A submarine cable across the English channel from Dover to Ostend, connects Great Britain with the continent of Europe, and places most of her principal capitals in telegraphic communication with each other. Lines are also progressing toward India and Africa, and the Crimea. In this country, some eighty lines form a net-work of wires connecting nearly all important points upon the Atlantic side of the continent; and it is now seriously contemplated to connect this Atlantic system with the Pacific coast, by means of a direct line across the country. A charter has been granted for the purpose, at the present session of Congress, to Messrs. Alder & Eddy, citizens of Maine, who are to undertake the project as a private enterprise, and great confidence is expressed that they will be able to accomplish it.

But this is not all. The telegraph is not only thus rapidly creeping over the two continents-bringing their extreme points in hourly communication with each other; but strenuous efforts are being made to connect these two systems of telegraph, by a line running from one to the other; and thus to girdle the earth with the lightning messengers.

There are two projects for accomplishing this result. One proposes to connect the Eastern point of Newfoundland with the Western point of Ireland, by a submarine cable, running directly across the ocean between them. The distance is 1,800 miles, and allowing for slack of cable, would require a wire 2,500 miles in length.

Recent soundings have showed that there is not a great depth of water between these points; that the bed of the ocean is not swept by currents, and that it is otherwise favorable to the security of the wires, and to the feasibility of putting them down. The great obstacle to the success of this project, is the scientific fact, that the electric current is arrested in its transit through long submarine or subterranean wires. The greatest length of submarine and subterranean wire ever yet experimented upon, is the Mediterranean Telegraph cable, which is 660 miles in length, and has been successfully operating, until some remedy is found (and the scientific are now 'actively in search for it) for the exhaustion of the galvanic cur rent by transmission for long distances, under ground or under water. This project of sending messages under ocean upon a conducting wire 2,500 miles in length, must, so far as we are able to judge, be deemed impracticable. Future discoveries may render it possible.

The other project presents no insuperable obstacle, that we can discover. It proposes to run a line from the Northern point of this continent to Greenland, thence to Iceland, thence to the

Faroe Isles, thence to Norway; or from the Faroe Isles to the Orkney Isles, and thence to North Scotland. The longest water space by this route is from America to Greenland, estimated at 500 miles. It certainly does not exceed 660 miles; the distance which the magnetic current has already been made to operate.

The projectors of this line have been engaged for some time in experimenting, with a view to its construction; and have perfected negotiations for the right of way, in part at least, and are still actively and confidently prosecuting the work.

T. P. Shaffner, Esq., of New-York, has recently, through the press, warmly enlisted the public in favor of this magnificent enterprise, and inspired the hope that it will ere long be ac complished.

What a result! The earth encircled by a telegraphic wire, and its remotest inhabitants brought in hourly communication with each other! Stupendous achievement, indeed! Its beneficial results in harmonizing and humanizing the great family of man, and elevating them into one brotherhood, cannot be estimated or appreciated. We can, however, in a measure ap preciate the advantage of reading, in our morning papers, an account of all the important events which transpire in the world, during the previous day, as we now read those of the extreme South or West."

[From the Kentucky Rifle.]

"On our first page will be found an article from the New-York Post, in reference to Tal. P. Shaffner's grand project of belting the earth with an electric telegraph.

Mr. Shaffner, as the Post informs us, has demonstrated beyond question that the scheme is practicable; and the fact that Tal. P. Shaffner is at the head of this magnificent enterprise, is a suf ficient guaranty for its complete success.

What a bold, what a splendid achievement in science! The earth bound up in a net of iron nerves, diffusing intelligence to its remotest corners, and lighting up the world in a blaze of electric glory!—Truly this will, if accomplished, be regarded as the proudest victory of genius.

[From the Boston Traveler.]

A GIRDLE ROUND THE GLOBE.

"Tal. P. Shaffner, Esq., the editor of the American Telegraphic Magazine, has just returned from his expedition to Europe, where he has been making arrangements for the construction of an electric telegraph around the world. One great object of his visit was to negotiate with the Danish Government for the exclusive right to lay a line over Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe

Isles, and Denmark, for the term of one hundred years; and the acquisition of similar rights over Norway, Sweden and Russia.

The scheme is a bold one, and is certainly large enough for any capacity. The route the wire is to take is already sketched: 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 underground around Cape Farewell, to a point on the east coast of Greenland, favorable for a submarine connection with Iceland. A subterranean line across the eastern coast of that island will connect with a submarine wire to the Faroe Isles, and thence to Norway. By this route there will be no submarine section of more than five hundred miles. Treaties with the Emperor of Russia contemplate the extension of the line from Stockholm, in Sweden, to St. Petersburgh.

