred tons of coal. This will give our ship from ten to fifteen days’ steaming; while the Aga: memnon has sufficient for ten days, should she burn at the rate of thirty tous per day But, if we should find that we have not enough to reach the land with, wo will, if necessary, burn the spare spars; and should we be still farther pressed, we will take down evon the bulkheads for fuel. It is not very probable, however, that we shall be reduced to such straits. Mr, Wol- lanebee, our chief engineer, sssures us that wo will bave eufficient. Let ua onco get sight of Newfound- Jand, however, and though every ton of coal in our bunk- ere wore expended, we will contrive to get into Triniy Bay and land the cable. We have already paid ou! a little over thirty miles of cable, although it is not yet sevon o'clock, amd the sbip’s speed varies from four to five miles per hour, There is a long distance yet, it ia trae, between this and Newfoundland, and thirty milos ta Dut a very amall fraction of 882 miles—the distance from Abe polut at which we made the eplive to the telegraph station at the bead of Trinity Bay. lo this respect tac Agamemnon bas certainly hed the advantage of us, as abe ‘will bave but $15 miles to go—or sixiy leas than the Nia gara. The dopth of water here, according to the chart of the soundings, is 1,560 fathoms; but the depth, so far as our ¢xperlence testilies, presents little or no obstacle to the laying of the cable. The sea is smooth, the baromo- ter well up; and if we can only do for the next seven days ag well as we bave done sinoe one o'clock, we will be a Newfoundland by the 6th of Auguat,and ia New York some time betwoen the 15th and 20th of the same month. But wo have been somewhat too hasty in our calculations, for our ship bas just slowed down and tho propeller has ceased working for the last ten minutes. Thore must be somo- thing wrong to cause this interruption. le‘ us take & look atthe machine. The cable still goes out, which cortainiy would not be the case if it had parted. Ah! the continu. ity | that’s it—there’s where the difficulty lies. And as the electricians are the only parties who can inform us on that point, we at once go in search of them. A visit to their office explaina the whole matéer, The continuity is ‘not gone altogether, but is dofective—eo defective tat it is Impossible to get a signal through the cable, Stil there ia not ‘dead earth’ upon it, and all hops, therefore, is not lost. When dead earth, as it is termed, is on the cou ductor, then, indeed, the difficulty is beyond remedy, for ‘4 shows that the conductor must be broken aad is throwa wader the inflcence of terresirm! maguctiom. But the continuity lz no: gone, and although with darkening pros pects, we are still safe {while it remains, ay porfect as it Is, The old adago, that “bad news travels fast,” was never more fully rea’ized than in this instance. The sad intelligence was known to every one on board the ship about fifteen migutes after 't was announced to Mr, Field, and those who predicted the failure of the oxedi. ton fell back upon thelr prophecy, and binted In « modest way at their own perception. It would be absurd to may that tho occurrence was not discouraging; It was paintully 90, for the hopes of some of us had really began to revive, and we were gaining confidence every hour, Now aothipg could be done. We must walt until the con ‘inulty should return or take its Gvai departure. Aud it did retarp, and with groster strength than ever. At ten minutes past nine P. of the electriciaa on duty obser vod ite failing, and at 1180 he bad the gratifying intelligence for os that { was “all right sgain.”” The machinery more eet in motion, the cable was s.0n the rate of six miles an hour, electrical signals wore passing betwoen the regularly aa if nothing bad occurred to inter. Or faterrupt the continuity. No explauation could be given as to the cause of the accident, that was to be relied upon. It was supposed, however, that it had brokem on board the Agamemnon, and that the end was secured and spliced before it coud get out of the ship ‘This is favored by the fact that It would tawe aa hour or 0 to make the splice, which was about the timo that elapeed from the moment the couluuliy became imper fect Lill it was restored. Another reason, though probably not 80 good, was given—that the cable was subject to #0 severe a strain as to cause the parting of the copper wire or conductor, althoug!: the inaciation remalaed perfect, and ‘ag goon ae the strain was released the broken wires came together again, thus restoring the continuity. However ‘may have been, or by whatever scientific means it might be expiained, the one fact was evident—the coating ity waa ‘ail right,” and wo were satiefied. Wo were alarmed by no more unpleneant reports this night, and ro. tured t bed—some to sleep and some to spend & restless Right in anxious fears about tho safety of the cable and in foverieh hopes of success. As everything relating to the electrical department moet be of deep interest during the progress of the work, we aro determined to visit the electricians’ office, In that little corner close by the war troom oil, @ point to which no one on board can look without spprehension when he retlocts that at any moment a meesenger may start from it with the dread amnouncement that the opntinvity has taken flight. That is where the subtle current which flows along the conductor, a part of which ismow eub- mevged in the great ocean depth, le generated, aad whore the myterious apparatus byywhich elecirivity le weigue! and measure: a8 & mark 1e commedity is Med uy. Io that little apartment, which will not hold more than five persons, one of the operators slceps, because there is uo room for him to sleep elsewhere, overy available sioep tag place delng already occapied. Tho elestriciaas’ oie is never left without & watch, day or clght, aad ery movement of the little nestle that Cella the exletence o the current In the onbie is watebod wAh the greatest in terest, A drief description of what this apariment o tales will vier aa inaigh) into a | tne that are ein, give ibe r > Oras) 9 A system has been devieod for tranemittiag recetving sigvals through the sDe ‘rom « to abip, during the process of prying ont, This hes been devised by Mr. Lawa sud Mr. De Suny, the two gentlemen who bave charge of the clectrical ie partment om board thie ship, It waa artepted by ins directors of (he company, and wade an order of the Board, by their minutes of June 7, 1858. It cousisiniaan ex. change of carrenta sent alternately during « period «vr ten minutes by cach ship, aud which go} only serve to give an acoorate test of the continuity and ineuistion of the conducting wire, but also to give certain signals which may be required to be sent when the ships are fur apart, For imsiance, every wa miles of cable payed out ie wignalized from ship to abip, as aleo the approuch to laad or momentary stoppage for splicing, ehifting cr\\#,&0. Tae elactrical apparatus employed on brard the two yesnela ig nos very compii- cated, and is simply composed of testing instruments wholly different from thone to be used for the tranems- sion of messages whea the enteof thecabte aball be landed. The electric current is generatet »y sand batteries consisting of plates of zinc aud copper, about fourvesn fquere inches each, arranged by pairs. These plates sre imomergod ia @ solution of sulphuric azid and water, mixed with raw dust, for the purpose of preventing the liqnid from overflowing. Two hundred ad forty of these pairs &re in operation on of board each ship. The instru- ment used for ending the current thue creaved throvrh the line isan ordinery commutator, in the form of areversing key, by which the operator can, at will, send the zine oF copper current of the bakery isto the cable, and by «9 doing chango the nature of the sigasle, The Current uext paswes through on electro magnetometer, An inetrument yery useful for tho purpore of testing. Tt is composed of an electro-magnet, the ar- mature of which can be ‘furthered’ or “approached” by ® mai! screw, #0 an to require a stronger or weaker cor- Tent to attract it. Itshows the charge as every oxrrons and the diecharge as it comee out, Before entering the line the electric current is mace to pass through @ second (nstrament, called the mariae gi!- venometer, which was invested by Professor Taomeon, of Glasgow University, one of the directors of the company. The maguotic needle, whieh is placed in the centre of », coli of wire, instead of marking its own deflections az in ordinary gslvanometers, hss a littie mirror Axed wo it, the reflection of which cri a'es a small apot of light acoord.ag to the deflections moving om a horizontal scale of white paper, placed at about eighteen inches from the tneuru- ment itvlf. This instrument reports accurately the forca of the currents not only im the sending but also ia the re- ceiving from the corresponding ship. Besides this mari ¢ galvanometer, the only other iestra- ment In circuit when receiving is the ordinary galvanome- tor usually employed for testing. According to the asturs of the current received, the needle is deflected to the Tight or the left of a poist marked zero on the dial, and where the needle {¢ in & vertical position when no current is passing through the coil of wire surroundiog it. Every one of the deflections read on the galvauometer, az also the charge and discharge indicated by the magnetometer are carefully recorded, so that if a defect of conti insulation occurred it might be visible by comspariaoa win those recetyed before. Thess are all tho iostruments {0 the electrical depart- ment, and tais is @ simplified explanation of their various useg, £0 that the unscientific can understand them. SECOND DAY—JULY 30. « All through the wight the sound of the machinery never ceased, and the continuity remained perfect. At half-past three o'clock this morning the last dake of the forward spar deck coil began to rua ont, end considerad'e anxiety ix manifested in regard to the change to that on the for- ward main deck, which is tramediately beneath. Every Precaution, however, has been takon to guard against ac- cident, and by a quarter © four the