I will now explain to the Society the respective electric circuits, as
practically applied to commercial telegraphy. I propose to illustrate
the mode of manipulating one or more circuits singly and combined: when
I say singly, I mean from one station to another, and the employment of
one voltaic series: when I say combined, I mean the coupling together
two or more circuits in succession, all of which are brought into
action by the manipulation of any given one. The diagram, I. represents
a voltaic current traversing a line on poles: M. is the magnet, B.
the battery, and K. the key, or circuit closer at contact point C.
of station A., A. the armature of the lever seen in the apparatus
at station B. By this diagram it will be seen that the course of
the electric current leaves the positive end of the battery B., and
passes through the metallic key K. when brought into contact with the
metallic point C., thence with the line wire to station B., and there
through the respective instruments to the metallic plate P., thence
through the earth E. E. to the metallic plate N., up with the wire to
the magnet M., thence to the negative pole of the battery B., which
completes the voltaic circuit. Before proceeding further, it is proper
to say that the course of the current, when it takes the earth at
station B., remains a mystery in physics, and I assume its return to
the battery from whence it originated. By elevating key K. the circuit
will be broken, and it is the opening and closing of the circuit, in
time methodically arranged, that constitutes the alphabet for the
transmission of intelligence.
[Illustration: DIAGRAM I.]
I will next call the attention of the society to diagram II., which
illustrates the respective circuits contemplated to be organised on
the North Atlantic Telegraph. The first circuit connects Scotland with
the Færöes by submarine cable of some 225 miles in length. The course
of the voltaic current runs through the cable, starting from Scotland,
passing through the apparatus at the Færöes, descending into the earth,
and thence direct to the source of its origination in Scotland. The
current of this circuit passes through the spools of wire at the Færöes
constructed as the one which I hold in my hand, and when the wires are
thus charged, the cores, or iron centres, become magnetised, and they
attract down the armature, which causes the other end of the lever to
form a metallic contact so as to close the succeeding circuit extending
to Iceland. The course of the current on this second section extends
from the Færöes to Iceland, thence through the apparatus, similar
to that at the Færöes, and then returns to the battery, from whence
it sprung. In like manner the circuit from Iceland to Greenland is
opened and closed, and the same action takes place on the circuit from
Greenland to America. It will be observed that these circuits are not
of equal lengths, but the science of telegraphy has been so carefully
studied by the practical manipulator, that the conductors can be
adapted to the requirements of each circuit, if desired.
[Illustration: ELECTRIC CIRCUITS COMBINED. DIAGRAM II.
DESCRIPTION OF THE APPARATUSES.--At _Scotland_:--K is the key; c, point
to close circuit; B, the battery connected with earth plate N from
negative pole N. At FÆRÖE ISLES:--M is the magnet; A, the armature of
the lever L; F, the fulcrum post; C, the contact post; B, the battery,
with its positive pole P; N and P are earth plates. The black arrows
indicate the course of the voltaic current through the cable; dotted
line E the current returning to the earth plate N, and to the battery
at N. At _Iceland_:--The apparatus is the same as that at the Færöe
Isles.
MANIPULATION OF THE APPARATUSES.--When the key K at Scotland is
pressed to make a contact at c, battery B sends its electric current
in the direction indicated by the arrows to C; through the key K, the
submarine cable to the magnet M, through the coils of the magnet M
to earth plate P, and thence to earth plate N, as indicated by the
dotted line E. In this manner the circuit is completed. At the Færöe
Isles, when the current traverses the magnet coils M, the armature A is
attracted down, and the lever L makes a contact with C, which closes
the next circuit. The current passes from battery B through the cable
to the magnet M at Iceland; then to the earth plate P; then with the
dotted line EE, to plate N; then up to the fulcrum post F, through
the metallic lever L, and the contact post C to the battery B. When
the current traverses the coils of magnet M at Iceland, the armature
of lever L is attracted down, and a connection is made at C, which
closes the next circuit to Greenland. At Greenland there will be a like
apparatus, which will close the circuit to Labrador; and at Labrador
will be another apparatus which will close another circuit to Quebec.
At each place there can be a recording instrument, and dispatches can
be received simultaneously at the Færöe Isles, Iceland, Greenland,
Labrador, and Quebec.]
The limited time allowed at this meeting of the Society prevents me
from going further into detail in explanation of the sciences and the
arts pertaining to the subject under consideration. But in order that
the Society may more clearly understand that which I have already said,
I have arranged the models of apparatuses placed in different parts of
this room. Before me is an apparatus supposed to be at North Scotland,
that on my right the Færöes station. I will now call the Færöe station
by the opening and the closing of the circuit as shown in diagram II.,
section 1, and it will be seen that the bell at Færöes is made to ring
by the instrument at Scotland. I will next call Iceland, which is the
station immediately beyond the Færöes, as seen in diagram II. When I
call Iceland, the Færöe station connects or couples on the circuit to
Iceland; when Iceland hears the call by the ringing of his bell, he
immediately responds. The next station desired is Greenland, and when
that station is called, Iceland couples on the circuit to Greenland,
and in like manner Greenland couples on the circuit to America, and
now I communicate by the combination of the respective circuits from
Scotland to America by the simple motion of my finger.
