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 12 3 
 
 12 3 
 
 4 5 6 
 
THE STORY 
 
 THE TELEGRAPH. 
 
s 
 
 ^ir~^cc6L. 
 
 •iwT'narajD, 
 
'' 'Vht\l line ii fins out throaffh all t)i< earth. 
 Aim! tiieir wonU to llit lud a( 'Jia wurld." 
 
 Pialuu III. 4 
 
 THT7 QT^^^PY 
 
 
 TELEGRAPH, 
 
 anu 
 
 I Ml STOP V OF THi. GREAT 
 
 LAXTIC CABLK; 
 
 \i\i .•(■■ T\\\\ IMl'KrTlOM, PROGKES-* A'^'f' FrN«l. 
 
 A\n 
 
 vmtcK. 
 
 «K 
 
 '^Hf '..tsftratrt. 
 
 Mlif^ 
 
 nUl^l^ ex V^/\l\l^iL,lWi>l, 31 U DKOADWAY. 
 M DCCC LVIII. 
 
■^.■ 
 
 #*■ 
 
 
 
 4f.- 
 
 yu>t^ -h' du/cc. 
 
 J^EWY^IU;KDDn\ •;,. 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
** Their tinr ii grna oiii ihraa^h all tkt Nirtli, 
 Aud their worU« to Uit aud of Die vurld." 
 
 Ptaiuu xli. 4 
 
 THE STORY 
 
 OF 
 
 6? 
 
 0.1 
 
 THE TELEGRAPH, 
 
 AND 
 
 A HISTORY OF THE GREAT 
 
 ATLANTIC CABLE; 
 
 A COMPLETE KKOORD OF TIIK INCKPTION, PHOGKESS, AND FINAL 
 
 Sl'CCKSS OF THAT UNDKIITAKING. A OKNEKAL H?STOaY OF 
 
 LAND AND OCEANIC TELEGRAPHS. DEriCKIPTloNS OF 
 
 TELEGRAPHIC APPAKATKS. AND BIOGRAPHICAL 
 
 SKETCHES OF THE PKINCIPAL PERSONS 
 
 CONNECTED WITH THE GREAT WORK. 
 
 BY 
 
 Charles F. Briggs, 
 
 AND 
 
 Augustus Maverick. 
 
 V&unTiantIs snb ISrautifuIIs Slluttratttl. 
 
 ^. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 RUDD & CARLETON, 310 Broadway. 
 
 M DCCC LVIII. 
 
Entered according to Act of CongreM, In the year 1868, by 
 
 RUDD Jc CAELETON, 
 
 m the Clerk'* Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern 
 
 District of New York. 
 
 I M 
 
 K. CRAIOHtAD, 
 
 Printfr, SiiTfuiyper, «nd EI«lro<7T)«r, 
 
 Caitoii euilHiito, 
 
 81, 83, n/id S3 Cmtrt Stmt 
 
"What hath God Wrought 1" 
 
 Firtt Meteage over Mor»e^» line— May 27, 18*4 
 
 irn 
 
 t),„ M'l^ 0";^?""*^.^'* ^^^ President will join with her in iervently hopin- 
 that the Llectrlc Cable which now connects Great Britai' *,th the United Stite^ 
 wil prove an additional link between the nations whose iriendship is fo. ded upon 
 their CO amon interest and reciprocal esteem." '^ 
 
 FirH JfMtaffe (yttr M« AUanUc Cable— Auffutt 14, 1868. 
 
Dedication. 
 
 The publishers of this work have great satisfaction in being 
 permitted to dedicate this volume to the man whom the public 
 recognise as the real author of the Atlantic Telegraph — 
 
 CYRUS WEST FIELD. 
 
 New Yobk, Auf^^ut, ISftS. 
 
Contents. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 The Science of Telegraphing — Ita Inception and PrograsB — 
 Gradual Development and Perfection, 11 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Land and Oceanic Telegraphs, . 
 
 23 
 
 CHAPTER 111. 
 Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph — Organization of the New 
 York, Newfoundland, and London Telegraph Company — 
 wiih Biographical Sketches, 37 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The Atlantic Cable — Construction and Experimenta, 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 Tlie First Expedition — Summer of 1857, .... 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Tiie Expedition of 1858, 
 
 • • 
 
 . 56 
 . 92 
 . 116 
 . 172 
 
 CHAPTER Vn. 
 The Third and Successful .\t tempt, . 
 
 CHAPTER vnr 
 
 Working the Atlantic Tel('grapli—Tli(« Tcrniiui of the Line, . 1U5 
 
10 
 
 Contents. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 I. Action of Congress in Kelation to the International 
 
 Submarine Telegraph, 207 
 
 II. Lieut. M. F. Maury on the FeasibiUty of Oceanic Tele- 
 graphs, 221 
 
 III. The Basin of the Atlantic, and the Telegraphic Plateau, 229 
 
 IV. Early Predictions of Professor Morse, .... 233 
 V. Use of the Telegraph in Connxtion with Longitude 
 
 Operations, 235 
 
 VI. Velocity of the Gralvanic Current, . . • . . 239 
 
 VII. Table of Submarine Cables, 243 
 
 VIII. The Morse Telegraph Alphabet, 244 
 
 IX. Reception of the Tidings of Success in the United States, 245 
 X. Mr. Berdan as the Inventor of the New Paying-Out 
 
 Machine, ......... 251 
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS, 
 
 Portrait of Cyruy W. Field, Esq. 
 
 Map of the Subma.ine Telegraph between America and Europe, 
 
 with its Various Communications on the two Continents. 
 Register of the Morse Telegraph. 
 Signal Key of do. do. 
 Re»(irding Apparatus. 
 Pain's Telegraph. 
 House's do. 
 
 Splice of the Wirei in a Land Tel» 'raph. 
 Cable for River Crossing's. 
 Submarine Tclrgniph Cable, connecting Dover and Calais —exact 
 
 sizi'. 
 Holyhead Submarine Cable 
 
 Vertical Section of the Atlantic Cable — cxart size. 
 Profile View of the Atlantic Caole — exact size. 
 View of the Atlantic Cable in Sections. 
 The Spli.-e of tli Cjiiile. 
 V erlua! J^cction ol Shore end ol Atlaiilii,: Caliie — exact size. 
 
THE STOPY OF THE TELEGRAPH. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE SCIENCE OF TELEGRAPHY — ITS INCEPTION AND 
 PROGRESS — GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT A.- ^ PERFEC- 
 TION. 
 
 THE completion of the Atlantic Telegraph, the unap- 
 proachable triumph which has just been achieved 
 in the extension of the submarine electrical Cable between 
 Europe and America, has been the cause of the most exult- 
 ant burst of popular enthusiasm that any event in modern 
 tiin(>s has over clii'itcd. So universal and joyful an expres- 
 sion of public syiiipatliy betokens a pn^found emotion 
 that will not iniincdiatcly j)ass away. The laying of the 
 Telegraph Cal)le is regarded, and most justly, as the 
 greatest event in the j>resent century ; and it is with the 
 desire to mcei ihcj popular demand for an authentic and 
 
12 
 
 General Introduction. 
 
 concise history of this great event that the authors of this 
 volume have undertaken tlieir task, and not with the 
 expectation that they shall be able, in the very brief 
 time afforded them, to present the world with a volume 
 entirely worthy of the importance of the subject. The 
 history, such as it is, will at least have the merit of cor- 
 rectness. 
 
 The completion of the Atlantic Telegraph may be 
 regarded as the crown and complement of all past inven- 
 tions and efforts in the science of Telegraphy ; for great 
 and startling as all past achievements had been, so long 
 as the stormy Atlantic bade defiance to human ingenuity, 
 and kept Europe and America dis,^vered, the electric 
 Telegraph was deprived of the crowning glory which its 
 inventor had proj)hesied it should one day possess. But 
 now the great work is complete, and the whole earth 
 will be belted with the electric current, palpitating with 
 human thoughts and emotions. If we reflect for a 
 moment that the great Atlantic Cable is the connecting 
 link between Amerie;»'s web-work of forty-five thousand 
 miles, and {Europe's system of lifty-five thousand miles 
 of Tel'jgraph wircr, thus forming a vavst inter-connected 
 system of a Imndred tlioi^^^and miles of wires, more tlum 
 sufficient to put a quadru]il(i girdle round the globe, 
 some conception of its immense significance may be 
 gained. 
 
 in tills history, it is the aim of the authors to include 
 
General Introd action. 
 
 13 
 
 within the scope of their work an account of the deve- 
 lopment of the Telegraphic system, its beginnings and 
 applications, its rapid improvements and almost miracu- 
 lous extension over the civilized parts of the earth. 
 
 Of all the marvellous achievements of modern science, the 
 Electric Telegraph is transcendently the greatest and most 
 serviceable to mankind. It is a perpetual miracle, which 
 no familiarity can render commonplace. This ci. xracter it 
 deserves from the nature of the agent employed and the 
 end subserved. I or what is the end to be accomplished, 
 but the most spiritual ever possible ? Not the modifica- 
 tion or transportation of matter, but the transmission of 
 'hought. To effect this an agent is employed so subtle 
 in its nature, that it may more properly be called a 
 spiritual than a material force. The mighty power of 
 electricity, sleeping latent in all forms of matter, in the 
 earth, the air, the water; permeating every part and 
 particle of the universe, carrying creation in its arms, it 
 is yet invisible and too subtle to be analysed. Of the 
 natural cifecta of electricity, the most palpable examples 
 occur in atmospheric manifestations; but its artificial 
 generation and application are the mightiest sciontitlc 
 triiunjilis of our epoch. It was but little more than a 
 hundred years ago that Franklin's immature experi- 
 ments demonstrated the absolute identity of liglitning 
 atid t'lectricity. Since then various meol-.anical contri- 
 vances have been devised for liberating this subtle hut 
 
 ,fi 
 
H 
 
 General Introduction. 
 
 potent power from its dark windings in the prison-house 
 of material forms ; the result of which is, that the electric 
 fluid may be produced and employed in any desired 
 quantity and with any required intensity. Thus the 
 same terrific agent which rushes with blinding and 
 crushing force in the lightning, has been brought under 
 the perfect control of man, and is employed at his will 
 as an agent of his necessities. With dissolving energy 
 it effects the most subtle chemical analyses, it converts 
 the sunbeam into the limner's pencil, employs its titanic 
 force in blasting rocks, dissolves gold and silver, and 
 employs them in the gilding and plating of other metals ; 
 it turns policeman, sounding its whistle and alarm-bell; 
 and lastly, applies its marvellous energy to the trans- 
 mission of thought from continent to continent with 
 such rapidity as to forestall the flight of Time, and inaugu- 
 rate new realizations of human powers and possibilities. 
 
 The efficacy of the Electric Telegraph depends on the 
 power to produce at will the three following eft'ects : — 
 
 1st. To develope the electric fluid in any desired 
 quantity. 
 
 2nd. To t/ansmit it to any required dl tance without 
 any injurious diminution of its force. 
 
 3rd. To cause it upon its arrival at any required point 
 to produce some sensible eftects which may serve the 
 purpose of wrtten or printed characttrii.* 
 
 * Lnrdner Tho Kleotrio Tologrrnph. 
 
General Introduction. 
 
 15 
 
 Every practical application must liave its ground and 
 
 [enesis in some scientific conception ; it must pre-exist in 
 
 16 mind as law, before it can assume substantive shape 
 
 the world of concrete realities. Thus practical navi- 
 lation is the result of mathematical discoveries and ob- 
 3rvations, that run back to the speculative labors of the 
 rreek geometers ; and our ships now navigate the track- 
 bss ocean with safety, guided by a knowledge of the 
 [rinciples of conic sections disco\ered by Apollonius 
 id Aristarchus. A praijtical embodiment is real and 
 
 sting, just in proportion to its truthful relation to laws 
 [eneralized from the observation of phenomena in nature, 
 id any discovery is explained, when the ideal steps on 
 ^hich it depends, are set forth in systematic order. 
 
 It was not until the latter part of the eighteenth cen- 
 iry, that the science of electrology began to receive 
 )me of those great generalizations which give it a 
 itional character, and which, in fact, constitute it a 
 jience. The f rst serviceable steps were the distinction 
 
 the two electricities, Muschenbroek's experiments 
 rith the Leyden Jar, and Franklin's great meteorolo- 
 [icid discovery, which was the first manifestation of the 
 ifluence of electricity in the general system of nature, 
 [he-je were followed up by the vfvst labors of Coulomb and 
 lMpere, bringing electrical phenomena under the juris- 
 iction of mathematics. In the year 1820, Oersted pub- 
 Hshed to the world his beautiful and comprehensive dis- 
 
i6 
 
 General Introduction. 
 
 covery, connecting the laws of Electricity and Magnet 
 isra. Ten years afterwards, Arago and Faraday cam^ 
 with their brilliant intuitions, bringing those grand 
 gener-^ .xzations which have been the foundation of 
 the magnificent applications of the science which have 
 since bf.en made. 
 
 Such is a brief and rapid view of the development ofl 
 the science of Electrology. How practical applicatioi 
 have kept pace with abstract conceptions, and the energyj 
 and enterprise of intelligent men have been all the while 
 fully abreast with the discoveries of science, remains to 
 be proved. 
 
 It would seem to be necessaiy to the perfection ofl 
 every great discovery, that it should pass through a seriesl 
 of rudimentary and embryonic stages before it can gain al 
 serviceable and rational form. Through such stages didl 
 the applications of steam pass, as witness the numerousi 
 experiments for centuries previous to its receiving thel 
 foundation in science, from which alone we derive alll 
 our power over this force. Telegraphy, too, has had tol 
 pass through analogous processes of development. Tol 
 the present generation, who have seen this greatest of 
 modern arts grow up under their own eyes within the 
 past ten or twelve years, it can hardly seem possible that! 
 they have been present at the very birth and adopiion ofl 
 this great idea. But, notwithstanding that the art is soj^j^jy ^ 
 new, ana has been so suddenly brought to j)erfection, theft sf)n 
 
General Introduction. 
 
 17 
 
 kdea is oM, and, like other great ideas, lias had to strug- 
 gle through long ages for its perfect development. There 
 jwere many abortive experiments through the century- 
 land a half preceding the first practical success. Fruit- 
 less though the greater part of these experiments were, 
 ^•et they were all necessary oi inevitable to the final tri- 
 nph. And as this History will be chiefly occupied 
 idth the triumphs of the telegraphic art during the past 
 twelve years, under the guidance of the great scientific 
 laws previously evolved, it will be necessary to take a 
 glance at the preliminary endeavors towards the consum- 
 (lation of the great idea; though from the imperfect 
 ievelopment of the science of Electrology, large and per- 
 lanent results were not possible. 
 
 t-'i 
 
 The History of Telegraphy may properly be divided 
 
 ito three periods : 
 
 1st. From the development of electricity by jfriction 
 
 to the discovery of Galvanism, or the production of 
 
 illectricity by the chemical union of acids upon metals, 
 
 fn 1790 by Galvani, and by Volta in 1800. 
 
 2d. From the discovery of the Galvanic or Volt"'*'; 
 battery at the beginning of the present century, includ- 
 ing the discoverv of E^ectro-Mncmetisrr! bv Of^rsfpH in 
 1820, and Ampere's first application of the principle* 
 
i8 
 
 General Introduction. 
 
 J i 
 
 he evolved, up to 183?, when Professor Henry disco- 
 vered the method of constructing improved magnets inl 
 connexion with properly arranged batteries, so as to pro- 
 duce mechanical effects at a distance. 
 
 3d. The Era of application, from 1837, when Profes-j 
 sor Morse in America, and Cook and Wheatstone inl 
 England, respectively patented their telegraphic inven-[ 
 tions, and inaugurated the triumphant and almost mira- 
 culous successes which the past twelve years have wit- 
 nessed. 
 
 In the year 1726 John Wood, of England, discovered! 
 that electricity could be conveyed a long distance bj 
 conducting wires, and in 1747 one of the earliest appli- 
 cations of the discovery was made by Doctor Watson, 
 who extended his experiments over a space of four miles, 
 comprising a circuit of two miles of wire and an equal 
 distance of ground. 
 
 In 1784* M. Lomond, of France, communicated tele-l 
 graphic signals to a neighboring room by means of a 
 pith-ball electronometer, acted up-m by electricity, an 
 account of which is narrated in " Young's Travels inl 
 F.-ance." ^nd. according to the Comptes Bmdus, Stan(A 
 lo38, M. Belancourt in 1798 established a telegraph! 
 between Madrid and Aranjuez, twenty-six miles in 
 length, through which a current of electricity was 
 forced and gave signals for letters. 
 
 * Phil. Transactions, Vol. XIV. 
 
General Introduction. 
 
 19 
 
 The first Galvanic Telegraph of which we have any 
 iount was constructed by Soemering, of Munich: it 
 lerated by the decomposition of water, and caused a 
 ill at the opposite end of the wire to ring. This was 
 e first decomposing or chemical telegraph, and it can 
 en now be operated, according to " Jones's Book of 
 le Telegruph," though less rapidly than Bain's. 
 The year 1820 was signalized by the dircovery of 
 lectro-magnetism by Professor Oersted, of Copenhagen, 
 most important discovery was at once seized upon by 
 Ampere, and embodied in the fii-st Electro-Magnetic 
 legraph. This, however, proved more an experi- 
 lental than a practical advance in the science.* 
 The next advance was made by Mr. Sturgeon, of 
 gland, who constructed the first electro-magnet by 
 •lling a piece of copper wire around an iron of a liorse- 
 loe form. He found that when the electric fluid passed 
 >le- Jrough the coil the inclosed iron became a magnet, and 
 again demagnetized in breaking the current. Addi- 
 an»)nal advances were made in 1831, by Professor Henry, 
 m^o discovered a method to which we have already 
 ■JceMuded, of forming magnets of great intensity, making 
 phBacticable the production of powerful effects at a great 
 infttaDce. This was indispensable to the creation of 
 ictro-magnetic telegraphing for great distances, and 
 
 • Annales de Chemie et d© Physique, 1820. 
 
20 
 
 General Introduction. 
 
 was, of course, a sine qud ,ion to the possibility of tha 
 crowning achievement of science, the Submarine Tek 
 graph.* 
 
 In the year 1823, Gauss and Weber first constructe 
 the simplified Electro-Magnetic Telegraph. It was Gai 
 who first employed the incitement of induction, and whfj 
 demonstrated that the appropriate combination of 
 limited number of signs is all that is required for i\\ 
 transmission of messages. Weber discovered that 
 copper wire, 7,400 feet long, which he carried over thJ 
 houses and church steeples of Gottingen, from the Obseij 
 vatory to the Cabinet of Natural Philosophy, require 
 no special insulation. This was a most important discJ 
 very in the construction of telegraphic lines, and hJ 
 been of immense service in the art of Telegraphy. 
 
 Such were some of the preparatory steps througij 
 which the telegraphic art passed previous to the innn^ 
 ration of the great era commencing in 1837. Thus yi{ 
 see that the mighty achievements of the }>;ust twelve yean 
 were the results of the conspiring labors and invostiga] 
 tions of many generations of pacient workers, who wea 
 denied the gratification of witnessing the final glories 
 their discoveries. 
 
 The world has now more tlian a hundred thousaiii 
 miles of Electric Telegraph. To say that this nchiovfj 
 
 TYinnt morl/^c 
 
 oro 1 r» C/^/»1 rA 1 1 K^ ia n /-x* i t\ 
 
 • SUi;inan> .Tiur. Vol. XIX. 
 
General Introduction. 
 
 21 
 
 iroper characterization. It marks an area in the unfold- 
 ng of the human mind. The Telegraph has more than 
 
 mechanical meaning; it has an ideal, a rehgious, and a 
 (respective signifl^ance, far-reaching and incalculable in 
 ts influences. 
 
 The inspired author of the Book of Job exclaims 
 In an interrogatory, mei^t to bear the burden of the 
 mpossible, " Canst thou send lightnings that they may 
 ;o, and say unto Thee, here we are ? " But this is pre- 
 isely what science has done in the Electric Telegraph. 
 n all our cities there are buildings in the cellars of which 
 iiachinery exists for the fabrication of lightning, which 
 
 supplied to order, at a very moderate price, in any 
 uantity required, and of any desired force, which is 
 ioiulucted for thousands of miles across rivers, through 
 forests, over mountains, and down through the dark 
 epths of the ocean. And this lightning is made the 
 chicle of thought, to carry messages to the extreme ends 
 •f the earth, between two boats of the pendulum of a clock. 
 
 le fabled horses of v\rabian tales, and the famous legend 
 f Ic Beau Peeopin's midnight rido round thu world, are 
 ;uno in the comparison of the realities of Telegraphy. 
 
 It lias been the result of the great discoveries of the 
 ast century, lo efToct a n-volution in political and wn-ial 
 fc, by ostablisliing a inon' intimate connexion between 
 
22 
 
 General Introduction. 
 
 nation and death. National health cuu only bt main- 
 tained by the free an-^. unobstructed interchange of each 
 with all. How potent a power, then, is the telegraphic 
 destined to become in the civilization of the world I 
 This binds together by a vital cord all the nations of the 
 earth. It is impossible that old prejudices and hostilities 
 should longer exist, while such an instrument has been 
 created for an exchange of thought between all the 
 nations of the earth. 
 
 Such is the vista which this new triumph of the might 
 of human intelligence opens to us. Every one must 
 feel stronger and freer at the accession of such an in- 
 crease of powc/. to the human family, as has been (con- 
 ferred upon it by the success of the Ocean Telegraph. It] 
 shows that nothing is impossible to man, while he keeps! 
 within the sublimely impel ious orbit of Nature's laws. 
 
 " The future liides in it 
 GladnesT and sorrow : 
 We press still thorow, 
 Naught that abides in it 
 Daunting us, Onward." 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 LAND AND OCEANIC TELEGRAPHS. 
 
 IHE entire history of the Magnetic Telegraph is 
 
 compressible within very narrow limits. The first 
 
 ■elegraphic line in the United States was erected only 
 
 jourteen years ago. But twenty-one years have passed 
 
 lince ihe first English patent for a Telegraph was issued. 
 
 ' period of thirty-nine years has elapsed since the dia- 
 ivery and first application of electro-magnetism. A 
 )aoe of a trifle ovtT a third of a century, therefore, 
 
 inibraces the era of Telograpliic; operations. The accom- 
 
 lishment of the last great feat of underlaying the ocean 
 
 iL'^'osts the propriety of a retrospect of early attempts. 
 
 The disc-overy of electro-magnetism is due to Professor 
 
 KHSTKI), of Coponliagen, who announced the new 
 
 principle in 1819. ^rhe discovery was seize<l by M. 
 
 'mpkre, the emi.irnt ^r. nch pliysicist, who in the 
 
 .'llOWMlir V(>'tv ini-..ii«.> I .>... .1, .,.«.., . .• . i t 
 
 I- '■ " ::::::: V I : : ;: ;;.r; liri K" Ti iOjL^i.ipii, III 
 Inch lie used as many wires as there w.tc letters, and 
 
24 Land and Oceanic Telegraphs. 
 
 broke and restored the circuit by keys, similar to thosJ 
 used in the House patent. This attempt was purelj 
 experimentid. It was never practically tested. ^ 
 current was obtained of sufficient force t verse m 
 
 considerable distance : — the idea of using the earth ^ 
 complete the circuit; the possibiUty of employing 
 single wire ; any method of recording the magnet 
 current, in other words, of not only making it speak, bJ 
 of reporting and preserving its utterances, all these we.j 
 unknown elements, which it was left for the prestd 
 generation to discover. The first advance was made ij 
 ProfesstHi- Joseph Henry, then of Princeton Colleg 
 now of the Smithsonian Institution, who, by the coJ 
 struction and novel combination of magnets, in the ye 
 1831, demonstrated the possibility of transmitting 
 current over long distances ; a revelation indispensable j 
 the construction of a submarine telegraph. In I80I 
 Weber, a German experimenter, found that a copd 
 wire which he carried over sundry houses and churj 
 steeples of Gottingcn, recpiired no especial insulation 
 fact of great practical value to telegraphing ujion laij 
 The year 1837 furnished several additions to previoj 
 knowledge ; and, in fact, may be regarded as the e})" 
 vi the inland telegraphic system. In July of tliat yt 
 SlElNllElL put in use a regi.^'t<TMig electro-magn' 
 •urrauh bftween Munich and lio^euhauseii, whcrj 
 clock-work w:w employed to piu^s a ribbon of ]>ai 
 
Land and Oceanic Telegraphs. 2C 
 
 through the mDx;hine under a deflected needle, which 
 impressed updn it dots and marks, accepted as represen- 
 tations of the several lettCiS of the alphabet. A few 
 days before the Steinheil apparatus was set to work, 
 Messrs. Cooke and Wiieatstone obtained their English 
 patent for a telegraph using a deflective point, the patent 
 bearing date, June 12, 1837. Their specific improvement 
 was the use of transmitting or relay magnets. 
 
 In the year 1835, Mr. Samuel F. B. Morse, of New 
 York, constructed a rude apparatus for telegraphic expe- 
 riments in the University of the City of New York. 
 Seventeen hundred feet of wire were stretched around 
 the walls of a small apartment, and connected with a 
 recording machine of rougli construction. This experi- 
 ment proved the practicability of the Telegraph. The first 
 word indicated through the action of the electric current 
 was " Eureka." Mr. Mowsk conducted further experi- 
 ments until the year 1837, and in October of that 
 year filed his caveat for tli- "American Electro- Mag- 
 netic Telegraph," in which an incomplete outline of his 
 actual system was presented. ^e represented th.at his 
 ])ian had been devised in the year 1832, but waa then 
 first rcluced to the t(\st of experiment. Dr. Cil .{LES T. 
 Jackson, of Boston, hna always contended that th(^ 
 iloRSE invention was due to his suggestion, made to the 
 
 Pr(if(><j>anr rlnritio- •> Tr^,.^^., r.. ir 
 
 i 1 
 
 ilitrii 
 
 States, on board tlu> ship Sh//>/^ in the Summer ( ' 183'_*. 
 
 2 
 
26 Land and Oceanic Telegraphs. 
 
 m 
 
 There is no proof, however, to contradict the averments 
 of both gentlemen, that they had heard nothing of the 
 Steinheil and Wheatstone inventions. Morse obtained 
 his patent in France, in 1838, and in 1840 a patent in 
 the United States. In 1846, a re-issue of the latter patent 
 was obtained, in which the claim to the electric or mag- 
 netic current was abandoned, but he claimed instead the 
 use of electro-magnetism as a motor. The same year he 
 patented a right to the invention of a local circuit. Sub- 
 scquc: tly, Mr. Alexander Bain patented, in England, 
 his claim for an improved Electro-Chemical Telegraph, 
 where the message was recorded by electricity upon 
 paper chemically prepared; and in 1848, entered his 
 claim for an American patent, which \. as confirmed in 
 1849. In 1848-9, Mr. Royal E. House, of New York, 
 obtained an American patent for a Telegraph, in which 
 the message was recorded by types, and the circuit broken 
 and resumed by means of keys similar to those of the 
 piano-forte, answering to the letters of the alphabet. 
 
 The first electro-magnetic line in the United States 
 was tliat between Baltimore and W.ushington, the dis- 
 tance forty miles, completed in 1844. Congress contribu- 
 ted $80,000 t(^wards its construction. The first message 
 over this line was sent by Miss Anne Ellsworth, of 
 Connecticut, on f1i(? 27tli Afny, 1844, and the words 
 transmitted were these four: " Whathalh God tvroughtr 
 The operation of this initird ('i.tcrptisc promising sue- 
 
Land and Oceanic Telegraphs. 27 
 
 cess, a company was formed, with Mr. Amos Kendall 
 aa President, for the continuation of the line; and in 
 1845 it was extended between New York and Wilming- 
 ton, Del., leaving a gap between the latter point and 
 Baltimore, which was filled up early in 1846. From this 
 inception, the work has advanced until tha present day, 
 when there are mooe than thiicy-five thousand miles of 
 telegraph lines in the United States, connecting the coast 
 of Newfoundland with the shores of Texas, and the 
 great plains of the West, and the great lakes of the 
 North with the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. There 
 are more than five thousand miles in the British Pro- 
 vinces ; in England there are over ten thousand miles ; 
 and in the world a total length exceeding one hundred 
 thousand miles. 
 
 The lines of Telegraph now in operation in the United 
 States, are (1) Morse's; (2) Train's; (3) House's; (4) 
 Hughes'. The latter is a new invention, possessing won- 
 derful sensitiveness, and combining the advantages of 
 Morse's and House's. A general description of these 
 diiferent systems may be usefully introduced in thLs con- 
 nexion. 
 
28 
 
 Land and Oceanic Telegraphs. 
 
 The engraving exhibits the Eegister of the Morse 
 Telegraph, as used in the telegraph otHces : 
 
 REGISTER OF Till: N.OIIKF TKI KGIiAPU. 
 
 In this illustration, the magnet, the armature, the 
 rollers, and the clock work, are shown. Thn m.ip]iin« m 
 Bet in operation by a Icvor-kc}-, placod at the other end 
 
Land and Oceanic Telegraphs. 29 
 
 of the telegraphic route, which, beiDg raised or lowered 
 by the pressure of a finger, breaks or closes the circuit. 
 A signal-key is also used, ^:rA the apparatus for recording 
 messages is simple and effective. The subjoined illustra- 
 tions convey an idea of these parts of the machine : 
 
 SIONAL-KST OF MORSk's INSTHIMKNT. 
 
 RICCKDING APPARATUS. 
 
 The writing by Morse's instrument is a series of dots 
 :iih1 (lashes, a full descPMtion of which may be found in 
 the Appendix. 
 
30 Land and Oceanic Telegraphs. 
 
 Bain's Telegraph is a modiiication of Morse's. Its 
 form is shown in the following cut : 
 
 BA.Ji 3 TELEGKAPH. 
 
 In this Telegraph, chemically prepared paper is marked 
 Lj the passage of the current, and the message is recorded 
 upon the disc. 
 
 House's Telegraph is a printing instrument. Its gene- 
 ral character is shown in the subjoined engraving. 
 The operator with this instrument manipulate." a let- 
 tered key-board, arranged like a piano-forte; the circuit 
 being closed by pressing down the keys ; a type- wheel 
 revolving at the extremity of the line, records the mes- 
 sage in printed Roman letters. 
 
 Hughes' Telegraph resembles House's, and, like thfit 
 prints its messages. Th - principal advantage claimed for 
 
Land and Oceanic Telegraphs. 
 
 3' 
 
 tliia instrument, is its peculiar delicacy ; a feebler current 
 of electricity sufficircr to set it in motion. In principle, it 
 is a combination of the Morse and House Telegraphs. 
 
 HOUSES TELEGRAPH. 
 
 The method of erectin.r a line of Land Telegraph is so 
 familiar, that any description is superfluous. The opera- 
 tion of splicing the wires, at points of junction, is not, 
 however, so generally known. It is exhibited in the 
 accompanying engraving. 
 
 Submarine Telegraphs have a very rect at history. 
 
 One of the earliest difficulties to be overc< me in terres- 
 trial telegraphing, was the extension and - .feet insulation 
 
 oft] 
 
 IP wiro ovf^r °.trp.r'.TT>.s is^r' al^or 
 
 1 t C«i/S_/A . 
 
 XXi/ llioi/. 
 
 the transit was effected by using bridges, where bridges 
 
32 Land and Oceanic Telegraphs. 
 
 existed ; and in their absence, of suspending the wires 
 over the water, from carefully-selected Prominences on 
 either bank. In time, the non-conducting quality of 
 
 S 
 
 8PUCE OF THI WIBSS IN A LAND TKLIGaAPH. 
 
 water suggested the idea of submerging the line, and 
 permitting it to sink to the bed of the stream; and with 
 the application of india rucber or gutta percha, as a coat- 
 ing to^ prevent oxidation, ihe plan was successfully | 
 leaorted to. ' — 
 
 I 
 
Land and Oceanic Telegraphs. m 
 
 The Cable generally used for river crossings has the 
 following size and shape : — 
 
 OABLB FOR EITBR CUOSSINGS. 
 
 The employment of Submarine Cables for telegraphic 
 communications was first successfully accomplished seven 
 years ago. In October, 1851, a deep-sea Cable w^^ laid 
 in the English Channel, between Dover and Calais ' Is 
 Cable had four p.onHnctine' wires inenlnfpri hir miHo 
 
 percha, and afterwards enveloped by tarred rope-yarn 
 
 2* 
 
34 ^-and and Oceanic Telegraphs. 
 
 and galvanized iron wires. Its general plan of construc- 
 tion is indicated in the engraving : 
 
 Bu»«AHir<k l&LtUHAni CABI.K. (XNNWTINO WVUI ANO OAUOi, 
 
Land and Oceanic Telegraphs. 
 
 35 
 
 This Cable was manufactured in the space of three 
 weeks. It weighed seven tons to the mile, and was 
 twenty-four miles in length. It will be observed that 
 the principle differs essentially from that of the 
 Atlantic Cable; four conducting wires being 
 used instead of seven, and the aggregate weight 
 being six times greater. Owing, however, to 
 the chafing of the wire upon the rocks near the 
 French coast, this Cable severed at th^ end of 
 a month, and a new and stronger Cable had 
 to be laid. This is now in perfect working 
 order. 
 
 A similar Cable was soon after made and 
 laid down by E. S. Newall & Co., between 
 Ilolyhead and T)ublin, which worked perfectly 
 for several days; after which its insulation 
 became imperfect. Its size and form are exhi- 
 bited in the accompanying cut. 
 
 -A Cable entirely of hcnip, without any 
 galvanized wire covering, was laid down be- 
 tween Portjiatrick and Donaghadf"'e by the 
 same firm, for tiie Magneto-Electric Telegraph 
 Company. This has entirely failed. 
 
 Including the Atlantic Cable, the aggregate 
 length of the Submarine Tehgraph lines of 
 
 IIOI.THKAII 
 
 SCHHARINK 
 
 CARLE. 
 
 the world, is now little short of three thousand miles.* 
 
 •Appendix — " Table of Submarine Telegrapha." 
 
3^ Land and Oceanic Telegraphs. 
 
 The immediate result of the first apparently successful 
 attempt with the Cable across the Straits of Dover, was 
 the suggestion of various projects of a similar character. 
 The plan of a trans- Atlantic Cr,ble does not seem to have 
 been among these. The idea wa^ too stupendous, per- 
 haps, and seemingly impracticable to be conceived ; or if 
 conceived, to be entertained otherwise than as a desirable 
 impossibility. In 1851, however, a speculator was found 
 boldenough to propound the enterprise, using the columns 
 of the London Aihenceum for the purpose. He proposed 
 to use a single stout wire, enveloped, firstly, in a gutta- 
 percha coat, and secondly in hemp, saturated with some 
 imperishable matter, and to extend it directly from the 
 coast of Ireland to Newfoundland. The suggestion fell 
 8till-bom,-only, however, to be revived in a year or two 
 afterwards, under the auspices of the Company of whose 
 history it is now time to treat. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 OUICIN OK THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH-ORGANIZATION 
 OF THE NEW YORK, .EWFOUNDL.U^D, AND LONDON 
 TELEGRAPH rOMPANY. 
 
 riONFUCTING claims are always set up for the 
 lionor3just;v due to the originator of sful cnter- 
 pns..s. Crude iucas, when first broached, rarely receive 
 tl.e degree of attention to which they are often really 
 entitled, and it is not unft^quently the ease that the 
 aetua projector of a plan of vast magnitude fin.^s an 
 .ncredulous audience to receive his demonstrations. In 
 the h>st<,ry of the inception of the Atlantic Telegraph 
 't .s probable that many new elements will enter The 
 ero,ht of the original inv,.nti„„ of Submarine telegraph- 
 jns W.11 undoub...dly be elaimed by various partL. 
 "nd tins wonderful work proved a total failure, aspiri.. 
 mventors would perhaps have l«en less anxious to clain'^ 
 'J-^ r.ATnity. Having become a fi«,t in the hisK.rv „f 
 ""= won,,. It ,„ not a matter of surprise to fln,l a host of 
 
3^ Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. 
 
 rival claimants springing up ; each pressing his demand 
 for priority, and each unwilling to yield to the preten- 
 Bions of others. We do not propose to enter into any 
 elaborate discussion of this knotty question. The great 
 ftict remains unaltered, that a Submarine Oceanic Tele- 
 graph is not only possible, but actual. It is idle to 
 attempt to compress within the compass of a single 
 chapter any complete record of the conflicting claims 
 which are put forward in connexion with the story of 
 this undertiiking ; indeed, a work much larger than the 
 present one would scarcely suffice for the presentation 
 of the plans for which their authors require the endorse- 
 ment of the public. We, therefore, content ourselves 
 with a general summary of the facts of the case, which 
 seem, after careful comparison of data, and conauentious 
 investigation .f the merits of opposing claims, to be 
 t^tiiblished beyond the reach of cavil. 
 
