great facility. The "Terrible," "Albany," and "Medway" kept their allotted position. Weather fine, smooth sea. At noon (ship's time) the ships were 135.5 miles from Valentia, and 1533.5 from Heart's Content; 144.58 miles of cable had been paid out. Lat. 52° 15', long. 14° 3'. The convoy kept their position accurately during the next day. At 1.45 p.m. the "Terrible" signalled that a man had fallen overboard.

Her cutter was

speedily lowered. The sailor had, however, laid hold of a rope thrown to him from the frigate before the boat reached him. At 10.45 p.m. Mr. Willoughby Smith issued, for the benefit of the expedition, the latest news from Europe. On each day during the voyage the news from Europe, together with the latest intelligence received from America, was sent through the cable and printed on board, under the title of the "Great Eastern Telegraph." While the messages, however, were being transmitted, the insulation tests were kept up without intermission. The paying-out apparatus was the same as used last year, with the exception of a stronger drum. The hauling-in machine for grappling, placed at the fore part of the ship, is more powerful than the one used for the attempt made in 1865. It consisted of two drums of 5 feet 8 inches in diameter each, by 20 inches broad, connected by gear with an engine of 40-horse power, similar to that attached to the paying-out machine. The rope or cable passed over both drums, and an arrangement was made for "fleeting" the grapnel rope or cable on the drums by means of small rollers. At ten minutes past ten p.m. on the 15th July, the "Albany" was observed to drop astern. By the medium of Colomb's flash signals, at a distance of about eight miles those on board the great ship learned that she had lost the boit of her eccentric. At daylight, the damage having been repaired, she was again in position. On Monday, July 16, every thing was going on well-the sea like a mill-pond. The paying out of the cable from the after tank progressed with uniform certainty and steadiness, and the electrical tests were reported perfect. On this day some of the cable of 1865 was paid out. The after tanks contained 839.685 miles, of which 267 miles were of the old cable. The track was about thirty miles to the south of that of last year, and at that distance, on the 16th, the ships passed parallel to where the telegraph cable parted in August, 1857. The depth of water was between 1950 and 2100 fathoms temperature 53 deg. The average strain indicated by the dynamometer was 10:54; the average speed about five knots. When Captain Moriarty issued his bulletin, it stated that since noon on the 11th, 136.88 miles of cable had been paid out; percentage of slack, 18.82; distance run, 115-2 miles. Distance from Valentia, 3782; from Heart's Content, 1290 miles. Lat. 52° 6′, long. 20° 36'.

:

The succeeding twenty-four hours was a period of uninterrupted All day on the 16th it was so calm that the masts of the convoy were reflected in the ocean, an unusual thing to see. A

success.

large shoal of porpoises gambolled during half an hour round the ships; there was a glorious sunset, and later a bright crescent moon. At 7.55 a.m. Greenwich time, on the 17th, the remaining portion of the cable of 1865 was paid out of the tank. At 9.10 the screw engines were slowered to eighteen revolutions, and the paddles reduced to four. Some canvas was set, with a steady breeze from the south and a smooth sea.

On the 18th of July, the breeze from the southward had freshened, and the sky was of a dull grey, with occasional rain. A moderate sea prevailed. At 5.28 p.m. Greenwich time, a bell in connexion with the electrical room sounded in the tank. Mr. Temple, one of Mr. Canning's staff, being on duty, immediately pressed the valve of the steam whistle which was fitted at the stern, and communicated by compressed air through piping to the screw, the paddle engines, and the helm. A similar apparatus was fitted in the bows of the ship. The signal was so promptly answered by the engineers, that the "Great Eastern" was stopped in less than her own length. Mr. Gifford, hearing the bell, ran at the top of his speed to the paddle-engine hatchway, but long before he could reach it these engines were stopped. Of course great anxiety arose to ascertain what was the matter. All on board were soon relieved by learning that the alarm was a false one. One of Mr. Willoughby Smith's assistants had, by mere accident, touched the spring of the bell. This accident, however, served to show conclusively that every one was at his post. All went on well until 12.20 a.m., Greenwich time, when the first real check was given to the success which had hitherto attended the undertaking. This time the cause of alarm was real. A foul flake took place in the after tank. The engines were immediately turned astern, and the paying out of the cable stopped. Almost every body soon came on deck. It was found that the coil being paid out had caught three turns of the flake immediately under it, and carried them into the eye of the coil, fouling the lay-out and hauling up one and a half turns from the outside and five turns in the eye of the under-flake. This was stopped, fortunately, before it entered the paying-out machinery. Stoppers of hemp with chains also were put on near the V wheel astern, and Mr. Canning gave orders to stand by to let go the buoy. This was not very cheering to hear; but his calm and collected manner gave every one confidence that his skill and experience would extricate the cable from the obvious danger in which it was placed. No fishing-line was ever entangled worse than the rope was, when thrust up in apparently hopeless knots from the eye of the coil to the deck. There at least 500 feet of rope lay in this state. was raining thickly at the time, with increasing wind. The cable crew set to work, under the instructions of their chief engineer, to disentangle it. Mr. Halpin was patiently following the bights as they showed themselves, the crew now passing them forward, now aft, until at last the character of the tangle was seen, and then it

