The telegraph manual: a complete history and description of the semaphoric, electric and magnetic telegraphs of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, ancient and modern.

PHILOSOPHICAL PRINCIPLES PRESUMED. 623
On the 5th of December, in the same year, the whole of the
shares had been fully subscribed for, and in a few days afterward the entire deposit of ~200 per share had been paid up.
On the 9th of December, 1856, the Board of Directors was
appointed by the shareholders. The first business before the
company thus organized, was the selection of a cable, and
after much careful investigation the one adopted was as represented by fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
This cable was composed of 7 small copper wires
twisted together, forming a cord. Around this
copper cord, was placed the gutta percha insulation, carefully manufactured. Next was placed
the tarred hempen covering, and around the core
thus made was placed the iron armor, consisting
of 18 cords of small wire as seen in fig. 1. There,tI il| II
can be no doubt but what the organization of the I //
cable was as perfect as could be devised. It might A
have been improved by making it a little more |;
buoyant, but even that is not a settled fact. It I(
was a great mechanical work, and conceived by a
master thought. On the 31st of December the con- h
tracts for 2,500 miles of the cable were concluded.
the whole to be ready by the first week in July l
1857. The manufacturers of the immense cable,
were Messrs. Newall & Co., and Messrs. Glass,! L1 I
Elliott & Co., London.
PRINCIPLES OF PHILI,OSOPIIY PRESUME) BY TIHE COMPANY.
The promoters of the Atlantic Telegraph, as a preliminary,
satisfied themselves that the following philosophical points
were true, viz.:
1st. That telegraphic signals could be transmitted without
difficulty through the required distance;
2d. That a large conducting wire was not required for the
purpose; and
3d. That the communication through the conductor could
be effected at a thoroughly satisfactory speed.
Subsequent investigation induced the company to officially
announce the following as established facts in philosophy:
1st. That gutta pereha covered submarine wires do not
transmit as simple insulated conductors, but that they have to
be charged as Leyden jars before they can transmit at all.
2d That consequently such wires transmit with a velocity