 The question of the priority of discovery of the 
 principle of the Electro-Magnetic Telegraphy as lying 
 between Prof Morse, Prof Henry, and Dr. Jackson, 
 does not properly enter into this department of the 
 history of Telegraphing. The merits of the claims set 
 up for tht^se parties are treated elsewhere. For the 
 l)re8ent. we have to deal solely with the record of the 
 origin of Submarine Telegraphs ; and in order to arrive 
 at a satisf ictory conclusion in regard to this particular 
 branch of tlio subject, it is oisential to refer briefly U) 
 
Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. 39 
 
 events which occurred at interval.- from the years 1847 
 to 1856, a period covering some nine years. While dis- 
 claiming any intention to slight the claims of ingenious 
 iuventon-^, whose skill and industry will insure them the 
 grateful remembrance of posterity, even if their names 
 be disconnected from the historical record of the Atlantic 
 Telegraph, we are led to the belief that tlie credit of the 
 inception, progress, and successful completion of that 
 great undertaking, which forms the existing Unk between 
 Europe and America, is due to the foresight, prudence 
 and unwearying energy of three or four gentlemen, all 
 of whom have contributed to the enterprise the results 
 of long -^xperience and the fruits of enlarged scientific 
 knowledge. 
 
 One fact should be stated at the outset. It is undoubt- 
 odiy true that the success of Submarine Telegraphing 
 dri)ends upon a single point. That point, once gained, 
 nusures other conditions, necessarily consequent U]>on 
 It. In other words, no submarine cable for telegraphic 
 purposes can be perfect until its insulation is rendered 
 positive. But one material is known to possess this 
 insulating property. But for the discovery of gutta 
 percba, the Atlantic Telegraph would not hav^e been 
 worked ; the ciectric current would have been di^ssiput^-d 
 ".the depths of the sea; the triumph of mechanical 
 ^^ 1 and scientific goniua over wliic!, two tuitions ha== - 
 become ecstatic, could not have been accomp^isheil 
 
40 Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. 
 
 Prior experiments, on shorter lengths of submarine 
 cables, demonstrated the useful properties of this new 
 material. From these early attempts sprang the project 
 for underiaying the ocean. Diligent industry, the 
 application of fertile resources, and the hearty co-opera- 
 tion of two countries in the work, have made the Atlantic 
 Telegraph the fitting climax to a long series of careful 
 investigations. The utility of the insulating material, 
 known as gutta percha,* has been abundantlv tested, 
 both by scientific experiment and in practical service. 
 But a few years have elapsed since its introduction a^ an 
 article of trade ; fewer still have passed since its suitabi- 
 lity as an insulating material for telegraphic wires was 
 first definitely established. The credit of the discovery of 
 
 • " Gutta rercha.—A valuable substance, known only within the last 
 few J .jara. It is the concrete juice of a large tree (Isonavdra gutta), grow- 
 ing in certain parts of the Malayan Archipelago. The first specimen of 
 the inppiaoated juice which appeared in England, was presented to the 
 Society of Arts in 1843, but two or th.ee years elapsed before a just sense 
 of the importance of the substance began to gain ground. In 1845 the 
 importation of gutta pcrcha into Plngland amounted to only 20, GOO lbs. ; in 
 1848, it had reached 3,000 000 lbs. ; in 1851, it amounted to 30,580,480 
 lbs. The honor of having drawn attention to its real nature and uses is 
 duo to Drs. D'Alnieida and W. kontgomerie. The purposes to which 
 gutUi percha is applied, are tcx) numerous for recapitulation. It resists the 
 action of water, and is at tlio samo time a bad conductor of electricity ; 
 it is, therefore, etnployed for enclosing the metallic; wires used in tlio 
 Kicctric Telegraph. Tlie emciency of the Submarine Telegraph is largely 
 due to this valuable 8ubBUince."—IJomati.i' Cydopmiia of Commerce. 
 
Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. 41 
 
 this peculiar virtue seems to be justly awarded to Mr. S. 
 T. Armstrong, of tae City of New York. This gentle- 
 man was invited to visit England in the year 1847, for the 
 purpose of examining the new material, then just coming 
 into notice as an article of commerce. The practicability 
 of its application to many useful purposes was considered 
 settled. A new branch of trade appeared to be opened 
 by its discovery. A company was formed in New York, 
 of which Mr. Armstrong became President. The first 
 shipment made from England to the United States, was 
 an invoice of five tons, which was received here in the 
 year 1847. Various experiments demonstrated the 
 utility of the new material for manufacturing purposes, 
 but it was not until the autumn of 1848, that the insulat- 
 ing property was so far developed as to be relied upon 
 with certainty. At that period, a number of experiments 
 were made, the result of which ved that copper wires 
 became perfect conductors of electricity when coated 
 with gutta percha, resisting the action not only of the air, 
 but of the water; and that a telegraphic wire, encased 
 in this material, became a safe conductor of au electric 
 current under conditions which would otherwise prove 
 an insuperable bar to success. This was the germ of 
 tl'.e Submarine Telegraph, and it would be unjust to Mr. 
 Armstrong U^ detract from the merit to which his early 
 
 Next came tlie practical solution of the problem. In 
 
42 Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. 
 
 this branch of the subject the first practical experimenter 
 seems to have been a telegraphic agent in an office at 
 Montreal, Mr. F. N. Gisborne. Other persons had con- 
 ceived general ideas of the principles of constructing 
 oceanic telegraphs; but the facts in the history of early 
 experiments upon this point demonstrate that the first 
 practical apphcation of the principle, at least on this 
 •side of the Atlantic, was made by Mr. Gisborne. In 
 1851-2, Mr. Gisborne, then recently from England, 
 went to HaUfax, and thence to New Brunswick and the' 
 United States, endeavoring to find responsible parties 
 who would undertake the work of laying a submarine 
 line. He was unsuccessful in this quest ; but in a few 
 months afterwards received partial aid, and accom- 
 plished the experiment of laying a smaU insr' ted 
 Cable from the main land to Prince Edward Island. 
 His next step was to lay a submarine hue from New- 
 foundland to Cape Breton, and in a prehminary survey 
 he underwent many hardships. In the interval which 
 elapsed before arrangements could be made for perfecting 
 this project, his backers failed. In the Spring of 1854 
 Mr. Gisborne came to New York, placed himself in 
 communication with Mr. Cyrus W. Field, enhsted the 
 sympathies of other influential gentlemen, and finally 
 received an appointment as Superintendent of the Com- 
 pany which wasforme.] about that time to establish a line 
 of Telegraph between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. 
 
Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. 43 
 
 The connexion of Mr. Cyrus W. Field with the 
 Atlantic Telegraph enterprise, therefore, dates from the 
 early part of the year 1854. Receiving with undoubt- 
 ing faith the plan for co necting the continents by means 
 of an Oceanic Telegraph, seeing no obstacles which 
 could n.t be overcome by patient perseverance, and 
 possessed of an indefatigable energy, to Mr. Field may 
 be accorded the honor of sustaining the nmin burden of 
 an extraordinary effort. When others sank, discouraged 
 by the pressure of untoward evente, and dismayed by 
 the prospect of failure, this gentleman revived hopes 
 that were nearly extinguished, infused fresh energy into 
 the efforts of his associates, and finally succeeded in 
 arousing a spirit of enterprise which has reaped its 
 own reward. The history of the organization of the 
 Telegraph Company, and the record of the steps in the 
 progress of the Atlantic Telegraph are so intimately 
 a.s«ociatod with the name of Mr. Field, that we may be 
 pardoned for a brief digression from the main subject of 
 this narrative, in order to give a running sketch of that 
 gentleman's personal history. 
 
 Cyrus West Field is a native of Massachusette, hav- 
 ing be. 11 born in the town of Stockbridge, in that State, 
 in the year 1819. Tis father was the Reverend D. d! 
 F^fELD, a native of East GuiLord, Connecticut, a graduate 
 of Yule, and fust settled at lladdum, Ot. Dr. Field had 
 nine children— seven sons and two daughters. The sons 
 
m 
 
 H Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c, 
 
 have all risen to distinguished positions. The elder bro- 
 ther, the Hon. David Dudley Field of New York, is well 
 known on both sid^s of the Atlantic as one of the Revisers 
 of the Code of the State of New York. Maith^w Dick- 
 INSON Field is a leading citizen of Massachuse* d, and was 
 recently or still Senator. Jonaphax I^dwards Field 
 IS a Judge of the Supreme Cc .fc of California. The 
 Rev. Henry M. Field was foiwerlj Pastor of a Congre- 
 gational society in West Springfield, Massachusette, and 
 no^ Editor of the Mw York Evangelic. One son 
 Timothy, went to sea, many years since, and has nevei^ 
 been heard from. Cyrus West Field, in early life 
 came to New York, a id was engaged as clerk in the 
 esta: bshment of Mr. A. T. Stevart. He subsequently 
 returned to Massachusette, and was employed in the 
 paper manufactory of his brother Matthew, in the 
 town of Lee; and on attaining his majority entered into 
 the same line of business on his own account, at West, 
 field, Massachusette, but failed during the panic of 1837 
 He then returned to New York, and established a large 
 paper commission warehouse, of which he is still the 
 head. Some four or five years ago, Mr. Field's attention 
 was directed to the project of an Oceanic Telegraph. In 
 the spring of 1854, his ideas on that subject first took 
 definite shape, and the active and earnest cooperation of 
 several prominent citizens of New York-among whom | 
 -were Messrs, Peter Cooper, Moses Taylor, Mar- ~" 
 
Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. 45 
 
 SHALL 0. Egberts, Chandler White, S. F. B. Morse 
 and David Dudley Field— was given in aid of his 
 enterprise. The further development of the plan is 
 recor;^ed in these pages. 
 
 In p .,r3on, Mr. Field is slight and nervous. His 
 weight is about one hundred and fortj pounds. His 
 features are sharp and prominent, the most striking 
 pecuharity being the nose, which projects boldly. His 
 body is Hthe and his manner active; eyes grayish-blue 
 and small ; foreLiead large, and hair auburn and luxuriant. 
 He does not appear as old as he is. The steel portrait 
 which accompanies this volume conveys a perfect idea of 
 the appearance of the man. 
 
 Another name,-that of Professor MoRSE,-has been 
 intimately associated with the early history of the Atlan- 
 tic Telegraph, and merits particular mentior Although 
 not actively connected with the last stages o. xt under- 
 taking, yet Professor Morse has freely given his co-opera- 
 tion and sympathy to it ; while the acknowledged value 
 of his services in the cause of Telegraphy enlitles him 
 to grateful remembrance. Samuel Findlay Breese 
 Morse, like Mr. Fi]:ld, is a native of Massachusetts. 
 He vas born at Chariestown, Mass., on the 29ih April, 
 1791 ; graduated at Yale College in 1810 ; and then went 
 to London to study the art of ^ minting under Benjamin 
 
 West. Retnmmo- fr^ flio tTt.^'*'--^ c*..i.„„ :.. -i o-i ^ i 
 
 the 
 
 iie I) 
 
 egaii 
 
 practice of his art in the city of New York, and 
 
 '■V. 
 
 i 
 
w 
 
 46 Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. 
 
 about the year 1820 was one of the founders of the 
 National Academy of Design. He revisited Europe in 
 1829, and on his return to America in 1832, seems to have 
 worked out the plan of an Electro-Magnetic Telegraph ; 
 the honor of which invention, however, is claimed by 
 Dr. Jackson. Of this point, we treat brieJy else- 
 where. Since the year 1835, the attention of Prof. 
 Morse has been chiefly directed to Telegraphic ope- 
 rations ; and during the past year a handsome remune- 
 ration has been voted him by the Continental Govern- 
 ments. 
 
 We return to the narrative of the primary stages of the 
 Telegraphic enterprise. 
 
 The organization of the New York, Newfoundland, 
 
 and London Telegraph Company dates back to the year 
 
 1854 xn Marcn of that year, Mr. Cyrus W. Field, his 
 
 brother, David Dudley, and Mr. Chandler Whtte 
 
 were commissioned to proceed to Newfoundland, to 
 
 obtain ^.om the Government of the Province an act of 
 
 incorporation. On arriving at St. John's, they called 
 
 upon the Governor, who convoked the Executive Coun- 
 
 cU the same day. The Governor gave a favorable answer 
 
 to the Commissioners, and immediately F3nt a spec'al 
 
 . message to the Legislature, then in session, recommending 
 
 them to pass an act of incorporation, with a ^'uaranty of 
 
 mterest on the Company's bonds to the amount of £50,000, 
 
 arxd a giant of fifty square miles of land on the island of 
 
I jf ! 
 
 Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. 47 
 
 Newfoundland, to be selected by the Company. The . 
 tenns were agreed upon. 
 
 Additional grants wore subsequently received frcn. the 
 
 Canada, and the Sta,« of Maine, and afterwards from 
 the Goveniments of Great Britain and th. United States 
 T r 1 ,,,^^ negotiations may be su...mari,ytd • 
 .^H for future .ference. in this place, as upo^ the 
 .._al nature of the grants depended the ultimate results 
 ot the project. The governmental p^ts extended to 
 Company, from fim to last, have therefore been as 
 
 NEWFOUNDLAyD. 
 
 Exctoive p^-leges for flftj, years of tading Chle, „„ New- 
 foundland, Labrador, and Iheu- dependencie. 
 
 The exctaive right euAr^, , eoaat Une extending ft„m fte e„- 
 t™n« of Hudaon's Strait, southwardly and westwJdly ll 1" 
 CO.S. of Labrador, Newf„™dl.nd, Prince Edward ll^ 'cl 
 ^^.u.^^^™SeoUa, and the State Of Ma.e, and .eir.;e:r 
 
 .C::r.?''""°""- -''-' °" -P-- -t TeUgraph 
 amilar oo.ce^ion of additional fifty „„,„ mite when th» Cable 
 '..an have been tad between Ireland and Newfoundland 
 
 of the Telegi^ph! '" "'""" "''™" '"'"'"^ """ *"^ "^ ""» 
 
 SH 
 
48 Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. 
 
 Kemission of duties on importation of all wires and materials for 
 tlie use of the Company. 
 
 ?RINCK EDWARD ISLAKD. 
 
 Exclusive privilege for fifty years of landing Cables. 
 
 Free grant of one thousand acres of land. 
 
 A grant of X300 currency per annum for ten years. 
 
 CANADA. 
 
 Act authorizing the building of telegraph hnes throughout the 
 Provinces. 
 
 Remission of dutiee m all wires and materials imported for the 
 use of the Company. 
 
 NOVA SCOTIA. 
 
 Grant of exclusive privilege for twenty-five years of landing 
 Telegraphic Cables irom Eurcne on the shores of this Province. 
 
 STATE OK MAINE. 
 
 Similar grant of exclusive privilege for like period of twenty-five 
 years. 
 
 GREAT BRITAIN. 
 
 Annual subsidy of £14,000 sterling until tiio net profits of the 
 Company reach 6 per cent, per annum, on the whole capiul of 
 X3r)0,000 sterling, the grn:it to bo then rediirod to X10,000 sterling 
 per annum, for a period of twenty-five years. 
 
 The aid of two of the largest sfoainships in the English navy to 
 liiy the Cable, with two subsidiary steamers. 
 
 A Government steamship to take any turtlier necwsary sound- 
 iDs?Ss and vyrify fiiosp a.!ri>a;!v ♦sL-i^r-. 
 
Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. 
 
 49 
 
 >1 
 
 CNITED STATES, 
 
 Annual sutady of $70,000 until the net profit, yield 6 per cent. 
 per annum, then to be reduced to $60,000 per «>num, for . period 
 lwenty-fl,e yea,^ ^^j^, ^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^ ^ 
 
 alter ten yeare, on givmg one year's notice. 
 
 The Uuited Stau. ateamship ArcHc to make and verify so^uding,. 
 Jteamalups 2„a,cra and Su^ueianna to aa^iat in ,,y^, ^ 
 
 The original organisation of the Company 
 
 waa cj 
 
 n' 
 
 NEW YORK, NEWFOUNDLAND, AND LONDON 
 TELEGRAPH COMPANY. 
 
 DIRBOTOHS IN NEW YORK: 
 
 Peter Cooper, 
 Moses Taylor, 
 
 Peier Cooper 
 ^ F. B. Morse, 
 Moses Taylor, . 
 Ckandler White, 
 David Dudley Field, 
 F. N. (JraBORNE, 
 
 Chandler White. 
 
 I . '^'^'^^ ^'^^ '^T in the great ^nk. 
 
 Cyrus W. Field, 
 Marshal 0. Roberts, 
 
 President. 
 
 Vice President. 
 
 Treasurer. 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 Counsel. 
 
 Enpiueer. 
 
 -..-jn>iiso. now r.)i.l,r 
 '"-'Kurato.!, wa^ the connexion of St. Joi.n h with the 
 
 f 
 
 3 : 
 
m 
 
 p 
 
 so Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. 
 
 Tele^Tapliic lines already in operation in Canada and 
 the United States. The first attempt to lay these wires 
 wa^ made in 1855, but it then proved unsuccessful. In 
 1856 the effort was renewed with success, and there has 
 been little interruption of the union between the two 
 islands. The Cable employed for this sen-ice is quite 
 large, composed of three strands, and has three conduct- 
 • ing wires. From Port-au-Basque, the Cable station on 
 the western part of Newfoundland, the telegraph extends 
 directly across the island to Trinity Bay, the American 
 terminus of the Atlantic Telegraph. 
 
 In the year 1856, the Company dispatched Mr. Cyrus 
 W. Field to England to enlist the aid of ca])italists in 
 that country. The most complete success attended his 
 efforts. The capital stock of the New York Company 
 was fixel at $1,750,000, and the whole wa^ subscribed 
 for,— one hundred and one shares in London, eighty -eight 
 in America, eighty six in Liverpool, thirty-seven in 
 Ghusgow, twenty-eight in Manchester, and the' remainder 
 in other part« of England. Tlie capital, however, had 
 to be subsequently increased to $2,500,000, to meet the 
 failures that occurred in the various attempts to sub- 
 merge the Cable. 
 
 Tiie project, when brought to the notiee of the British 
 aid American govcrmruMit^, was received with a like 
 degree of favor and liWral subsidies were granted ; the 
 Bubstjince <W uuin'/il. Ur.^ ..i_ i.. i „•_'•_ • 
 
 ■■■-1 :..-_ ....;.;:;, {„,,, lllUiCillcU. 
 
Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. 51 
 
 The Act of Congress, approved March 3, 1857 and 
 the Charter of Incorporation, granted by Parliament, are 
 given m the Appendix. The stipulations contained in 
 these acts form an interesting nart of the general history 
 of the Telegraph. ^ 
 
 The Charter of the New York, Newfoundland, and 
 London Company, conferring upon it the exclusive right 
 to land telegraphic cables on the shores of Newfoundland 
 and other parts of North America, and for twenty-five 
 years to do the same thing on the shores of Nova Scotia, 
 was made over to the - Atlantic Telegraph" Company- 
 the Direction of which is now constituted aa follows : 
 
 Chairman. 
 
 Samuel Gcrnky, M.P., London. 
 
 Vice-CUairmaK. 
 
 T. H, Brooking, London. 
 
 liirector*. 
 Brett, J. W., London. 
 
 Brown, William, M.P., Liverpool 
 
 DuoDALE, James, Manchester. 
 
 Uankey, T. a., LoiHon. 
 
 Harrison. IIenhv, Aigburth, near Liverpool. 
 
 Hornby, Tuomas Dyson, Liverpool 
 
 Johnston, Edward, Liverpool 
 
 Lampbon, C. M., London. 
 
 Le Breton, Franoih, London. 
 
 LooiK, William, Glaogow. 
 
 Tkauody, Gforue, London. 
 
 Tender, Jou..^ Miuicl eatt-r. 
 
52 Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. 
 
 TlCKKRINO, C. \V. 11., L'vorp,K,I. 
 ScHWAHE, Gl-stav Ckis., Liverpool. 
 Thomson, I'n.fossor W., LL.D., Glasgow. 
 Arouidald, Hon. E. M., II.Af. Consul, New York. 
 Belmont, Ar-GrsTE, Banker, New York. 
 Cooper, rETEu, Arerchant, New York. 
 CoRBfN, Francis P., New York. 
 HcNT, Wilson G., Merchant, New York. 
 Low, A. A., Merchant, New York. 
 MoROAN, Matthew, Bank<>r, New York. 
 Sherman, Watts, Banker, New York. 
 Cartier, Hon. Georoe E., Quebec, Lower Canada. 
 Ross, noN. JcuN, Toronto, Upper Canada. 
 YoDNO, Hon. John, Montreal, Upper Canada 
 RoBK«rsoN, Hon. John, St. John, New Brunswick. 
 General Manager: Cyrus W. Field.* 
 Engiueer : Ch.viu.es T. Bright. 
 Electrician: E. O. W. WHiTEnouflt 
 Secretanj: George Sawarp. 
 Solicitors: Frehhueuvs & Newman. 
 ^,.i/^„.,.--,TovArHAN R,oG, No. 17 Mark Lane, Lon- 
 •'"". Merchant ; Hknrv W. IkACKBiRN, 
 
 ^*'"'"«'-'0*ork.shire, Public Ac.o,u,Uuit.' 
 Bankas: The Bank ok England. 
 
 The New Vork Con.pany niso made ov. to tlu- n, w 
 -pon..on all oo..ssions hoari ,, ^ 
 ^': - -1' niav W l..n.afl.r ohtained, and ali ti.o 
 patent nght. of Mc.srs. Whitkho.sk u.kI BuiaHT, 
 
Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. 53 
 
 which in any way concerned the working of instruments 
 m murine circuit of great length, were prospectively 
 secured to it. In order that the capital subscribed might 
 be entirely applied to the immediate object of the under- 
 taking, the projectors, Messrs. Brett and Field and 
 Messrs. Bright and Whitehouse, considerately ar- 
 ranged that compensation foi the privileges assigned, and 
 ior past expenditure and exertions, should be left entirely 
 dependent on the successful result of the undertaking 
 Tlie final agreement with these gentlemen was, that upon 
 attaming success, a half-yearly dividend of ten per cent 
 per annum on the capital should first be paid to tlie 
 shareholders, and then one-half of any further profit 
 should be given to them, and the other half be retained 
 by the Company, it having been estimated upon a very 
 moderate computation of the probable amount of reve- 
 nue, conjoined wllh a consideration of the comparatively 
 small working expenses, v, here there can only be two ter- 
 inin stations to be maintain,.!, that a very satisfactory 
 res. might be seeure.1 to all j.arties u|K>n this ground. 
 
 «UL \\o, the electrical and financial })reparations had 
 terminatol so favorably to the views of the Company, 
 thrre were other tx)pi<.s of equal moment not yet satis- 
 li"'ton!ydeterm.ned. Tlie solution of or.e momrntous 
 «in.«stion rc^mained to bo given. Could a telegraphic 
 wire be laid on the bottom of the Atlantic? Everv caro 
 was, therefore, taken to bring U)gether all the evidenco 
 
54 Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. 
 
 that could be gleaned of the actual character of the vaat 
 00 an,c ba.,n, which waa to be th. scene of the Z 
 ente^nse. and to collate then, with the labo. o C 
 
 strafed the existence of an AUanti. fhUau* 
 
 twelv thousand feet below the level of the sea and 
 xten ed .„ , eontinuous ledge fro. Cape Race, in N w 
 foundland, to Cape Clear, in Ireland. It, JZx 
 depre.„on was declared to be in n^d-ocean, whence 
 .mpcreepfblx ascended to the shore on eithe Imc In 
 order ;o verify the theo^ of such a plateau, the i^d of 
 the government „f the United States w'as inv;^ ^ th 
 
 rMAN, IJ.S.N., was twice dispatched in the 
 steamer^..,^ to make soundings along the pro^o^i 
 
 i« 1'° ™f /' ""-ations.'Her BritTn^^ 
 Majcstj s steamer Cyclop. traver«,d the ground i„ an 
 
 onciu ,ve. The plam was gently levelled, so deep •« 
 to be below the reach of ,,i,,turbi„g superficial cZeT 
 and composed of particles of shells, so minuMv tritu: 
 ra^d as to render their character mdetectible savl w ^ 
 ho a.d of a microscope. Their presence, examined by 
 he ights of science, proved how little thase profound 
 <^eptha had bc-en d,.,turbe., i„ the eou.e of ^J^ 
 
 * o 
 
 -«|'J/CUU1A. 
 
Origin of the Atlantic Telegraph, &c. j^ 
 
 ages, and encouraged the hope .hat the Cable, when 
 once la.d along with them, might rest as tranquil,;_pe " 
 haps aa long. The tendency „f ,^^ ^^^.^,^ ^ 
 men,s to agglutinate to any metallic centre exposed to 
 tht.., held out the expectation that the submerged Cable 
 would soon be thickly envelope, by them, and a fresh 
 element of security so obtained. The accompanying 
 map compnses a complete view of the plateau, L i! 
 stretches from shore to shore. 
 
 Thi^ submarine plateau is «aUy a gentlylevelled 
 plam, lymg just so deep as to be inaccessible to the 
 anchors of ships, and to other sources of surface-inter- 
 ference, and yet not so far depressed but that it can be 
 reached by mechanical ingenuity without any very .xtn,- 
 vagant eifort. It seems, indeed, that it is a portion of a 
 great .one of table land, which entirely engirdles the 
 earth, or which at least stretehes from the western side 
 oi America to the Asiatic coasts of the Pacific. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 MENTS. 
 
 JN the construction of the Atlantic Cable many i,. • 
 1 portant consideration, we. necessaHl, '^2 
 ^ount. There were certain characteristics which the 
 Cable must possess, to enable it to ™eet the "ult 
 c^unstan^ of the ca., and the conditions inTh I 
 
 It would be Dlapprl Tk^ wnicn 
 
 w piacea. 1 he success of any nlan f..r +;, 
 
 layng of an Oceanic Telegraph w. Z'^/Vt 
 g^eatl, dependent upon the for. and charalrfil^ 
 
 trlct; •: ^""" ."^ ^^'■■^^-'°^'^ P-->'^'^ to ct 
 
 "t '"™"''' '" <=°™P»^^ <Jiff"™t Plans of 
 
 «avepa.ientatt:;;;:jret::::'hM:""r 
 
 bofore them, and .fu,, , ,„,,,,, ^ " - <1 
 
 t've ments of plans submitted r... .... "''"■ 
 
 -•i^v-.i au up Lion, 
 
Cable— Construction and Experiments. 57 
 
 awarded the contract for the construction of the g -eat 
 Submarine Cable to the firm of Glass & Elliot of 
 Greenwich, near London. The beautiful workmanship 
 of this Cable is not less creditable to the establishment 
 in which It wa£ manufactured, than honorable to the 
 scientific skUl and assiduity of Mr. Glass, the senior 
 partner of the firm, to whom the Directors unanimously 
 accorded the praise due to his indefatigable exertions in 
 their mterest. A contract for the construction of onp- 
 half of the Cable wa3 subsequently awarded to Messrs 
 R. S. Newall & Co., of Birkenhead. 
 
 The general plan of the Cable havirg been adopted 
 certain specific calculations became necessary. The first 
 important point to be settled was the weight of the Cable 
 Whib it must be sufiiciently heavy to sink quickly u, 
 the bottom of the sea by its gravity, when launched 
 from the stem of the paying-out vessel, it was requisite 
 that any excessive weight should be avoided; else the 
 difficulty of management in the deep sea would become 
 an obstacle almost insuperable. The Directors, in an- 
 nouncing to the stockholders the results of their lon^r 
 investigation, dwelt with much earnestness upon the 
 difficulty which they encountered, in the commencement 
 of the enterprise, in the determination of this delicate 
 problem. They cited tlie account given by Mr. Brett, 
 of his unsuccessful attom.pt in o^nncct Euro-;c --'' 
 Africa by a Cable of massive construction ; and'Irrued 
 
j8 Cable— Construction and Experiments. 
 
 from tlu, experience of that gentleman, that the man.^e- 
 men of heavy Cables in the <.ean would be an imprL 
 ^eable undertaking. I,; „„ ^he contrary, the Cable 
 were too hght, n would be at the merey of the currents 
 Its mtegrity would be greatly risked, its strands .nigh^ 
 be separated, and its insulation destroyed. Again it 
 was obviously desirable that, size and specific weight 
 l«.ng given, the Cable should be made aa strong as 
 material and dimensions allowed. Its positive require- 
 ments were tenacity and flexibility. The ingenious 
 eombmafon of these qualities with a perfect electrical 
 condition, which were attained as the result of the 
 careful experiments of Mr. Glass, aided by distin- 
 guished scientific gentlemen, justified the choice of his 
 plan by the Directors of the Company. 
 
 The Atlantic Cable, now lying at the bottom of the 
 ocean ,s an extremely simple contrivance. No altera- 
 tion has been made in its construction during the entire 
 progress of the Telegr.nph E.xpeditions. Severe tests have 
 failed to develope defects in ite practical operation: elec- 
 trical experiments have established its fitness for the pur- 
 pose designed ; the frigate m.ara has tested its strength 
 by swinging to it as though at anchor in mid-oeean • its 
 wonderi-ul flexibility has been proved by repeats! trial,. 
 Had the Atl..ntic Telegraph enterprise developed onl^ 
 this remarkable result of mechanical ingenuitv, the work 
 would not have been un,iertik,.„ in ,.„:„ " , _, , 
 
Cable— Construction and Experiments. 59 
 
 thread, laid by powerful mechanism at the bottom of a 
 va^t ocean, and laid without a flaw or breaV, linking 
 two worlds together in bonds of amity, and marking 
 a new era in the history of the earth, is in itself a 
 triumph. 
 
 The iUustration on page 62 sliows the exact size of 
 tLc Atlantic Cable. 
 
 The profile view of the Cable (p. 63) gives a general 
 -iea of ite appearance when ready for use. In order to 
 show more fully the process of manufacture, an illus- 
 tration of sections of the Cable is given on page 63. 
 
 The central conducting wire is a strand made up of 
 seven wires of the purest copper, known in the trade as 
 No. 22. The strand itself is about the sixteenth of an 
 inch in diameter, and is formed of one straightly drawn 
 wire, with six others twisted round it; the twisting hav- 
 ing been accomplished by dragging the central wire 
 from a drum through a hole ir a horizontal table; the 
 table itself revolving rapidly, under the impulse of steam, 
 carrymg near its circumference six reels or drums, each 
 armed with copper wire. Each drum revolved 'upon 
 its own horizontal axis, and delivered ite wire as it turned 
 This twisted form of the conducting wire was first used 
 in the Submarine Cable laid across the St. Lawrence in 
 1856. It was then employed with a view to the reduc- 
 tion to the lowest possible amount of the chance of an 
 intcirupiion of contmuity. It was considered improba- 
 
6o Cable -Construction and Experiments. 
 
 hie that a fracture would occur in more than one of the 
 wires m this twisted strand at precisely the same spot • 
 so that, although the .vhole seven wires migh^ be broken 
 at different parte of the strand, the capa^y of the Cable 
 for the transmission of the electric current would not be 
 •destroyed. During the process of manufacture at Green- 
 wich, the copper used in the construction of the Atlantic 
 Cable was assayed from time to time in order to insure 
 absolute homogeneity and purity. Experiments upon 
 the strand itself proved that, when subjected to strain it 
 was capable of stretehing 20 per cent, of its length w/th- 
 out breakage, and without material interference with ite 
 conducting power. 
 
 ^ Thi. yielding temper in a strand of pur^ -x,pper 
 inspired grave doubte in the minda of many gentlemen 
 connected with the early stages of the undertaking It 
 was a, tk-.pated that when the Cable was subjected to 
 Btram, the yielding core would become attenuated to 
 such an extent that it. capacity for the transmission of a 
 cu^nt would be virtually destroyed. To meet thia 
 objection, and dispel the growing apprehension, Mr 
 Whitehouse, a capable eLctrician, who had taken an 
 active part in ,he scientific investigations pertinent to 
 th« undertaking, devised a simple and veiy effective 
 experiment. He connected three lengths of the Cable of 
 200 miles each into a continuous line, and then passe] a 
 currert from two 36.inch double induction coils excited 
 
 I ^ 
 
Cable-Construction and Experiments. 6i 
 
 by 10 Smee cells, each having plates of 100 square 
 inches of area, through the 600 miles of Cable to the 
 magneto-electrometer. The weight of 745 grains was 
 raised on the end of the steel yard, and wa. thus the 
 measure of the current after transmission through the 
 Cable. He next made a ^»-o,.k in the Cable at the 
 distance of 400 miles from the nearer end, and introduced 
 into the gap one mil ^ fine insulated wire, which 
 possessed only one-eleventh of the capacity of the copper 
 strand. This prop, rtion was ascertained by .ei-hing 
 equal lengths of the wire and the str. . The pieco of 
 wire weighed three grains, and the piece of strand 
 weighed thirty-thre. and a half gx-ains. A current from 
 the same induction coils was now again passed through 
 600 miles length of Cable to the m.^gne^ -electrometer 
 with the one-mile length of fine wire interpolated in its 
 course, and 725 grains were lifted on the steel-yard 
 Only twenty gr.. ;fting power out of a force equi- 
 
 valrat to 745 gr:..._, aad been lost in consequp- o of the 
 introduction of the imle of fine wire, measuring .ut one- 
 eleventh of the central strand. The fear that a st-ctch 
 of two feet in a mile for six miles of the Cable would 
 render it electrically unfit for service, was thus '4. by 
 showing that, if the entire copper strands of the Cable 
 ^crc stretehed 96 feet in every mile, the loss of con- 
 ducting capability would amount to no more than a 
 
 ~^^ V Cii Lli L/cir*tJ, 
 
62 Cable— Construction and Experiments. 
 
 A subsequent experiment determined the fact that the 
 copper strand bore twenty per cent, of th. elongation 
 without mjurj to its integrity of texture, or in other 
 words, it could be stretched one thousand feet in a mile 
 not only without breaking, but without impairing it^ tele- 
 graphic utility. The copper strand, indeed, wps never 
 broken until elongated to the extent of twenty five or 
 thirty per cent. These experiments having satisfied the 
 incredulous-a troublesome class of persons who ^way. 
 swarm upon the track of a new invention, and w, e lit- 
 tle faith is sometimes a serious bar to progress-tbc con- 
 struction of tiie Cable wa^ pushed forward with remark- 
 able vigor. The general plan of manufacture is exhi- 
 bited in another page. The following is a veilical section 
 of the Atlantic Cable, showing the position of the 
 central conducting v. ires, with their cover- 
 ings of guttji-percha, rope-y^rn, and twisted 
 wires. 
 
 The principal processes tlirough which the 
 Cable passed were four in .iuniber--! tho ^'""■^•""'•^■".•« 
 
 + _• .• r 1 , ' "•'Till A.I.ANTKl 
 
 twistingofthe conducting wires; 2, a triple i*;!''^-"*^' 
 coating of gutta-percha; 3, a covering of fhic thread 
 yarn soaked in a mixture of pit.h, tar. oil, and tallow; 
 4, the final enclosure - f twisKxl wire. 
 
