海底兩萬里 第534期 第33章 北緯47.24度, 西經17.28度(8)
Its sheaves of conducting wire were insulated within a gutta-percha covering, which was protected by a padding of textile material enclosed in a metal sheath. The Great Eastern put back to sea on July 13, 1866.
它的絕緣導線束裹在馬來樹膠皮中，由一條套在金屬套管的纖維帶保護起來。1866年7月13日，“大東方號”船只又一次啟航。
The operation proceeded apace. Yet there was one hitch. As they gradually unrolled this third cable, the electricians observed on several occasions that someone had recently driven nails into it, trying to damage its core. Captain Anderson, his officers, and the engineers put their heads together, then posted a warning that if the culprit were detected, he would be thrown overboard without a trial. After that, these villainous attempts were not repeated.
操作進行得很順利。然而，這時意外發(fā)生了。好幾次，鋪開電纜的時候，電工發(fā)現電纜上被新釘進幾顆釘子：有人蓄意破壞電纜的心線?！按髺|方號” 的安德森船長、船上人員和工程師們聚集在一起討論了這件事，最后決定貼出布告說，如果在船上抓到了罪犯，那他就會被不經審判投入海中喂魚。從那以后，這樣的犯罪行為再也沒發(fā)生過。
By July 23 the Great Eastern was lying no farther than 800 kilometers from Newfoundland when it received telegraphed news from Ireland of an armistice signed between Prussia and Austria after the Battle of Sadova. Through the mists on the 27th, it sighted the port of Heart's Content. The undertaking had ended happily, and in its first dispatch, young America addressed old Europe with these wise words so rarely understood: "Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to men of good will."
7月23日，“大東方號”船只距離紐芬蘭島只有800公里。這時，有人從愛爾蘭向船上致電說，薩多瓦戰(zhàn)役后，普魯士和奧地利達成了停戰(zhàn)協議。27日，船出現在赫爾斯堪敦港的大霧中。工程順利地完成了，年輕的美洲用第一份電報向古老的歐洲致來了幾句圣明但令人費解的賀詞：“榮譽屬于天上的上帝，和平屬于地上善良的人們?！?/p>
