In this great undertaking we have with us that noble and intrepid submarine telegrapher, John Watkins Brett, Esq., of Europe. His name has ornamented the pages of European history, and the annals of years near at hand will record his deeds great in America. His energies have no bounds, and his abili ties are equal to any emergency in the prosecution of these advancements of the electric telegraph. His devotion to the extension of the telegraph in Europe and Africa entitle him to the gratitude of nations, and particularly the governments most directly interested. In the erection of the Transatlantic Telegraph Mr. Brett will share largely, and his superior experience, judgment, and energy, will be of pre-eminent service in its consummation. We are not saying too much when we assert, that Mr. Brett stands foremast as a submarine telegrapher, and has no rival. With such aid we have no fears of a failure. We do not deem it necessary to give a full statement as to the plan of carrying out this enterprise. That will be promulgated in the future. Until all the routes are thoroughly examined, and all questions properly considered, we do not deem it proper to even form a fixed opinion. We have given the different routes much study; yet there are circumstances which may change any opinion we may have formed in the past; consequently future examinations must determine the best route to run the transatlantic submarine telegraph.

We give the following letter, which explains itself, and leave the further discussion of the subject for the future.

ATLANTIC OCEAN TELEGRAPH.

METROPOLITAN HOTEL, New-York, February 2, 1855.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE EVENING POST:

Gentlemen-You did me the honor to notice my proposed worldgirdle telegraph, for which I thank you. I am also under obligations to the press throughout the land for copying your editorial upon the subject. A discussion of the scientific questions involved in the project of the telegraph across the ocean I do not deem at the present time opportune, for many reasons; nevertheless, it is well for the enterprise to be under public consideration.

I have seen in the Louisville Courier a notice purporting to origi nate with the Philadelphia American, relative to the telegraph across the Atlantic Ocean, in which the route I propose is regarded as a scheme of folly. The editor says:

"If we do not get a telegraphic communication with Europe before this line is constructed, we fear that a perpetual separation must exist. The account says, that there must be no submarine section of more

than five hundred miles; yet the map tells us that the distance between Iceland and Norway is eight hundred and fifty miles. The stupidity of the whole affair is evident; for the map will show any one that Iceland is nearer to Scotland than to Norway; and as for running telegraph lines into Russsia, Chinese Tartary and Kamtchatka, instead of to England, that seems particularly absurd. The three submarine sections, from Labrador to Greenland, from thence to Iceland, and from thence to Norway, are either impracticable or useless; for, if practicable, science will teach any one that the same reasons will make the direct line from Newfoundland to Ireland practicable. If Mr. Shaffner went to Europe on any such mission as that above stated, he has spent a great deal of money for nothing."

With your permission, gentlemen, I will briefly consider these points of difference in opinion, with a little more regard, however, for courtesy and respectful language than characterizes the editorial from the American.

It is a settled fact in philosophy that a galvanic current is arrested in its transit through a long submarine or subterranean wire. So great has this new impediment been experienced in Europe, that the most learned savans have been active in new discoveries to find a remedy. The difficulty may be overcome, ultimately. I will not say that a galvanic or magnetic electric current can never be sent from Newfoundland to Ireland; but I do say that, with the present discoveries of science, I do not believe it practicable for telegraphic service.

The distance between these two points is about 1,800 miles; and, allowing for a slack of a cable, the length of the electric wires will be at least 2,500 miles! As experience thus far has proved the impracti cability of transmitting a current at will on a submarine or subter ranean wire of 1,000 miles in length, how is it possible to transmit it 2,500 miles? The most extended submarine wire ever experimented upon is the Mediterranean telegraph cable, on which I witnessed many experiments, with a view to ascertain the necessities of an oceanic line. The length was 660 miles. On that distance success was evident. We have no knowledge of the successful working of a line in length as great as 1,000 miles, embracing submarine and subterranean wires; and if we have not the evidence of the practicability of transmitting telegraphic intelligence over a line of this length, it occurs to me that I should, indeed, be guilty of great "stupidity" were I to talk about a line direct from continent to continent-a distance of at least 2,500 miles! Nevertheless, new discoveries may at an early day overcome this formidable barrier in the science of telegraphing.

As to the Greenland route, I would say that the editor of the Philadelphia American has certainly exhibited great unfairness. On reference to the map, any one can see that the longest section is from America to Greenland, being about 500 miles. From Greenland to Iceland, or from Iceland to the Faroe isles, or from the Faroe isles to Norway, that distance is neither exceeded nor equalled. Estimating, however, the sections to be each as much as 660 miles, I am within the 11

VOL. II.-NO. III.

bounds of practicability and certainty. These facts must prove one of two points, viz: that the Philadelphia editor was either ignorant of the existence of the Faroe isles, or wilfully omitted to mention them. They are nearly half way between Iceland and Norway, and are embraced in my grants from Denmark.

Again: this unfair editor urges objections to this route because it does not run direct to England. It is in contemplation to extend the line, if necessary, from the Faroe isles, not only to Norway, but also to North Scotland, and thence south to England. The great business relations between America and Great Britain cannot be overlooked; but I am not one of those who believe that England is the only place of importance upon the face of the earth. We have a large trade with that great country, but we have also a respectable trade with the nations on the continent.