 We shall describe these ]m^co,sc, in their order The 
 copper strand of the Cable having hoen prepared m ,he 
 manner already indicated, wiw rnll,..l i _ 
 
Cable— Construction and Experiments. C3 
 
 PROFILB VltW OF THE A 1 ANTIC OALLK^HAOT SlZft 
 
 I 
 
 iffl 
 
 VIE OF TUK /I ri.ANTIC CABI.R IN HECTTONS. 
 
 1. Kxtorior . „vori„K ..f wirc« oiKhteoii in number, ornc-von slranis each. 
 
 U. ('<)vi'rii)j( of tarrt'tl ropo-ya. u. 
 
 3 Thrco coatiiiKH ■iVutta-j.enlui. 
 
 4. CoppiT conducting wiros, seven in uumhrr 
 
64 Cable-Construction and Experiments, 
 waa comploted, in lengths of two „i,es. It was taken 
 from thse drums to receive a eoatin. of three separate 
 ye. of refi„e.l gutta-pe.ha. The original diameL of 
 the conducting wire before this coating waa one-sixteenth 
 of an mch After receiving the coating, the diameter 
 was ...creaaed to three-eighths of an inch. These preiimi. 
 .iury processes were by far the most important of the 
 whole for the perfection of the insulation of the CaWe 
 depend, upon the integrity of the i„sul.ating materia, 
 Tree coatings of gutta-percha were applied at suitable 
 .ntcrvals to insure the efficiency of the work. The gutta 
 P-cha employed for the purpo.,e waa proparei with tlie 
 utmos possible care. Lumps of the crude substa 
 
 placed with.n a hollow eaae. The raspings we^ th™ 
 P-i between rolle., and niacera J m' hot w.^ 
 alterwards „,.hed in cold water, and driven, ata b<,ili„: 
 water temperature, by hydraulic power, through w 
 Kauze .,,eve.s, atUched to the bottom of „,dc veitic , 
 
 Pjpes. The gutta-percha came out from „.e.,e sieves 
 .l-t,c ,n,y of remarkable purity and fiuenes.. ," 
 
 tl.cn pa..ed into an apparatus known .x, a mas,i,.a,o. 
 
 —ug of a series of interrupted S...W., „,,.,,,i,,, „; 
 ...How cylinders; -I.. ,„„,.,ri,„ ,,„.,„^ 
 
 ,.';;*'■ "^^'^ -- -n ".-.,a,„.er, i ,„„„„' 
 
 JH" 'l-e wa er and render ,l,e ,ubs,an,,. pern.Hv , ,. 
 
 goneou.,. Ib.rizonudcylinde^hea..... I.,:.., ^ 
 
 rrci-j v'cti 
 
Cable— Construction and Experiments. 65 
 
 the purified gutta-percha. Screw-pistons driven down 
 slowly, but with resistless force, pressed the material 
 through a die, which at the same time had the strand of 
 copper wire moving along through its centre. The 
 strands entered the die naked, bright copper wire, and 
 emerged as thick, dull-looking cords, having received one 
 complete coating. The same process was repeated 
 until three coatings inclosed the copper strands. 
 
 The Cable, having been prepared thus far in lengths 
 of two miles, rigorous tests of insulation and electric 
 continuity were applied. Each length was coiled on a 
 wooden drum, with a short piece of the copper con- 
 ductor projecting at each end. These drums were then 
 immersed in water, and the task of the Electricians 
 hogan. The continuity was a^ertained by passing a 
 voltiuc current of low power through the strand, from a 
 battery of a single pair of plates, and causing it to record 
 a signal aft.^r issuing from the wire. The amount of 
 insulation was determined by a different plan. One 
 1-lc of a voltai,. battery, consisting of 500 jairs of plates 
 W.-US connoctcl wit), the earth ; the other pole w.s unitecl 
 to a w.rc coil.Hl around the needle of a sensitive hori- 
 y.ouia\ galvanomeU-r, and runn.ng thenee to the exposed 
 strand of th. Cab!., whu-h w.u Ml without any .,h- 
 'Inet.ng ...nununieation. If th. insulation w.us porl-rt 
 »!'<' <'nith forme.l on.' pojr of th,. i,,,ti,.rv 'vu\ .1.. ..-i p 
 "ic insulated strar.d the other pole, the'eircuit n.nahiini, 
 
 tl 
 
66 
 
 Cable-Construction and Experin.ents. 
 
 open: consequent!,, no current passed, and the needle 
 
 d g* ^t~7.- "<" <J^«-ed in the slightest 
 degree. If the msulafon was imperfect, or there was 
 undue electrical permeability in the sheath of JZ 
 percha a portion of the current forced its way fro^t e 
 
 Tt *?«" '^' ^"""^ P'-- » *e covering of gutt 
 percha, and the needle of the galvanometer was dcflecid 
 
 n!t rr: ■■ "" '°""' *"' *^ "-' coating was 
 not a thorough n.sulation, a slight deflection being pro- 
 duce ,n the needle, but insufficient to cause 'Z 
 mterferenee wuh te' -graphic operations. A certaL 
 
 an safe. It was only when this degree wa, exceeded 
 hat the core was condemned. While the test for coa 
 .nu,ty was ab-so.u^ that which determined the i su . 
 t.on was ,„ a measure relative. A vety powerful bl ! 
 ~d .„ the tests for insulation, in 'order to ZZ 
 he tnal a.s severe .as possible. During the prog^ss of 
 hese c,p,„„,„.,_ - ing-nious method .LS^Z 
 for the purpo,,e of testi,,, at the s,ame time both the 
 eontunnty and the insulation. The oper2„ 
 follows- TJ, , operation w.xs as 
 
 follows. The euuro, hn^rtk ..f t},,, Cable whs ini l 
 into a loop or enclJ(.ss rin,. i ^ ''''''^ 
 
 oi .MM) pairs of n hfeo ,. ., . . . , , ->' 
 
 „.,, ,/ I r'ans >•'- '••-nncet.un.v one of ifa poles 
 
 w,, he ,.n.,re,v i,,.,u,at „d of „.. c.ble, an ^ 
 
 JUS other i)ol(> with ♦!.., „.._.! r.„ -^ 
 
 "" '• "'^' circuit wa.s thus 
 
Cable— Construction and Experiments. 67 
 
 insulated aa a whole, and charged a« a Levden jar. But 
 a eharged I.,,de„ jar may be made a part of a voltaic 
 crcmt; and therefore this charged ring of wire waa able 
 to tmnamit a low-tenaion circuit without it, charge being 
 interfered with. A small insulated battery was then 
 mtroduced into the circuit, and its low current flowed 
 from pole to pole through the strand. 
 
 A bell, also insulated, waa so placed in the same 
 crcmt that any break of continuity dropped a needle 
 prevously held by magnetic attraction, released some 
 whed-work, and sounded an alarm ; the bell was eonse- 
 quently heard whenever the contmuity of the strand 
 f^dcd. Another bell was so placed as ,0 be rung when- 
 ever the current from the fivc-hundred-cell battery 
 lain '""^"' '"''"' '" '""'^1"™'^'^ "f f»lty insu- 
 
 Klectriea! experimenta having finally established the 
 perfecfon of eontinu.ty and insulation, the Cable waa 
 now ready to undergo the proces., of j„ini„g the lengths. 
 The tw„.m,le eoils of completed nn,l proved core were 
 wound on large ,lrums, with projecting llanges „n each 
 s.cle, the rims of whieh were shod with iron tires, so 
 1 .at they could be rolled about ,u, broad wheels. When 
 tl.e core w.« in position on ,hc« ..hannellod dnuns ,ho 
 creumfcrcnc. of e.,eh .Irum was ,.|ose,i in ..an.fuUv bv a 
 slKvt of KMJtta-norch.T T).-. «,..>u . i- ., " ' 
 
 n.nnufaclur,.rs ended will, thi., final preparation. The 
 
68 Cablc-Constructfon and Experiments. 
 
 corcfiUcl ,lru,„, p,„.e.l from il,.i, |„„a, i„t„ ^j^^ ^^ 
 t<« V or tl,o j„i„.,.. fei, j,„,„ „^, ^^^^_ _^^^_^^^ 
 w.th axlc«, the gutta.porclM covering removed, and the 
 Jirojectrng on,h of the c„,.,,,er strands carefully braral 
 t"g.>ther. This process may b« ,k«riW aa follows- 
 A p.e,« of copper wire wa., attached by firm bra.!,,, an 
 
 - .ortwobeyon,! the point of junction on one side 
 
 tiKb ly woun,I roun.1 until it reached to the san.e extent 
 
 ".. the other side, and was then f,„„ly brazed on again 
 
 A seen, pic.ee of copper wire w,u, then bm.ed over the 
 
 .rst „, the same hushion, and extended a little wav 
 b-Tond .t; and «,^„, „„,,,„ ,,,^^^ _,^ J 
 
 «- e,.re,„lly ,a,„ over and around the joint by .he 
 
 - o hot ,rons. This operation is identical with 
 ' -tof -Tl-ng the Cable, which h,^ been repeatedly 
 ollected w,th entire success, and by mean, of which the 
 
 ■'.v".K ..f the wire in „,i,|.oec.au w,. accomplished during 
 tbe h.t voya,.,. of the AV,,v„,„ and A,a„..nnon. A 
 cle.tr ulea of the sUges of this delicate man.pul.Uon is 
 B.ven ni the snbj„ine,l illustration. 
 
 ,'",'" ,"■''*'"■" "■ II- ■"'■'1">J of "Plicing the Cable 
 
 winch lu« already be. u given, will suffice for a compre' 
 l.™.s,ve vew of ,, part of the Telegraphic enterprise npon 
 whu., depended ,he suece^ of the whole. Jt w.ll be. seen 
 
 ■■"''"■'"■•■' ■"'•"-^"-'"■tncd connexion mu.st 
 
 b.' preserved even ,r,l,e joint in the Cable yields. In 
 tlJC event. <)(' 1 .iii.f..^.. i> .1 ., . . . 
 
 ^■^"'' '-' '''^ ^"^'^. i>y which the euro 
 
Cable — Construction and Experiments. 69 
 
 on each side sliould be dragged opposite ways, the 
 electric condition would still remain perfect. The outer 
 investment of the wire would unroll spirally aa the enda 
 
 <^^^^^\\NS««!^>^HA^9^Nv^vv«v^^\«> 
 
 '«>V>C.«!S>iVS«w; 
 
 'i'fNS'WNNXXVSN 
 
 ^*>!«««W««S 
 
 iNW**>8<8*<V 
 
 4mB||^^- 
 
 THE 81'LICE or THE CABLE. 
 
 of the Cable were pulled asunder; so that however the 
 mechanical continuity of the strand itself might be 
 broken, the conducting power would still remain. 
 
 Aa(!r the lengths l.ad been joined in the manner 
 iiulieated, the Cable underwent another j.rociess, passing 
 to a "serving" maehino, litte<l with a hori/,unt^il wheel, 
 "H which were j)laeed five bobbins. Kaeh b.>l)bin was 
 «ii|ii)iu'd with soiiK' hiuidreds of vMrdq -.r nve.*i.r^=-...i 
 ro])e-yarn, prepared for the purpose by a previous 
 
70 Cable-Construction and Experiments. 
 
 he wheel, and as u pa^d up, the bobbins, revolving at 
 the r^te of three hundred and seventy-five fmla 
 -nute. spun the five strands of yarn tiJhtJaLuTit 
 not leavng the smallest incemice. At this stal '^ 
 preparation the Cable passed fro. this ma eh e tXt 
 
 of an rneh; while the eleetrie current with which it wa. 
 
 that the connexion and insulation of each fathom as i 
 
 The Cable bemg now in a state of great forwardness 
 only remained to "close" or bind it up i„ Z 2 
 this purpose another horizontal t-M. T 
 
 one for th. «„ ■ ™'"' '^'''<'' a^anged like the 
 
 for the serving process, was provided. It carried 
 ear its circumference eighteen bobbins or drums ^ 
 drum fi led with bright charcoaLiron wire, S^t 
 t-o motions, one round ita horizontal alls and 2 
 round an upright pivot, inserted into the revoU-ig tabic 
 
 centre of he. tabic as it was carried swiftly round The 
 
 ™ns^^ndwasoft,.esamedianiel..aatLwhthwl 
 u^.<] for the copper core, each strand consisting of seven 
 
 onwires Wit,.eachwh,,.lof.hoclosii,g.maehne I 
 
 ^:::t:''';:;^'™''^"^-^™'^«™-^tre 
 
 vcuuai core. Ihe coro. ncfnr.f^.7 u,. .1 
 
 -'•- - ^j tiiU runLis 01 the 
 
Cable— Construction and Experiments. 71 
 
 machinery, rose through the middle of the table and 
 ascended towards the ceiling; the metallic twist, as it 
 passed, tightly embracing it. One hundred and twenty- 
 six iron wires were, therefore, woven about the Cable 
 m order to complete the process of ite manufacture. 
 Twenty-one of these machines were kept constantly at 
 work in the factory of Messrs. Glass & Elliott, and 
 about an equal number in Newall's establishment at 
 Birkenhead. The labor accomplished at Glass & 
 Elliott's establishment in the course of twenty-four 
 boura, by the use of twenty-one machines, was as 
 follows: Two thousand and fifty-eight miles of iron 
 wire were daily twisted into two hundred and ninety- 
 four miles of strand; this length of strand sufficing to 
 cover about ten miles of the Cable. 
 
 The Cable thus completed was drawn from the closing- 
 machines at the rate of thirty feet per minnte, or eighteen 
 hundred feet per hour, parsing through a gauge of five- 
 eighths of an inch diameter. It was then carried by 
 revolving wheels through a tank of hot tar, issu- 
 ing forth into the yard thoroughly fitted for the duty to 
 which it was to be devoted. In the yard it was coiled 
 away in huge piles, ready for shipment; each day's 
 labor adding some inches to the height and bulk of the 
 mass. 
 
 The weight of the main Cable was eiffhteon hundred 
 
 and 
 
 sixty pounds, or nearly one ton, to the mile. For 
 
72 Cable-Construction and Experiments. 
 
 the shore-ends, a heavier style was provided, of a„s 
 
 n.»t^,.e„.ion3andg.eat.,ino.easedpowe;of.Z 
 ance but constructed upoa the same general plan Tt,. 
 
 m.Ie, and the diameter at the shor« is about one and a half 
 
 -t orthitrirr^ -^■•^^^ ^ -- 
 
 the exact size. This part of 
 
 the Atlantic line is encased 
 
 by twelve sohd charcoal-iron 
 
 wires of No. 1 gauge. The 
 
 No. 1 wires pass gradu- 
 
 a% into No. 2, and No. 2 into 
 
 No. 3, as deep water is reach- .^ 
 
 ^. The gutta-percha casing '™-„.„^..o,.»,..^.„ 
 and serving of tarred hemp *"-"™ "•"-"«-«-. 
 
 are also thicker upon these "shore-ends" a. well aa the 
 outer iron coat. '°® 
 
 The Directors of the Companv, in their official mani 
 
 festo, pubhshed last year, took occasion to explain th 
 
 reasons why a return circuit had not bee,. p.ovi d n 
 
 planmng this Cable. It wa., well known that in ve y 
 
 and telegraph yet brought into use, the earth itself hid 
 
 been found sufficient for the completion of :,e cireul 
 
 and encc a return wi. could not be deemed absol ,y 
 
 essential. Moreover, thp n,U;*;..^ ^^ -^ - . ■ ^ 
 
 - -I. ^-.. >to,^v/»jiia WHO would 
 
Cable— Construction and Experiments. 73 
 
 have adaed largely to the si^e, weight, and expense of 
 the Cable, and would have unavoidably deferred the 
 completion of an Atlantic Telegraph to another year 
 
 The total cost of the Atlantic Cable wa^ nearly five 
 hundred dollars per mile. The aggregate outlay of the 
 Company in the year 1857, en account of the construe 
 tion of the Cable alone, was stated as follows:— 
 
 Price deep-sea wire per mile, 
 
 Price spun-yarn and iron wire per mile, 
 
 Price outside tar per milu . 
 
 Total per mile. 
 
 For 2,500 miles. 
 
 For 10 miles deep-sea Cable, at $1,450 per mile. 
 
 For 25 mUes shore-ends, at $1,250 per mile. 
 
 Total cost . 
 
 $200 
 
 265 
 
 20 
 
 $485 
 
 $1,212,500 
 14,500 
 31,250 
 
 $1,258,250 
 
 The scientific experimente which were undertaken by 
 competent electricians in the employ of the Company 
 established the fact, that a wire across the Atlantic was 
 not only practicable, so far as mechanical possibility was 
 concerned, but that the scientific difficulties, wbi'-.], were 
 naturally suggested as the efl'ect of distance, and ti.e 
 peculiar conditions in the son, were not insuperable. 
 
 i^- general vi.'w oltlie n'sults ut ear, i 
 
 4: 
 
 m 
 
 . : U 
 
 u 
 
 ui c.\p( riinents, 
 
74 Cable— Construction and Experiments. 
 
 which finally decided the Directors upon .he adoption of 
 the plan of an Atlantic Cable, now succe^^.my carried 
 out, presents a record of industrious scit <>[[c ^^'^lication 
 that may uot inappropriately form a pa^ . . 'e history 
 of the enterprise. 
 
 In the ordinary arrangement of the w': > r the Elec- 
 tric Telegraph, where they are stretched upon posts, and 
 msulated by glass and the surrounding air, the current 
 of electricity runs along as a simple stream, and with a 
 velocity that is almost inappreciable lor ordinary dis- 
 tar^ces. But when the wires are inclosed i:. a sheath of 
 msulating substance, like gutta-percha, and placed in a 
 moist mc( im, or a metallic envelope, the case is very 
 -■■•-Terent. The mfluence of induction then comes into 
 play as a -etarding power. As soon as the insulated 
 central wire is electrically excited, that excitement ope- 
 rates upon the adjoining layer of metal or moisture, and 
 calls up in it an electrical force of an opposite kind. 
 Each of these forces disguises, or holds ilist, an equiva- 
 lent portion of the ,3thcr,-and the electricity of the cen- 
 tral wire is thus prevented from moving freely onward 
 as It otherwise woul .. T: i, found, in short, that the 
 Submarine Telegraph Cable is virtually a lengthened 
 Ley den jar, and ^rarsmits ignals while being charged 
 and duscharged, instead of merely by allowing a stream 
 of the electrical innuence to flow dynamically and evenly 
 
 along it. And evcrv time >* I- n=n.i -.i- 1 
 
 1.--IT .. -l 
 
 UU.J: iirsr 10 be iilied 
 

 Cable— Construction and Experiments. 75 
 
 and then emptied. In the case of a long submarine wire, 
 this was found to be a task requiring considerable time,- 
 and this was found, moreover, to be very muc' ' icrealed 
 with an increase in the length of the wire. And -. hen 
 experiments came to be made in 1851, upon telegraphic 
 lines running underground, between London, Manches- 
 ter, and Glasgow, and upon others partly underground, 
 and partly submarine, between London, Paris, and Brus- 
 sels, it was found that the speed of the current did not 
 exceed 1,000 miles per second. In that year, Mr. White- 
 house invented a veiy ingenious method of detennining 
 with precision the force of currents thus transmitted; 
 and the result of his investigations was to show, that in 
 submarine telegraphs the wires act as reservoirs, and not 
 as mere channels,— that the larger reservoir receives and 
 holds a larger quantity than the smaller one, and that this 
 naturally produces the most powerful eifects when allowed 
 to escape from its imprisonment. By 1855, the scientific 
 corps provided themselves with muc^ more con-.lete 
 and perfect instruments for pursuing these inquiries,^ and 
 the construction of new Telegraph lines also furnished 
 them with better opportunities of making thei: .-xperi- 
 .nents. It was soon found that a magneto-electrical cur- 
 rent took a second and a half to discharge itself, when it 
 moved through 1,146 miles of wire, m consequence of 
 
 tne rctardimr now. . of ^nr^no+,•r^„ ;« *i,; x . ^ -, 
 
 dium. This was a rate of speed not at all compatible 
 
 ■■-rt 
 
76 Cable— Construction and Experiments. 
 
 ;vitli any profitable employment of a Transatlantic Tele- 
 gra])h f.r comniorcial i)urpo.se.s,- and the next step was 
 to devise some remedy for this iiuhietive obstacle. The 
 in-st tliing done was to send dilFerent kinds of eh>etricity 
 aion<. the wire in succession, in the hope that eacli trans- 
 in.s:sion of one kind would clear away the residue of the 
 other which h.Hl immediately precede<l it. The result 
 vas a complete succe.ss. Although the s.'une wire, and 
 tiic same magneto-electric combination were rmj.h.yed 
 Avhich had before demande-l a second and a half for\he 
 completion of a single disc.harge, seven and eight cur- 
 ivnt.s now readily recnlcd themselves in a single second 
 >V hen positive f .llowed negatuv, and negative fallowed 
 positive, in exactly equal proportions, the electrical 
 ^■M'"!.bnum of the wire was continually restored as fast 
 n-s It was disturl,ed-eac-h current chining awav the in. 
 <l"clive mduence which the other ha.l left behind it. Jt 
 w.'Lsprove.!, moreover, in the course of these exj.eriments, 
 that su,.essive charges of ehvtric-al influen<.c,-eith(.r of 
 the sa.ue kin.l, or of alternate oj>posite ki,n!s,-m,v be 
 travelling along length.ned c<.n<l„cting wires sanultane- 
 -sly, the one following the oth.«r, l.ke sueeessive waves 
 "!-n the sea. Allen.ate posU.ve an.I negative si.^-als 
 ^v.'-v sent ah.ng!..lOnules .^f wire, .r the- rate ..f ei-ht 
 signals n.ea<.h see.. n,l. - .n.Ji uo signals aniv e.Jat t he einl 
 -"I'own-e ale r the acts of tn,.,H,„ssion ha.l l.ee,Ml,s..on 
 '"'""'• '" '"'^^thci .■xj.Mni.r,.. I.S ,he use of a u.re, 
 
Cable — Construction and Experiments. 77 
 
 1,020 miles long, three signals of a single-stroke bell were 
 distinctly heard after the movement of the hand which 
 originated the current had ceased. This, therefore, 
 indicated a way in which the rapidity of transmitting 
 ek'ctrical currents along a submarine wire could be in- 
 creased , it was necessary only to employ opposite kinds, 
 — positive and n( :;ative alternately. 
 
 Tlie next point to be investigated was the ratio in which 
 increase of distance in a gutta-percha covered telegraph 
 wire augments tlie difficulties of rapid transmission. It 
 had been supposed that the available force was diminished 
 in the ratio of the stpiare of tlio distance travers<Hl, — that 
 is, that a current whieli has traversed 600 miles has only 
 a thirty-sixth j)art of the working force of a prccisv'ly 
 similar current which has travelled only 100 miles. In 
 experimenting upon tliis ])i)liit they liad to consider: 
 Firsi — th(^ diminution of tlie current's power 10 j)roduce 
 mechanical eluN-l-]; ami, Second — its loss of speed. A 
 voltaic balt(>ry of 72 pairs of jilatcs, each with a surface 
 of 1() iiicliis, was set to work, ami it was ascertained how 
 many grains the currrnt would rais(> upon IxMug trans- 
 mitted through a wire just long enough to effect the con- 
 nexi>u. The numhrr of grains lifted was 20,000. 'i'lio 
 cxperii:i Mil being rej)e;iteil with the sanii' current thm ; 
 2' If) mill's ol' wire, tlie nunilier of grains lil't.d w;is Id.d.'n ■ ; 
 with 40<) niihr. of wire it was ;i,2">0; and with (KX) niili s 
 it w IS l,i(M). Clearly the loss of meehaniea! jiower in 
 
78 Cable-Construction and Experiments. 
 
 been supposed, I„ „g„j ^ ,„^ „, 
 housand observations were made, with wire^ var.L „ 
 engt from 83 to , .020 „i,es, to dete™i„e it. ratfo ■ I I 
 from the. a appeared that with a wire 83 miles long" 
 
 m.les m .14 of a second; with 249 „,i|es in .36 of a 
 
 than h.ad been supposed. The result of the experiments 
 w^sto establish, w,th tolerable aceuraey, the fact that the 
 v.loc,ty of n,ovemcnt of a m.^gneto-electrio current 
 through a gutta-percha cov ored wi e, is 300 miles in frcn' 
 
 one-twelfrh to one..si.x.een.hofa second; ,100 n.ilesi" 
 f-„onc.s,.xM,toon,...mn.hofaSK.ond;and«oOmi,: 
 ."fr„mo„e..mhtoone.four.hofas,.eond. S.,li further 
 exper„„eu,.s p.oved that a rate of tran..,„issi„u eould bo 
 
 «l>ta,ned by the e,„p,,,vm,.nl of n,a.,„.,...,.l.vtriecur..nu 
 0-™,twoa„da,,a,f,o,hree,i,„es.sgroatas,hatof:y 
 -n,cvol,a,ein.puU. which ean be used. Thenu.xin,u,n 
 
 speed a„.a„,ed byvohaic elee,n,.,,v was 1. sou m.les per 
 «'-'Md; the n.aximuM, i;,r ,1k. ,„agne,n.,.|ee,r,c curr „t 
 
 ""'"'" '■^"' -™^-'"- ^M u.piove,,. .,\„:I 
 
 ;' "■';, ^''r '-''"' ' "'■" '•■"- ■• I u.res, „.„, 
 
 ."■'"""',"": ^'''""^ "^ ' ■.h,an.w„rs ,„„,„,_„ 
 
 lar ,us velocy of transnu..siou ,s coneerued, than .,;,n 
 
Cable — Construction and Experiments. 79 
 
 ones ; and it was this which led to the adoption of the 
 small-sized copper wire which was finally decided on as 
 the conductor by the Atlantic Telegraph Company. 
 
 After these . -^ints had been established by experiment 
 — rendering it theoretically probable that there would be 
 no difficulty in using a wire, if it could once be laid down 
 across the Atlantic — *he next point Wiis actually to reco- d 
 a signal by a current sent through a circuit of 2,000 miles. 
 For this purpose, in 1856, the various lines of Telegra})h 
 under charge of the English and Ir! jh Magnetic Telegraph 
 Company were used, and they are so extc.isive, have so 
 many ramifications, and < aoh line contains so many sejia- 
 rate wires, that a continuous length of nearly 5,000 miles 
 could be made up among them. The experiments were 
 made with great care, under the supervision of Mr, 
 BinoiiT, the P]ngincer; and Mr, Whiteiiousi.. subse 
 quently the Elc'trician of the Company, On the 9th of 
 October, l6.>(), ten gu a-percha covered wires, each 
 fneasuring over 20C miles, were connected, so that a 
 continuous circuit was formed of above 2,000 miles, and 
 signals were distinctly and satisfactorily ti'legrnjdied 
 througli the wliole n-ngth, at the rale of 210, 241, ami, 
 upon one ocea-si'-^'i. 2,0 per minute, ^ iperimcnt having 
 shown that 1 conditions present in insuhilrd wiics 
 j)laet'd Uhtlui the ground and bi'iieath the sea are strictlv 
 n"aK'gous, ihi icsult wa.s regarded as estabhshing, beyond 
 

 80 Cable-Construction and Experiments. 
 
 all reasonable doubt, the practicability of working the 
 Transatlantic Telegrapl,. 
 The Company was therefore indebted to Mr White 
 
 -tab .bed certam ™portant faets. (i.neral results n,ay 
 
 be in.beated .n a few wonls-viz : 
 
 That gutta-pereha eovere.l subn.arine wires do not 
 transnnt as sin.ple insulated conductors, but that they 
 have .0 be charged ,as L.ydcn ja,., before they e-.n 
 transmit at all. ^ '" 
 
 That consequently, such wires transn.it with a velo- 
 
 t-uy mat is m no way acronlinf t,< <i ^ 
 
 y .itconiant to the Jnovement of the 
 
 olee neal current .n an uncn.barra,-se.l way along simple 
 
 conductors. *= ai"if)ic 
 
 That magneto-eleetric enrn-nts tr.cd „„,„ quieklv 
 "long such w,res than sin.p,.. volume currents 
 
 Ihat n,ag„eto.elee,rie currents travel more quieklv 
 wh..nn,l.,ghencrgy,|,„„,,,„.„i„, , 1 .^ 
 
 ""',".' '^"■-'' ""^■'«i'>' ''" "ot travel m„.e quickly 
 than vollaic currents of small intensity ^ 
 
 Th^.t the vel..i,yf,,,etransmi.ss,,;n of sig,,,a,s along 
 ">..!., .d ..dnncrgcd w,r,.s can be enorn.onslv inen...,! 
 
 ;;™;^-^■H.-ed.o^,ne in, wo .,,,,,, -,,,,,,,; 
 
 «»'-l>u.h.e.,rrc„tofd,n;,,„,„ ,,,„,,.„ 
 
 '";; "(WU.ve, and negative n,ilo«.in.- p,.„ive 
 
 "'^"'■■- '""'inntion of the veloc-hy or,l,e ,ran.„is.„„ 
 
Cable — Construction and Experiments. 81 
 
 of tlic magneto-electric current in induction-embarrassed 
 coated wires, is not in the inverse ratio of the squares of 
 the distance traversed, but much more nearly iv the ratio 
 of simple arithmetical progression. 
 
 That several distinct waves of electricity may be travel- 
 ling along different parts of a long wire simultaneously, 
 and within certain limits, w^ithout interference. 
 
 That large coated wdres used beneath the water or the 
 earth arc worse conductors, so far as velocity of trans- 
 mission is concerned, than smidl ones, and therefore are 
 not so well suited as small ones for the purposes of sub- 
 marine transmission of telegraphic signals; and 
 
 That by the use of comparatively small coated wires, 
 and of electro-magnetic induction-coils for the exciting 
 agents, telegraphic signals can be transmitted through 
 two thousand miles with a speed amply suilicient for all 
 commercial and ei'onomical purposes. 
 
 About the Tine that the maiiufocture of the Cable was 
 
 com])lt'ted, tlie London Tinu\s rather startltMl its readers 
 
 by the announcement that tlie enterprise nmst necessarily 
 
 l>r(jve a failure. " It will scarcely be credited," said that 
 
 jounial, " but it is nevertlieless true, that the twist of tlie 
 
 spiral wires of the liirkenliead half of tlie Cable is in 
 
 exactly the opj)osite direction t^) the twist of the wires 
 
 made at CireiMiwieh. TIius, when joincMl in tlieeentn^ of 
 
 tlie Atlantic, ;Iiey will form a right and a left-hand senw, 
 
 and the tendency of each will be to assist each other to 
 
 4* 
 
Sz C='bIe-Constrnct,„n and Experiments 
 coal tbarll i-e "°T' '"' """"^ ''"<""P' '° -- 
 
 ".. .1..T „,,"?,, "r"""- ""°— 
 
 '->"i'ci\ihion ot the encinepr of fl.o n 
 t ma, not bo un„Uo,....sti,.« to give „ g.,„„ ,,,,„,, 
 'J-M.g he progress „f ,i„. ,i.,,t Kxpcli.i,,,,, .„ „.. ,„„, 
 
 -•^ .rov...l s,, ,„..,,,,,,,„,,,,,, ,,,,,,^^,, 
 J our casHn,,, .sbeave., or evli,„ler,, about fi^'e feet in 
 
Cable — Construction and Experiments. 83 
 
 diameter, were ranged in line witli one anotliei , fore and 
 aft. The first, commencing forward, was single-grooved ; 
 the second and third were double-grooved, and the fourth 
 was single-grooved. The Cable, as it came up from the 
 hold of the ship, passed over one of the grooves in the 
 second drum, — then under it backwards and over and 
 around the nrst single drum, — thence it returned over 
 the remoining groove in the second, — then it went 
 directly across 10 one groove in the third, following but 
 a small arc in its periphery,— thence to the last single 
 drum, and downward around this, back to the preceding 
 double one, and, finally, over the unoccupied groove in 
 that to a fifOi grooved drum standing out upon rigid 
 arms the stern, from which it was dropped into the 
 
 sea. The g.<->oves in all these drums were exactly 
 adapted, in si/e and form, to the Cable. The passing 
 and repassing of the Cable over them served to afford 
 friction-service for controlling the velocity of the r.ope 
 in passing out. But additional checks for tiiis purpose 
 were provided. The four drums were so connected by 
 gearing that their motions were exactly coincident — the 
 motion of any one oi them involving corresponding 
 motion in all the r.st. Upon two of the shafts, more- 
 over, friction-brakos — the same in j)rin(Mple as tlioso 
 used upon railroads — wire applied, to control tlu^ velocity 
 of tlie drums; and to those, which were worked by a 
 screw, was attaclird u balaiico, which was to inaicnto tuc 
 
84 Cable-Construc-on and Experi.n.nts. 
 
 precise amount of strain tLron-u upon th,^ r,I,, . 
 
 -mont. The see. .. worked'; trr.,:! 
 
 - stationed an offieer whose dut, it was to 'J tcl 
 
 bajnee and regulate the friction of the brakes accor^inl / 
 Ihe shipment of the Cable speedily followed the 
 completion. The portion received h. ,f a 
 -nufactured b, /e... N.^r.^ ': JX:; - 
 
 ntX?y'"^'"^^^-™''''«-^--.'-^^^ 
 
 of Meirrrcr.t-^ "r '^^ ^-"-^ 
 
 lon.4h nfr n ^^"°". 0' Greenwich. The total 
 
 m f In r™"'^-"""" -- '-"'-V-six hundred 
 wh5; the ct *" "f """" ''' "- ™»™- coils in 
 
 • ■"oia 01 that vessel was eleare.l nP +i i • , 
 
 o-.ni T 1 LiL.irea oi the cliain-Iockers! 
 
 uM.unke. and tanL, and fitted .it. a level floorove; 
 the kelson, the beams havij^. eaeh bo.n f . 
 
 double st^v^ f^ ^''"^''^'-'^ with 
 
 u'>it stajs to com])ensate for the romov.l p .i 
 
 -■tanchions. I'art of the Cable was airi'. Z- ''" 
 ^Pncewhichhadbcenclearedonto,. .,';'/' 
 «b^Ul.ecn,i„e.roon,b,diHp,aei,,, ,.„,.; /:„^:^^^^ 
 '«■'"'» ""J oiieroa,.|,i„„ „„ ,|,e „.,,,! r , „ 
 
 'In' part taken on b<nrd t]„> v " 
 
Cable — Construction and Experiments. 85 
 
 The operation of shipping the Cable was begun in 
 June and completed in the early part of July, 1857. 
 The event was celebrated in England with high festivity 
 and rejoicing. A fete champetre was given on the 23d 
 of July, at Belvidere House, by Sir Culling Eardley; 
 an immense marquee pitched upon the lawn in front of 
 the mansion, affording accommodation for some eight 
 hundred and fifty invited guests, among whom were 
 many distinguished gentlemen, both English and Ameri- 
 can. The unvarying success of the enterprise, thus far, 
 inspired strong hope, and the greetings interchanged on 
 the occasion of this festivity were enthusiastic and 
 cordial to a degree. 
 