It

soon became apparent that ere long the cable would be cleared and pass down to the tank. All this time Captain Anderson was at the taffrail anxiously watching the strain on the rope, which he could scarcely make out, the night was so dark. He was endeavouring to keep it up and down, going on and reversing with paddle and screw. When one reflects for a moment upon the size of the ship and the enormous mass she presented to the wind, the difficulty of keeping her stern over the cable can be appreciated. The port paddle-wheel was disconnected, but shortly afterwards there was a shift of wind, and the vessel canted the wrong way. Welcome voices were, however, soon heard passing the word aft from the tank that the bights were cleared, and to pay out. Then the huge stoppers were gently loosened, and at 2.5 a.m., to the joy of all, the "Great Eastern was once more discharging the cable. They veered it away in the tank to clear away the foul flake until 3 a.m., when the screw and paddle engines were slowed, so as to reduce the speed of the ship to 4 knots. During all this critical time there was an entire absence of noise and confusion. Every order was silently obeyed, and the cable-men and crew worked with hearty good-will. But what of the electrical condition of the cable during this period? Simply through its entire length it was perfect, or, as it is technically called, O.K. (all correct). The "Terrible" was lost sight of in the thickness of the night, and, save for a few minutes, was not seen till seven o'clock the next morning. The "Albany" and "Medway" showed on the starboard and port quarter at 5 a.m. The weather continued very hazy. The distance from Valentia was at this time 600-2 miles; from Heart's Content 1068.8, lat. 52° 1' N., long. 26° 37' N. In the evening a fresh breeze sprang up, bringing a heavy swell on the port-quarter, which caused the ship to roll. The paying out from the after tank went on steadily. Two of the large buoys were lifted by derricks from the deck near the bows of the ship, and placed in position on the port and starboard side of the forward pick-up machinery, ready for letting go if necessary. The sun went down with an angry look, and the scud came rapidly from the eastward, the sea rising. A wind dead aft is not the best for cable-laying, particularly if any accident should take place. The swell was very heavy, to which the "Great Eastern" proved herself not insensible. Her rolling, like every thing else appertaining to her, is done on a grand scale. Those on board the great ship could, however, note the more than ordinary liveliness with which that operation was performed by the "Albany" and "Medway," and were not at all disposed to be too critical on the behaviour of their own vessel. The speed was kept up at 4 during the night.

The 19th of July was a day of complete success, the paying out in every respect satisfactory. The wind continued from the eastward, but the sea had entirely gone down. The wind shifted to S.W. about daybreak on the 20th. The "Terrible," "Albany," and "Medway," all kept their allotted positions. It blew very

hard from 2 up to 10 p.m., by which time the wind gradually ‹ found its way from south-west to north-west, which was right ahead. During the night there were heavy showers of rain, but on the morning of the 21st the sea was comparatively smooth.

Between six and seven p.m. on the 22nd the "Great Eastern" passed over the deepest part of the course. There was no additional strain on the dynamometer, which indicated from 10 to 14. The wind was still fresh from the north-westward; during the night it went round to the south-west, and on the morning of the 23rd a long roll from the southward set in. On the 24th and 25th of July the weather became foggy; on the last-named day thickly so. The fog, however, was occasionally lifted. At noon this day, the ship was in lat. 42° 29' 40", long. 48° 10′ 42′′. Distance run, 1430; cable paid out, 1610-53; percentage of slack, 12·62. Distance from Heart's Content, 239.8 miles.

