Posted inEngineering Iron & Steam

The Atlantic Telegraph Cable

The last steamer from England brings the following:

The shore end of the Atlantic cable was landed and successfully connected with the instruments on board the Great Eastern. The Knight of Kerry invoked success on the undertaking, and in conclusion called on Sir Robert Peel, who made an admirable address. Cheers were then given for the President of the United States, when paying out of the heavy shore end of the cable commenced. The splice was completed in the most successful manner, and the cable worked perfectly. The gunboats Terrible and Sphynx accompanied the Great Eastern. A telegram from Valencia, dated the 24th of July, says : “Insulation defects took place on Monday afternoon. The mischief is supposed to exist three miles west of the shore-end splice, and it is believed that it was caused by too much strain from the Great Eastern. She hove too [sic] ten miles from the shore. The Caroline is picking up and underrunning the splice and repairing the fault. It is expected that the damage will be rectified immediately.

Posted inUS Civil War

January 3, 1861 – Pennsylvania Arming

The statement that Pennsylvania proposed to raise one hundred thousand troops and appropriate five or six millions of dollars, (for the subjugation of the South,) must, we suppose, be received with considerable qualification. It was only the other day that the Republican papers proved that it would cost South Carolina six millions a year to keep up a force of ten thousand volunteers, just the amount on which, according to this highly probable statement, Pennsylvania proposes to raise one hundred thousand! If the calculations of the Republican journals are true, then, instead of a loan of six millions, Pennsylvania will have to borrow sixty millions; a pretty round sum to begin with. She would do a good deal better to employ that amount, If she can raise it, in building works of public improvement, instead of preparing to attack other States.