agony ia over; the firet turn of the new coll bas been reached and the cable is going out tm splendid style, The isterest is now trans ferro’ to the main deck, for there \s nothing further to attract tbe attention in the appearance of the circle whica ‘bag jost become vacunt—nothing bat the thick tar that covers ‘he floor, tbe brokea cong aad the riage ar far lea¢orr throvgo which the cable passes before tt ror? over the bobbing that lead to the machine. Yes it would be wrong to say that there is iitto of interest in this circle, for have we pot suc. cessfully paid out all the cable it contained, and who doubts wo would tad more pleasure ia looking at a! the circles whenempty’? The esse with which the lise runs out of the ship at this distance from the stern, for we are now about two bandred and seventy feet from (at point, is calculated to infuse new condense ato every cue who sees It, but it is, after al!, a couddence ter. ribly shaken by vague fears of thefuture. Wehsre five or six days to run before we get into Trisiily Bay, aod ‘a that time, which, in our state of sarpense, scems so many years, what may potoccar’ We are afraid even to tna of success, #0 often have our hopes beon blasted by die appointment; the very thought of the magnitude of tho undertaking brings with it a feeling almost akin to die- coursgement. We know tha) he risk is doubled by the employment of two ‘pt, whle a the same time it must bo acknowledged our chances of success are incrensed by thus reducing the time oso half. Thom, agaiu, 9 ranoing the dis- tance betweon the two points watch it la designed to con nect, there ia the probability tus. either or both veeseis will get into @ gale, end in that event the prospect of iay_ we the cable becomes fearfully ¢uvcas. Suct s gaiess that we have had—an cight day affair—would very e932 put an end to the undertaking, aud still the work appeare oasy and practicable enough. Follow tho course of the cable as it comes out of the coll, pasees ever the bobbins, round the sheaves of the payg out machine, and so on Ull i goes overboard, and you will be fally impressed with {is practicability, Yot what is the reagon that all the attempts hitherto uo have failed? you may ask. Why, if three huvdred miles have been submerged, is It pot also possible to lay two or three thousand. This ie a question which appears very simple, and which is yet rather difloult to auawer, It enay to may that the breaking of the cable # caused by defective machinery, but who is able to account satiafnc- torily for the break of continuity which oosurred ia Juze last, after forty miles had beem paid out of both shipe/ ‘This it is which raises the gravest doubts (co the minds of all, and which makes even the most hopeful approhenaivo as to the result. That word “continwity’ haa created more uneasinem and anxiety than aoything counected with Le work, simply because \t is seemingly beyond the contro! of scientific skill, and, once gone, cannot be restored by human ingenuity. Atany moment we may hear that it bes parted, and sleeping or waking, the fear that It wl! baunte us Jike @ nightmare. Ob, bow we long to eee that Dieak and barren, but to us, more desirable coast than any that ever mot the geze of enraptured voyager. Whit would We not give to be steaming up towards the bead of Tripity Bay with the telegraph station in full view? Fire or six days yetto ram, at the end of which time we may be returning to Queenstown, again (0 bring the news of disaster and defeat. But we must act think Of defeat now—we aro bound for Newfoundland, and if Providence fuvors ua, two or three weeks ai the farthoat will eee us * tering the bay of New Yerk, after baving successfully a>- complished the greatest work ever undertaken by man. But let us ree what progress we dave made during tho last twenty three bourse, for it wolve o'clock, and we bave been pay!ng out since one yesterday afernoon. The following table shows the ditiamce rum according 1 the diferent ioge therein stated — The length of cable paid oat, according to the indicator attached to the machine, ie 151 miles and 900 fathoms, or ‘s sarplos aver the distance run, as ahown by observation, of 42 miles and 900 fathoms, which i equal to about 43 per cent. This ie a ruinous expenditure, and if \t ebould coptinus at the same rate for the next two or three daye, we might aa weil abandon the undertaking at ones, taro our ship's head toward Bogiand, and make the best of our way back. Ti tausi not be forgotten, however, that in starting, © large amount of slack was allowed, #0 a2 to prevent an undue strain upon the cable before some fit. teen or twenty miles should bave been paid ou Of conrse it is iment needless to say that we will be forced nto no such expenditure during the next twenty-four hours, Peeiden, we expect to do able to ram Out the cadIO At the rate of seven and eight miles an hour yet, and et- erience has proved the faster it * ayed out the joes is here is euiictent to allows toast should oot be of at the catmence , as WAS propaaed ) rogortions hig dimin cent; and and urpins r meted, we oun maeicad of as Le way