I have reduced this illustration to the most simple form, so as to
bring it within the comprehension of the most uninitiated. It has not
been done for the expert telegrapher. The apparatuses required at the
respective stations to effect the working in the manner described, will
be more complicated, and a description of them would occupy more time
than is allotted to me on the present occasion. I have upon the table
one of the instruments used on the continental lines for the uniting of
two or more circuits, by which the end heretofore described is effected.
The respective circuits of the North Atlantic Telegraph will be within
the bounds of known practicabilities, and we have no reason to expect
other than the fullest success and the attainment of a calculated
celerity. There are no air lines or lines constructed on poles that
work in circuits more than perhaps 500 miles. There is no retardation
on such lines. The telegraph from London to St. Petersburg is about
1900 miles, and upon that range there are eight relay stations. From
London to Odessa the telegraph is about 3500 miles, and there are
about fourteen relay stations. From London to Constantinople it is
about 3200 miles, and there are about twelve relay stations. It is a
common occurrence to work to the stations mentioned through the aid
of mechanical contrivances. It is in this manner that telegraphic
manipulation overcomes long distances, and although the original
electric spark will not “leap with one bound” from continent to
continent by the North Atlantic Telegraph, the intelligence will pass
between the hemispheres with a celerity commensurate with the grandeur
of the enterprise and the wants of the age.
* * * * *
THE LORD ASHBURTON: The Society has heard, I have no doubt with
much pleasure, the very interesting papers that have been read this
evening, and to afford an opportunity for a discussion upon them, their
consideration will be continued at the next meeting.
The Society then adjourned.
THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. MEETING, FEBRUARY 11TH, 1861. THE LORD
ASHBURTON IN THE CHAIR.
_A crowded Meeting of the Members and their Friends was held at
Burlington House, on Monday Evening, February 11th, 1861, when the
Adjourned Discussion took place._
THE PRESIDENT: I need not read over to you again the names of the very
interesting papers that were submitted to you on the last occasion
of our meeting. We have now amongst us travellers who have gained
experience in every quarter of the globe;--many learned geographers,
who have been themselves present in those portions of the earth which
have been alluded to in these papers: and I trust that we may have
their assistance in correcting what they may see to be wrong; in
amplifying and illustrating what we have heard. The subjects which
come before us, within our province, are the geographical features; we
are not engineers, nor electricians, to judge of the power of electric
currents to pass from this or that part of the earth; we are not
members of Parliament, who are to determine what aid, what facilities
by law are to be afforded to men who have devoted themselves to this
great enterprise; nor are we capable of judging of the respective
merits of the many plans which have been put forward before the public.
All that we can judge of are the geographical facts which have been
laid before us, and of those facts there cannot be better judges than
the assembly that I see before me. (Applause.) It is, therefore, with
hopes of receiving instruction and much knowledge, that I call upon
those gentlemen, more particularly, who have been in these scenes,
to give us the advantage of their experience, in either amplifying,
correcting, or illustrating, the several facts which have been brought
before us. (Applause.)
* * * * *
SIR EDWARD BELCHER, R.N.: I took a very deep interest in the deputation
to Lord Palmerston to get the expedition sent out for this northern
telegraph; and I am very happy indeed to find that nearly all the
arguments that were then used have been so thoroughly realised. I
thought, in the first instance, as has been proved, that we should find
a great connecting bank between Scotland and the Færöes, and between
Iceland and Greenland. As to the difficulties which were raised with
reference to the Labrador shore, I am very glad to find that the reefs,
which it was said would entirely prevent any cable being laid across
there, have vanished with the ice; they have gone southerly somewhere
or other, and have not yet been found; at least those reefs that are
there are rather helps than otherwise by preventing the ice coming down
upon the entrance. I should like very much to have been present at the
last meeting to have understood the nature of the soundings;--and while
I am speaking of the soundings, I am sorry to say that before another
institution--the Civil Engineers--it has been assumed that we surveyors
know nothing at all about soundings--that we do not know our business,
and that really some civilians will have to teach us our work. Now,
as far as I am myself concerned, during the whole of my servitude
I adopted a particular means for getting up the bottom in large
quantities, and in such large quantities that I thought nothing of
bringing up a hatful at a time. I have six cases of microscopic shells,
a very handsome collection, all of which I have got up by that means.