 In the latter part of July, 1857, the Niagara and Aga- 
 memnon sailed for Queenstown, Ireland, the appointed 
 place of rendezvous. During this voyage, various suc- 
 cessful experiments were made. On board the Aga- 
 memnon, the mechanical appliances for regulating the 
 delivery of the Cable into the s.a were kept continually 
 in motion by the small engine ua board, which was con- 
 nected with them, and the wltole worked with great ])re- 
 cision and facility. The ex].eriments th(>n made bv the 
 .•l/yawew??o/iJustilied hopes of ulthnate triiim])h. A 13- 
 ineh shell was attached to the end of a sjiare coil of the 
 (.'al.le, for th(> ])urjiose of sinking it rapidly, and was 
 tli'Mi c'lst int'> {\\v sea. drawing iiltrr It a suflieicnt (jiian- 
 tity of slack to enable it to tak(> hold of the ground and 
 
86 
 
 Cable-Constructfon and Experiments. 
 
 so set the machinery in motion Th^ 
 
 fenced at the rate of t„o C J^f 'T' "' """■ 
 
 ^-aa.o„,t:eL:::;~;:rcf"- 
 
 coating of tar hn<^ h . "terprise. The exterior 
 
 ^ oi tar iiad been completely rubbed oif h^ y. • 
 
 drawn through the s.nri,. K .. 7 "^ ^^'°S 
 
 ugu tne sandy bottom of the sea n« ^i 
 
 day after this experiment, a length of Q^', ' 
 
 opposite the Isle of wd, . T V ""^ ""■ ''"' 
 feet ea.e-.be led 1 1 T "'"^ " "'" P"" 
 
 to five tnot. t: , : rr ™f '"" "■-^^'^ 
 
 run out and hauled in wh le ^^ T "' "'^"^ "" 
 six and a half knots The V " ""^ ""^'^^^<1 '^ 
 
 Cork, whe. he:"« t'l^""'"^"'""""' 
 arrived. ' ^' ^"'^''™' !'»<» alreadj 
 
 terTf'!!!!;' ^"""""'°" ""' '''^''™ '■■'y '"»"* a quar. 
 ter 01 a mile apart in the Cove of Cork tl,„- t , 
 
 Cable, were passed to each other l';" T""""'' 
 
 ;--the.:::ri:!rdi:ei;rrr 
 
 tery, an eleetrical current was lund to ' "'" 
 
 ately, though at first slowly- atone ^ '""""''• 
 
 the question of tr,„ • ' P'"*'"^ «' fe't 
 
 ^ ""'"' o' transmission throueh si.nl, „ i 
 
 -e.T.3 demonstration was th^;:::S:^- 
 
! 
 
 Cable— Construction and Experiments. 87 
 
 from the fact that the force developed lifted twenty-five 
 grains on Dr. Whitehouse's galvano-electrometer, 
 when three grains had been found to indicate sufficient 
 power to record intelligible signals. There was no time 
 that night, however, to attach the recording instru- 
 ments ; and when the Agamemnon swung at her moor- 
 ings, she unluckily fouled the wire and broke the con- 
 nexion. The whole of the next day was spent in reco- 
 vering and re-uniting the Cable-ends ; but, in the mean- 
 time, the Agamemnon sent aboard a large iron buoy, 
 and several wooden ones, to be used, in case of necessity, 
 for securing the Cable in soundings. On Saturday, Au- 
 gust 1, connexion was re-established between the ends, 
 and each of them connected with the earth, as in lines 
 actually laid out. A distinct message was then immedi- 
 at€ly telegraphed through the whole cope of two thou- 
 sand five hundred miles ^'' Land in 6ighi : alVsweir— 
 w^ere the first memorable words. In this experiment 
 one current occupied, in its passage, an interval of one 
 second and three-quarters ; bui three successive signals, 
 each perfectly intelligible, could be passed through 
 twenty-five hundred miles in two seconds ; thus confirm- 
 ing observations made on shorter circuits, by which it 
 appeared that one ware may, at the same instant, be 
 engaged in conveying several distinct electrical waves, 
 with well-marked intervals between them. 
 It had been at first decided by the Directors of the 
 

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88 
 
 Cable-Comtruction and Experiments. 
 
 some strong opposition m tlie Board T, 
 was „„,v determined that the JV'Vam should 
 
 %in.do.„.eCa.erromthe'';:rr:~ 
 
 i t; ft ^ ''""""'"'"''' '^ ^" *^ ^-^'^ oTi 
 
 ncct, and that upon re:.ching mid-ocein tho A 
 
 :r:hf:::"t'°'^^'"^'^"^-~ 
 
 pjt-ie ine connexion by nrocopfh'no- +^ +1 
 
 foundland \ Proceeding to tie coast of New- 
 
 be a« lost in event o^an e al? ?? f T" """ 
 tended «k . V ■ "'■'-lacnt. It was furtlior con- 
 
 tended that by this plan (here would be m„el, . 
 ve.ght of Cable to be sustained .t „ "" 
 
 '"e vessels of the «eet wo^d t ,^~;- , '^™ 
 
 eaeh other aid in an.v eme^eno,, Ldlwr^ ^ 
 WJLS be] evofl pnni,! 1^ . worK, so It 
 
 Mas than bv ,1 ""'"' ^"''toorily p..rf„™,<, ^ 
 
 •i.is than by the „iid-,K>ean arrangement. ^ 
 
 The seientific arrangement, o„ Wrd both vessel, wer. 
 
 I- -tl. the frigates, a eoneerted plan „f «;,,„„,,, „,, °\ 
 
 <-il, in ord.T to te.st Ihu eflivt ,.r ,1 . • PW'Vid. 
 
 the C,;,!,. I • '""'^""-"'''"^f'eenm.ntupon 
 
 th (.,..e,l,„.H,.ev,.ly...,p.,f„„.„,„,;^, These W,| . 
 
 .n..u.at.,t„„ebys,eond,,,andw,..pa.^.dt,.:;;r;i:': 
 
 1 
 
i 
 
 Cable — Construction and Experiments. 89 
 
 whole extent of the wire. At the side of tlie Niagara 
 and Agamemnon, patent-logs were placed, which dipped 
 into the sea, and were fitted with vanes and wheels, the 
 latter turning with a degree of velocity exactly prcpor- 
 tioned to the rate at whicli the vessel dragged them 
 tlirough the water. One of these wheels was so ar- 
 ranged as to make and break an electric circuit at every 
 revolution, and record upon the deck of the ship, by 
 apparatus provided for the purpose, the speed of the 
 vessel. A bell also sounded upon every passage of tlic 
 electric current through the Cable. The brakeman, 
 therefore, watched the balance which indicated the strain 
 upon the Cable, and tightened or relaxed it as occasion 
 required. He was also to listen for the bell, and if at 
 any time its sound ceased — indicating an interruption in 
 the circuit — he was to stc^p the machinery, the vessel 
 would be backed, and a winding machine, provided Tor 
 the purpose, and worked by a horizontal steam-engirn^ 
 of about 20 horse power, would be at once set at work, 
 gathering up the slack-rope as the vesst^l moved asteni — 
 the electrician all the while testing the insulating con- 
 tinuity of the Cable, yard by yard, until the defective 
 ])ortion had been discovered. This would then be cut 
 out and the gap Gup[)lied by joining up the ends of the 
 uninjured part.s, when the ]>aying-out and testing would 
 be resumed as at the first. 
 
 Special provision, too, was made for storms. In ordi- 
 
 I ■ i 
 
.p Ca!,l.-Constructi.m and Ex,.rrin,c„ts. 
 
 z, ::"":"' "\ """ "■' -^ -'-•« ^ind^ dthor 
 
 nli«<it(i 
 
 or iwtoni, tl.o work oouM 
 
 t""i, <U4 tho nu)ti( 
 
 >n Would ?jot I 
 
 K*> on without 
 
 w so 
 
 <'«'' inm^liiiuTv from 
 
 <^"»»lo. Hutiftho wimi HhouM 1 
 
 ri'Uuniiiir 
 
 lis (<» 
 
 '»ako it iKHM'SHary for tl 
 
 <•»«' wind. UM upparutus 
 
 iiitorrup- 
 RTout fts to }»n'vont 
 "K '^i»m|)lou» control of the 
 >low iwti'rn 8o luuivily 
 '0 vt>as.«l to come up lica<i to 
 
 Iho I) 
 
 W.W pn>pHrtHl for paying out 
 
 »v, Hirnilnr to that alrni.lv dosrHUnJ 
 
 i)vor 
 
 H tVKular ^alo whou!,! 
 
 And 
 
 Hi case 
 
 ai 
 
 Jinp-.K-wihJo (or tl 
 
 "**'• «^>c.nK rni)ugh to rend 
 
 ^ ahlo at all 
 
 «o vossol «,ilMv to 
 
 or it 
 
 Ion 
 
 . pn-parations wciv nimlo 1 
 
 r^'t^iin Ijold of tl 
 
 !jo 
 
 l>o'-'nlv. IV>" thodtvlc stood 
 
 wound ix.und will 
 
 lor abandoning it 
 two largt» nvls, oaoh 
 
 P'^^^'hI of i,x,n win' onlv. and 
 
 > » v.Mv sti\>ng auxiliary oaM 
 
 li\ o»Mn- 
 
 of ti'u or t 
 niil 
 
 w« vo tons, or this tl 
 
 oapahlc of n»sisUng a 
 
 strain 
 
 HMld 
 
 •^•'.•nxia halfonoarh n^>l. I 
 
 u'n» wcn^ ttlH-.ut tw 
 
 o 
 
 »TI 
 
 •«g UiVimirv the al>and 
 
 " oiu^i'ofa hoavv stA)nn 
 
 wouM Ik' out, and tl 
 
 U> S<' 
 
 o'uuont of th,. Cablo. it 
 
 of tl 
 
 > <''«d attaohod to tho end of 
 wouiul ujH>n the nvl. Tl 
 
 one 
 
 us 
 
 ><^•'e stn.ng iron ^h>^i 
 
 '';"™^": '•'■••"-« '• -1.0 «m..vi., ,,.„;. 
 
 :, 7^;"""' , "-■- ""• •-. or .,.,„ .>M „.o,u; 
 
 ■'"■. '-1 ..- un,.,,.,,., ,,,,,,, ,, ko ,W ,„i„,,, , 
 
 " • ,'" '■*"'> ■•^^•"' «l'"'. «-.M Iv ..v^xl ovcrlHvmi 
 
Cable — Construction and Experiments. 91 
 
 sii]).si(li>, when tliey wmild again be picked up, the Cable 
 ivcovert'tl and rejoined to the part remaining upon the 
 .sliij>, and the work proceed as before. 
 
 Such were the preparations and precautions made in 
 t...' year 1857, for paying out the Atlantic Cable; and 
 eomph'te and perfect as they were then thought to be, 
 yet were they insufficient to insure success. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE FIRST EiPKI.ITION_£UMMER OP 1857. 
 
 ^HE first attempt to lay the Atlantic Cable waa made 
 ^ ear y >„ the month of August, 1857. A period 
 uf less t,.an thirty days suiEced for the completion of 
 the final arrangements for this Expedition, the festivities 
 n.^de„t to the occasion, the departure of the fleet frol 
 ^alontm, the tnal, the defeat, and the return At 6 
 .••H. on Tuesd.ay August 4, the Telegraph Squadron 
 i ft Queenstoun Harbor for Valentia Bay. It arrived 
 at Valenfa on the day following. The fleet detailed for 
 
 flTr" "' f r""™ ^''^'^'••"' "' ■»"•" vessels, 
 lou. American and four English, as follows :_ 
 
 1. The us. ....m-frigate A1V^„,.„, c»pui„ Hcn^,, ,„ ,,„ 
 tl,e half of the Coble from Ireland. ^ 
 
 2 Th. U.S. ,t..,.rH^,.„ ,,„^„^,„„,„^^ ^__^^,^. ^ ^^^ ^^ 
 upon tiie Aiiigara. 
 
 3. Tlie U.S. steamer Arrtir, Oap.ain Bkrhtmak, to make further 
 «otmdmffs on the coast of Newfoundland. 
 
First Expedition — Summer of 1857. 93 
 
 4. The U.S. steamer Victoria, Captain Slutter, to assist in land- 
 in 2r the Cable at Newfoundland. 
 
 5. H.M. steamer Agarnemnon, Captain Noddal, to lay the half of 
 the Cable on the American side. 
 
 G. H.M. steamer Leopard, Captain Wainwright, to attend upon 
 the Agamemnon, 
 
 7. H.M. steamer Cyclops, Captain Dayman, to go ahead of the 
 steamers and keep the course. 
 
 8. H.M. steamer Advice, Captain Raymond, to assist in landing 
 tlie Cable at Valentia. 
 
 The presence on tlie Island of the representative of 
 Royalty in Ireland contributed in no small degree to the 
 popular idea of the importance of the occasion , and the 
 idea found development in bonfires, pyrotechnic displays, 
 music, feasting, dancing, and cheering, and the charac- 
 teristic attributes of an Irish merry-making. 
 
 Ills Excellency, the Lord Lieutenant (the Earl of 
 Carlisle), attended by his suite, and accompanied by 
 Sir Edward M'Donnell, Chairman of the Great 
 Southern and Western Railway, several of the Directors 
 of the Company, and Mr. G. E. Ilbery, the courteous 
 and efficient Superintendent of the line, proceeded by 
 special train on Monday morning to Killarney. The 
 Vice-regal party vvere received at the King's Bridge 
 Station by ^Ir. Ilbeiiy, and conducted to the state 
 carriage. An elegant (icjeuiirr had been ])rovid('d at 
 Valentia by the Knight of Kerry; the festivities 
 
94 First Expedition-Summer of 18^7. 
 
 ot the place. Th« storehouse wa.: handsomely dcc„. 
 rated for the ocoasinn xt , •' 
 
 takpn f r^ P"''"^ '''"' ='^'°^ of date 
 
 taken from the extensive quarries in the vicinity and 
 the tables at which the Company sat were formed o^ h 
 ri "^'^"f ^"^ >=anquetrng.oom was draped wh 
 
 TTt;, '^^' *^' ^"-^ °^ "'^ Irish Welcome 
 
 «-^ i^««= FuMa, we,, prominently displayed Tnd 
 
 thTun^ :t "' ''^ ''™^" ^"« iced'th^fla^: 
 t:^. '^ZTtrH ^--^^^^^o., wit^h the 
 , ana ^r, b. suspended below in hand- 
 some wreaths. The KnVI,* „«■ ir 
 
 banouet »„^ ^^ ^""7 P'^^^'J^'l "' the 
 
 banque^ and gave a toast in honor of the Queen, which 
 
 havng been duly honored, the Chairman again r;srand 
 proposed the health of the Lord Lieutenant anlp :s 
 pentj to Ireland. ^ 
 
 eloqul!nd""'' " ""'"'"''"^' "»''« "'<= ^°"-ing 
 eloquent and appropriate remarks :— 
 
 holo ^^^ "'.'*"'™ ^°" "'^ ""^' ''^""^ "'"■■k' for the 
 Lai Th r '"" "^ '" ^ ■'■"^'^ 0-king my 
 
 hmted, that I am probably .he fi,.t Lieutenant of J 
 
 ^:::z it' "■"- ""^ '°-'^ ^'-''- ^' 
 
 jou on an oeca„on I.ke the present. Amidst all tTe 
 pnde and the stirring hopes which c„«ter around tt 
 

 First Expedition — Summer of 1857. 95 
 
 work of this week, we ought still to remember that we 
 must speak with the modesty of those who begin and not 
 of those who close an experiment; and it behoves us 
 to remember that the pathway to great achievements has 
 frequently to be hev^n out amid<?t risks atiJ difficulties, 
 and that preliminary foilure is even the law and condi- 
 tion of the ultimate success. Therefore, whatever disap- 
 pointments may possibly be in store, I Tiust yet insinuate 
 to you that in a cause like this it would be criminal to 
 feel discouragement. In the very design and endeavor 
 to establish the Atlantic Telegraph there is almost enough 
 01 glory. It is true if it only be an attempt there would 
 not be quite enough of profit. I hope that will come, 
 too ; but there is enough of public spirit, of love for 
 science, for our country, for the human race, almost to 
 suffice in themselves. However, upon the rocky frontlet 
 of Ireland, at all events, to-day we will presume upon 
 success. We are about, either by ti.^ sundown or by 
 to-morrow's dawn, to establish a new material link 
 between the Old World and the New. Moral links 
 there have been— links of race, links of commerce, links 
 of friendship, links of literature, links of glory ; but this, 
 our new link, instead of superseding and supplanting the 
 old ones, is to give a life and intensity they never liad 
 before. Highly as I value the reputations of those who 
 have conceived, and those who have contributed to 
 carry out this bright design— and I wish thot so many 
 
 I 
 
Ill 
 
 96 First Expedition— Summer of 1857. 
 
 of them had not been unavoidably prevented from bein., 
 amongst ua at this moment-highly as I estimate their 
 reputation, jet I do not compliment them with the idea 
 that thej are to efface ord,m the glory of that Columbus 
 who, when the large vessels in the harbor of Cork 
 yesterday .-eighed- their a„cho,s, did so on that ve^ 
 day 365 years ago_it would have been called in He- 
 orew writ a year of years-and set sail upon his glorious 
 enterprise of discovery. They, I say, wiU not dim or 
 efface h,s glory, but they are now giving the last finish 
 and consumma^n to his work. Hitherto the inhabitants 
 of the .™ worlds have associated perhaps in the chilling 
 .mospherc of distance with each other-asort of bowinf 
 d.=.tance; but now we can be hand to hand, grasp t^ 
 grasp, pulse to pulse. The link which is nol to L- 
 
 nect us, hke the insect in the immortal, couplet of our 
 poet ; r v«t 
 
 While exquisitely fine 
 
 Feels at each thread and moves along the Une. 
 
 And we may feel, gentlemen of Ireland, of England, and 
 of Amcnca, who may happen to be present, that we may 
 take our stand here upon the extreme rocky edge of our 
 beloved Ireland ; we may, as it wore, leave in our rear 
 behmd us the wars, the strifes, and the bloodshed of the 
 elder iurope, and I f.ar I may say, of the elder Asia- 
 and we may pledge o„,«elvos, weak ,« our agency „»; 
 

 First Expedition— Summer of 1857. 97 
 
 be, imperfect as our powers maj be, inadequate in strict 
 diplomatic form as our credentials may be, yet, in the 
 face of the unparalleled circumstances of the place and 
 the hour, in the immediate neighborhood of the mighty 
 vessels whose appearance may be beai:Hful upon the 
 waters, even as are the feet upon mountains of those who 
 preach the Gospel of peace-r^ a homage due to that 
 serene science which often affords higher and holier les 
 sons of harmony and good-will than the wayward passions 
 of man are always apt to learn-in the fa<;e and in the 
 strength of such circumstances, let us pledge ourselves to 
 eternal peace between the Old World and the New. 
 Why, gentlemen, what excuse would there be for misun- 
 derstanding ? What justification could there be for war, 
 when the disarming message, when the full explanation,' 
 when the geni-d and healing counsel may be wafted even 
 across the mighty Atlantic, quicker than the sunbeam's 
 path and the lightning's flash ? I feel, gentlemen, that I 
 shall best embody the sentiments which I am sure per- 
 vade this entire meeting-the sentiments most akin to this 
 company and this hour, if, after having drank the health 
 of the gentle mistress of the British Islands, I now call 
 upon you to drink, with congenial honors, to the lasting 
 friendship of the British Islands and of America, and to 
 the health and welfare of the President of the United 
 States." 
 
 On the afternoon of Wednesday, August 5, the shore- 
 
 5 
 
•N . ^ 
 
 98 First Expedition— Summer of 1857. 
 
 end of the Cable was safely landed at Yalcntia. Tlie Lord 
 Lieutenant formally received it from Lieut. Pennock 
 of the U.S. steamer Susquehanna, to whom the duty of 
 the landing had been assigned. As his Excellency 
 received it, he gave expression to a hope that the work so 
 well begun would be carried to a satisfactory completion. 
 The scene in the harbor of Yalentia at this time was 
 extremely animated and exciting. The shore was covered 
 with an immense multitude, attracted by the extraordi- 
 nary interest of the occasion. The bay was dotted with 
 vessels of all descriptions, filled with eager spectators of 
 the scene. His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant was 
 among the first to seize the end of the Cable, as it was 
 passed on shore, and in a few moments the attachment 
 was firmly made on the Irish coast, in the telegraph 
 house at the head of Yalentia bay. 
 
 The wire having been safely secured, the Reverend 
 Mr. Day, of Kenmore, pronounced the following 
 prayer ; 
 
 O Eternal Lord God who alone spreadest out the heavens, and 
 rulest the raging of the sea; who hast compassed the waters with 
 bounds, till day and night come to an end ; and whom the winds 
 and the sea obey ; Look down in mercy, we beseech thee, upon us 
 thy servant, who now approach the throne of grace; and let our 
 prayer ascend before thee with acceptance. Thou hast commanded 
 and encouraged us, in all our ways, to acknowledge thee, and to 
 commit our works to thee rProv. iii. 5, 6; xvi. 3); and thou hast 
 
 I 
 
First Expedition — Summer of 18^7. 99 
 
 graciously promised to direct our paths, anu to prosper our handi- 
 work. We desire now to look up to thee ; and believing that with- 
 out thy help and blessing, nothing can prosper or succeed, we 
 humbly commit this work, and all who are engaged in it, to thy 
 care and guidance. Let it please thee to grant to us thy servants 
 wisdom and power, to complete what we have been led by thy 
 Providence to undertake ; that being begun and carried on ia the 
 spirit of prayer, and in dependence upon thee, it may tend to thy 
 glory : and to the good of all nations, by promoting the iucrease of 
 I'nity, peace, and concord. 
 
 Overrule, we pray thee, every obstacle, and remove every difP- 
 culty which would prevent us from succeeding in this important 
 undertaking. Control the winds and the sea by thy Almighty power, 
 and grant us such favorable weather that we may be enabled to lay 
 the Cable safely and effectually. And may thy hand of power and 
 mercy be so acknowledged by all, that the language of every heart 
 may be, " Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give 
 glory," that so thy name may be iiallowed and magnified in us and 
 by us. 
 
 Finally, we beseech thee to implant within us a spirit of humanity 
 and childlike dependence upon thee ; and teach us to feel as well as 
 to say, " If the Lord will we shall do this or that." 
 
 Hear us, Lord, and answer us in these our petitions, according 
 to thy precious promise for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. 
 
 The Lord Lieutenant then addressed the assemblage, 
 as follows : 
 
 " My American, English, and Irish friends, I feel at 
 such a moment as this that no language of mine can be 
 becoming except that of prayer and praise. However, it 
 
 * i 
 
100 First Expedition— Summer of 1857. 
 
 IS allowable to any human lips, though they have not 
 been specially qualified for the office, to raine the ascrip- 
 tion of 'Glory to God in the highest; on earth peac^, 
 good will to men.' That, I believe, is the spirit in 
 which this great work has been undertaken; and it 
 is this reflection that encourages me to feel confident 
 hopes in its final success. I believe that the great 
 work now so happily begun will accomplish many 
 great and noble purposes of trade, of national policy 
 and ' f empire. But there is only one view in which 
 I will present it to those whom I have the pleasure 
 to address. You are awaro— you must know, some 
 of you, from your own experience— tliat many of your 
 dear friends and near relatives have left their native 
 land to receive ho8j)itab]e shelter in America. VV\-11, 
 then, I do not expect that all of you can understand 
 the wondrous mechanism by which this ^^roat under- 
 tiiking is to be carried on. But this, I think, you all 
 of you understand. If you wished to communicate 
 some piece of intelliLrcnt c straightway to your relatives 
 across the wide world of waters— if you v.\shvd to tell 
 those whom you know it would interest in their heart 
 of hearts, of a birtli, or a marriage, or alas, a d<'atii, 
 among you, the little cord, which we have now haulcvl >ip 
 to shore, will imi)art that tidings quicker than the flash 
 
 (\C i\:,. MA. 
 
 lifL u« IIHU lU 11(}I)( 
 
 th 
 
 pc, let lis })ray that 
 
 c hopes oC those who have set on foot tl 
 
 lis 
 
 great 
 
First Expedition — Summer of 1857. 101 
 
 design, may be rewarded by its entire success ; and let 
 lis hope, further, that this Atlantic Cable will also, 
 in all future tin.c, serve aa, an emblem of that strong 
 cord of love which I trust will always unite the British 
 islands to the great continent of America. And you 
 will join me in my fervent wish that the Giver of 
 all Good, who has enabled some of his servants to 
 discern so much of the working of the mighty laws 
 by which he fills the universe, will further so bless 
 this wonderful work, as to make it even more to serve 
 the high purpose of the good of man and tend to His 
 great glory. And now, all my friends, as there can 
 be no project or undertaking which ought not to receive 
 the approbation and applause of the people, will you 
 join with me in giving three hearty cheers for it. 
 Three cheers are not enngh for me— they are what we 
 give on common occasions— and as it is for the success 
 of the Atlantic Telegraph Cable, I must have at least one 
 
 dozen cheers." 
 
 Mr. Cyrus W. Field was called upon. He said : 
 " I have no words to express the feelings which fill my 
 hoar* to-night— it beats with love and affection for every 
 man, woman, and child who hears me. [Cheers.] I may 
 say, however, that, if ever at the other si<le of the 
 waters now before us, any .'i,o of you shall pre8«>nt 
 yourselves at my door and say that you took hand or 
 
 i 
 
 part, even by an approving 
 
 smi 
 
 le, in our work hero 
 
'o^ First Expedition-Summer of 18^7. 
 
 to-day, you shall l.ave a true An.eriean wcico.ne. 
 I cannot bmd ,ny,elf to n.ore, and eball merely 
 
 put asunder.' " 
 
 - On the evening of Friday, the 7th of August, 1857 
 
 I.e Te ,.gra;,hie Squadron bore away from the eoast ol' 
 
 Ireland, delivering the Cable into the sea at a slow and 
 
 atten,,,t to lay the Cable by eommeneing at the Irish 
 8b.>r.., and efleeting a spliee in midoeean, the wo:k of 
 pa..mg.out waa begun by the Xiajara alone. Unfor- 
 tunately the eommeneement of the Expe,litio„ was 
 .nau«,,.eious. When about four miles of the thiek 
 abore-end of the Cable had been payed out, it beeame 
 entangled w>th the maehinery, owing to a momentary 
 want of watchfulness, and parted. An attempt wal 
 .mmed,ate.ly „,a,le to reeovr the lost portion Th» 
 Au,3.„-a eame to aneho. for the „i„l,t. On the foliowin.I 
 day, the Cable w., reeovorci, a spliee was ,„ade, and 
 the work was resumed without further aeeident to the 
 snoie-end. 
 
 At p,„ on Suadav, August 9, ninoty-five m^^^^ 
 Ul.le luul boon oxpondod, the continuity of tho olootric 
 current ronuuning perfect, ..d signals pass.ng between 
 the .\uu^am and the station nt VaL-ntia 
 On M:^!. 1 •-.. 
 
 ' ^»"K«at luiM, at t< 45 P.M. 
 
 and for i 
 
 wo 
 
First Expedition— Si- mmer of 1857. 103 
 
 hours afterwards, the electricians failed to receive signals, 
 the continuity being now, for the first time, interrupted. 
 Towards midnight the current was re-established, but 
 the hopes which this circumstance revived were of short 
 
 duration. 
 
 On Tuesday, August 11th, at 3 45 A.M., the machinery 
 stopped, and with the strain the Cable parted. Three 
 hundred and forty-four miles of the Cable were lost; 
 the depth of water in which it was submerged being 
 
 about two miles. 
 
 The first Expedition having thus come to an untimely 
 end, nothing remained but to return to Ireland. The 
 Niagara accordingly put about, and headed for Valentia. 
 The following letter from Engineer Bright was pub- 
 licly read on board the Niagara by Captain Hudson, on 
 the return trip. It expressly exculpates the officers and 
 men of the Niagara from any responsibility for the 
 disaster; 
 
 i 
 
 At Ska, on BoABn the Niagara, 
 
 Thumdoy, Aug. 13, 1857. 
 
 Sir— I feel it my duty bof.re U-avin- the Niagara to sUte thai 
 I do not attribute the fract.re of the C.Me to bo in the least degree 
 atU-hed to any one -onnccted with the .hip ; on the contrary, I 
 nmst ta'--o thus opportunity of .-.xi-ressinp, on the part of the Com- 
 pany, the great obHgatio.. whu-h we are under to your«eU; your 
 otVicers and men, anw ' - "^ ^ ^ == 
 
 t CilfMll 
 
' 04 First Expedition— Summer of 1 8^7. 
 fern, o„ „„, behalf, for tha „ever.f^li„g «„ „, ,.^„„„„ 
 hM been «c universJIj- displayed in our cause. 
 
 I am, Sir, 4c., &c., &c 
 
 (Signed,) „ 
 
 CnAEiEs T. Briohi, 
 
 Engines to Ihe Atlantic Tdegraph Cm.^ny. 
 To Captain Hcoso,, U.S.N., &., ic., &c. 
 
 It appears that at the time the Cable parted, there was 
 a heavy swell in the sea. and that while the vessel waa 
 making some three or four knots an hour, the Cable 
 was running out at the rate of five or six, and some- 
 times even seven knots. Mr. Bright, believing that the 
 quantity of w-. provided for the Expedition would, at 
 this rate, be exhausted before the Newfoundland shore 
 could be reaehed, adopted a measure which unliap- 
 pdy pn>ved fatal to the enterpri.,e. On the afternoon 
 previous ,0 the accident, tlie Cable w,« thrown out of 
 the controller on two different occasions, and suffered 
 severe strains. These mishaps had given rise to gloomy 
 apprehensions. The pressure upon the Cable was gra- 
 dually increased until, at the time of the rupture a 
 force 01 3,000 pounds was apph.,,,. At this mon^.t 
 the s„.rn of tl-.c X„ya™ was low ,,„,„ in the trough 
 of the .sea. As the ship rose „„ the back of the wav.t, 
 tbe extra strain thus occasioned was more than tl,': 
 
 
 tiie CiiiHo c()uj(i bear. It 
 
 ^Mve way \in. 
 
First Expedition— Summer of 1857. 105 
 
 der tlie pressure, and, parting at some distance from the 
 ship's stern, sank like lead. 
 
 On the afternoon of Friday, August 14th, the Niagara 
 and the Agamemnon, having joined company, arrived at 
 Plymouth, England, attended by the Susquehanna. Here 
 the fleet awaited further orders. So much of the Cable 
 had been lost, disasters had appeared 10 multiply with 
 such marvellous celerity, the season was so for advanced, 
 that a new attempt seemed nearly impracticable durmg 
 that year, and the further progress of the Expedition be- 
 came a matter of serious consider? ti on. Grave errors in 
 the management of the enterprise had been developed 
 during this Expedition ; the operation of the machinery 
 for paying out the Cable was disco \ered to be defective; 
 a suspicion was excited that the plan needed a radical 
 alteration ; the length of Cable provided by the Company 
 had pro-, ed inadequate to meet unforeseen contingencies. 
 In view of these circumstances, the necessity of a recon- 
 struction and thorough modification of the programme 
 became evident. The Directors, after a series of meet- 
 ings, held at their office in London, finally resolved to 
 postpone, but not to abandon the enteq)rise. 
 
 Tlio following is Mr. Brigiit's official report of this 
 
 disaster : — 
 
 London, Tuesday. Aug. 18. 
 
 Gentlemkn— T forwarded by the Leopard a brief statement of tlie 
 
 circuni5>tani('8 aiu'iiuiug Uit- ira* lUio 
 
 5* 
 
 
 tlwk 1 1 i\-i inat 
 
io6 
 
 First Expedition— Summer ot" 1857. 
 
 
 and I have now to lay before you the fuU particulars connected with 
 the expedition. 
 
 After leaving Valentia on the evening of the 7th inst, the paying 
 out of the Cable from the Niagara commenced most satisfactorily 
 until immediately before the mishap. 
 
 At the junction between the shore and tlie smaller Cable, about 
 8 mdes from the starting point, it wa.. necessary to stop to renew 
 the sphce ; this was successfully ellected, and the end of the heavier 
 Cable lowered by a hawser until it reac-hed the bottom, buoys being 
 attached at a short distance apart to mark the place of union 
 
 By noon of the 8th we had paid out 40 miles of Cable, including 
 the heavy shore end, our exact position at that time being in lat 51° 
 59' 36' N, long. 11° 19' 15^ W., and Uie depth of water, according 
 to the soundings taken by the Cychps, whose course we nearly 
 followed, 90 fathoms. 
 
 Up to 4 P.M. on that day, the egress of the Cable had been suffi- 
 ciently retarded by the power necessary to keep the machinery in 
 motion at a rate a httle faster than the speed of the ship; but as 
 tlie water deepened, it was necessary to place some further restraint 
 upon It by applying pressure to the friction drums in connection with 
 the paying-out sheaves, and this was gradually and cautiously in- 
 creased from time to time as the speed of the Cable, compared with that 
 of Uie vessel, and thedopths of the soundings showed to be requisite 
 By midnight 85 miles had been safely lai.' ; the depth of water 
 being then a httle more than 200 fathoms. 
 
 At 8 o'clock in the morning of the 9th, we had finished the de.k 
 cod in tlie after j.art of the ship, having paid out 120 miles The 
 change to the coil between docks fu, ward was safely n.ado 
 
 By noon we had laid 130 miles of Cable, the Niagara having 
 veached lat 52» 11' 40' K, long. 13° 10' 20' ^^'., a„d the d.,, h of 
 
First Expedition — Summer of 1857. 107 
 
 m 
 
 In the evening the speed of the vessel was raised to 5 knots per 
 hour. I had previously kept down the rate at from 3 to 4 knots 
 for the small Cable, and 2 for the heavy end next the shore, wish- 
 ing to get the men and macliinery well at work prior to atuinmg 
 tlie speed which I had anticipated making. 
 By midnight 189 miles had been laid. 
 
 At 4 o'clock in the morning of the 10th, the depth of water be- 
 gan to hiciease rapidly from 550 fathoms to 1,750 in a distance of 
 8 miles. Up to this time 7 cwt strain sufficed to keep tlie rate of 
 the Cable near enough to that of the ship ; but as the wat(;r deep- 
 ened the proportionate speed of the Cable advanced, and it was 
 necessary to augment the pressure by degrees until in the depth of 
 1,700 fathoms, the indicator showed a stram of 15 cwt, while the 
 Cable and ship were running 5i and 5 knots respectively. 
 
 At noon on the 10th we had paid out 255 miles of Cable, the 
 vessel having made 214 miles from shore, being then in lat. 52° 27' 
 50' N., long. 16" 0' 15' W. At tliis time we experienced an in- 
 creasing swell, followed later in the day by a stro.ig breeze. 
 
 From this period, having reached 2,000 fathoms water, it was 
 neces^sary to mcrease the strain to a ton, by which the rate of tlie 
 Cable was maintained in due proportion to that of the ship. 
 
 At 6 in the evening some difficulty ai(»se through the Cable 
 getting out of the sheaves of the paying-out machine^ owing to the 
 tar and pitch hardening in the grooves, and a sphce of large dimen- 
 Bions passing over them. This was rectified by fixing additional 
 guards, and softening the txir with oil. 
 
 It was necessary to bring up the ship, holding the Cable by stop- 
 pers until it was again properly disposed around the pulleys. Some 
 importance is due to tliis event, as showing that it is possible to lie 
 to in deep water without continuing to pay out tlie Cable— a pomt 
 upon which doubts uav« been frequenily expressed. 
 
 n 
 
i 
 
 io8 First Expedition— Summer of 1857. 
 
 Shortly after this the speed of the Cable j^ained considerably upon 
 that of the ship, and up to 9 o'clock, while the rate of the latter was 
 about 3 knots by the log, the Cable was running out from 5i to 5i 
 knots per hour. The strain was then raised to 25 cwt. ; but the 
 wind and sea increasing, -.nd a current at the same time carrying 
 tlie Cable at an angle from the direct line of the ship's course it was 
 no. found sufficient lo check the Cable, which was at midnight mak- 
 ing 2i knots above the speed of the ship, and sometimes imperiUing 
 the safe uncoiling in the hold. The retarding force was therefore 
 increased at 2 o'clock to an amount equivalent to 30 cwt., and then 
 agam, m consequence of the speed continuing to be more than it 
 would have been prudent to admit, 35 cwt. By this the rate of the 
 Cable was brought to a little short of 5 knote, at which it continued 
 steadily untU 4 45, when it parted, the length paid out at that time 
 bemg 335 miles. 
 
 I had, up to this time, attended personally to the regulation of the 
 breaks; but, finding that aU w^ going on well, and that it being 
 necessary that J should be temporarily away from the machine to 
 ascertain the rat. of the ship, and to see how the Cable was coming 
 out of the hold, and also to visit the electrician, the machine was for 
 the moment left in charge of a mechanic who had been engaged 
 from the first in its construction and fitting, and was acquainted 
 with Its operation. 
 
