Still the cable, inadequately constructed as it was from an electrical point of view, would probably have worked for years--though slowly, of course--had the fairly reasonable battery-power employed between the ships and up to the successful termination of the expeditions been continued in connection with Professor Thomson's delicate reflecting-apparatus. The electrician, however, not only used much higher power immediately he took the cable in hand--for working his specially devised relay and Morse electromagnetic recording-instrument in connection with his enormous induction-coils--but actually increased the power from time to time up to nearly 500 cells, till the five-foot coils yielded a current urged by a potential of something like 2,000 volts. Hence, when signaling was resumed, as shown by the comparatively mild voltaic currents, for actuating the Thomson apparatus, a fault (or faults) had been already developed, necessitating a far higher battery-power than had been employed during the continuous communication between the ships while paying out. The wounds opened farther under the various stimulating doses; the insulation was unable to bear the strain, and the circulation gradually ceased through a cable already in a state of dissolution. CHAPTER XI THE INQUEST Expert Trials--Expert Evidence The great historical sea-line having collapsed, some of the foremost of the electrical profession were called in--first to determine the nature of the interruption with a view to possible remedy, next to elicit _the cause_. _Expert Opinions on the Failure._--Mr. Cromwell Fleetwood Varley, the electrician to the Electric Telegraph Company, Mr. E. B. Bright, the chief of the "Magnetic" Company; and Mr. W. T. Henley, the well-known telegraph inventor, were severally requested by the "Atlantic" Company to report on the subject in conjunction with Sir Charles Bright and Professor Thomson. First of all the dead line was subjected to a series of tests. For this, resistance-coils and Messrs. Bright's apparatus for ascertaining the position of a fault were employed. There was every evidence of a serious electrical leakage about 300 miles from Valentia, but there did not appear to be any fracture in the conductor, as exceedingly weak currents still came through fitfully. According to the above location, the main leak through the gutta-percha envelope was in water of a depth of about two miles. At that time means were not devised for grappling and lifting a cable from such depths. But from independent tests by Thomson and Bright, it appeared likely that the Valentia shore end was also especially faulty. Accordingly, it was underrun from the catamaran-raft (previously used in 1857) for some three miles, but, on being cut at the farthest point at which it was found possible to raise the cable, the fault still appeared on the seaward side. The idea of repairs had, therefore, to be abandoned, and the cable was spliced up again.