The very simple mode that I adopted to sink my lead and to get up the
soundings from the bottom was this. The sounding lead was encased by
a cylinder, and the lead being conical, the cylinder on striking the
ground flew up, and the lower part of the lead stuck to the bottom,
picked up its quantity of soundings, and as the lead was withdrawn this
cylinder (pointing) slipped down and completely protected whatever
adhered to the lead from being washed away. The other one which I used
for obtaining shells was a small dredge attached to the lead, and as
the lead struck the bottom, the flanges scraped up a quantity of earth.
The Labrador coast takes its name “Labrador” from people having found
there golden pyrites, as they termed them in those days, when they
thought that they had made a discovery of a golden coast. It is a
golden coast, inasmuch as the copper contains a great quantity of gold.
In approaching that coast, I think that it would have been as well if
the “Bulldog” had been furnished with a fine wire chain, such as our
jack chains, as used in sweeping up anchors, and had it connected with
an electrical machine. As she ran over the ground she might easily have
detected at the instant whether there was any copper there. And as
to any chance of the cable being corroded or cut, on approaching the
shores of Labrador, or any of the places, I think that if application
be made to the civil engineers, there are men of talent who would
inform them instantly how they were to obviate it.
And if the cable is to be properly laid down, the ground must be
properly examined; for it is quite absurd to attempt to lay cables in
the teeth of nature. If that cable is to be connected with the Labrador
coast, and that coast runs off in ridges under water, as is very
natural, a further survey must be made to find where the hollows run.
A correct and a very accurate survey should be made, so that the cable
may be laid in the hollows.
I am very happy indeed that the experiment has been made, and that the
officers have been so successful in planning the ground; and that we
have a chance of connecting our coasts with those of our cousins across
the Atlantic. (Cheers.)
* * * * *
MR. PLINY MILES.--I do not know, My Lord, that I can throw any
particular light on the subject of the explorations in Iceland and
Greenland. I can, however, mention one or two facts that I noticed
while travelling in Iceland a few years since. One great consideration
of course will be that of climate; we can ascertain from certain
circumstances that that country is not so cold as we should imagine
it to be from its name and locality. The small hardy race of horses
there subsist entirely out of doors in the winter, without any kind of
food being given them in the shape of hay, excepting only those horses
which they use for domestic purposes, during those months. The rest
are without any kind of food, except what they gather from the open
country. I saw in one case a mahogany tree on the south coast, not far
from Portland, that had unquestionably floated with the gulf stream
from the Gulf of Mexico itself. I was told also by Professor Johnson,
that it was not unfrequently the case that spruce or other logs from
Norway were found driven on to the northern coast, at the same time
that logs of wood floated from the southern portion of the North
American continent. They are there found together, the one current
having come from Spitzbergen, and the other from the gulf stream.
Standing on any mountain or height in Iceland, you will see a green and
beautiful landscape; in fact, the natives say, “Iceland is the finest
country the sun shines upon,” though at some seasons of the year they
have very little of the sun to shine. I am satisfied of the feasibility
of running the wires from this country to the Færöes and Iceland.
With regard to the absence or presence of trees in Iceland, that has
nothing to do with the coldness or the severity of the climate. It is
well known that there are trees of large size on the coast of Norway,
where the climate is far colder than in any, the most severe seasons
that have ever been known in Iceland, or in regions still farther
north. It is a fact, that on some portions of the coast of Scotland,
and in all parts of the Orkney and Shetland and Færöe Islands, you will
not find a single tree six feet high, while they are found in Iceland
18 feet high. I will not attempt to explain, or to give a reason why,
we find trees growing in one very severe climate, and not in others,
but it is undoubtedly owing, to a certain extent, to the direction of
the wind, and to some particular effect of the sea air. At any rate
we find no trees whatever on some of our more southern coasts, while,
farther north--on the Labrador coast, there are large trees, spruce,
pine, larch, and others. So that the fact that there are no trees in
Iceland, must not lead persons to suppose that the cold is necessarily
extremely severe.
I would just refer to a statement made by a gentleman who read a paper
here two weeks ago, with regard to the thickness of ice at Reikiavik.
I have a distinct recollection that the lake seldom freezes to the
depth of 18 inches. I have been told that sometimes it is not frozen
more than two inches during the whole course of the winter, showing
most conclusively the mildness of the climate. These circumstances will
throw considerable light on the peculiarities of that climate; and
prove that it is far more genial than you would naturally suppose from
its name and locality. (Applause.)
* * * * *
[Illustration: PROFILES OF THE DEEP SEAS ON THE NORTH ATLANTIC
TELEGRAPH ROUTE.
[_Referred to in the Remarks of Captain Osborn._]
FÆRÖE ISLES. _About 225 Miles._ SCOTLAND.
ICELAND. _About 240 Miles._ FÆRÖE ISLES.
GREENLAND. _About 670 Miles._ ICELAND.