 I was proceeding to the fore part of the ship when I heard the 
 tnacme stop; I iramediately called out to ease the break and re- 
 verse the engine of the ship, but when I reached the spot the Cable 
 was broken. 
 
 On examining tlie machine, which wa.s otherwise in perfect order 
 I found that the breaks had not been relea3ed, ana to this, or to the 
 handwheel of the break bemg turned the wrong way, may be attri- 
 
 vavcra 
 
 tue jtoppago, aud the consequent fracture of the Cable. When 
 
First Expedition — Summer of 1857. ^°9 
 
 the rati^ of the wheels grew slower aa the ship dropped her stern in 
 the swell, the break should have been eased; this had been done 
 regularly before, whenever an unusually sudden descent of the ship 
 temporarily withdrew the pressure from the Cable in the sea ; but, 
 owing to our entering the deep water the previous morning, and 
 having all hands ready for any emergency that might occur there, 
 the chief part of my staff had been compelled to give in at night 
 through sheer exhaustion, and hence, being short-handed, I was 
 obliged for the time to leave the machine without, as it proves, suffi- 
 cient intelligence to control it. 
 
 I perceive that on the next occasion it will be needful, from the 
 wearing and anxious nature of the work, to have three separate relays 
 of staff, and to employ, for attention to the breaks, a higher degree 
 of mechanical skilL 
 
 The origin of the accident was no doubt the amount of retarding 
 strain put upon the Cable, but had the machine been properly mani- 
 pulated at the time it could not pospibly have taken place. 
 
 It has been suggested as a cause of the failure that the machinery 
 is too massive and ponderous. My experience of its action teaches 
 otherwise ; for three days in shallow and deep water, as well as in 
 rapid transition from one to the other, nothing could be more per- 
 fect ihan its working, and since it performed its duty so sn.oothly 
 and efficiently in the smaller depths, where the weight of the Cable 
 had less ability to overcome its friction and resistance, it can scarcely 
 be said to be too hea\/ for deep water, where it was necessary for 
 the increased weight of Cable to restrain its rapid motion by apj)ly- 
 ing to it a considerable degree of additional friction. Its action was 
 most complete, and all parts worked well together. I pee how it 
 can be improve.l by a modification in the form of sheave, by an ad- 
 dition to the arrangement for adjusting the breaks, and some other' 
 slight alterations; but with proper management, without any 
 
 h.. 
 
 1 
 
 'r 
 
 1 
 
 ii. 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 : 1 
 
 
no 
 
 First Expedition— Summer of 1857. 
 
 ' I 
 
 m^ 
 
 change whatever, I am coDfident that the whole length of the 
 Cable might have been safely laid by it, and it must be remembered, 
 as a test of the work which it has done, that, unfortunate as this 
 termination to the expedition is, the longest length of Cable ever 
 laid has been paid out by it, and that in the deepest water ^et 
 passed over. 
 
 After the accident had occurre'^, soundmgs were taken by Lieu- 
 tenant Dayman, and the depth found to be 2,000 fathoms. 
 
 It will be remembered that some importance was attached to the 
 Cables in the Niagara and Agamemnon being manufactured in oppo- 
 site lays. I thought this a favorable opportunity to show that prac- 
 tically the difference was not of consequencs in affectmg the junc- 
 tion in mid-ocean. We therefore made a splice between the two 
 vessels, and several nules were then paid out vrithout difficulty 
 
 I requested i} e c^jnunanders of the vessels to proceed to Ply- 
 mouth, as the docks there afforded better facilities than any other 
 port for landing the Cable, should it be necessary to do so. 
 
 The whole of the Cable on board has been carefully tested and 
 inspected, and fouud to be in as perfect condition as when it left the 
 works at Greenwich and Birkenhead. 
 
 One important point presses for your consideration at an early 
 period; a large portion of the Cable already laid may be recovered 
 at a comparative small expense. I append an estimate of the cost, 
 and shall be glad to receive jour authority to proceed with thia 
 work. 
 
 I do not perceive in cur present condition any reason for dis- 
 couragement, but I have, on the contrary, a greater confidence than 
 ever in the undertaking. It has been proved beyond a doubt that 
 no obstacle exists to prevent our ultimate success, and I see clearly 
 how every difficulty which has presented itself in this voyage can 
 
 be affft<^f iml1 g Aam}t nrifVi ;r> *V.^ ..._i. 
 
First Expedition — Summer of 1857. 111 
 
 The Cable has been paid at the expected rate in the great depths ; 
 its electrical working through the entire length has been most satis- 
 factorily accompUshed, while the portion laid actually improved in 
 efficiency by being submerged, from the low temperature of the 
 water, and the clope compression of the texture of the gutta percha. 
 
 The structure of the Cable has answered every expectation that 
 I had formed of it, and if it were now necessary to construct another 
 Hne I should not recommend any alteration from the present Cable, 
 which in its working has confirmed my belief that it is expressly 
 adapted to our requirements. Its weight in the water is so adjusted 
 to the depth that the strain \a within a manageable scope, while the 
 efifect of undercurrents upon its surface proves how dangerous it 
 would be to attempt to lay a much Ughter rope, which would, by 
 the greater time occupied in sinking, expose an increased surface to 
 their power. 
 
 I have the honor to remain, gentlemen, 
 Yours very faithfully, 
 
 Charles T. Bright. 
 
 Captain Hudson's, official report to the Navy Depart- 
 ment was as followfc; : — 
 
 United States Steam-Friqate Niagara, 
 Plymouth, England, Friday, Aug. 14, 1857. 
 
 Sir— I y we the honor, as well as the mortification, to report the 
 arrival of the Niagara at this port, after having run out 334 miles of 
 Cable, some portions of it in a depth of over 2,050 fathoms, or more 
 than 2i miles, when it was brokei by too much pressure on the 
 brake attached to the machinery for paying it out. I have every 
 reason to believe, from what w* iiave thus far oxpenenceu «n wirs 
 
m 
 
 112 
 
 First Expedition— Summer of 1857. 
 
 laying, that under ordinary circumstances of weather, and with 
 -aclunery adapted to the purpose-for such as we have on board 
 requires altering and improving-the Cable may be laid in safety 
 on the track marked out for it over the Atlantic ocean 
 
 At the time the Cable parted-Aug. 11, 3 45 x.M.-the ship was 
 goiug along 4 knots, and had been running at the rate of from 3 to 
 4 knots through the night, with some motion from a moderate head 
 sea, and the Company's chief engineer and men attending their 
 brakes to lessen the expenditure of Cable, until they finaUy earned 
 It away which made aU hands of us through the day hke a house- 
 hold or family which had lost their dearest friend, for officers and 
 men had become deeply interested in the success of the enter- 
 prise. 
 
 Mr. FiEtn left the ship soon after the accident occurred, in H B M 
 steam-brig Cyclops, for Valentia Bay, Ireland, requesting that 'the 
 I^^agara, Susqv^anna, and Agamemnon should proceed to this place 
 after making certain experiments with the wire and machinery ixi 
 deep water. The Leopard proceeded at once to Spithead. 
 
 Whether the Company intend to supply additional Cable, and try 
 It agam this season, or defer it until next summer, I am as yet un 
 advised. // the latter, the wire will have to be taken out of the ship 
 and retarred, to save it from the effecta of rust. I presume a few 
 days W.U solve their present difficulties as to further action- and if 
 their eflfort is not to be renewed at this kte season of the'year I 
 shaU require further instructions to govern my ,-,, ,eeedin<^ 
 
 with this sliip. " 
 
 I herewith inclose a copy of communications received from th. 
 Telograpbc Company, while at Queenstown, or Cove of Cork Ire- 
 land; also the certificate or letter of their chief engineer. Mr Bright 
 exonerating aU the officers and men connected with the Niagara 
 
 I 
 
^ 
 
 First Expedition— Summer of 4857. 1 13 
 
 from 8 ay accountability or blanu.> in relation to the parting or loss 
 of the Telegraphic Cable. 
 
 I am respectfully, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 William L. Hudson. 
 
 Tlie operations of the Electricians' department, during 
 this trip, having been superintended by Prof Morse, 
 thai gentleman gave pubhcity to certain reflections upon 
 the conduct of Chief Engineer Bkight. In a journal of 
 the voyage, published with the sanction of Prof. Morse, 
 the following language was employed : 
 
 Our ship was going at the rate of four miles and two fathoms 
 per hour, and the Cable running out at greater speed, perhaps at 
 the rate of five miles the hour. Mr. Bright spoke to the man 
 in charge of the brakes, asking him what strain was on the Cable, 
 to which the answer wa;s returned, " About three thousand pounds." 
 ..;.r. Bright directed him to put one hundred pounds more of force 
 upon the brakes, to check the speed of the cable. This was demur- 
 red to by the man for a moment, who expressed a fear that it would 
 not be prudent. Mr. Bright persevered in his orders. 
 
 An ample retraction of this aspersion was subsequently 
 made by Prof. Mouse, on the receipt of an explanatory 
 letter from Mr. Bright. This letter was published 
 in tlic; American papers, towards the end of October, 
 1857, at the request of Prof Morse. In the course of 
 his explanatory statement, Mr. Bright observes : 
 
 I am quite willing to take the reproach to i yself which always 
 
114 FJ^'st Expedition — Summer oi 1857. 
 
 belongs to a want of success in any enterprise, but will you allow 
 me to coiTect your narrative ? I had been on deck all night; the 
 brakes had been regulated by myself or Mr. Clifford, one of the 
 Assistant Engineers on board, the whole time. The strain which was 
 on the Cable when it parted had been on for some time; I gave the 
 man at the brake no orders to alter the adjustmeat, nor did ho demur 
 to any, nor make any such observation as you allude to. I set the 
 brakes three-quarters of an hour, at least, before the accident, and 
 watched tho efiect carefully, until I was obliged to leave the machine, 
 .<V.r the first time in two hours, to visit the hold and the electrical 
 room, and to ascertain the rate of the ship, as reported to the officers 
 of the deck. Before I had been absent two minutes, the accident 
 occurred. 
 
 My only reason in troubling you with this is to correct your 
 impression that I pei-sisled in increasin-,' the strain when the men 
 undt • my command hesitated. 
 
 I am, my dear sir. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 Charles T. Bright. 
 Prof. S. F. B. Morse, Poiujhkerpsie. 
 
 It is right that the opjwrtuHity of exculpation should 
 be accorded to Mr. Bkigiit, in cornexion with thia 
 history. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE EXPEDITION OF 1858. 
 
 THE Directors of tlie Company, undismayed by the 
 failure which had attended the initial attempt in the 
 summer of 1857, immediately proceeded to revise their 
 j)lan of operations, with the view <^f introducing such 
 improvements as should render thti ultimate success of 
 their enter])rise more certain. It was a natural effect of 
 failure that the mass of the public, both in England and 
 America, lost conlidence in the Mracticability of the won- 
 (l rful })roject, and that the Company sliould be called 
 to experience the fate that invariably attends the movers 
 in a new field. The Submarine Cable began to be 
 looked up(m by the disbelieving as a suspicious s{)ccu- 
 lation, in whie.li unlimited capital might })e sunk, and 
 iniiunuM-able hopes cru.shed, with'Mit the smallest ehanee 
 f'..r a profitable n>tarn. The magnitude of the work 
 was regarded with j)ride ; its projectors were accorded 
 tiie meed v,i praise wiiieii cannot be willilieui from tae 
 
ii6 
 
 'jjt- 
 
 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 most unsuccessful, when it is once fairly understood that 
 an honest faith has underlaid the attempt to bring forth 
 a new work ; and the utility of a means of instantaneous 
 communication between two nations so closely linked as 
 England and America was universally acknowledged 
 Yet the expression of distrust became general. The dis- 
 asters which had attended the first attempt to lay the 
 Cable, the enormous expenditure that had been incurred, 
 the apparently insurniomitablc difficulties which remained 
 to be encountered, all became powerful arguments in 
 opposition to the new programme of the Company. 
 Capitalist, usually eager to embark in gigantic enter- 
 prises, were unwilling to venture investments in an ope- 
 ration tlia*. promised distant returns, or none at all. The 
 tone of the Press, with a few sagacious exceptions, was 
 lukewarm, if not absolutely hostile. The progress of tlie 
 work was regarded with disfavor by all parties, with the 
 exception of the small number of determintd ^rontlemen 
 who constituted the Direction of the Company, whose 
 co!.fidence remained firm, and whose energy knew no 
 rest. To these gentlemen, among whose names that of 
 Mr. CvKrs W. Fikli, occupies an h<m..re.l place, the 
 
 final triumph seemed a matter (.f,.i,.sy aee(,mj)lishment,— 
 easy, because wisdom had be.>n gained by exj/'Henee,'— 
 easy, from the fact, that lh,« dangers already <l.veloped 
 in the course of careful experiment eanie.l witli them the 
 
 HUggestion of methods f 
 
 or overeomin'f them. 
 
The Expedition of 1858. n? 
 
 Accordingly, the Directors began their preparations 
 early in the fall of 1857. A general invitation was ex- 
 tended to scientific gentlemen to fi • h the results of 
 their experience, as guides to futuic operations. The 
 assistance of skilful mechanics was invited. The coope- 
 ration of adepts in matters of scientific importance, and 
 in the details of mechanical arrangement, was secured, 
 and the plan of 1858 began to assume definite forms 
 before the end of 1857. Frequent conferences, held 
 at short intervals from October to December, 1857, 
 resulted in the adoption of a number of important modi- 
 fications, which may be generally indicated under four 
 divisions, viz. : 
 
 1. A junction of the Telegraphic Cable in mid- 
 
 oooan. 
 
 2. The provision of a greater length of Cable. 
 
 3. The selection of an earlier season of the year. 
 1. An improvement in the paying-ou^ -nachincry. 
 
 The reasons for these changes appeared irn^futablo. It 
 was argurd that the Subniarino Cable would be h^ss 
 liable (n breakage if paid out from mid-ocean, than if it 
 were starUMl fn>i:i ouc end of ihc lin.- an.l taken up by 
 the see.... 1 vessel at a \H,\ui e(}uidistant fn.m th.> two 
 shores. A gieatrr length ..f Cable was ( rdered, to j.ro- 
 .....•.♦j.w.riM.i^v of iVi'sli nimliMps. Tb ; 
 
 orable season 
 
 V 11 If 
 
 mon 
 
 th of Jun(> was regarded as a more 
 
iiH 
 
 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 of tlie vear tl.an August. The payiug-out m.u^binery 
 having prov...l .lumsy at.d mcmci.nt upon the first trial 
 un.lcTwent cssontiul chanp,vs, an.l w.-us rnuhred a.s nearly 
 I)orfect a.s mechanical ingenuity could niaku it Thr:8r- 
 were the ra,lieal alteratiors which entered into the man- 
 ugeuKMit of the nvcund Expedition. 
 
 While theCon,,,any were engaged in perfecting the 
 arrang,.,nents for a new Expedition, efforts were made 
 under the direction of their Chief Engineer, Mr. Bright,' 
 to recover the stibmerged portion of t!ie Cable which wa^ 
 lost at the ti.ne of the first fail.ire. The ]iritish steamrr 
 Leipsic w,us det^iiled for this service. Operations were 
 .•onnnenccl Oct. 22, 1657. The Cable had be<m secured 
 to the Irish snore by a heavy shore-line, mad.' ftust in 
 the station at Valencia. An i.igcnious apparatus w.xs 
 oonsfrwcted for under-running this shore-cable to the 
 point «.f junction with the .nain line. A heavy frame 
 of tind>er (technically, a caUimaran), bearing a saddle 
 fixed between (wo iron buoys, w.us ru.i under tlu' shorc- 
 ^>'^d, and then towel .n.t by the A.v)./.. The operation 
 of hauling in and recoiling was .muv. ^sfujlv pr<..-,e,.uted 
 "ntd some (iftythr.v n.iles were recovered, when the 
 weather becoming l)oist<>rous, with heaw gales, the work 
 
 ■'*^'^^^"'-^' ^'"'"''^- ^ •J.e partmg or the wire, and this 
 
 "ttc upt ended. The nart of ,],. Cable which was re- 
 
 . 1.: 
 
 injury, ai,<t w..s T.und available f; 
 
 -l'«ouio„ ,„,re „o aj)peai. .ce of 
 
 T use. Xdne of tlu 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 119 
 
 gutta-percha coatings were disturbed, and the tarring of 
 the wire remained perfect. 
 
 While these move- *-' were in progress, the frigates 
 Niagara and Agamei ...,v lischargcd the Cable at Key- 
 ham Docks in England. The portion shipped on board 
 tlie latter vessel was discharged very slowly, at a rats 
 of speed -lot exceeding one mile per hour. The share 
 ccnsigned to the Niagara was unshipped with great 
 rapidity, in order to permit the return of that vessel to 
 the United States. As the Cable was paid out, it passed 
 through a composition of tar, pitch, hnseed oil and bees- 
 wax, and was coiled, in compact circles, in tanks con- 
 structed for the pur|wse. Ilore it remained undisturbed 
 until again shipped on board the Niagara and Agamem- 
 non for the hust Expedition. The Niagara returned to 
 this port in the winter, ;ind underwent examination, but 
 was ft.und to be in excellent condition, requiring but 
 slight repairs. 
 
 In the course of the winter, the Company applied to 
 the British and American Governments for the re-em- 
 ployment of the vessels ol the squadron of 1857, in the 
 TU'W attenq)t resolved iqxni for the summer of 1858. To 
 the credit of both Governments, this request was met by 
 .1 cordi.illy aOirmative resjionse. The British Govern- 
 ment again ])Uiced the fme ship Ag'nunnnnn, Captain 
 ruiDDlK, with the steam-tenders Vaionyiia and (iurgnn^ 
 nn<ler the direction of the Company. Our own Govern- 
 
120 
 
 "he Expedition of 1858. 
 
 inent, with coinincndable promptitude, rc-assigncd the 
 N'ugara to a siinihir serviee. The Secretiiry of the Navy 
 wrote to the Directo , in December, 1807, us follows :— 
 
 Navy Department, Dec. 30, 1857. 
 Gentlemen— Your communication of tlie 23d inst has been 
 recoived. I have to inform you, in reply, that by direction of the 
 President of the United States, the steam-frigiite Niagara will again 
 be detailed for the purpose of assisting in laying the Telegraphic 
 Cable next Summer. The Department will, agreeably to your 
 request^ give Chief-Engineer Everett leave of absence, with per- 
 mission to bave the UuiUnl States, that the Telegraphic Company 
 may avail itaelf of his services in connexion witli this work. 
 I am, roHpectfully, your obedient servant, 
 
 Isaac Tojcnr. 
 
 The Kiwjara was again placed under command of 
 Capt. W. L. Hudson, U.S.N.— a most capable and 
 energetic officer, to whose unwearied exertions and 
 unbounded enthusiasm in the work, no small share m 
 the fnial success of this enterj^rise is due. The Niagara 
 sailed from the port of New Vork iya the 9th of March, 
 1858, on her return to Kn<,'huid, and arrived at Ply- 
 mouth on the 24th of tht> same month. 
 
 With the oiuming of the Sj)ring, the Company began 
 active proparati(^is for tlie ntw E.\])edition. Pending 
 
 the negotiations with tlie Governments for the use of the 
 
 1.1:.: 1 ... 
 
 • - cS- -i — . .. ^ ., 
 
 •"•rr 
 
 iiLo v'i liiv" Viiuie iia<i 
 
 been maiiul',.tiire«i in Knglaml, the new paying-out 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 121 
 
 machines were already under way, and all things were 
 ordered.to bo in readiness for a second attempt early in 
 the ensuing Summer. A description of the new machi- 
 nery is embodied in another r-.ge of this work. 
 
 The re-shi])ment of the Cubic for the Second Expedi- 
 tion was commenced at Key ham Docks (Plymouth, Eng.) 
 on Friday, March 19, 1858. At first, the Arjamfmnnn 
 alone received the wire; the Niagara not having been 
 fully prepared for the stowage of her portion. Various 
 important alterations were made on board both vessels, 
 with a view, not only of insuring greater safety in 
 paying-out, but in order to accommodate the enlarged 
 bulk of the Cable. The preliminary trial had demon- 
 ttrated the existence of seriovs defects in the manner of 
 shipment on board the Againemnon. These errors were 
 corrected. Instead of coiling the Cable in an oval form 
 in the hold of that vessel, it was arranged in a circle, 
 winding around a huge circular cone, twelve feet three 
 inchc3 high, ten feet in diameter at the base, and five 
 feet at the ai)e.c. " It wa.s the breaking of this cone 
 which afterwards so seriously i.;>perilled the Agamem- 
 non, during the lieavy storms shc^ encountered in Juno. 
 A new coil w;i.s laid upon the upj)or deck, aboft the 
 foremitst; and another on the orlop deck. A new 
 ^uard w;us also fixed nt the stern of tiic shij), protecting 
 rhf: proju-llcr, in order to ;>revent contact with the Cable 
 during the process of jiavuig-out. 
 
tn 
 .s, 
 
 122 
 
 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 The labor 0^ coiling into tlie Niagara was accomplislied 
 at the rate of 30 miles per day ; a portion was stored 
 in the ward-room circle, and a portion in the lower for- 
 ward hold, the work going on day and night without 
 intermission. The ward-room circle had 31 li miles of 
 the Cable coiled round a cone in the centre of the circle, 
 the diameter of which ',yas 38 feet, the cone itself being 9 
 feet diameter at bottom, by 4 feet 6 inches at the top, and 
 extending to within 2 feet 6 inches of the deck. Around 
 the cone were suspended three iron-bound bar hoops, 
 about 18 inches from the cone, intended to guide and 
 direct the Cable out as it passed from the tier. In this 
 tier there were 89 flakes, laid down with great care, each 
 flake averaging 270 turns round the cone, and there were 
 employed constantly ir. the circle, to receive and coil 
 away, 40 men, 30 of whom were of the ciew, and 10 
 Company's men. As these men had to be relieved every 
 four hours, eighty and sometimes more, were detailed for 
 the dutv in that circle, while at the same time another ffanjr 
 was similarly employed in the lower hold, the forwnrd 
 gang, consisting of 50 men from the ship, and 10 
 Company's men. 
 
 The lower 1k)1(1 <lifrered very little, if any, from the ward- 
 room circle or cone, except in being higher. In this part 
 of liie ship tliore were 351)^ miles of cable. Immediately 
 above this lowvr (Mrward cone was the orlop-deck circle, 
 the span and diameter the same as in the ward-rooms. 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 123 
 
 The third circle was immediately over the orlop- 
 deck circle, with the same dimensions <is the others. 
 The berth deck received its portion of 2vjO miles. 
 Directly over this circle was the upper-deck circle. 
 Here 250 miles were coiled. Its diameter was 27 feet 6 
 inches. 
 
 There was still another circle on the quarter-deck 
 circle. It was somewhat smaller, and contained 150 
 miles only. All the circles and cones were fitted the 
 same in every respect, with great precision . 
 
 In addition, a massive structure 11 feet high, 20 feet 
 long, and eight foet bread, was placed on the quarter- 
 deck, intended to sustain machinery. Besides this, and 
 independent of the coils of Cable ir- the circles (in the 
 aggregate some i,G0O miles of Cable) a large portion of 
 the old Cable lost last yea. prd recovered was placed 
 on the forecastle deck, being put on board for experi- 
 mental purposes. 
 
 The presence of a hxge force of men was rendered neces- 
 sary on board the ships, in order to effect a proper arrange- 
 ment of the Cable and insure its safety during the process 
 of pay ing-out. Thus the company on board the Niagara, 
 wlio were actively engaged in the operations, consisted 
 of a director, one or two superintendents, several cable- 
 inspectors, four or five overseers, not less than six 
 :;tricians; with eamenters. black-smi 
 
 3a rp 
 
 cabl< 
 
 coilers, and 40 to 50 of the crew constantly emjiloyed 
 
)24 
 
 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 and when two gangs were at work the complement was 
 doubled. There was also, one of the ship's officers 
 cons antly on hand by day and by night, whose relief 
 took place as regularly as the men's. 
 
 Among the new contrivances was an immense iron 
 shield, called a " bird-cage," extending from quarter to 
 quarter around the rudder, intended as a guard or pro- 
 tector from the cable fouling the rudder or propeller, as 
 it was paid out from the ship. 
 
 The appearance of tlie Agamemnon, after receiving her 
 portion of the Cable, was described as follows, by a cor- 
 respondent of the L'^iidon Times, who let no opportunity 
 escape for disparaging the Niagara: 
 
 " Both the Agamemnon and Niagara are astonishingly 
 deep. The lower deck ports of the former are very near 
 the water, and they are being fastened and caulked before 
 starting. But iu spite of this, the Agamemnon carries her 
 share infinitely better than her long black-looking rival 
 of the United States, wliich is immersed very deeply 
 indeed by her load. The Agamemnon only draws 
 26 feet, or actually one foot less than her draught at 
 starting last year : but even at this depth she bears her- 
 self well, and looks a noble ship, and one that should be 
 seaworthy in any weather. The Niagara, howjvcr, 
 draws no less than 27 feet 2 inches aft, and this great 
 draughi ciTecis u nuirveilous and most unpleasant change 
 in her appearance, since it leaves her s])ar deck scarcely 
 
The Expedition of J 858. 125 
 
 8 feet above the water's edge. In fact, tlie main deck is 
 actually below the water's level, and if her lofty bul- 
 warks, some nine or ten feet high, were taken away, she 
 would appear to be almost the last vessel in the world in 
 which it was desirable to venture across the great 
 j^.tlantic." 
 
 The stowage of the Cab. 3 on both ships, conducted 
 slowly and with great care, occupied several weeks, and 
 was completed in the early part of May. In addition to 
 seven hundred miles of new Cable provided by the Com- 
 pany, condemned wire was shipped for the purpose of 
 undertaking preliminary '^eep-sea experiments ; so that 
 the total length of Cable on board both ships on the 18th 
 day of May was 3,008 miles, distributed as follows : 
 
 Miles. 
 
 Niagara. — Good Cabl'*. 1,488 
 
 Experimental Cable 22-1,510 
 
 Agamemnon. — Good Cable 1,477 
 
 Experimental Cable 17—1,494 
 
 Aggregate. — Good Cable 2,965 
 
 Experimental Cable 89 
 
 Total 3,004 
 
 The new paying-out machines were placed on board 
 
 receiving the Cable. It is proper to state that the 
 
l4« : "* 
 
 i 
 
 126 The .Expedition of 1858. 
 
 improved plan upon which these machines were con- 
 structed, belongs to Mr. Hiram Berdan, of New York, 
 who furnished the Company with a model, a gentleman 
 of remarkable scientiHc ability, widely known as the 
 inventor of various important ratchanical appliances. The 
 manufacturers of the machines were Messrs. Easton and 
 Amos, Southwark. 
 
 The principle of the operation of the Paying-Out 
 Machine was simple. The whole of the important part 
 of this apparatus consists of Appold's self-regulating 
 brake, which is so adjusted and constructed as always to 
 exert a certain amount of resistance, which can be regu- 
 lated by the revolution of the wheels to which it is 
 applied. More than this fixea amount of resistance, 
 whatever it may be, it cannot produce, no matter 
 whether the machine is hot or dry, or covered with 
 sanri • and neither can it be worked at less than this 
 amount, no matter to what extent all the friction sur- 
 faces of the wooden brake itself may be oiled, ''^his 
 well-known brake was first exhibited in the Great Exhi- 
 bition of 1851, in the new labor machine constructed for 
 prison^?, in order to insure a certain amount of work 
 from each convict. For this l-.rd-labor purpose the 
 brake is still extensively employ m It is made of bars 
 of wood laid lengthwise across the edge of the wheel, 
 over which it laus down finnlr nnrl f,^ wl.^ok u :^ v„ij 
 with massive weights fixed to the ends of levers. It is 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 127 
 
 the number and size of these weights which regulate 
 precisely the degref^ of resistance to the revolutions of 
 the wheel, and which, of course, enable those in charge 
 of the machine to fix the pressure of the brake at what 
 they please, and when so fii.ed nothing can alter it. In 
 th<^. new Telegraphic apparatus, this brake is attached 
 over two drums connected with the two main grooved 
 wheels, round which the actual Cable passes in running 
 out. The latter are simply broad, solid, iron wheels, 
 each cut with four very deep grooves, in which the 
 Cable rests, to prevent it flying up or " overriding." It 
 passes over these two main wheels, not in a double 
 figure of eight, as in the old ponderous machine of four 
 wheels, but simply wound over one, to and rounu. le 
 other, and so on four timos, till it is finally paid down 
 into the water. Thus, ihe wire was wound up from the 
 hold of the vessel, i ssed four times over the double 
 main wheels, connected wi*^^h the brake or friction 
 drun^, past the register which indicated the rate of 
 paying out and the strain upon the Cable, and then at 
 once into the deep. The strain at which the Cable 
 breaks is 62 cwt., and to guard aga'-st any chance of 
 mishap, not more than half this s! was to be put 
 upon it. The brakes, as a rule, were fixed to give a 
 strain of about 16 cwt., and the force required to keep 
 the machine eroiner, or about 8 cwt. more, \^'as the 
 utmost that was to be allow^ed to come upon the wire. 
 
128 
 
 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 Thus, tliereforo, the force required to sever the cable 
 eould never bo exerted even by aeeident or mishap, no 
 matter who might be in charge of the maeliine, nor now 
 much the vessel might pitch rmd roll. The brake of the 
 pjiving-out machine used on the t^ccasion of the first 
 .v.v;mpt, was capable, by a movement of tbe hand, of 
 exerting the most j)rodigious resistance to the turning 
 of the wiieels, and this formidable invention was used 
 with so little care, that not until the injury was irre- 
 parable was the danger seen. The chief beauty, how- 
 ever, of the new machine was that, while nothing could 
 add to the fixed strain of the brakes, any one could in a 
 moment ease them as much as might be considered neces- 
 sary, and until, in fact, tlu>rc was no resistance at all 
 beyond the 8-cwt. strain on the wire, which, as we have 
 said, was required to keej) i. ■ machine turning. So 
 sim{)le was the operation, that a child could remove the 
 wliule resistance of the brake and put it on again as 
 often :h 20 or 30 times a mirmte. 
 
 For this ])urpose, at a few feet from ilie paying-out 
 machine, the Cable passed over a wheel which registered 
 precisely the strain in j)ounds at which llic coil w;is run- 
 ning out. PV-ing this register, was a stcfring wheel, 
 ])recisely similar to that of an ordinary vessel, and eon- 
 iiffteil in the same way with compound levers, wliich 
 acted upon tiie brak-.'. Tims the oHieer in charge of the 
 ajiparatus stood by this wheel, and watched the register 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 29 
 
 of strain or pitch of the vessel, opened the brakes by 
 the slightest movement of his hand, letting the cable 
 run freely a& the stern rose. The same officer, however, 
 could not by any possible method increase the actual 
 strain on the cable, which remained always according to 
 the friction at which the break was at first adjusted by 
 
 the engineer. 
 
 The value and simplicity of the whole apparatus were 
 made so manifest that it waa evident, as far as the paying- 
 out machine vfoa concerned, all that mechanical skill could 
 effect in aid of the great undertaking had been accom- 
 plished. The Niagara and the Agamnnnon were each 
 fitted with one of these machines, which, whcii operated 
 by steam, could be used for the purpose of under-running 
 or drawing back the Cable in case of any hitch rendering 
 Huch operation necessary. 
 
 The Niagara and A^inrnemnov, having been fully 
 l.repared for the service, sailed from Plymouth for 
 Queenstown, Ireland, on Saturday, May 29; and on the 
 
 same day put to sea from the latter port, to Uiidertake 
 
 an exprrimental trip for the purpose of testing the Cable. 
 On Iheaistof May, when in hvtitude 47° 12' north, 
 
 longitude 9° 32' west, the de}.th t)f water being 2,0:50 
 
 fiithoMis, a series of dei>j) sea experiments was commenced. 
 
 The Niagara and Agamruwon were connected by hawsers, 
 . ,„.. '... ,.t..,-T, :i;_if-!!>< !'!■<•!!> (■■u'h uth<.r Hoiiif twelvi' huu- 
 
 dred feet. The Cable wius i)aid out and spliced on board 
 
30 
 
 The Exjieditiori of 1858. 
 
 tho Ar/amemno», and the first experiment began. Two 
 nuK's uf Cable were paid out, when the wire parted. On 
 the following day (Tuesday, June 1,) the Cable was 
 re-spliced, and three miles were paid out; but in the 
 attempt to haul in, tli. wire again parted. On Wednesday, 
 June 2, the Cable was i gain spliced, but in a few minutes 
 l)art(>d on board the Arjamemnon. These experiments 
 having been continued during three days and on.- night, 
 cetwed with this last attem])t, and, after various trials of 
 the operations of splicing, lowering and heaving-in the 
 wire, the squadron set sail for Plymouth, whence reports 
 of the results were forwarded to th. Directors of the 
 Company. 
 
 The following is Capt. Hudson's official report of the 
 results of this trip : — 
 
 United States Steam Fhigatk Niagara, 
 Plvmoutu Sound (End.), June 3, 1858. 
 S.n,~T Imve tli- honor to roport that the Telopraphic S<,ua.Iro.,, 
 r..ii8is(inf,. „f tlM. Xiagura, n.ul II.M. ships Ai/amnnnon, V.danJ, 
 iuu\ Oonjon, i,„l to s,.a from Piy.nouth Sound at 5 r.M. „„ the 
 l.'!»<h ulf., ftu.l proocci,.,! to lut. 17^ 12' north, ami lon^. 9" .32' west, 
 wh.Mi SYv hov(> to, .M,I tho a.mjon oblainod two .wIh of ^o.in.hn-^ 
 with h.T <l.'(.p-!„.a apparatus and f.mn.l th." doplh of water to ho 
 tuvnty-fiv.. hnn.lr.Ml a.ui thirty fathoms. W,. irnn.o,hat,.Iy ro,,,- 
 x'fiuvd om-.xp,.nnH'nt-s by hanpin- the .V/ajnm an-l Agmnrvwon 
 toKotiuT h.v hnws,.rH, st.-rn t., nn.l .li.stnni from ..ft.l. uthor m.nio 
 
 twelvi< hlin<]ri>ij i<>i>> Tl,,. ...1 i : ■_ _ . . 
 
 ..-.^j ..;. .,,r oil i>uiii .tiiipM was 
 
 s|.lKed together ou tho Agamnnnon, ui.l the Cah!o '..wcred down 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 131 
 
 by the new machinery of Mr. Everett, until the bight of it was laid 
 on the bottom ^{ the ocean. Some additional wire was paid out, 
 and in this position the electric current was found perfect througli 
 the whole length of the Cable, about three thousand miles. 
 
 In our various experiments of spUcing, lowering down, and heav- 
 ing in the wire, this ship and the Agamemnon were several times tied 
 together stern on. We have also liad a fair test of Mr. Everett's 
 m.chincry for lowering and heaving up the Cable from the ship, as 
 weU as miming it out under a speed of five or six knote. Indeed, 
 our experiments, occupying three days and almost an entire night, 
 have, I think, entirely settled some mooted points in relation to the 
 electric current passing freely at great deptlis under the ocean. 
 
 We hope to have in our additional forty miles of new wire, to 
 coal ship, and be ready to leave this port with the squadron, on the 
 10th inst., for our great work. The officers and crew enjoy good 
 
 health. 
 
 I am, respectfully, yours, &c. 
 
 W. L. Hudson, Captain. 
 
 Hon. I. ToccY, Secretary of tlic Navy. 
 