Mr. Shaffner proposes to run his line to Moscow, and thence into Asia, piercing Chinese Tartary, extending to the Sea of Ochotsk, and by the way of Kamtchatka, reaching Cooke's Inlet in North America. From this point the line will be run along the Pacific coast to Oregon, and south to San Francisco, California, &c., &c.

Joining the great lines in America, it is eloquently remarked that the earth will thus be girdled with one continuous and unbroken flame of electric light.'

In the ocean, or submarine department of the great work, Mr. Shaffner has associated with him Mr. John W. Brett, who has been the projector and successful constructor of the vast range of submarine and subterranean lines of the old world."

PRICES OF SUBMARINE CABLES.-The prices of submarine cables fluctuate with the cost of material and labor. The following were the prices for 1854, which we procured in London :

The above prices will change, of course, according to times. Add to the above the duty and cost of transportation to America, and the expense of cables for our rivers will be known.

ART. IX.-HONORABLE TESTIMONIALS TO PROFESSOR MORSE IN EUROPE.

LETTER FROM PRUSSIA-MORSE TELEGRAPH ADOPTED IN GERMANY-
DR. STEINHEIL.

WE mentioned, in our last number, that Professor Wheatstone and a few other persons of high scientific attainments in England were disposed to consider Professor Morse's claims to priority and originality in the telegraph as doubtful, and this on the ground, as they intimated, that Professor Henry had some sort of undefined claims in the matter. The "defence by Professor Morse," published in our last, has, we think, effectually disposed of this mistake. But whatever may be said by the illiberal of England, the sentiment towards Professor Morse on the Continent has been, and is still, in striking contrast.

We have had frequent and conclusive proof in our own personal intercourse with the highest officers and philosophers in the various continental governments, that his name is held in the highest honor.

In a late visit to Prof. Morse, we were shown a letter to him from one of our highly esteemed ambassadors to one of the courts of Europe, which we have been allowed to copy, and which shows in a just light the sentiment held in regard to the inventor of the telegraph by the commanding intellects of the old world. It is as follows:

Extract of a letter from the Hon. D. D. Barnard, late minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the court of the King of Prussia, to Prof. Morse, dated July, 1854 :—

"I have been an indignant observer from the beginning, of the outrageous piracies to which you have been subjected at the hands of your countrymen, and the infamous course of a portion of the public press of this country towards you in reference to your wonderful invention of the telegraph. It was, therefore, with peculiar satisfaction that during my residence abroad Í was accustomed to hear your name pronounced with emphasis and honor every where on the Continent where I chanced to be, and in whatever circle, whenever the subject of the electric telegraph was named. I became entirely satisfied that the general sentiment of the European world did not fail nor hesitate to award to you the chief merit of this grand invention, and that your name was as sure of unrivalled immortality in connection with it, as that of Galileo or Newton with astronomy, or that of Bacon with philosophy. I spoke to you briefly of this when I had the pleasure of meeting you, but I have wished to express to you the same thing in a more substantial form."

"In Germany, after the most mature and elaborate investigation, by the aid of the profoundest learning and wisdom of the age, your telegraph was adopted in a general convention of all the States assembled expressly to consider that subject. And I can give you the assurance, (without attempting to detail particular conversation,) that had you visited Berlin while I was there, and where I hoped to have seen you, you would have met from such a man as the illustrious Humbolat and from the King of Prussia himself, such a distinguished and honored reception, as would only be accorded from such quarters, to the few who have made themselves eminent and immortal by such rare benefactions of their genius to the world, as have satisfactorily passed the ordeal of trial and time. Regretting the necessity I am under of writing thus briefly, and wishing you all honor and prosperity,

"I am, very dear Sir,

"To S. F. B. MORSE, ESQ."

"Most truly yours,

"D. D. BARNARD.

But in connection with this testimonial, we have another which reflects so much credit on the heart of one of Europe's most estimable scientific men, that we cannot refrain from giving it to our readers.

Prof. Steinheil, of Munich, it is well known invented an ingenious electro-magnetic telegraph in 1837, although subsequent to, yet independent of Morse's. The name of Steinheil stands high on the continent of Europe, as connected with the wide diffusion of the telegraph, and its efficient and economical administration. His writings on the subject of telegraphy are profound and thorough, replete with sound and intelligent views. He was one of the promoters to the great Telegraph Convention held in Vienna, in 1849, which resulted in the adoption of Morse's Telegraph for the Austro-Germanic Telegraph Union, and which is alluded to in the Hon. D. D. Barnard's letter. To Steinheil's advice and influence is owing the decision of the Convention.

When we were in Paris last summer, anxious to learn from Dr. Steinheil himself the position in regard to telegraphs which he held, we addressed him a letter, to which he courteously replied from Munich, under date of June 9, 1854. After giving the date of his own invention, (1837,) and his various labors for the establishment of telegraphs in Europe, under the commission of various governments, he says-"In this way I have been enabled effectually to labor for the adoption of Morse's system