ship so anxiously, perceived the slightest possible indication that the grapnel was holding on at the bottom, and that the ship’s head was coming up towards the northward. It is not possible to describe the joyous excitement which diffused itself over the Great Eastern as, with slowly-increasing certitude, she yielded to the strain from the grapnel and its prize, and in an hour and a-half canted her head from E. by S. ½ S., to E. ¾ North. The screw was used to bring up her bow to the strain, and the machinery of the picking-up apparatus, much improved and strengthened, was set in motion to draw in the grapnel by means of the capstan and its steam power. The strain shown by the indicator increased from 48 cwt. to 66 cwt. in a short time; but the engines did their work steadily till 8·10, when one of the wheels was broken by a jerk, which caused a slight delay. The grapnel-rope was, however, hauled in by the capstan at a uniform rate of 100 fathoms in 40 minutes; but the strain went on gradually increasing till it reached 70 cwt. to 75 cwt. At 11·30 p.m., ship’s time, or 2·5 a.m., Greenwich, 300 fathoms were aboard, and at midnight all those who were not engaged on duty connected with the operation retired to rest, thankful and encouraged. In the words of our signal to the Terrible, all was going on “hopefully.” Throughout our slumbers the clank of the machinery, the shrill whistles to go on ahead, or turn astern, sounded till morning came, and when one by one the citizens of our little world turned up on deck, each felt, as he saw the wheels revolving and the wire rope uncoiling from the drums, that he was assisting at an attempt of singular audacity and success. A moonlight of great brightness, a night of quiet loveliness had favoured the enterprise, and the links of rope had come in one after another at a speed which furnished grounds for hope that if the end of the day witnessed similar progress, the Cable would be at the surface before nightfall. [Illustration: G. McCulloch, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley London, Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. INTERIOR OF ONE OF THE TANKS ON BOARD THE GREAT EASTERN. CABLE PASSING OUT.] [Illustration: E. Walker, lith from a drawing by R. Dudley London, Day & Sons, Limited, Lith. LAUNCHING BUOY ON AUGUST 8TH IN LAT 51° 25´ 30´´ LONG. 38° 56´ (MARKING SPOT WHERE CABLE HAD BEEN GRAPPLED).]