 The report of Chief Engineer Everett was as fol- 
 lows : — 
 
 United States Steam Frigate Niagara, 
 
 At Sea, Thursdxy, June 3, 1858. 
 Cyrus W. rhld, General Mnmujer of the AOaniir TeUgrnph Com- 
 jntny : 
 Sir,— For ihr informatiop >,f yourself and the Directors, 1 submit 
 the following sUtc.ncnt of exp«'rimenta made during tliis trip. 
 
 attnolu'd 
 
 iuuuu-i^ 
 
 I' in., iJ*t*y 
 
 ing^ 2,530 fftthoins, this ship and 
 
 J 70 i.>( XT 1....... u" yy vv 
 
 iiamevi) 
 
»32 
 
 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 stem to stern by a .'lawser, 180 fathoms of Cable were veered out 
 for the end to be t^ke.i on board that ship to be sphced. At 5.1 
 o'clock, signal heing n-ade "AU ready," in accordance with pre- 
 vails arrangement, one mile of Cable was veered out. We then 
 commencev. hauling it in. At 61 six o'clock had recovered half 
 a n:ile, when Mr. Bkigiit's message was icceived saying he de- 
 sired to make a new sphce. At 9 40 received message "AU is 
 vady," a .d again commenced paying out as before. At 10 34 p.m. 
 two miles were out. Afler this aiiiount was paid out, the strain 
 upon the cable was 3,G00 to 4,100 pounds. At 11 28 commenced 
 hauling in, but very slowly, as the strain nearly approached the 
 breaking point of the rope. At 11 45 the hawser securing the 
 ships together parted on tlieJ^aTnernnora, but the ships were retained 
 nearly in the same relative positions by working the engine when 
 required. At 1 40, having hauled in one mile, 5061 fathoms, the 
 contmuity was reported broken. We continued to haul in until 2 15, 
 when the end came, having lost of the two miles paid out 110 fathoms. 
 On Tuesday, at 8 40 a.m., the ships having oeen secured and 
 splice made ps before, a quarter of a mile was paid out, hawser 
 released and ships started ahead slov.ly, at the same time the Cable 
 wa.s allowed to run quite freely until two {niles had been paid out, 
 when a gradual restraint was applied until an additional one mile, 
 387 fathoms, had been paid out, making m all three miles, 387 
 fathoms. At this fnuo (10 23, commenced hauling in, and had 
 I'vovered 190 fathoms when the Cable part«"d. At 1 44 p.m., the 
 two -lids of the iH-w Cable having been spliced, we paid out two 
 and a half mil.'s at a rate which had been previously agreed upon, 
 (he elect rieianspa.s.sing signals through the whole leii, (h of (^ihle. 
 
 At 6 15 P.M., the Aytimemnnn made .signal tiie CaMe wa.s Darted. 
 
 U'.. .>. „ ,,_... 
 
 .uiiuij^ icf f<iriiiu iiuuiing up '■.) ,), 100 
 
 pouihlH duriii/: the rcceivMi'' uf ll 
 
 ir lir-it (juarter ..f m mile. At 9 20 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 133 
 
 the end came in. having lost 80 fathoms on the two and a-half 
 miles paid out 
 
 Wednesday, June 2, at 7i o'clock, experimental Cable was again 
 spliced, one quarter of a mile paid out, hawser released, and the 
 ships started ahead. In a few minutes the Agamemnon made 
 signal Cable parted. ' We continued to pay out until three and a 
 quarter miles were out. The ship was then backed — large buoy 
 and watch buoy attached to the Cable. Ship again run ahead, and 
 when three hundred fathoms had been paiu out, the Cable parted 
 on the machinery. The phip then made for the buoy, with the 
 hope of recovering the end of the Cable ; but while hauHng in the 
 watch buoy, the large buoy suddenly fell over, showing that it 
 had separated from the Cable. Upon recovering it we found the 
 rope stopper (3i^-inch rope) had been cut off by the Cable. At 
 12 55, by the request of Mr. Wooduouse, we paid over th'' end of 
 experimental Cable to ascertain how rapidly it could be run off the 
 coil with safety, but no grea er speed was attained than seven 
 knorta, as the Cable was being often stranded on the machine by 
 the accumulation of tar in the grooves, which was so hard Ihat no 
 scraper could be mads to remove it at any speed. All the Cable 
 used to-day was that brought from Greenwich expressly for ex- 
 lii'riruonting and was lung since condemned. Undoubtedly it has 
 liofu much expo.sed to the weather, and stowed where consider- 
 able sand or dirt has been thrown upon it. With the Cable whiih 
 wa.H recovered \&Ht year, and used by us trying the experiment, we 
 liad no serious difficulty in keeping the tar out of the grooves, it 
 being comparatively soft, though tlu^ amount was beyond what 
 I could have believed. Tho amount of tar upon tliia Cable is 
 much greater than tliul upon tho Cable intemled to be laid di)wn ; 
 iiKTi'iiMc I bciirvc we cau maivu such provision as liiht it siiaii not 
 become a serious obstacle. 
 
•1 
 
 134 
 
 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 The result of this experimental trip has demonstrated that we 
 have the capability of hauling in the Cable to a greater extent than 
 I had expected. Not that I believe any great distance could be 
 recovered, but in the general depth of vrater where the Cable is to 
 be laid, in good weather, should a fault go overboard before the 
 ship could be stopped, I am of opinion sufficient of the Cable may be 
 hauled in to .emedy the fault, 
 
 The operation of the machinery generally is certainly satisfactory, 
 and there is no alteration I can suggest c^her than in the tar-scrapers, 
 which will require moditica lions. The amount of tar accumulating 
 is so much beyond what could have been expected from last year's 
 experience, owing to the repeated coatings it has received since it 
 was unloaded from this vessel last October, that extraordinary 
 provision will be required. A.3 regards the attaching of buoys, we 
 can attach them, but at a great risk of breaking the Cable, and they 
 should not be used in deep water, except &s a last resort. 
 
 The arrangements for coils, provisions for leading the rope, and 
 all tlie other many particulars incidental to this work, which have 
 been under the lireotion of Mr. Woodhouse, do not require any 
 alteration, and fully meet the requu-ements. I am, respectfully, 
 your obedient servant, 
 
 W. E. EVERBTT. 
 
 But a single week elapsed from the return of the fleet 
 from this tri]), when the Expedition set sail from Ply- 
 mouth for the second great ocean trial. 
 
 A distinguished Russian naval ofTiccr sailed in the 
 Niagara^ the reason of whose visit is explained by the 
 
 f()llowi!i0' h>tt(>r' — 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 133 
 
 Legation of the Ukitkd States, 
 St. Petersbubo, Monday, March 22, 1858. 
 
 Captain, — ^I have the honor of making you acquainted with the 
 bearer of this letter. Lieutenant the Baron Boi-e, Aid-de-camp to his 
 Imperial Highness the Grand Duke Constantine. 
 
 Although he will need no special recommendation from this quar- 
 ter, there is a duty devolving on me in the presen'. instance which 
 makes it proper that I should briefly notice the object of his visit to 
 the Niagara. It is doubtless known to you akeady tliat the Presi- 
 dent of the United States, on the appUcation of Mr. Stoeckl, the 
 Russian Minister at Washington, has consented tliat one officer of 
 the Imperial Na.vy of Russia, such a one as hia Imperial Highness 
 the Grand Duke Constantine might be pleased to designate, should 
 go ou board the Niagara to witness the laying of tlic electric Cable 
 between Europe and America. 
 
 In consequence of tliat consent, which I have reason to beheve 
 was most cheerfully given. Lieutenant Boye has been designated by 
 liis Imperial Highness the Grand Duke Constantine, for the pur- 
 pose which you have before you. It has, Uierefore, become my 
 duty, in accordance with the advices from the Department of State, 
 tliat I should furnish the officer with a suiUble letter of recommen- 
 dation to the Commander of the Niagara. 
 
 The duty thus incurred may be considered, perhaps, as alreadv 
 fulfilled in the statement I have just made, nothing more being re- 
 quirer., I am sure, by way of ins-iring Lieutenant Boyk tlie recep- 
 tion to which he is justly entitled. 
 
 The circumstances which have led to the selection of Lieutenant 
 Boye for the mission with which he is charged, should justify the 
 addition of a few n-imuka in-h 
 fail to see in the arrangement 1 
 
 uiUiSi 
 
 irMI nnf 
 
.36 
 
 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 i»g proof of tlie friendly relations which subsists between the Go- 
 vernment of his Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Russia, and that 
 of the United States. Such a view would, of itself, enhance the 
 pleasure of receiving on the deck of your vessel an officer of the 
 Imperial Navy. 
 
 Russia, though at some distance from the shores of the great ocean 
 which it is to be hoped may soon be connected by the electric Cable, 
 is not indifferent to the subUme work in which you are about to 
 engage. She sends as her representative, an officer of rank and 
 abilities, one high in the confidence of his distinguished chief, the 
 Grand Admiral of the Russian Navy, that he may be witness to 
 an undertaking which, if successful, wiU be hailed with joyful satis- 
 faction throughout the civilised world. 
 
 la recommending Lieutenant the Baron Boye, to your kind con- 
 sideration, I not only carry into effect the wishes of President Bu- 
 CHAKAN on the subject, but at the same time discharge a duty in Uie 
 highest degree agreeable to myself. 
 
 Your position in the naval service of our country must have given 
 you opportunity for 'earning something of the courtesies which offi- 
 cers of the United States Navy have been accustomed to receive 
 from those of the Russian Navy, when the ships of the two nations 
 have come together on distant seas; an.l no one, I may say. Cap- 
 tain, more fully appreciates the value of such courtesies, or knows 
 better how to return them tlian yourself. 
 Respectfully, 
 
 Your obedient serv't, 
 
 Thos. n. Sevmocr. 
 To Capt. W. L. Hudson, U.S. Steamer Niagara. 
 
 On Tluirsdjiy, Juiu^ 10, tlio oiitiro Toloirr;,!-bic Fleet 
 steamed out of Pljnioutli Harbor. The Squadron con- 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 »37 
 
 sisted of four vessels — the United States steam frigate 
 Niagara, with TLB.M. paddle-wheel 8tearaei» Valorous 
 as tender; II.B.M. steam-frigate Agamemnon, with 
 H.B.M. paddle-wheel steamer Gorgon as tender. 
 
 The Government of England detached two naval 
 engineers from actual duty, for the purpose of assisting 
 in taking charge of the machinery on board tho Aga- 
 memnon. Mr. Amos, of the firm of Easton & Amos (who 
 man ifactured the machinery), and who had given a great 
 deal of time and attention to the interests of the under- 
 taking, was also present on board the Agamemnon, for the 
 purpose of assisting in the regulation of the machinery. 
 
 The arrangements on board the Niagara, were as fol- 
 lows : Messrs. Everett & Woodhouse were in charge 
 of the operations, with Captain Kell as an assistant, 
 and Messrs. Follansbee an.. McElwell in charge of 
 the machinery. 
 
 After having been three days at sea, the Expedition 
 was overtaken by a fearful gale, which ^-^"tinucd with- 
 out intermission for nine days. On th3 seventh day of 
 this heavy weather, the ships, which continued to keep 
 together, had to part company, and the Agamenmon was 
 obliged to scud before the wind for thirty -six hours; her 
 cojJs got adrift, and a coil of her Cable shifted, so that 
 her c^aptain for some time entertained serious ap{)rehen- 
 siona for hor safety, and from the immense strain her 
 waterways were forced open, and one of her ports was 
 

 138 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 broken. Two of the sailors were severely injured, and 
 one of the marines lost his reason from fright. Yet 
 such wa^ the consummate skill, good seamanship, and 
 intrepidity of her commander, Captain Priddie, that he 
 was enabled to bnng her to the appointed rendezvous 
 lat 52° 2', long. 33° 18'. The Niagara rode out the 
 storm gaUantly, having only carried away her jib-boom 
 and one wing of the figure-head, the American Eagle 
 The results of this severe gale on board the two frigates 
 showed the gross injustice that had been dore°the 
 Niagara by the English writer, whose remarks about her 
 before she left Plymouth, we have quoted. 
 
 All the vessels having at length arrived at their cen- 
 tral point of junction, the first splice of the Cal - was 
 made cu the 26th. After having paid o- t two and a 
 half miles each, owing to an accident on board the 
 Niagara, the Cable parted. The sh.^s having agam met 
 the sphce was made good, and they commenced to pay 
 out the Cable a second time ; but after they had each 
 paid out forty mUes, it was reported that the cur- 
 rent was broken, and no communication could be made 
 between the ships. Unfortunately, in this instance, the 
 breakage must have occurred at the bottom, as the elec- 
 tricians, from the fine calculations which their sensitive 
 instruments allowed them to make, were able to declare 
 sueh^to have been tlie fact, even before the vessels came 
 tot^.-thcr again. Having ca^st off this loss, they met for 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 »39 
 
 the third tune, and recovered the connexion of the Cable 
 on the 28th. They then started afresh, and the Niagara, 
 Having paid out over one hundred and fifty miles of 
 Cable, all on board ciitert?>.iiied the most sanguine antici- 
 pations of success, whf 1 the fatal announcen )nt was 
 made upon Tuesdr.y, the 29th, at 9 p.m., that the electric 
 current ha ..eased to flow. As the necessity of abandon- 
 ing the project for the present was now only too manifest, 
 it was considered that the opportunity might as well be 
 availed of, to test the strength of the Cable. jl\ ccordingly , 
 the Niagara, with all her stores, was allowed to swing to 
 the Cable, and, in addition, a strain of four tons was 
 placed upon the brakes, yet, although it was blowing 
 fresh at the time, the Cable neld her as if she had been 
 at anchor, for over an hour, when a heavj pitch of the 
 sea snapped the Cable, and the Niagara bore away for 
 Ireland. Eefore starting, an arrangement was made 
 that should any accident occur in giving out the Cable 
 before the ships had gone one hundred miles, they were 
 to return to their starting-place in mid-ocean ; but that, 
 in case that distance should have been exceeded, before 
 any casualty happened, they should maLe for Queens- 
 town. In accordance with this understanc ing, the Nia- 
 gara, having made one hundred and nine miles before 
 this mishap, returned to Queenstown, arriving July 5. 
 
 '1 Mii nir/%r»+a r\t +l-»ia tt 
 
 ■r-» nm nrhr\c3 
 
 o A 1 1 fix* 1 -1 1 ack o T»p T»tior\Tn Ori 1 W 
 
 connected form, in the following 
 
'4° The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 JOl^RXAL OP rUK yoYAGE OF THE NIAGARA. 
 
 Tlm,.d.y, June 10,_At U a.m. cast off from the 
 moo„ng.bu.y in Pl^,„outh Sound, and proeeeded to sea 
 m company with the A,ur,.,n„on. Valorous, and Gordon. 
 \V eather fair ; at night, nearly calm. 
 
 Friday, June U.-Calm, and a smooth sea. Captain 
 Uvuso^ sent a boat to the Asame,unon, tendering a tov. 
 which was declined. T.he Capuin of the ^,a,„™„„; 
 ^tated, that he would accept the oflcr if the light breezes 
 held a day or two longer. The progress made this day 
 was very slow, the N^jara continually stopping for the 
 bquadron to come up. Weather calm; lat. 49° 12' • 
 lor,,. 6»53'. ' 
 
 Saturday, June 12.-Light N.N.E. winds and plea- 
 s^int ; the J^amm«M, Valorou,, and Oorjon made all 
 sad poi^sible; the A'ic^.ara set no sails. Lat 49» 42' • 
 long. 10° 12'. 
 
 Sunciy, June 13,-Commenced clear, but soon >. 
 came squally; wind hauled to S.S.W. The AYaaam 
 «et topsails and shut off steam. The wind freshened 
 and ram set in. Lost sight of the Valorous and Gordon. 
 The wmd mcreasing, the AVajrara triple-reefed topsails 
 and reefed foresail. The Agamemnon w.os at this time 
 one mile distant. Lat. 50° 11'; long. 13" IT 
 ^Monday, June 14. -Squally, rainy weather: win,] 
 o. W ., Darometer lell from 30.35 to 29.17 ; wind increased 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 141 
 
 to a gale, with a high sea. The Niagara close-reefed 
 topsails, furled mizen-topsail, set storm fore-staysail, 
 and furled foresail, keeping within one and a half miles 
 of the Agamemnon throughout. Lat. 50° 22'; long. 
 15° 57'. 
 
 Tuesday, June 15. — fccrong gales from S.S.W., the 
 Niagara under easy sail ; at 4 A.M. wind moderated, and 
 ship made more sail. Before night the wind again in- 
 creased, and the ship was put under clos" . fed fore and 
 niaintopsails, with storm fore-stu} sail. Lat. 51° 22'; 
 long. 18° 47'. 
 
 Wedne- day, June 16. — Strong gales; the Agamemnon 
 in company ; the Valorous and Gorgon out of sight. 
 In the latter part of the day wind died away, and the 
 Niagara made more sail. Distance sailed, by log, lo5 
 miles, on N.W. by N. course. ;^ay ended misty and. 
 
 foggy- 
 Thursday, June 17 —Weather still foggy, with stiff 
 
 breeze; the Agamemnon in company; exchanged sig- 
 nals. During the day the Niagara passed a ship's boat, 
 bottom up. The speed of the ship was five knots an 
 hour, with small head of steam and little sail. Disco- 
 vered a strange sail to the south w\ard. Lat. 52° 35'; 
 long. 23° 16'. One week at sea. 
 
 Friday, June 18.— The day commenced clear, with 
 
 
 strong brcLv.t's fiuiu S. VV . Wy o. , inc biiip u 
 
 sail and but little steam; the Agamemnon in company; 
 
142 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 the Valorous and Gorgon invisible ; lat. 53° 18' • Ion? 
 
 Saturday, June 19— Weather overcast ; wind strong ; 
 signaled a clipper-ship bound west. This day all hands 
 on board the Ma^ara were mustered, and the Articles 
 of War were read to the officers and crew. At noon 
 strong winds from W.S.W. Lat. 54° 23' ; long. 27° 50'. 
 Sunday, June 20.-Heavy gales and a high ma, the 
 ship under very short sail; the Agamemnon one and a 
 half miles distant, laboring terribly ; from 4 a.m. to noon 
 gale increases in violence ; the squalls come more heavy 
 and more frequent; the Agamemnon telegraphs, "We 
 are going to wear ship ;" she wears -ound on other tack- 
 ^ind W.S.W.; the Magara does the same; the Aga- 
 memnon again telegrapuH, - We have lost our stern- 
 guard;" the Niagara, at this time rolling heavy, brings 
 the large iron buoys lashed outside under water; the 
 lashings to the starboard buoy part, and carrv away the 
 cranes which support the buoys on each quarter, 'it is 
 found necessary to cut adrift the starboard one and let it 
 drift away ; the port buoy is with (liffioulty s(<eur.>d and 
 taken on board; at 4 p.m. the A. signalises, " We shall 
 wear ship;" both shij.s rolling heavy, A. mere especi- 
 ally; two straiiLT vessels in sight; en.ls heavy gules; 
 the barometer falls down to 29.19 ; at noon lat.' 54' 12'' 
 and long. 29" 36' W. ' 
 
 Mondry, June 21. -Heavy gales, high sea, b.,f clear 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 H3 
 
 weather; wind S.W. by S.; at 6^ a.m. a very heavy 
 sea strikes the jib-boom, which carries away the flying 
 jib-boom and all attached to it. The sail and riggers, 
 however, are saved. The Agamemnon distant one and a 
 half miles ; she ia observed to have a heavy list, laboring 
 very heavy ; she is suddenly lost to our view ; we con- 
 jecture she must have wore ship without signalising. At 
 noon there is no prospect of its abating ; the Niagara 
 hove to, no observation ; lut. by account 54° ; 25° N. 
 long., barometer 29° 21', air 53°, water 51°. From noon 
 to 6 P.M. blows the same ; at 8 p.m. it moderates, and at 
 midnight but little wind, and the sea becomes smooth. 
 
 Tuesday, June 22. — Fine weather, smooth sea, wind 
 moderate from the westward ; chased a ship bound west, 
 mistook her for the Agamevmon. Noon furled all sail, 
 the wind light and dead ahead ; lat. 53", 42', long. 30" 17' 
 west. From noon to midnight same variation of compass 
 3i points W. ; local attracticm 23° W. ; position to start 
 from S.S.W. three-fourths W. true, distant 155 mili's. 
 
 Wednesday, June 23.— Clear weather, smooth sea, 
 light breezes from W. by b. ; steaming <m\y ; lat., noon, 
 51" 50' K, long. 32" 48' ; at p.m. made two sail ahead 
 tliat soon prove to Ixi the Valorous and (lorgon ; the 
 Valorous lowers boat and boards us; congratulations pa.'ss 
 on escaping the fury of the gale ; both these shij)^ sustain 
 some uama;j:e; tlie three of liie Sijuai Iron on iinnM n(>ar 
 the position ; all heave to, to remain stationary till 
 
»44 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 Agan^mnon arrives ; at miduight it is foggy, neither the 
 \ ahroits nor Oorffon to be seen. 
 
 Thursday, June 24.-The day commences foggy • ship 
 headn,g W.N.W.; we drift rapidly to north at rite of 
 two miles per hour per log, yet at noon find we have 
 experienced a powerl.il south current of 35 miles No- 
 thing in sight at noon, 5V 15', long. 23° 3'. After obtain- 
 ing tiie latitude the Niagara squared yards, made sail 
 run before the wind, in ord.r to recover lost latitude! 
 At 71 It commences to blow and increases to a gale • 
 furled mizen-topsail and foresail ; put ship under snug 
 sail ; the wind at N.W. Nothing seen of any of the 
 S(piadron ail this day. 
 
 Friday, 25th, A. M.-Strong gales, clear weather ; ship 
 mider clce-reefed fore and inain-toi>sails and storm fore- 
 staysail; considerable sea. Noon, no observation: lat. 
 by account, 52^3', long, by account, 33° 18'. At noon 
 -inured away t.) run nortl, to make up lost northing, and 
 also to search aftvr the i.b.sent 8(,uadron ; wind S.S.W.; 
 cl.-ar. At 7. p.m. blowing strong; close-reefed the toj)-' 
 sails, furled foresail and mi/.n-fopsa.], wore ship and 
 stood S.W. 
 
 Friday, June 2r,.-Stnnig gale., but clear, some sea- 
 """>, lat. 52^ 3', l,>ng. 33^ IH W., at 1 p.m. .aw 3 sail 
 ahead. Soon diseoven>d they were tlr> Telegraj.h 
 Squadron. Furl.-d all s.il and stood f„r tl.rm. Th.,> 
 weatluT became U-autiful. All the 8<iuadrou have boat^ 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 '45 
 
 down, visiting each other's ships. The Captain of the 
 Agamemnon informs us experienced same gale we did — 
 suffered heavy damages — the entire coil of Telegraph 
 Cable had shifted ; his ship was in a very critical situa- 
 tion, and he must re-coil a portion of the Cable before it 
 could be ready for splicing, and could not be ready 
 before 24 hours. Day ends very fine in every respect. 
 
 Saturday, June 26. — Calm, beautiful weather; Squad- 
 ron close together; at 8 a.m. a telegraphic message from 
 Ag'^meynnon says : " Will be ready to splice at 9 o'clock." 
 Preparations are immediately made ; hawsers sent on 
 board of her, as also the end of the Telegra})h Cable. 
 Everything auspicious and favorable — lat, 52° 2', long. 
 33° 18' W. We are 15 days out at noon. At 1 o'clock 
 \vc commence paying out Cable. At 3 o'clock we had 
 200 fathoms out; it is calm ; the haws(>r is cast off from 
 tlie Agamemnon^ and the Niagara commences to pay out 
 in earnest, as does the Agamemnon. At 3 45 jiLst tlirec 
 miles of Cable had been paid out, the pressure 2,360 
 ])Ound8, when, at that instjint, as the Cable was corning 
 out of the circle, the Cable got out of one of the grooves 
 of the wheel and into another groove, and, before it 
 could be HberatCvl, it ])arted, by being cut by a tir-H(;raper 
 attached to the wheel. Thus the three miles from our 
 ship was lust, and probably the same amount from the 
 
 Ana^nrmnrm nn nn flniiht. shn diil nfit mjikn nnv nttptntif. 
 
 to save it The ships then again neartd each other; 
 
'4" The Expedition of J858. 
 
 spliced again at 5 r.„, took in haw,cr, and commenced 
 paymg out under the most favontble prospect,,- sea 
 smooth aa a mill-pond, and weather calm. The si.ht i, 
 beauty.,. The G^yon heads the Ni.,„a-.,U ^2ro,. 
 i.eads the Againemnon. We follow the N.W i N -the 
 Ajamemnon a S.E. i S. course; our rate of spe-ed,' three 
 m.les per hour. At 8 p.m., 12 miles and 270 fathoms 
 have run out most beautifully, the pressure being very 
 uniform at 2,400 pound.,. The same continues till mid! 
 night, when this day ends. 
 
 Sunday, June 27.-Th.. sea continues smooth; wmd 
 hght, from the westward; coun« and rate of .sailing the 
 same. At 1 a.m. the electricians report the continuity 
 ha.^ <=e»«'- Every pe„on who hea,^ this report is struck 
 w.tn eon.,ttrnatio„, for everything seemed progres,,ingso 
 -y fine and .satisfactory; the dynamometc-r indicating 
 -,400 poun,Is; the roton.eter 35 miles, 270 fathon.s, .•« 
 l-ng out. Although this di.scovery is reported at 1 
 " Ccic, A.>,., the Cable is continue,! to K- pai.l out slowlv 
 nn. the ship's speed is reduced, until ^ .,.„. -Phe 
 table then out is 4;i n.iles, 280 fathon,.s. The ,lv„.„„„ 
 .net<-r r.scs from .3,00,, to .3,200 and 3,400 pounds' shin's 
 l>«'grcss is slowed down ,0 one ,nile p,.,- hour'. The 
 -.g"u- ,s.set in „,ot,on to haul in Cable, and ll.at ,xsk is 
 
 c<)niint<ncf(] .-if ,-)l o'clock' Tl.n n.i i 
 
 ^, ^ ouuck. I ho Cai)lo comes m slowly 
 
 t'H> prcs,suro increaso.s fo -l.'iOO pounds, .t wl..,.. .ll 
 
 the Cabh. .naps, nn.l :.ll oxcvpt about thrce-r.urths'or'a 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 147 
 
 mile hanging out is lost. What little we succeed in 
 hauling in is very much snarled and badly kinked. The 
 very long-jawed wire is nearly separated from the inside 
 covering of gutta percha, and is totally unfit for any 
 service. The ship is now put head about towards the 
 point of starting, in order to re-connect the Cable the 
 third time with the Aganumnun. The opinion prevails 
 on board our ship, ounded on some trials and scientific 
 principles, that the cause of failure of continuity must 
 have occurred close to or on board the Agamemnon. All 
 confidence is given that actual trial proves the break did 
 not occur on our side of the splice, but that it was between 
 the splice and the Agamemnon. We were at this time 
 84 miles apart, and the splice was suf)posed to be mid- 
 w'iiy. At 10^ A.M. — it is calculated we are on ihe precise 
 spot from whence we started to lay the Cable." The 
 Agamemnon is not here, but the Gorgon is. At 11 a. w. 
 lowered a boat, and boarded the ship ^/wr Munroe^ four- 
 teen (lays from Liverpool, bounl for Boston. Noon, 
 light N.W. wind and a. smooth sea— lat. 51=' north, 
 long. 32° 4(3' west. Afternoon, calm, sea smool. I 'kod 
 up fires. From midnight till noon fine weather. 
 
 Monday, Junt '>P— At I r.M. discovrrcd three sail; 
 soon made ^hc'monr, to bi^ the iV'rgraph Stpiadron. At 
 4i TWf. all three sent boats to the Niagara. At fi P.M. 
 .-;:;;. iur.vsrr ;un'i v ai'ic Tk Agduift/inon ; puKl out 2iU 
 f'.ithonw Cahle ; indicator standing al f)82-lt]8, and 
 
m 
 
 -^1 
 
 m 
 
 148 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 previous to paying out any, it was 582-100 ; wind quite 
 light, at W.N.W. ; all sail is furled on board both ships 
 —the Valorous in position ahead of the Arjamemnon, and 
 the Gorgon ahead of the Niagara; the Valorous and 
 Agamemnon heading S.E. -J S.— the Oorgon and Niagara 
 N.AV. % N. ; our supposed depth of water, 1,670 fathoms, 
 at 6 13 P.M. ; we start for our respective destinations at 
 8 2 P.M. precisely, there i? just three nautical miles of 
 Cable paid out; at this time and quantity out the dyna- 
 mometer first shows an indication of pressure of 2 100 
 pounds ; up to midnight the speed of ship is 3i of a mile 
 per hour— (by log hove every fifteen minutes)— while 
 the Cable speed is 5i miles per hour; the pressure is 
 very regular and uniform at 2,200 pounds ; ends beauti- 
 ful — the Gorgon close to us. 
 
 Tuesday, June 29.— Commences beautiful weather, 
 sea perfectly smooth, wind light, at W.S.W. ; course, 
 N.W. I N.; speed, 4 miles per hour, Cable going out 
 iinely. At 4 A. m. the Niagara has paid out 48 nautical 
 miles; at 8 a.m., 08 nautical miles and 200 fathoms. 
 The; actual distance run from point of starting is 46 
 miles, pressure, 2,200 pounds; from 8 o'clock to noon, 
 rate of sailing is 4 knots. At noon, ♦•i^ amount of Cable 
 out is 39 miles, 8«)0 futhnms; pressure, 2,200 pounds; 
 fine weather, He;i smooth; ban-mel.-r 80°38'; air, 56': 
 wuUt, 58^ ; lat. 54° 4' : long. 85" 2 '. 'jM,,. ]-a\u^v -art of this 
 24 hours is pleasant, wind at W.S.W.— speed of ship 4 
 

 I Wi 
 
 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 149 
 
 knots. At 4 o'clock one hundred and eleven miles and 600 
 fathoms (nau+ical miles) have been pa. J out. The 
 Niagara has scarcely any motion, and Cable runs out 
 beautifully. At 9 hours and 10 minutes vue electi icians 
 from their station give the fatal word, " The rontinuity 
 has stopped.'''' 140 miles, 570 fathoms of Cable out up to 
 this hour. From this time till 27 minutes after 12 mid- 
 night, the speed of the vessel was as slow as possible, 
 and the Cable paid out as little as it tould be. It had 
 previously been understood, in the event of ihe failure 
 of the continuity, six hours should elapse before paying- 
 out should cease, or Cable suffered to part. Meanwhile, 
 rockets were sent up, which the Oorgon answered, and 
 she sent a boat to us. So ends this day. N. B. — The 
 actual distance run since leaving the Agamemnon is 107 
 miles, up to midnight. 
 
 Wednesday, June 30. — The Niagara is riding wholly 
 by the Telegraph Cable ; speed of ship stopped ; no mo- 
 tion to engine, and no paying out of Cable ; pressure is 
 applied in order to have Cable })art, for it is now useh'ss, 
 but all to no purpose; 4,900 pounds are :tp})lied, and the 
 weight of several persons upon the breaks; at 12 31 
 A.M. the Cable parts out from the stem ; an attem])t is 
 made to haul it in, but in vain ; the axe had to be ap- 
 plied, and 144 miles, 800 fathoms Cable, is lost on this 
 • >•!:■! Tlnm f!Hl.«d tri'd No. 8. The Cautain of the 
 Oorgon now return . to his vetssel, while Captain Iludson 
 
 1r 
 
 I 
 
150 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 issues his orders to up helm and put on steam, and our 
 ship is under full headway, bound for Cork harbor, 
 Ireland and at 8 a.m. set topsails. Afternoon, stiff 
 breezes; driving more ahead; furled all sail. From 
 this time till midnight heavy rain. Eate of sailing 8i 
 knots per hour. 
 
 Thursday, July l.-Commences th^^nk, rainy weather 
 at 4 A.M. ; set double-reefed topsails and foresail ; speed 
 9^ miles per hour; course E. by S. on^half S ■ wind 
 SM.hy W., lat. 52° 26'; long. 29° 40'. Afternoon, 
 overcast and squally ; considerable rain at times ; mid- 
 night rainy. 
 
 Friday, July 2. — Misty, rainy weather; moderate 
 winds from W.N.W. ; course E. by S. ; sailed by log 
 258 miles; lat. 51° 55' ; long. 23° 2'. 
 
 Saturday, July 3.— Fine, steady breezes ; sea smooth ; 
 all sad set and full steam; speed 10 knots; sailed from 
 noon to noon 230 miles; course E. by S., half S • hit 
 61° 15' N. long. 17° 27' W., 23 days from Plymouth; 
 ends the same. 
 
 Sunday, July 4.— Fine breezes from W.N.W. throuoh- 
 out the day; lat 51° 17' N. ; long. IF 54' W. ; at 6 F.u. 
 made Cape Clear Light, distant 10 miles. 
 
 Monday, July 5.-Stiff breezes; ship lying by for 
 pilot; at 2 A.M. took pilot on board; at 5 a.m. came 
 to anchor, abrciust of QueonsU)wn, Cork harbor. 
 
 In layi.ig the Cable, every possible care and attention 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 151 
 
 was given to the eflfort, and every preventive was used 
 to guard against accident or misfortune. Even the 
 captain and first lieutenant of the Niagara stood 
 watch during the process of laying, day and night. 
 The officer of the deck gave his constant attention to 
 the log and courses, and the log w? eaved every fifteen 
 minutes. In the Cable-circle, twenty men were stationed. 
 Ten men were at the paying-out machine, while another 
 gang was stationed on the platform leading from the circle 
 to the machine. The engineer of the Company was con- 
 stantly at his post, or was reh'eved by the chief engineer 
 of the Niagara. There were also two other engineers 
 detailed to assist. Then there was a master's mate 
 stationed at the brake; also two gentlemen connected 
 with the Company, and the general business manager, 
 all standing watch and regularly relieved ; while one- 
 half of the electricians were conctantly on duty; in 
 which department alone there jvere eight persons. The 
 whole number of persons on board the Niagara in pay 
 of the Company was twenty-two. 
 
 The scene at night was beautiful. Scarcely a word 
 was spoken ; silence was commanded, and no conversa- 
 tion allowed. Nothing was heard but the strange 
 rattling of the machine as the Cable was running out. 
 This music was singular, without variation, Tlie 
 
 
 ^ \\ j-\ r^ \-\ M'i *»+ y-\-** ^J*-»y-»l^ 
 
 
 to the singularity of the spectacle ; and those who were 
 
I 152 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 r on board the ship describe the state of anxious suspense 
 
 m which aU were held a^ exceedingly impressive. The 
 news of the successive disasters to the wire appeared to 
 strike as though a personal hope had been extinguished 
 The mode adopted by the ships in splicing was as 
 follows :-The Magara and Agame7nnon made fast to 
 each other-stern to stem-by a hawser. They kept 
 200 fathoms apart until two miles of Cable had been 
 paid out (sufficient to reach bottom), ^hen cast off and 
 pursued separate cou 3es at a rate generally of Jive miles 
 per hour, while the ships' progress would vary from 3^ 
 to 4i miles per hour. The highest pressure at any time 
 was 4,500 pounds, the lowest 1,900. 
 
 One remarkable circumstance attended the laying of 
 the Cable. Every time the ships were prepared to splice 
 the weather was exceedingly fine, and the sea smooth' 
 and so continued until the breaks occurred. Such wal 
 the case in every instance until tne ships met again. In 
 fact the only favorable weather was while the ships werp 
 engaged with the Cable. 
 
