The Ocean Telegraph to India. By J. C. Parkinson. (Blackwood.)
—This is a narrative of the successful laying down of the telegraphic cable between Bombay and Suez, a cable upwards of four thousand statute miles in length. The work was accomplished in the main by the Great Eastern, though for the latter part of the route, the Rod Sea, smaller vessels had to be employed. Mr. Parkinson accompanied the expedition, and gives a lively narrative of his experiments. There were times when the operation became very exciting, as, for instance, when the cable in ono tank had been all laid, and the paying-out from the other had to begin ; when the ends had to be taken on shore ; when that carried by one ship had to be spliced with that carried by another ; and, above all, when the cable broke and had to be grappled for. There are some amusing sketches of manners and good stories, though for one of the best of these we suspect a Western origin, where the Cairo donkey- boy recommends his animal with the words, "Try him, master ; him Christian donkey ; he never go down on his knees!"
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