I regard this question with an American proclivity, and in the negotiations with the governments of Europe, while I have consulted as well their interests and convenience, I have had in view the welfare of my own before that of any other country. And in the preservation of the rights of the people of America to transmit intelligence over the lines proposed by me, I have, also, not forgotten that there are other nations of the earth. As an evidence of my sincerity in this respect, and my regard for reciprocity between the people of the whole world, I give an example illustrative of the course which I have marked out for myself in all my treaties with the governments of Europe. The following clause, taken from my letters-patent, granted by his Majesty the King of Denmark, I presume will be sufficient to demonstrate the end I have

in view:

"That the government of Denmark will forever defend and preserve the rights of the citizens of the United States, and the people of all uations, to transmit messages over the line herein contemplated, provided the said messages are not calculated to promote war, insurrection, riot, or the violation of peace among nations."

The editor of the Philadelphia American will see from the above, that I have not only considered the good of my own country, but also that of England. I could not regard the people of Great Britain with more favor than those of the German States, of France, and other powers of the Continent.

Supposing it was practicable to work at will a line of telegraph from Newfoundland, the French islands, or any other part of the American coast, direct to Ireland, I would not consider it worthy of American patronage unless the rights of our people were duly protected by fixed treaties with Great Britain. In case of war between the United States and Great Britain, the American people would have no opportunity of sending or receiving intelligence by telegraph. All communication between the people of this country and the nations of Europe would be cut off. The line would be in the sole service of the British Government in transmitting orders from the War Office in London to their forces in the provinces, exclusively in their own interests, and to the ruin of this country.

In the consummation of this important enterprise most formidable difficulties will doubtless arise, and they may possibly be too great ever to be overcome; but a small share of the indomitable energy so characteristic of the country in the successful achievement of bold enterprises may safely be relied upon to accomplish this grand and magnificent project, notwithstanding it has been so sneeringly characterized by the Philadelphia American as a "scheme of folly."

The American says that the Greenland route, as sections, is "either impracticable or useless," and, "if practicable, science will teach any one that the same reasons will make the direct line from Newfoundland to Ireland practicable." He gives no reason why the line would be" useless." I suppose he considers his ipse dixit to be sufficient to determine that question. The reason for making what he calls a direct line practicable amounts to this, viz: if it is practicable to work a telegraph cable five hundred miles submarine, it is also practicable to work twenty-five hundred miles! This is not the fact, however, and it is for the editor of the American to prove it. To show how ridiculous this proposition is, I will apply it to our own daily experience, viz: If it is practicable to work a line direct with one circuit from Boston to New York, it will work also from Boston direct to New-Orleans. This has never been done, and is yet to be proved practicable! Boston can work to New-Orleans by the combining of electric circuits; but we cannot have stations to combine circuits in the ocean. By the Greenland route I believe America can telegraph,, by the connection of the galvanic circuits, with London, Paris, Copenhagen, St. Petersburgh, &c.

I am fully aware of the vastness of this undertaking. For years it has been the object of my desire, and I am now solely devoted to its consummation. Conflicting opinions and jealousy cannot arrest or temporarily postpone the girdling of the world with a telegraph. When Prof. Morse first said his telegraph could work around the globe, little did he dream of ever witnessing it, or even living to see the plan so favorably considered by the great powers of the earth. He may yet live to send the first despatch, and receive by the electric flash the congratulations of nations for giving birth to the most wonderful achievement of man.

Very respectfully, &c.,

TAL. P. SHAFFNER.

RELATIVE CONDUCTING CAPACITIES OF METALS.-The annexed table exhibits the relative capacities of the metals mentioned to conduct voltaic electricity. They are the results of experiments instituted by M. Becquerel:

ART. VIII.-AMERICAN PRESS ON THE WORLD GIRDLE TELEGRAPH. [We give the following notices from the American press on the World Girdle Telegraph. We have seen hundreds of the like, and they manifest the most confident hopes of the consummation of the enterprise.]—EDITOR.

[From the New-York Post.]

SHAFFNER'S WORLD-GIRDLE TELEGRAPH.

"We announced several months since the departure of Tal. P. Shaffner, Esq., the editor of the American Telegraphic Magazine, for Europe, to make arrangements for the construction of a telegraph around the world. He has recently returned from his expedition, the results of which possess more than ordinary interest.

We learn from Mr. Shaffner that his recent tour in Europe was undertaken for the purpose, first, of acquiring a thorough knowledge of the different modes of telegraphing and constructing lines in the Old World; second, to negotiate with the Danish government for the exclusive right to lay a line over Greenland, Iceland, and Faroe isles, and Denmank, for the term of one hundred years; third, for the acquisition of similiar rights over Norway, Sweden, and Russia. With these and other rights, which he proposed to himself to secure, the success of his plan to girdle the world with the electric telegraph no longer appears visionary or impracticable.

The route of his proposed line is as follows:

Starting from the coast of Labrador, the width of the sea to Greenland is about five hundred miles. From the point of landing, the line is to extend under ground around Cape Farewell to a point on the east coast of Greenland, favorable for a submarine connection to Iceland. A subterranean line across to the eastern coast of that island will connect with a submarine wire running to the Faroe isles, and thence to Norway, landing at or in the vicinity of Bergen. Mr. Shaffner informs us that the land and climate of Greenland and the isles are well, and even better adapted to the construction of the telegraph than those of the United States. Greenland abounds with mineral wealth, and he thinks the telegraph will tend to develop the unappreciated resources of that country. By this route there will be no submarine section of more than five hundred miles, and the loss or failure of one section will not destroy the others. In a line direct from Ireland to Newfoundland the failure of any part occasions a loss of the whole.

After landing on the coast of Norway it is intended to run