 The cruise of the Agamemnon was described as fol- 
 lows by an English Correspondent:— 
 
 " As we approached the place of meeting, the Valorous 
 hove in sight at noon ; in the aflemoon the magara 
 cams in from the north, and in the evening the Gorgon 
 from the south ; and then, almost for the first time since 
 .-'arting, the squadron was reunited near the spot where 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 153 
 
 
 the great work was to commence. The rendezvous actu- 
 ally agreed upon was 52° 2' north lat., 33° 18' west long., 
 but the place where the vessels met was in 51° 54' lat., 
 32" 33' long., or about 30 miles more toward the Eng- 
 lish coast than had been agreed upon. On the even- 
 ing of Friday, June 25, the four vessels lay together, 
 side by side, and there was such a stillness in ■ ""^.e sea and 
 air (as would have seemed remarkable in an iniand lake) 
 on the Atlantic ; and after what we had all so lately wit- 
 nessed, it seemed almost unnatural. We have said how, 
 during the awful rolls which the Agamemnon made on 
 the 20th and 21st, the upper part of the main coil shifted, 
 and became a mere shapeless tangled mass, with which 
 it seemed impossible to deal in any conceivable way. For 
 the first 24 hours the labor seemed hopeless, for so dense 
 was the tangle, that an hour's hard work would some- 
 times scarcely clear half a mile. By-and-by, however, it 
 began to mend, the efforts were redoubled, and late on 
 Friday night 140 miles had been got out, and the remain- 
 der was found to be clear enough to commence work with. 
 " On the morning of Saturday, June 26, all the prepara- 
 tions were completed for making the splice, and com- 
 mencing the great undertaking. The end of the Niagara's 
 Cable was sent on board the Aqamemnon^ the splice was 
 made, a bent sixpence put into it for luck, and at 2 50, 
 Greenwich time, it 'vas slowly lowered over the side and 
 disappeared for ever. The weather was cold and foggy. 
 
154 
 
 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 with a stiff breeze and dismal sort of sleet, and as there 
 was no cheering or manifestation of enthusiasm of any 
 kind, the whole ceremony had a most funereal effect, and 
 seemed as solemn as if we were burying a marine or 
 some other mortuary task of the kind, equally cheerful 
 and enlivening. It is needless making a long story 
 longer, so we may state at once, that when each ship 
 had p id out three miles or so, and were getting well 
 apart, the Cable broke on board the Niagara, owing to 
 its overriding and getting off the pulley leading on the 
 machine. The break was, of course, known instantly ; 
 both vessels put about and returned ; a fresh splice was 
 made, and again lowered over at 7^ o'clock. According 
 to arrangement, 150 fathoms were veered out from each 
 ship, and then all stood away on their course, at first 
 at two miles an hour, and afterwards at four. Every- 
 thing then went well— the machine working beautifully, 
 at 32 revolutions per minute— the screw at 26— tlie Cable 
 running out easily at five and five and a half miles an 
 hour, the ship going free. The greatest strain upon the 
 , -Tiometp was 2,500 pounds, and this was only for a 
 few minutes— the average giving only 2,000 pounds and 
 2,100 pounds. At 12 at midnight twenty-one nautical 
 miles had been payed out, and the angle of the Cable 
 with the horizon had been reduced considerably. At 3^ 
 o'clock 40 miles had gone, and nothing could be morf^ 
 perfect and regular than tlie working of everything. 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 ^55 
 
 when, suddenly, at 3 40 a.m., on Sunday, tlie 27th, 
 Professor Thompson came on deck, and reported a total 
 break of continuity that the cable, in fact, had parted, 
 and, as was believed at the time, from the Niagara. The 
 Agamemnon was instantly stopped, and the brakes ap- 
 plied to the machinery, in order that the Cable payed out 
 might be severed from the mass in the hold, and so 
 enable Professor Thompson to discover by electrical tests 
 at about what distance from the ship the fracture had 
 taken place. Unfortunately, however, there was a strong 
 breeze on at tne time, with rather a heavy swell, which 
 told severely upon the Cable, and ere any means could 
 be taken to ease entirely the motion on the ship, it parted, 
 a few fathoms below the stern-wheel, the dynamometer 
 indicating a strain of nearly 4,000 pounds. In another 
 instant a gun and a blue light warned the Valorous of 
 what had happened, and roused all on board the Aga- 
 memnon to a knowledge that the machinery was silent, 
 and that the iirst part of the Atlantic Cable had been laid 
 and lost effectually. 
 
 " The great length of Cable on board both ships allowed 
 a large margin for such mishaps as these, and the arrange- 
 ment made before leaving England was that the splices 
 might be renewed, and the vroik recommenced, till each 
 ship had lost 250 miles of wire, after which they were to 
 riio_oor,t.ipiip. their efforts and return to Queenstown for 
 orders Accordingly, after ihi breakage on Sunday morn- 
 
i 
 
 J 56 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 ing, the ships' heads 
 
 about. 
 
 of 
 
 were |: 
 time the Agamemnon affain 
 
 beating up against the wind for tke everlasting rendei^vons 
 which we seemed destined to be always seeking. It was 
 bard worlc beating up against the wind; so hard, indeed 
 that It -vo., not till the noon of Monday, the 2dth, that 
 we rojoinod the Niagara; and, while all were waiting 
 with impatience for her explanation cf how they broke 
 the Cable, she electrified every one by running up the inter- 
 rogatory, . Uow did the Cable part V This was astound- 
 "IS- As so<.u as the boat* could be lowered, Mr. Cybus 
 iiELi,, with the electricians from the Niagara, came on 
 board, and a comparison of logs showe<l the painful and 
 mysterious fact that, at the sa,nc second of time, each 
 vessel discovered that a tot.-,I fracture had taken place at 
 a distance of cerfciinly not less than ten miles from each 
 » "p-m fact, as well as can be judged, ..: the bottom of 
 the oecau. That of all the many niisnaps connected with 
 tlie Atlantic Telegraph this ,.-, ,h.. „„rst and most dis- 
 ■<-rtcn,ng is certam, si,.c it |,roves that, after all that 
 buman skill and .^-icncc .an ,.ff„a to lay the wire down 
 will, safety has been ac^onipHsh, :, there may be some 
 f.it.-d obstacles to success al tl„. b.Htomof the ocean whi.h 
 can never be guarded agaii.sl, i;,r ,nTn the „M„re .,f l!,e 
 penl mus. always renmin a, .secret an,l UMk.i.un a, ,|,c 
 depth.-! Ill wlneh it is lo be eneounlered. 
 
 "No,i,„ew,...l,w,,.,ne,.,|„,,.,,,|,,,,.,i„^,,,^.,^^^^^^.^^^^ 
 
 » 
 
 / 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 157 
 
 the third and last splice, which was lovered over into 
 2, Quo fathoms water at 7 o'clock by ship's time the same 
 night. The Cable, as before, paid out beautifully, and 
 nothing could have been more regular and more easy 
 than the working of every part cf the apparatus. At 
 first the ship's speed was only 2 knots, the cable going 3 
 and 3i, with a strain of 1,500 pounds, the horizontal 
 angle averaging as low as 17, and the vertical about 16. 
 ]^v and by, however, the speed was increased to 4 knots, 
 the cable going 5, at train of 2,000 pounds, and an 
 angle of from 12 to 14. At this rate it was kept, with 
 trifling variations, throagnout ilmost the whole of Mon- 
 thly night, and neither Mr. Bright, Mr. Canning, nor 
 Mr. Clifford ever ([ulud the machines for an instnnt. 
 Towards the middle of the night, while the rate of tht 
 ship continued the same, the sp(ed at which the Cable 
 -layec' out slackened nearly a kno* an hour, whiK' the 
 ( vnanometer inculcated as l(^w as 1,800 })(<un(l.s. Tins 
 chiMigc could only b(; accounted for on the suftposition 
 that the water had shallowed to ;. considerable ox<ei)* 
 and that the ves)*c\ was mi fact passing over some ^ui)- 
 murine Ben Nevis or Skiddaw. 
 
 " After an interval of about an hour, tiie strain and ra*- 
 ol nrt*'fn;ss of the Cable ai^'iin increased, while the in- 
 crease of the vertical angle seem(>d lo indicate that the 
 
 this there w;us no variation throughout Monday night, ov, 
 
Ili^ 
 
 ^S^ The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 indeed, through Tuesday. The upper deck coi], whieh 
 had weighed so heavily upon the ship, and still more 
 heavily upon the minds of all during the past storms 
 was fast disappearing, and by 12 midday on Tuesday,' 
 the 29th, 76 miles had been paid out .0 something like 
 eO miles' progress of the ship. All seemed to promise 
 most hopefully, and the only cause that warranted 
 anxiety was that it was evident the upper deck coil 
 would be 5nished by about 11 o'clock ^t night, when 
 the men v,ould have to pass in darkness along the great 
 loop which formed the communication between that and 
 the coil in the main hold. This was most unfortunate 
 but tlie operation had been successfully performed in 
 duyhght during the experimental trip in the Bay of 
 Biscay, and every precaution was now taken that no 
 accident should occur. At 9 o'clock by the ship's time 
 when 148 miles had been paid out, and about 112 miles' 
 distance from the rendezvous accomplished, when tho 
 last Hake but one of the upper deck coil came .n turn to 
 bo uso<l, in order to make it easier p^ussing to the main 
 ^•o.I, the revolutions of the screw were reduced gradually 
 l.y two revolutions at a time from SO to 20, while the 
 Puyuig-out Machine went slowly from 36 to 22. At this 
 'ate, the vessel going three knots and the Cable thno 
 ■nul a half, the operation was continued with perfect 
 regularity, the dynamometer i' dicitinir a strain iA'^2 H^*^ 
 pounds. Su.ldcnly, without an msUuit's warning, Jr the 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 159 
 
 occurrence of any single incident that could account for 
 it, the Cable parted. The gun that again told the Valor- 
 ous of this fatal mishap brought all on board the Aja- 
 inemnon rushing to the deck, for none could believe the 
 rumor that had spread like wildfire about the ship. But 
 there stood the machinery, silent and motionless, while 
 the fractured end of the wire hung over the stern wheel, 
 swinging loosely to and fro. It seemed almost impossi- 
 ble to realise the fact that an accident so instantanecis 
 and irremediable should have occurred, and of course a 
 variety of ingenious suggestions were instantly afloat, 
 showing most satisfactorily how the Cable must and 
 ought to have uroke." 
 
 The amount of Cable lost from this ship was about 
 one hundred and fifty miles ; nuiking an aggregate loss 
 of about three hundred miles of Cable^ during the progress 
 of this Expedition. 
 
 Th'^ Niagara arrived at Queenstown on Monday, July 
 5,- one week in advance of the Agamemron, 
 
 Captiiin Hudson's official report of the Expedition 
 was as follows : 
 
 " Umtkd Statics Stkam Fkiuatk Niauara, 
 
 QlitKNSTowN, Ireland, July 8, 1808. 
 
 "Sir, — 1 am sumowhat mortified und disaupoiuted lu 
 report tl:e arrival of the Niayna at this port on the 5tli 
 
 
 ■ i • « * 
 
 
 I he Ti-h'graphic Cable 
 
fi4^> 
 
 If 
 
 1 60 The Expedition of 1 858. 
 
 "% last dispatch, of the 10th ult, informed you that 
 the squadron were off Plymouth harbor, bound to the 
 appointed rendezvous for uniting and running out the 
 Telegraphic Cable. 
 
 " During the first three or four days of our passage, we 
 had calms and light variable winds ; the following eight 
 days almost con^hiuous gales from the west to the south- 
 west, and the greater part of the time heavy sea ; when 
 the weather again moderated, and our vessels, which had 
 separated during the gales, met together at the rendez- 
 vous on the 25th ; the Agamemnon liaving shifted about 
 one hundred miles of the ui)per portion of the Cable on 
 her main hola tier during the gale, which portion they 
 were engaged in running i„ the gun-deck when we fell 
 in with them. 
 
 " On the 26th (Saturday) we commenced our operations 
 by securing the Naujara and Ajamcmmm together, stern 
 to, with hawsers, splicing the Cable, and easing it'.]<nvn 
 gradually with two hundred futlioms paid out Iroiii each 
 Hhip; the hawser let go by signal, and ihe ships sepa- 
 rated on their resj.ectivc courses, at a rat^^- of three-fourths 
 of a mile the hour. ^Vh,.n we had paid out two miles 
 and forty fithoins, as shown by our indicator, llie Cable, 
 hehoj hauled in thr ,rrnnrj direction, through th, ejri/r- 
 '»''»f or carelessness of on" of the men statinnnl h, if, 
 caiiLrhtand i);irt<'d in ',ho Vi,i,„ ,;,\. ,.,o,.i.: a 1 
 
 _• • -it- iiv <i V V 
 
 fog and mist had set in soon after the ships sepn rated. 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 161 
 
 "We were fortunate enough, however, to get together 
 again in a short time, spUce, lower down the Cable, and 
 separate from each other as before stated. The Xia- 
 fjara's speed at starting was short of one mile the hour, 
 and gradually increased to two knots six fathoms up to 
 7 o'clock P.M., the Cable being paid out three and a 
 half knots per hour; and from that hour till midni-ht, a 
 uniform speed was maintained of three and a half miles 
 the hour, and the Cable was paid out, as shown by 
 the indicator, at four and a half miles the hour. Our 
 machinery was working as well as we could desire, 
 Cable running from the coils and going over it with 
 ease and regularity, when to our great surprise, at 14 
 o'clock, A.M., on the 27th (Sunday), .he electricians 
 rci)orted that there had been no signals from the Aju- 
 memnon for the la.st ten minutes. We kept going cu 
 slowly, as previously agreed uinm, until 4 40 a.m. (mi 
 tlie meantime the electricians tested the C;tble m the 
 sluj), and rei)orted tlie continuity and insulations per- 
 fect), when the chip's headway w;us entirely stopped, and 
 we commenced h(>aving in with die machinery. The 
 Cable parted at 4 ')() A.M., and we lost on this occasion 
 as m.>asured by the iiulicator, 42 miles, 300 fathoms of 
 Cable, and slarltd tor the rendezvous, wliere on Mon*lay 
 the 28lh, the A'/anin>ni"„ :uid Xiacjaro were secured 
 tngottier, liie spiice niatif, iuvVt-n .i .i..v»;i, ii;;;; ;;:v- . :;;i-.. 
 separated. !us h;us Ixvmi ah-eady described, nt 7 '60 I'.M. 
 
l62 
 
 ft 
 
 The Expedition of 1858. 
 Our speed for the first hour was only three- 
 
 a 
 
 i-quarters 
 ""xc, second hour. 2^ miles; third hour, 3 miles; and 
 the fourth hour, 3^ miles. From that time until 9 10 
 on Tuesday evening, the 29th (when we ceased to gel 
 signals from the Agamemnon, and the engines slowed 
 down), the speed of the ship had been 4^ miles the hour 
 and the Cable paid out 5i miles the hour, as shown by 
 the indicator. 
 
 "The engines were stopped at 10 p.m., and the ship 
 hung m a measure by the Cable until twenty minutos 
 after midnight, when :. parted, the indicator showin.. a 
 loss on this occasion of 145 miles, 930 fhthoms of The 
 Ca})le. Our electricians again thoroughly tested all tLe 
 Cable on board ship, and found the insulation and conti- 
 nuity all perfect, and there was but one opinion among 
 those gentlemen, that the Cable parted rt or near the 
 Agamemnon, which we shall ascertain when she arrives 
 at this port to fill up her coal. 
 
 ''^ n arrangement had been made, when the sliips sepa- 
 rated on the 28th inst., that in the event of any accident to 
 the Cable befvre either should have run one hundred mik. 
 we were to return to the rendezvous, unite the Cable, and 
 uutke another attempt to lay it ouf if beyond that dis- 
 tance, the vessels were to proceed to Qucenstown, fill up 
 with coal, and again renew our ( fVorts. 
 
 "In the Xiagara we hud uU the coal that wo r.2..^iTM 
 for h.y ing down our part of the Cable. There were'seri^ 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 163 
 
 ous doubts, however, if we ran further, or any distance 
 beyond the one named, whether the Agamemnon'' a coal 
 would hold out (without any expenditure in getting back 
 to the rendezvous) and leave her enough to insure steam- 
 ing back to Valentia Bay with the cable, in the event of 
 no further casualty to it on the way there. 
 
 *' Mr. Everett's n.achinery has paid out the Cable with 
 apparent ease and uniformity of strain, and we find it 
 admirably adapted to the work it has to perform in all 
 
 its parts. 
 
 " Iler Majesty's steamer Gorgon, which accompanied us, 
 arrived here with the Niagara. We now await the arri- 
 val of the Agamemnon and the Valorou.^, when we hope 
 to be oflf again for the rende/.vous in seven or eight days, 
 under more favorable auspices of weather than we expe- 
 rienced in the monlh of June. 
 
 " It affords me pleasure to report the continued good 
 health of officers and crew. 
 
 "I have the hono*- to be, respectfully, 
 ' Your obedient serv't, 
 
 " Wm. L. Hudson, Captain. 
 " Hon. I. TOUCEY, Secretary of the Navy, Washington, 
 1). C" 
 
 The Electricians on board the Niagara made the fol 
 
 loiwinrr ronr »rt. • — • 
 
164 
 
 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 m 
 
 "At Sea, on 3oard U. S. Steam Frigate Niagara, 
 Electricians' Department, July 2, 1858. 
 To the Directors of the Atlantic Telegraph Company: 
 
 "GENTLEMEN-We beg to submit to you the following 
 statement of the proceedings in our department during 
 the expedition of the Telegraphic Squadron, from the 
 sailing on the 10th to the 30th ult. On the passage cut 
 to the rendezvous we practised the staff of manipulating 
 clerks in the working of the instruments until they were 
 thoroughly proficient in the system. The instruments 
 in circuit were a battery of 240 elements of copper and 
 /.inc, reversing key, magnetometer, ordinary galvano- 
 meter, Professor Thomson's marine galvanometer and 
 four plug-switches, in conformity with your directions 
 and the system of signalling authorized by your Board. 
 On the 26th ult., at 1 58 i'.m., Greenwich time, the 
 iViagara's and A:jramemnon's Cables having been united 
 on board the latter ship, we commenced signalling through 
 the Cable, (the whole of the iVicf/am's Cable b(Mng in Cer- 
 ent, with the exception of about 100 miles that had been 
 cut out of circuit for the purpose of testing, there being 
 faulty insulation in a part of it). We continued signal- 
 ling through the Cable in t lie most perfect and satisfactory 
 laannrr until 3 28 p.m., (Ireonwieh time, when the Cable 
 parted on b„;,nl this ship. The telegraph ships then 
 n-tunied tt) the rendezvous, and Prof TnoMooM r^,,,^ ..;: 
 board tliis ship to examine our record of signalling 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 165 
 
 and testing with him. We arranged some new signals 
 that did not materially alter the system authorized by 
 you, but which increased our list of signals so as to meet 
 some possible r.equirements, viz., signals to be used in 
 case of the necessity of cutting and buoying the Cable, 
 and also for any temporary stoppage that mi^ht occur. 
 
 " The two Cables were then spliced, and at 6 50 p.m., 
 Greenwich time, we commenced passing signals lo ana 
 from the Agamemnon until 3 32 A.M., Greenwich time, 
 on the 27th, at which time we ceased receiving signals 
 from the Agamemnon. After waiting fifteen minutes 
 for the signals, and getting none, we informed Mr. 
 Everett thereof. On applying all the different electri- 
 cal tests in our power to the Cable, we found that there 
 was 'dead earth' upon it, and informed the engineers 
 of the fact. The Cable on board was then cut at about 
 100 miles from the bottom end and tested, and found 
 perfect. Another cut was made, leaving about 196 miles 
 in circuit on board, and this part of the Cable was found 
 perfect. A third cut was made in the Cable, leaving 
 only 20 miles in circuit on board, in addition to that 
 paid out, the short end carried to our testing-room, and 
 tested. All the Cable on board this ship was found to 
 be perfect in all n'speels, h\\i the tests applied to the 
 Cable paid out showed that it was electrically bn^ken, 
 
 L 1 
 
 uliu liiut TiKiO Vv'iuS ■ iiC 
 
 again returned to tlie rendezvous, and on Monday, Juno 
 
m 
 
 166 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 28, having joined the Agamemnon, at Mr. Evekett's re- 
 quest, Mr. De Sauty proceeded to the Agamemnon to 
 confer with Prcf / : r Thomson, and compare the records 
 of the sip ^ a- ■ V ' . z:^. At 9 24 p.m., Greenwich time, 
 the Ago: 'ie7:inon's and Niagara's Cables having been again 
 united, we commenced signalling to and from the Aga- 
 memnon in the same pe.fcpt -nanner, until 11 44 p.m., 
 Greenwich time, on the 29th, when, during the time we 
 were receiving signals from the Agamemnon, they sud- 
 denly ceased, and on cutting the Cable, so as to have 
 only about twenty miles in circuit in addition to that 
 paid out, and testing it, we found 'dead earth' upon 
 it. The Niagara then continued paying out slowly 
 for a short time, and finally stoppered the Cable until 
 2 57 A.M. During this time we kept continually test- 
 ing the Cable paid out, and every test showed that 
 it was electrically broken a great distance from this 
 ship. 
 
 " We cannot speak too highly of the system used for 
 signalling, and can suggest no alteration or improvement, 
 as we were not in the slightest degree embarrassed dur- 
 ing the whole time that the Cable was being submerged. 
 
 " We are also very much pleased with the way in which 
 
 the manipulating clerks, viz. Messrs. Smith, Geriiardi, 
 
 Irwin, and Linde, and Messrs Murray, McFarlane,' 
 
 •••-• _:i.f_vi L\j tiioii uuLiCH. iiicy ciiii every- 
 
 thing required of them most cheerfully and readily, and 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 167 
 
 gave us every assistance in their power. "We are, gentle- 
 men, your most obedient servants, 
 
 C. V. De Sauty, 
 J. C. Laws. " 
 
 Chief Engineer Everett made report : — 
 
 • " United States Steamer Niagara, 
 
 AT Sea, June 30, 1858. 
 To the Directors of the Atlantic Telegraph Company: 
 
 " Gentlemen — We beg to make the following report 
 relating to the paying out of the Telegraph Cable from 
 this ship. We sailed from Plymouth in company with 
 the steamers Agamemnon, Valorous and Gorgon, on 
 Thursday, June 10th inst,, but did not meet the Aga- 
 memnon at the appointed rendezvous (latitude 52° 2', 
 longitude 33° 18'), until the 26th inst, as most of the 
 voyage had been one continuous gale, and the vessels 
 were unable to keep sight of each other. At 12 18, 
 local time, the splice connecting ti Cables of the two 
 ships had been made, and we commenced paying out. 
 At 1 -45, the leading on the part oi the Cable ran 
 into the adjoining groove, and in the excitement of first 
 starting, while attempting to put it into the proper groove, 
 it tvas thrown completely off the tvheel, and was parted 
 
 on the handle on the f r-scraper. Two miles and forty 
 
 f' _i\, o i\ r^ 1 1 _ u I 1 „ ■ ' i 
 
 iUliiUuiS 01 tuC vyciOic uClvi uCCii I'iiKl OUT. 
 
 " The splice was again made and we commenced paying 
 
141 
 
 i68 The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 out at 5 20 P.M, the ship going slowlj ahead, and 
 
 the Cable 
 
 half 
 
 running 
 knots per hour until 7 o'clock, when the ship's speed 
 was increased to three knote, and from this gradurlly 
 to three and three-quarter knots, and the Cable was 
 paid out from four and a half to five knots, the strain 
 varying from 2,100 to 2,300 pounds. At 1 40 (27th) 
 Mr. De Sauty, the electrician, reported that no signals 
 had been received for the la^t quarter of an hour, 
 and that from his tests he believed the Cable had parted 
 at a considerable distance from the ship. The shio's 
 speed was reduced as much as possible, in order to pay 
 out the least amount of Cable practicable, whUt the 
 electricians made further experiments, ^.t 4 50 .^.M. 
 the electricians having given an unqualified opinion that 
 the Cable was parted, we decided to attempt hauling in. 
 The engines were connected, and about one hundred 
 fathoms recovered, when the Cable parted near the 
 surface of the water. The wind was fresh, with con- 
 siderable sea. Forty-two miles and three hundred 
 fathoms had been paid out, and the running of the 
 Cable from the coils and the mechanical arrangements 
 for paying out had been perfectly satisfactory. 
 
 "On the 28th, soon after midday, the ships again met 
 at the rendezvous, when Mr. Everett visited the 
 
 -v-ri-i •---" ^"C -oiigiiicero, ana aactJitameci 
 
 that the Cable had not been broken on board that ship, 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 169 
 
 but that they had supposed it had been broken on board 
 
 sive that the Cable must have 
 
 om either ship, but from what 
 
 lace, we have no means of ascer- 
 
 the Niagara. It is 
 parted some a,'--. 
 cause, or the pr 
 taining. 
 
 "At 6 7 P.M. ''i. •■■'lice was again made and lowered, 
 the ship moving ahead slowly, and we payed out the 
 Cable as before, until 8 o'clock, when the speed was 
 increased to three kr\ots, and further increased to four 
 knots by midnight. 
 
 " At 12 o'clock A. (29th), by observation, the ship had 
 run 67 miles, and we had paid out 89 miles and 360 
 fathoms of Cable. During the past twelve hours, the 
 speed of the ship had averaged about ij knots, and 5^ 
 knots of Cable had been paid out per hour. Nearly 
 the same rate of speed of ship and Cable as before 
 was maintained until 6 18 p.m., when signals were 
 again reported to have failed by the electricians. The 
 ship's speed was reduced, and the Cable paid out very 
 slow^.'. At 11 o'clock, the electricians addressed us a 
 note, and wc determined to stop paying out a...d to let 
 .he ship ride by the Cable until it parted. Although 
 the wind was quite fresh, the Cahh held tlie ship for 
 
 le hour and forty minutes hfore breaking, and not- 
 v'ithstanding a strain of four ions. By soundings on 
 chart tlie water was 1,650 fiitlioins. 
 
 " The ship had run on her rourse 109 miles, and 142 
 
 8 
 
1 70 
 
 niles. 
 
 The Expedition c{ 1858. 
 
 or 
 
 fathoms of the Cable had been paid 01 
 about thirty per cent, more Cable than the distance run ; 
 but an allowance of ten ->nes at least must be made for 
 the excess of Cable paid out immediately after the splice 
 was made, which will reduce the per ccntage of loss to 
 about twentyone per cent. There had been at no time 
 a strain of a ton upon the CM. since the splice was last 
 made, and the angle at wli ,1, it was running out varied 
 frcm twelve to nineteen d. -ivus with the horizon. The 
 paying-out machinery worked perfectly, and wo have 
 not had the slightest difficulty in any department; and 
 np to the time of tne failure in the receipt of signals we 
 bad the utmost confidence in the successful termination 
 of the enterprise. 
 
 "There is now remaining in the shi]) 1,000 miles of 
 cable, or about thirty per cent, excess over the distance 
 to be run, and should you think proper to renew the at 
 ten.pt, we fed confident rlicro is suifiei.-nt Cable now in 
 tiio ship to meet the r(>quirements,and are readv to return 
 so soon as the ship has obtained rhe nece.ssary" ^uppiy of 
 coal. 
 
 W. II. ^. OoDHOrsK." 
 
 T],o announcement of the departure r,f this Expedition 
 ''•"I '-..viv.Nl the anxiety with whi.-h everv strp of the 
 •••'t'-rprise was rrganle,!. TidinL's ihuu th.« fl-et uere 
 awaited on this side of tlie Atlantie in painful suspense. 
 
The Expedition of 1858. 
 
 171 
 
 Meanwhile, a stormier June than had been known on the 
 Atlantic for many years, inspired fears for the result. 
 Days passed away, and still no news came. Weeks fled 
 and yet no tiJings. Finally, on Monday, July 13, when 
 upwards of a month had passed, a brief dis])atch from 
 Newfoundland brought the first word from the fleet. 
 The small steamer Blue Jacket^ from Liverpool, reported 
 that she passed a " large and a small steamer, both Bri- 
 tish," in a latitude near the ])lace of rendezvous for the 
 Niagara and Agamemnon ; and that " in the evening," 
 she " observed a large steamer bearing down upon the 
 others." This indefinite information aggravated the con- 
 dition of suspense. But a day or two afterwards came 
 tli" Alice 3funroe, a sailing packet, at Boston, with fuller 
 })articulars ; and close upon the track of the Alice Manroe, 
 a European steamer, bringing detailed accounts of *he 
 second failure. 
 
 The events which resulted in the final success, will 
 lorm the subject of a fresh chapter. 
 
3ili^ 
 
 I 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE TniRD AND SUCCESSFrL ATTE^^PT. 
 
 rrilE Afjamemnon and Gorrjon having arrivod at 
 J- Queenstown on tlie 12th July, the news of the 
 second great disaster was too fully eonfinned. The 
 Expedition had not only ended, but three hundred miles 
 of the Cable had been lost in mi<l-oeean, durin- this 
 second trial. Doubts and fears again gathered tlnekly 
 around the enterprise. Pn.phots of evil, flattering them- 
 selvcs that tlieir aj^pndiensions were firmlv grounded, 
 wisely shook their h.>ads, and indulged in sclf-eomplaeent 
 observations ujmn iheir forecast an.l pn..lene.^ Worse 
 than all, the ere.lit of the Company fell rapi.llv. On the 
 6th of July, on the nreipt c,f the news of thJ re.urn of 
 the Xur^ara \r Lon.lon, the .£1000 shar.>s of the Com- 
 p.nv receded from .dm, nt which they l,a,l be,-,, n.uni- 
 nally quoted, to .€200. The dosing ra,es on that ,hy 
 ranged from C200toj:iOO. That want of ..onfi.len.v, 
 wl.ieh haswreeke.l ..,, n.anv enterprises ..,,,,1 blaste,l ,!> 
 many h.)].es, ret.irne.l in f:.ll vigor npo,, ,l,o h,.,ds of 
 
The Third and Successful Attempt. 173 
 
 the unfortunate projectors of tliis great undertaking. It 
 is not necessary to add that the reception of the untowD rd 
 intelligence in the United States chilled the popular en- 
 thusiasm, and created doubts in the minds o^ the most 
 sanguine. The Atlantic Cable was virtually consigned 
 to the long catalogue of impracticable fallacies. 
 
 Still, the noble-hearted and self-denying Directors did 
 not falter. A special meeting of the Company was 
 called, to meet in London early in July, in which a reso- 
 lution to put forth a new effort was agreed to unani- 
 mously. It was found tluit the wise provision of an 
 extra length of the Cable had relieved the Company 
 from the necessity of further delay for the manufacture 
 of a new ^vipply. More than the necessary quantity of 
 wire to compass the ocean yet remained unharmed on 
 board the yiagara and Agamemnon, notwithstanding 
 the heavy losses incurred during the second trip. The 
 weatlier,in the latter partof tlie summer, promised more 
 favorably than the remarkably erratic course of the 
 winds and waves in Jun(>. The ofiicers aiul men em- 
 plovod in the flei't were full of ^"uthusiasm lor ihe work. 
 These were all valid n-asons for renewing ihe elTort. 
 The summer waned, and no time was to be lost. Wit'i- 
 out wasting \.. .s In elaborate discussion, the Directors 
 took their course, the Kxixnlition was again oi\\ red to 
 Pen. nno 'e entetprise went on. 
 
 The last ships of the Telegraphic S<iUauron -.rrived ui 
 
174 The Third and Successful Attempt. 
 
 Queenstown on the 12th of July, and on Saturday, July 
 17th, the entire fleet was again under way, bound to the 
 mid-ocean rendezvous. 
 
 At noon on Thursday, August 5, the city of New 
 York was electrified by the announcement of the arrival 
 of the magam and her tender, the Gorgon, at Trinity 
 Bay, Newfoundland; with the astounding tidings that 
 the Atlantic Cable was safely laid, and already in perfect 
 working order. 
 
 There is a homely proverb which says of unoxp(^cted 
 intelligence, that '' it is too good to be true." The adage 
 was thoroughly verified in this instance. Men were 
 generally incredulous. The sanguine shook their heads 
 in doubt. That the news of a comi)lete success, after so 
 many disasters, should have coi.ie with the suddenness 
 of a flash along the wire itself, was an event of no com- 
 mon moment. The fact failed to obtain credence for 
 some hours after its announcement. Then came con- 
 firmatory despatches from Trinity Bay. Doubts w. re 
 set aside, and the whole country brol-o out in u])r()ari()us 
 rejoicings. The confirmation of the news being immedi- 
 ately telegraphed from New York to all parts of tlic 
 United States, the event was made ilie occasion (,f 
 impromptu celebrations without number. Bells weio 
 rung, iKmiires l.lax.ed, business eeased, illuminations 
 sprang up, the Press became jubilant. Rarely has I'lere 
 been heard so univei*sal a shout of joy. 
 
 
^) 
 
 The Third and Successful Attempt. 175 
 
 The first telegram announcing the success of the enter- 
 prise, was sent from Trinity Bay by Mr. Cvias W. 
 Field, directed to the Pre^ of New York. It was as 
 follows : — 
 
 " Trinity Bay, Thursday, Aug. 5, 1858. 
 " To Vie Associalcd Press of Xew Y../c: 
 
 "The Xutgara and Gorgon arrived at Trinity Bay 
 yesterday, and the Atlantic Cable, the working of whi<-h 
 is perfect, is being landed to-doy. 
 
 "The Atlantic Telegraph Fleet sailed from Queenstown 
 on Satunlay, July 17, met at mid-o-oan on Wednesday, 
 the 28th, made the splice at 1 p.m. on Thursday, the 29th, 
 and then separated, the Agamemnon and Valomu, bound 
 to \'aUuL..n, Ireland, and the Xiagwa and '>nrgon for 
 this place, where they arrived yest.n-day, and this morn- 
 iu. the end of the Cable wiU b.^ landed. It is sixteen 
 lumdred and ninety-eight nautical or nineteen hundred 
 and fifty statute miles from the Telegraph house, at the 
 lH,,i of VahMitia harb..r, to the Telegraph ho.ise, Bay 
 of Bulls, Trinity Vy.xy, and for nu.re than two-tLirds of 
 this distance the water is over two mius in depth. The 
 Cable has Invn pai.l out fnun the .1,7'"""""">" at about 
 the same spe. d as from th.' Xi"'j.,ra. The electrical 
 signals seta and nv. ived thn.ugh the whole Cal.le are 
 j.'^.t'eet. Tin- maeh.nerv for payiiig out the Cable 
 worked tn the r.ost satisfictory manner, and was not 
 
176 The Third and Successful Attempt. 
 
 stopped fur a single Moment from the time the S2)lieo 
 
 wus made until we arrived here. 
 
 " Captain Hudson, Messrs. Everett and Woodhouse 
 
 the Engineers, the Eleetricians and o&cers of the ships' 
 and in fact eveiy man on board the Telegraph Fleet, has 
 exerted himself to the utmost to make the expedition 
 Huceessful; and bj the blessing of Divme Providence it 
 hiis succeeded. 
 
 " After the end of tlie Cable is landed and connected 
 
 vvith the land line of telegraph, and the Magara has 
 
 discharged some cargo belonging to the Telegraph Com. 
 
 pany, she will go to St. John's for coals, and then pro- 
 
 ceed at once to New York. 
 
 " Cyrus W. Field." 
 
 Subsequent dispatches, exchanged between Mr. Field 
 and the Presi.Vmt of the United States, the Afayor of 
 the City of New York, and others, added to the fever of 
 the popular excitement. We present these dispatches 
 as a valuable portion of the historj- of the Telegraphic 
 enterprise:— 
 
 DisPArcn to the Pklsidsnt ok tuk United States. 
 To the President of the United States, Washington : 
 
 Deah S.k: The Atlantic Telegraph Cahle on bo,,..] the Unite,! 
 States ir^KHte Xi,.,ara, un,l HUM s,,.an.e:- Ar,„nn> .-as 
 
 jomecl UMn.l-oeean, .ruly ... and ha. .e,.n sueeesslhlly l.Hi • an,. .H 
 -on a. the ..... ,.,„,. „, ,.,.„„„„„„, ^^.,,,^ ^,^^_ ,^^_^^^ -^^ 
 
The Third and Successful Attempt. 177 
 
 
 Victoria will send a Message to you, and the Cable viU Ye kept free 
 until after your Reply has been transmitted. 
 With great respect, 
 
 I remain your obedient servant, 
 
 Cyrus W. Field, 
 
 The President's Reply. 
 