Captain Anderson signalled to the "Albany" at 10.15 on the night of the 25th to start at daybreak and proceed to lat. 40° 25′; long. 52° 30', to discover the station-ship, and report the arrival of the expedition; should she fail to find her, then to try and make the land and guide the big ship to Trinity Bay. Another signal was sent at 12.30 to the effect that the "Terrible" and "Medway" would be sent ahead to meet the "Albany," and establish a line to lead the ship in, even with a fog. The "Albany" started at 3.30. At 4.45 (Greenwich time), the cable engineer in charge took one weight off each brake of the paying-out machinery. At 7.40 all weights were taken off; the assumed depth being 300 fathoms. The indicated strain on the dynamometer was gradually decreasing. At 8.55 signals were made to the "Terrible" to sound; the reply was 160 fathoms. All arrangements for the operation in Trinity Bay were got forward as far as possible.

as

Shortly after two p.m. on the 26th, two ships, which were soon made out to be steamers, were seen to the westward, and the "Terrible," steaming on ahead, in about an hour, signalled that H.M.S. "Niger" was one of them, accompanied by the " Albany." The "Niger" (Captain Bruce) sent a boat to the "Terrible" soon as he came up with her. The "Albany" shortly afterwards took up position on the starboard quarter of the "Great Eastern," and signalled that she spoke the "Niger" at noon, bearing E. by N., and that the "Lily" was anchored at the station at the entrance of Trinity Bay, as arranged with the Admiral. The "Albany" also reported that she had passed an iceberg about 60 ft. high in lat. 48° 34', long. 52° 10′. At twenty minutes after four p.m. the " Niger" came on the port side of the cable ship quite close, and Captain Bruce, sending the crew to the rigging and manning the yards, gave three cheers, which were heartily returned from the "Great Eastern." She then steamed ahead towards Trinity Bay. The "Albany" was signalled to go on immediately to Heart's Content, clear the N.E. side of the harbour of shipping, and place a boat with a red flag for Captain Anderson to steer to

for anchorage. Just before dinner, on the southern horizon, distant about ten miles, an iceberg, probably the one which the Albany" met with, was seen. The fog came on very thick about eight p.m., and between that and ten, guns were constantly exchanged and blue lights were burnt with the "Terrible," who, with the "Niger," went in search of the "Lily" station-ship. Catalina Light, at the entrance of Trinity Bay, had been made out three hours before this, and the loom of the coast had also been seen. The fog, however, still prevailed. The expedition by six a.m. was within ten miles of Heart's Content, but objects would have been invisible more than a ship's length ahead. The "Niger," however, with her repeated guns, led the "Great Eastern" with

accuracy.

At about eight o'clock the massive curtain of fog was lifted gradually from both shores of Trinity Bay, disclosing the entrance of Heart's Content-the "Albany" making for the harbour, the "Margaretta Stevenson," surveying vessel, steaming out to meet the expedition; the pre-arranged course all marked with buoys, and a whole fleet of boats fishing at the entrance. It could be plainly seen that Heart's Content, so far as its capabilities permitted, had prepared a welcome. The British and American flags floated from the church and telegraph station, and other buildings. The "Great Eastern" dressed ship, fired a salute, and three cheers were given. At nine o'clock, ship's time, the cable was cut, and arrangements were made for the "Medway" to lay the shore end. Shortly afterwards the "Great Eastern" steamed into the harbour, and anchored on the N.E. side. She was quickly surrounded by boats laden with visitors.

AUGUST.

2. GOODWOOD RACES.-THE CUP DAY.-The great event of this brilliant meeting, which was honoured by the presence of Royalty, attracted a vast assemblage of spectators.

Though the weather was not all that could be wished, it did not rob the lawn of its attractions, nor exercise the slightest influence on the general attendance. On the contrary, the carriages formed an unbroken line for hours, and the "setting down" at the Stand was incessant. The Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by the Duke of Richmond, arrived on the course shortly before one o'clock, preceded by the distinguished circle staying at the house, and it is not too much to say that the county gentry of Hants and Sussex were there en masse to receive them. The principal contest of the day was decided as follows:The GOODWOOD CUP, value 300 sovs., added to a subscription of 20 sovs. each, h. ft. The second to receive 100 sovs. out of the stakes. Two miles and a half. Twenty-nine subs.