 Bedford, Penn., Friday, Aug. 6, 1858. 
 To Cyrus W. Field, Trinity Bay : 
 
 My Dear Sir : I congratulate you with all my heart on the suc- 
 cess of the great enterprise with which your name is so honorably 
 connected. Und«!r the blessing of Divine Providence I trust it may 
 prove iustrumental in promoting perpetual peace and friendship 
 between the kindred nations. 
 
 I have not yet received the Queen's dispatch. 
 
 Yours very respectfully, 
 
 James Bucti, an. 
 
 Second Dispatch to the President, 
 
 Trinity Bay, Saturday, Aug. 7, 1858. 
 His Excellency James Buchanan, President of the Unikd States, Bed- 
 ford Springs : 
 Yoin- telegraphic dispatch has been received. "VVe landed here in 
 a wilderness, and until the telegraph instnnncnts are all perfectly 
 adjusted, no message can be recorded over tli.> Cable. You shall 
 have the earliest information, but some days may elapse btfore all 
 is ellected. The lirst message from Euruj>e ?hall be from the Queen 
 to yourself, and the first from America to Euf^'laiul, your reply. 
 
 "With great rc-prcf. 
 
 Very truly your friend, 
 
 Cyrus W. Field. 
 
178 The Third and Successful Attempt. 
 
 Dispatch to the Mayor of New York. 
 
 Trinity Bay, Thursday, Aug. 5, 1858. 
 Mayor of New York : 
 
 Sir: The Atlantic Telegraph Cable has been successfully laid. 
 
 C. W. Field. 
 
 The Mayor's Reply. 
 
 Mayor's Office, 
 
 New York, Friday, Aug. 6, 1858. 
 Cyrus W. Field, Esq., Trinity Bay ; 
 
 SiK : Your dispatch ha<. been received. I congratulate you myself, 
 and for tlie people of this City, on the success of the great work of 
 uniting the old and the new worlds by the Electric Telegraph 
 Science, and skiU, and perseverance, have <inaUy triumphed. 
 
 Daniel F. Tiemann. 
 
 A journal of the third and List voyage of the iViaffara 
 carefully posted from day to day by Mr. Field," and 
 published by his permission, embodies a complete history 
 of the final triumph. It is as follows :— 
 
 "Saturday, July 17.-This morning the Telegraph Fleet 
 sailed from Queei .nown, Ireland, as follows: The 
 Valorous and Gorgon at 11 a.m.; the Niagara at 7^ 
 P.M., and the Agamemnon a few hours later. All the 
 steamers are to use coal as little as .ossible in getting to 
 th.- ivndezvons. Up to 5 p.m. elear weather and blue 
 ^^ky ; from 6 to 9 p.m. overcast, threatiming weather and 
 
The Th'iTL Lnd Successful Attempt. 179 
 
 drizzling rain; from 9 to 12 p.m., overcast, hazy and 
 squally. 
 
 Sunday, ISth. — The Niagara passed Cape Clear in the 
 morning. Wind varying from W. by W.N.W. Heavy 
 atmosphere, cloudy and squally. 
 
 Monday, 19th.— Wind varying from AY. to N.W. 
 Hazy atmosphere, cloudy and rainy, 
 
 Tuesday, 20th.— AVind from N.W. to K Ilazy at- 
 mosphere, cloudy and squally. 
 
 Wednesday, 21st. — Wind N.W. with slight variation 
 to the eastward, and cloudy. 
 
 Thursda;y, 22nd.— Wind N.W. by W. Blue sky and 
 cloudy. 
 
 Friday, 23rd.— Wind from W. by S. to W.S.W. and 
 cloudy and hazy atmosphere and rain. The Xiagara ar- 
 rived at rendezvous, lat. 52° 5', long. 32° 40', at 8 30 p.m. 
 
 Saturday, 21th.— Wind W.N.W. and hazy auno- 
 sphere, cloudy and squally. 
 
 Sunday, 25th.— Faforous arrived at 4 P.M. Calm, 
 hazy atmosphere and cloudy. 
 
 Monday, 26th.— Calm, hazy atmosphere, cloudy. Capt. 
 Oldham of the Valorous came on board of the Xiagara. 
 
 Tuesday, 27th.— Calrp, hazy atmosphere. Gorgo7i ar- 
 rived at 5 P.M. 
 
 Wednesday, 28th.— Slight wind N.N.W., blue slcy 
 and hazv atmosphere. Agatnannou arrived at 5 P.M. 
 
 Thursdav, 29th.— Lat. 52° 9' north, long. 32 27' 
 
 I 
 
 \v 
 
 1 
 
Ilfl 
 
 1 80 The Third and Successful Attempt. 
 
 west. Telegraph Fleet all in sight; sea smooth ; light 
 wind from S.E. to S.S.E., cloudy. Splice made at 1 p.m. 
 Signals through the whole length of the Cable on board 
 both ships perfect. Depth of water loOO fathoms ; distance 
 to the entrance of Valentia harbor 813 nautical miles, and 
 from there to the telegrapli house the shore end of the 
 Cable is laid. Distance to the entrance of Trinity Bay, 
 Newfoundland, 822 nautical miles, and from there to the 
 telegraph house at the head of the bay of Bull's Arm, 60 
 miles, making in all 882 nautical miles. The Niagara 
 has 69 miles further to run than the Agamemnon. The 
 Niagara and Agamemnon have each 1100 nautical miles 
 of cable on board, about the same quantity as last year. 
 At 7 45 P.M. ship's time, or 10 5 P.M. Greenwich time, 
 signals from the Agamemnon ceased, and the tests 
 ap2)lied by the electricians showed that there was a want 
 of continuity on the Cable, but the insulation was perfect. 
 Kept on paying out from the Niagara very slowly, and 
 constantly applying all kinds of electrical tests until 9 10 
 ship's time and 11 30 P.M. Greenwich time, when again 
 commenced receiving perfect signals from the Aga- 
 memnon. 
 
 Friday, 30th.— Lat. 51° 50' N. Long. 3-4° 49' W., distance 
 run by observation the last 23 hours 89 miles. Paid out 
 131 miles, 900 fathoms Cable, or a surplus of 42 miles, 
 900 latlioms, over the distance run by observation, equal 
 
 to 48 per cent. Lej)th of water 1550 to 1975 fathoms ; 
 
 1* 
 
The Third and Successful Attempt. i8i 
 wind from S.E. to S.W. Weather thick and rainy, with 
 
 some sea 
 
 Gorgon 
 
 m sitr 
 
 lit. At 5 30 A.M. finished the 
 
 main deck coil, and commenced paying out from the 
 berth deck. 723 miles from telegraph house at Bull's 
 Arm, Trinity Bay. Friday 30, at 2 21 p.m. received 
 signals from the Agamemnon that they had paid out 150 
 
 miles. 
 
 Saturday, 31st.— Lat. 51= 5' north, long. 38° 14' W ; dis- 
 tance run from observation the last four hours, 137 miles; 
 payed out 156 miles, 843 fiithoms of Cable, or a surplus 
 of 22 miles; 843 fathoms over the distance run by 
 observation, equal to 17 per cent.; depth of water, 1657 
 to 2250 fiithoms : wind moderate, S.W., and from 6 A.M. 
 N.W. by N. ; weather cloudy ; little rain and some sea : 
 Gorgon in sight. Total amount of Cable paid out 291 
 miles; 730 fathoms; total distance run by observation, 
 226 miles. Surplus Cable payed out over the distance 
 run by observation, 65 miles, 730 fathoms, equal to 29 
 per cent. ; 656 miles from the telegraph house at Trinity 
 Bay ; 11 4 P.M., payed out from the Niagara 300 miles of 
 Cable ; at 2 45 p.m. received signals from the Agamemnon, 
 that they had payed out from her 300 miles of Cable ; at 
 5 37 P.M., finished coil on the berth, and commenced 
 ]);iying out from the lower deck. 
 
 Sunday, Aug. l.-Lat. 50^ 32' N. long. 41° 55' W. ; 
 distance run by observation the last 24 hours, 145 miles ; 
 payed out 164 miles and Cs:', r,,th..ms of Cable, or a 
 
,.'^.. 
 
 
 IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
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 <i 
 
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 C?. 
 
 
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 fA 
 
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 I.I 
 
 1.25 
 
 Mill: 
 
 til 2^ |Z5 
 
 Ki 1 2.2 
 
 20 
 
 tu 
 
 m 
 
 ■ 40 
 
 1.4 
 
 — 6" 
 
 1.6 
 
 .^ 
 
 ^ ^ > .>'" 
 
 ^;. 
 
 ^ 
 
 s^ 
 
 ^>:i 
 
 
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 /A 
 
 ^ 
 
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 Photographic 
 
 Sciences 
 Corpordtion 
 
 4^^ 
 
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 13 WIST MAIN STRUT 
 
 WtBSTIR N Y MStO 
 
 ( ;t«i I72-4S03 
 
 
% 
 
l82 The Third and Successful Attempt. 
 SU.PIUS of 19 miles, 630 fathoms over the distance rua 
 
 NNEtNE T' "'"" """'-^'-"'l fr-H from 
 
 N.N.E to NE weather cloudy, misty, and a heavy sweil • 
 
 ^nues, 400 fathoms ; do. do mn 1 xr ^u 
 
 Q , ^ , ' "°- ^^° ''7 observation, 371 
 
 Surp,„ Cable payed out over the distance run, 85 m/e ,' 
 
 telegraph house; at 3 05 p.u., finished paying out coil 
 on tne lower deck, and changed to the coiMn L hold 
 Monday, 2d.-Lat. 49- 52' N. Ion. 45- 48' W ■ dis 
 tance run by observation the last 24 hoa,^ 154 miles' 
 payed out 177 miles, 15 fathoms of Cable, orasun^l-^o^ 
 23 mdas, 100 fathoms over the distance run, e,uaT "15 
 percent Depth of water 1,600 to 2,385 fathol mil 
 N weather cloudy ; the Nu^^ra getting light, and rolling 
 very mu h; ,t was not considered safe to carry sail to 
 
 L s? fj' ': """ °' '"^"'™' ■' ■"'«>" ^ "--^ 
 
 to stop the vessel a., soon as possible. At 7 a.m., passed 
 and s,gnalled the Cunard steamer from Barton t: Liver 
 pool. Total amount of Cable payed out, 633 mile.,, 500 
 ftthoms ; run by observation, 625 miles ; total surplus of 
 Cable payed out over the di.stanee run, 108 mile.,, 500 
 
 fa horns, or less tl,,an 21 per cent.; 257 mdes from the 
 telegrap,, house ; 12 38 ship's time, 3 38 Greenwich time' 
 ■".perfect msnlation of Cable detected i„ .^ending and 
 reccwng s.gnals from the A,a^„,^n, which continued 
 
ihe Third and Successful Attempt. 183 
 
 until 5 40 A.M. ship's time, or 8 40 A.M., Grcenwicli time, 
 \/L(;a ail was right again. The fault was found to be in 
 tli'j ward room, or in about 60 miles from the lower end, 
 which was immediately cut out, and taken out of the 
 circuit. 
 
 Tu.\sday, 3d.— Lat. 45° 17' N. long. 49° 23' W. : dis- 
 tance run, by observation, the last 24 hours, 147 miles ; 
 payed ouc 161 miles 61 fathoms of Cable, or a surplus of 
 14 miles 613 fathoms, over the distance run, — equal to 
 10 ] 'T cent. Depth of water 742 to 1,827 fathoms ; 
 wind N.N.W. ; weather very pleasant ; Gorgon in sight ; 
 total amount of Cable paid out, 796 miles, 300 fathoms, 
 liun by observation 672 miles ; surplus of Cable payed 
 out, over the distance run, 123 miles, 300 fnthoms — less 
 than 19 per cent. ; 200 miles from the telegraph house ; 
 at 8 26 A.M., finished paying out coil from the hold, and 
 commenced paying out from the ward room coil ; 305 
 miles of Cable on board at noon ; at 11 15 ship's time, 
 received signals from on board the Agamemnon, that they 
 had paid out from her 780 miles of Cable ; on the after- 
 noon and evening, passed several icebergs ; at 9 10 P.M., 
 ship's time, received signals from the Agamemnon that 
 she was in water of 200 fathoms ; at 10 20 P.M., ship's 
 time, Niagara in water of 200 fathoms, and informed the 
 Agamemnon of the same. 
 
 Wednesday, 4th.— Lat. 48" 17' N. long. 52 43' W. ; 
 distance run, by observation, 146 miles; payed out 154 
 
i84 The Third and Successful Attempt. 
 
 miles, 160 fatUo„,s of Cable, ora.surpte of 8 miIes-3«o 
 .tbon,. over the distant run-equal ,o 6 p" 
 aepth of water less than 200 &tho,„s; weather'b au^^' 
 pereetlycata; e„.,<,„ in sight. Total amount oC^I 
 na.d out, 949 miles, 660 fathoms; surplus of Cabk pad 
 ou , over the distance run, 131 mife, 666 fathom.' « 
 ->es to telegraph house; received signals from'tS 
 
 iirr"; " ™°"' """ ""=^ ''"•^ I'-d -^ from h 
 
 entered Tnmty Bay ,at 12 30 p.m., ship's time; stopped 
 sondrng .g ,3 to the A,„,n.„,non, for the p rpofof 
 mak,ng aspl.ee. At 2 40 ship's time, commenced Tdin. 
 sgnals agam u, the ^,a™«„„„,. ,, 5 p.„. ^^ ^7;^ 
 
 O^K of the Porcu,,^, .,„ ,,j ^^,„ ^^^ ^ ^ J^^' " 
 
 to.;!;; hof " """' -^ '- "-^-^^ - "^e 
 
 Thursday 6th.-l 45 a.m.; .V,',^,™ ,„,^„^^ 
 tan e run smce yesterday noon, 64 miles; amount of 
 
 cable paid out, 66 mil ^s H'^'i f..fi, i • 
 
 loss thn 4. , ' f^^thoms-bemg a Joss of 
 
 . ' '''"" ^ ^''' ^^^"t- Tot.il amount of cable n.irl . 
 «"ice the splice was m-idc 1 01 « •/ ^ ''''' 
 
 ^•"^^ amount of distance run ^^o . -i 
 
 Cable paid out over the di , ?' """""' "^ 
 
 fath„n.s-heing a r. T ™"' ^'^ '""-• "«« 
 
 c u, buipius ol li, per cent. At 2 a.m. 
 
The Third and Successful Attempt. 185 
 
 went ashore in a small boat, and informed the persons in 
 charge of the telegraph house, half a mile from the land- 
 ing, that the Telegraph Fleet had arrived, and were ready 
 to land the end of the cable ; 2 45 a.m., received signal 
 from the Agamemnon that they had paid out from her 
 1,101 miles of Cable. At 5 15 a.m. Telograph Cable 
 landed ; at 6 the shore end of the Cable was carried into 
 the telegraph house, and received a very strong current 
 of electricity from the other side of the Atlantic. Capt. 
 Hudson, of the Nuxgara, then read prayers, and made 
 some remarks. 1 P.M., II.M. steamer Gorgon fired a 
 royal salute of 21 guns. All day discharging cargo be- 
 longing to Telegraph Co. ; all day Friday receiving strong 
 electric signals fi-om the telegraph house at Valentia. 
 
 Note. — "We landed here in the woods ; until the tele- 
 graph instruments are all ready, and perfectly adjusted, 
 eormiuuications cannot pass between the two continents, 
 but the electric currents are received freely. You shall 
 have the earliest intimation when all is ready, but it may 
 be some days before eveiythmg is perfected. The first 
 through message between P^urope and America will be 
 from the Queen of England to the President of the 
 United States, and the second, his reply. 
 
 Cyius W. Field. 
 
 A j)Cfiod of twelve days elapsed from the date of 
 Mr. Fikld's first dispatch until the reer])tion of the 
 
i86 The Third and Successful Attempt. 
 
 Queen's Message to the President of the United States. 
 During this interval, daily dispatches were received in 
 New York from the operators at Trinity Bay, giving 
 positive assurances that the Cable was in perfect work- 
 ing order, and that signals were constantly passing 
 between the British and American termini of the line. 
 Still, these assurances aroused a new suspicion in the 
 public mind. The Cable, men said, might have been 
 safely laid, signals might be received hourly through its 
 entire length, the operation of the electric current might 
 remain unimpeded,-but could messages be sent through 
 it ? The question was one that no one answered ; nor 
 did the electricians in charge at Trinity Bay vouchsafe 
 the explanation that would have set doubts at rest. 
 Days passed, and yet the promised Message from Her 
 Majesty did not appear. Intense anxiety began to 
 prevail. ':^he doubting part of the public renewed their 
 prophecies of evil. Success was still fai from positive 
 certainty,-when suddenly, in the afternoon of Monday, 
 August 16, the tidings reached New York from Ne^v- 
 foundland, that the Queen's Message was received. A 
 few iiours afterwards, a short paragraph, purporting to 
 be the congratulations of Her Majesty to the President, 
 came to us. A general feeling of disappointment at the 
 remarkable brevity, not to say curtness, of this message, 
 found vigorous expression. The President himself, who 
 returned to the White Kouse to receive the menage, 
 
The Third and Successful Attempt. jSy 
 
 entertained doubts of its genuine character, but upon 
 receiving assurances of its correctness, dispatched a 
 reply. The following morning — I'uesday, August 17 — 
 brought the explanaaon of the matter. The message 
 sent on Monday was but a small part of Her Majesty's 
 communication : the w^ires had ceased to work when the 
 introductory paragraph was dispatched, but the mistake 
 was rectified, the message transmitted entire, and the 
 anxiety of the public was allayed, — for the Cable was a 
 working mstrument — an accomplished fact. 
 
 The message of Her Majesty and the reply of the 
 President, were as follows : 
 
 MESSAGE OF THE QUEEN. 
 
 To the President of the United States, Washington : 
 
 The Queen desires to congratulate the President upon the suc- 
 cessful completion of this great international work, in which the 
 Queen has taken the deepest interest. 
 
 The Queen is convinced that the President wi'l join with her in 
 fervently hoping that the Electric Cable which now connects Great 
 Britain with the United States will prove an additional link between 
 the nations whose friendship is founded upon their common interest 
 and reciprocal esteem. 
 
 The Queen has much pleasure in thus communicating with the 
 President, and renewing to him her wishes for the prosperity of the 
 r ted States. 
 
1 88 The Third and Successful Attempt. 
 
 REPLY 0^ THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 VV/3HINGT0N City, Aug. 16, 1858. 
 To Her r-^iesty Victoria, Quem of Great Britain: 
 
 The President cordiaUy reciprocates the congratulations of Her 
 M^jes^y, the Queen, on the success of the great international enter- 
 prise accoinpUshed by the science, skill, and indomitable ener-^y of 
 the two countries. It is a triumph more glorious, because far more 
 useful to mankind, than was ever won by conqueror on the field of 
 battle. 
 
 May the Atlantic Telegrap:, under the blessing of Heaven, prove 
 to be a bona of perpefual pe.«;c and fnanash^o between the kindred 
 nations, and an in.strument destined by Divine Providence to diffuse 
 religion, civilisation, hberty, and iaw throughout che world. In this 
 view win not all nation, of Christemlom spontaneously unite in the 
 declaration that it shall be for ever neutral, and tiiat its communica- 
 tions shaU be held sacred in passing to their places of destinaUcn 
 even m the midst of hostilities? (Signed) 
 
 James Buchanan. 
 
 Immediately after the transmission of the President's 
 reply, the Mayor of the City of New York sent the fol- 
 lowmg message to the Lord Mayor of London : 
 
 Mayor's Office, New York, Aug. 17 1858 
 To the RioU Honorable Sir Robert Wa.ker Garden, M. P Lord 
 Mayor of London : ' 
 
 AUa^t Cab e „„,t,„, .^e continents „f Europe and America and 
 tie cues of London and New York, the work of Great Britain 
 
The Third and Successful Attempt. 189 
 
 and the United States, the triumph of science and energy over time 
 and space, thus uniting more closely the bonds of peace and com- 
 mercial prosperity, and introducing an era in the world's history 
 pregnant with results beyond the conceptions of a finite mind. To 
 GK)d be all the praise. 
 
 Daniel F. Tiemann, 
 Mayor of New York City. 
 
 The Governor-General of Canada, on the same day, 
 forwarded his congratulations to the Home Government, 
 in the following dispatch : 
 
 The Honorable the Secretary of State for the Colonies. London, 
 England : 
 The G overnor-GenertJ of British North America presents his 
 humble duty to the Queen, and respectfully congratulates Her 
 Majesty on the completion of the Telegraphic communication 
 between Great Britain and these Colonies. 
 
 Edmund Head. 
 
 The frigate Niagara, having accomplished the task 
 allotted to her, returned to the port of New York on the 
 afternoon of Wednesday, August 18, after an absence of 
 five months and nine days. On the 10th of August, 
 before the departure of the Niagara from St. John's, a 
 banquet was given by the authorities in honor of Mr. 
 Field, ^vho responded in a brief speech to a toast given 
 in his honor. 
 
 In response to a complimentary address from the 
 

 f 1^ 
 
 4' M&v 
 
 190 The Third and Successful Attempt. 
 
 Executive Council of Newfoundland, Mr. Field wrote 
 the subjoined letter: 
 
 ToV^e Honora^U the E:^ii,e CauncU of Nev,foundland : 
 Mb. Pk^h>,,, ,,„ H0X0B.BLK G..XZ.MEK: I thank you with 
 aU -y heart for this cordial .an^estation of your good wiU T^ e 
 
 Upward of four years ago, when first I laid before the Legislature 
 telegraphic communication, I received vnnr ^ 
 
 whole view which has now wrived .t ;,. b , 
 
 The te™, of .hat charter wcrm 1, 1, '"°'"P""'™'°^ 
 
 your ocncib beea ^ided bv. d ^ T '"""'"«"'«' ""^ ''O 
 cu gumea by a different spirit, the project wonl.J 
 have been abandoned, and .ear, perhap, Z^l^J^^^CZ 
 out w.tnea3,ng th,s happ, „„i„n „f „, ,„ J^^ '* 
 
 ficent consequences it is destined to diffuse 
 
 The exclusive privileges oonfe.red bj- a,e coW on the New 
 ^or., NewfoundUnd, and London Telegraph Co^^ny, have Wei 
 
 obse^e th approving terms in which you rc'er to then,. Every 
 enlightened country recognises a right of property in fl,ose whT 
 
 ; r "* ""'^^ '-'"'"' "' *'" - "P^"' <-- been" 
 Thts protection is necessary to draw out the efforts of n,cn 
 
 works of puWic uUlity, f„, who would sow ifle H ,'" "" 
 
 Co.;::: :;:::: r ;r:rrcr ": --'-^ - *' 
 
 and T th- 1 .V ' P'^'"^'P'e of copyright only is involved 
 
 futuren^ay pX ve f 7: """ ' """""^"^ '™»' «- 
 y product.ve of much bcneflt to your people from .te 
 

 The Third and Successful Attempt. 191 
 
 great work which, from the beginning to the presett ''me, has had 
 your consistent and liberal support. I shall looV with peculiar 
 pleasure on the advantages you may derive from the proud position 
 of this colony in the Telegraph connexion of the Old and New 
 Worlds, and shall be ever ready to promote your views of advance- 
 ment by all means in my power. 
 
 I am, honorable gentlemen. 
 
 Your faithful servant, 
 
 Ctrus W. Field. 
 
 In another communication, addressed to the Chamber 
 of Commerce of St. John's, Mr. Field paid the following 
 deserved tribute to gentlemen who have taken an active 
 interest in the success of this enterprise : 
 
 I could not do justice to my own feelings, did I fail to acknow- 
 ledge how much is owing to Capt. Hudson and the officers 
 of the Niagara, whose hearts were in the work, and whose toil was 
 unceasing. 
 
 To Ccramandcr Dayman, of her Majesty's steamer Gorgon, for the 
 soundings so accurately made by him the last year, and for the per- 
 fect manner in which he led the Niagara in the great "circle arc" 
 while laying the Cable. 
 
 To Capt. Otter, of her Majesty's steamer Porcupine, for the care- 
 ful survey made by him in Trinity Bay, and for the admirable 
 manner in which he piloted the Niagara at night to her anchorage. 
 
 To Mr. Everett, who has for months devoted his whole time to 
 designing and perfecting the beautiful machinery that has so success- 
 fully paid out the Cable from the ships — machinery so perfect in 
 every respect, that it was not for one moment stopped on board 
 the Niagara until she reached her destination in Trinity Bay. 
 
'92 The Third and Successful Attempt. 
 
 To Mr. W„„„„„,3., who superintended the coiUng of the CahU 
 ^d .eaIou„y and abl, c„-ope...ed with hi. brother engineer durin"; 
 the progress of paying out. ^ 
 
 To the electricians, for their constant watcWulness 
 
 tha?™' T:'" *" '"°"' ""*" '•""■ ""> I <•-■ "-Went 
 that you w,U have a good report from the Commander, engineer, 
 
 electncans, «,d others on board the A,a^^. .nd rLrol, the 
 Irish portion of the fleet. ' 
 
 To the Directors of the Atlantic Tele^aph Company, for the Ume 
 they have devoted to the undertaking, without receiv,,,, any com 
 P^nsafon f„. their services, and it must be a pleasure to mLTrf 
 you to know that the Director who has devoted mo.e timcThl 
 any other, vva, for many years, a resident of this piaee, and we^ 
 known to a„ of you. I -htde to Mr. B»„o™o, o'f London. To 
 Mr. a M W«o„, a native of New England, but who has for the 
 h.t twenty-seven yea. resided in Londo.,, who appreciated the 
 great .mportancc of this ente-prise in both countries, and gave i 
 most valuable aid, bHn^ng his sound judgment and g-^eat buTn 
 talent to the service of the Company. 
 
 To that distinguished American, Mr. G.onoE PrxBonr, and his 
 most worthy partner, Mr. Moaa,», who not only assisted it mos^ 
 hberahy w.U> their means, but to whon; I could always go w ft 
 confidence for advice. 
 
 I shall rejoice ix> find that the commercial interests of this colony 
 
 * t w,n now be drawn by the agency of the Atlantic TCegraoh 
 between them, and the varied relations they hold throughouTthe 
 wld; and w«h,„g you all every prosperity and h.ppine^, 
 I am your very grateful friend, 
 
 Cyrus W. Field. 
 
The Third and Successful Attempt. 193 
 
 In closing this record of the progress of the Atlantic 
 Telegraph, it would be unjust to pass unnoticed the 
 pubUc demonstrations of joy at the success of the under- 
 taking. The whole Union rejoiced together. Every 
 city, town, village, and hamlet in all parts of ;'ie country, 
 sought to testify its sense of the importance of the work. 
 The proclamation of a peace ai^ter an exterminating war- 
 fare, could not have produced a more general outburst 
 of enthusiastic congratulation. It is no unimportant 
 part of the history of the entexprise to specify some of 
 these spontaneous demonstrations ; a considerable spacs 
 in the Appendix of this wo/k is accordingly devoted to 
 a general summary of the popular demonstrations which 
 occurred in diiferent parts of the United States, on the 
 receptioix of tidings of complete success — demonstrations 
 remarkable alike for their spontaneity and wild enthu- 
 siasm. 
 
 The Atlantic Telegraph is therefore a fact. A won- 
 derful work has been accomplished within the compass 
 of a few months. But two or three years elapsed from the 
 inception of the enterprise to its triumphant accomplish- 
 ment. England and America are placed within whis- 
 pering distance of each other : a new link in the chain 
 of destiny has been forged ; the electric current binds 
 two great nations together in bonds of amity : the world 
 has made a gigantic stride in tLp. path of progress : — the 
 
 9 
 
194 The Third and Successful Attempt. 
 
 men who live in this day have reason to hope for the 
 accomplishment of undertakings hitherto considered 
 impossil ic, and a new era dates from the laying of a 
 Cable in the Ocean. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 i 
 
 WORKING THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH — THE TERMINI OF 
 
 THE : 'NE. 
 
 TIME must test the practical operation of the Atlantic 
 Telegraph. Messages have passed over its entire 
 length, the Cable is in working order, and the- electricians 
 express satisfaction at the operation of the current. But 
 there is still a doubt whether a single small Cable will 
 suffice for the accommodation of the business which must 
 flow to this oceanic line. Another Cable, pcrliaps a 
 number, will probably be found requisite to meet the 
 requirements of Commerce. With new applications to 
 meet the increasing demand, will come improvements 
 suggested by experience. For the present, the initial 
 enterprise accomplishes all that we can justly expect ; 
 and with the future lies the solution of the difficulties 
 which have accompanied the beginning of th£ enterprise. 
 The primary source of the influence which was charged 
 with the service of Atlantic Telegraphy, wa.s a giant 
 volUiic battery, of ten capacit^us cells, termed the 
 
 . i 
 
i^Ks^ 
 
 19^) Telegraph- The Termini of the Line. 
 
 "Whitchouse Laminated or Perpetual Maintenance 
 Batterj," a title designating one pejuliarity .vUich espe- 
 cially fits it for employment. This battery is lade upon 
 the Smee principle, so far as the adoption of a quadran- 
 gular trough of gutta percha, wood strengthened outside, 
 in which dilute acid is contained, the proportion of acid 
 to water being one part in 15 or 16. Tliere are grooves 
 in the gutta percha, into which several metal plates slide 
 in a vertical position. Tiiese plates are silver and zinc 
 alternately, but they are not pairs of plates in an electri- 
 cal sense. Each zinc plate rests firmly at the bottom on 
 a long bar of zinc, which runs from end to end of the 
 trough, and thus virtually unites the whole into one 
 continuous extent of zinc, presenting not less than 2 000 
 square inches of excitable surface to the exciting liquid 
 Eacli silver plate hangs in a similar way from a metallic 
 bar, which runs from end to end of the trough above 
 the whole of the silver being thus virtually united into 
 one continuous surface of equal extent to the fue^ of the 
 zinc. The zinc does not reach so high as tiie upper 
 longitudinal bur, and the silver does not hang down as 
 low iuH the inferior longitudinal bar. The battery is thus 
 composed of a s.-nglc pair o.f laminated plates, although 
 to the eye it seems to bc^ made up of several pairs of 
 l>]at<'8. Nat.ire ha.s srt the example of arranging ex- 
 tended surface into redui.lieated folds, when i* . requiro.l 
 that such Burfuce shall be packed away in a narrow space 
 
Teiegrapli — The Termini of the Line. 197 
 
 at tlie same time tliat a large acting area is preserved, in 
 the laminated antenna} of the cockchafer. The antennaj, 
 indeed, are the types of the Whitehouse battery. If any 
 one of these reduplicated segments of either kind ol' 
 metal is removed, the remaining portion continues its 
 action steadily, the effect merely being the same that 
 would be produced if a fragment of an ordinary pair of 
 plates were tcmporariiy cut away. The silver laminas 
 are of considerable thickness, and securely "platinated" 
 all over- -that is, j)latinum is thrown down upon their 
 surfaces in a compact metallic form, and not merely in 
 the black pulverulent state ; consequently they are 
 almost exempt from wear. Each zinc lamina is with- 
 drawn as soon as its amalgamation is injuriously affected, 
 or so soon as its own substance is iuainly eaten away by 
 the action of the chemical menstruum in which it is 
 immersed, and a freshly amalgamated, or new zinc 
 lamina, is inserted into its j)lacr*. The capability of the 
 piecemeal renewal of the consumptive element of the 
 battery in this inteq)olutory and fragmentary way, is 
 then llie cau?e of its '' juTpetual maintaining" j)owcr. 
 The intensity of a voltaic arrang(>in«M't depends njM)ii 
 tl.f number of it»s pairs of plates, or cells. If, in tli(^ 
 experiment, the intensity <»f the electricity had be^-n 
 incre.'use^l, without any ahi^'ratiou of (juantity, merely by 
 multiplying tiie number of the eclls ciigagiMl, or by somo 
 analogous ino<li(ieatioii of itistruMriital agency, the bo<ly 
 
198 Tt.egraph-The Termini of the Line. 
 
 wUicL resisted the eurront of the battery with sueh com- 
 plete efieet, would have been flashed through and burnt 
 up, like the frag„.ent of metal that had inferior powera 
 01 resistance. 
 
 The flashes of light and eraekling sparks produeed on 
 making and breaking cont.aet with the poles of this grand 
 battery are very undesirable phenomena in oue partieu- 
 tar. They are aeeompanied by a considerable w.nste of 
 the n,etal of the pole. Eaeh .spark i. really a eonsider- 
 ubio Iragment of the metal absorbed into itself by the 
 eleetncal agent, so to speak, and flown away with by it 
 To avo.d this danger, an ingenious eont.ivanee of the 
 Eleetr,c,an of the Company will be u.s^.d. ,.i^t he 
 amngnl a set of twenty br.^s. springs, .something of' the 
 form and appearance of the keys of a musical instrument 
 .n oppos.te pairs, so that a round horizont,.d bar, turning 
 •..vot-ways on its own centre, and flattened a the top 
 could ,,ft by an edge either of the sets of Urn sprin,^' 
 
 If 7 t '" ;' "^" '"-"'• This enabled the cont;: 
 to be .l,.,tn ,utc.d thr„ugh the entire length of the e,I.e 
 ■■■"'• ''.vadth of the bra., springs, and the eou.e of ,t 
 
 ^•;'"''V",'"^'"^'''-'''''' ••'•-"'■•"■•«'>■ -the right or ,ea 
 
 •■■i«.' 1 .0 bar Keing w,.Ued by a ..nu.k.hand,e) w.. 
 
 -■;'''>'-,gl,,,,,.,,.fl.vt..r..prings_therigl.t.,et,it 
 
 . '";":"'"^^ '•'-"«"- .■-prosentat.ves of one ple 
 
 urmiiL'-cnipt.f C >,,,.. r. (VI., ,- ., . ' - '** 
 
 . .., ,,,,,,, ,,. .^.^ ^|,;irks uvrc drstroye.I, 
 
Telegraph — The Termini of the Line. 199 
 
 simply on account of the large surface of metal, through 
 which the electrical current had to pass when contact 
 was completed. Still there remained enough to consti- 
 tute a very undesirable residue. This was disposed of 
 finally, aftor sundry tentative attempts, by coiling a piece 
 of fine platinum wire and placing it in a porcelain vess«il 
 of water, and then leaving this fine platinum coil in 
 constant communication with the opposite poles. The 
 battery is unquestionably one of the most economical 
 that has ever been set to work, considering the amount 
 of service it is able to perform. It is calculated that the 
 cost of maintaining the ten-celled battery in operation at 
 the terminal stations on either side of the Atlantic, 
 incluu! g all wear and tear, and consumption of materia], 
 will nou exceed one shilling per hour. 
 
 The voltaic current therefore passes to a silk-covered 
 wire, in innumerable coils, enveloping a bar of sof^ iron 
 immediately sheathed in gutta-percha. Several miles of 
 this fine wire (No. 20) are twined about tliis iron centre ; 
 then comes another coat of gutta-})ercha ; then another 
 coil of wire, thicker this time, (No. 14,) and 1^ miles in 
 length. The voltaic current, passing through the wires, 
 anu reacliing the iron core, converts it into a powerful 
 magnet, exciting acurrentof electricity, which is delivered 
 to the No. 20 coil, and thence to tlie e;ibk', whence' it 
 d('j)arts on its Tranaatlantie voynge. 
 
 The traiisjriihsion current gcncnitcil in these double- 
 
H 
 
 200 Telegraph-The Termini of the Line. 
 
 induction coils, on reaching the further side of the Atlan- 
 tic, will of course have become somewhat faint and weak 
 from the extent of the journey it has performed. It 
 will not, therefore, be set in this state to print or to hard 
 work ; but it will be thrown into a sort of nursery, known 
 a^ the receiving instrument, where it. flagging energies 
 will be restored. The conducting strand of the cable 
 will be here made continuous with a coil of wire gut- 
 rounding a bar of soft iron, which will become a tempo- 
 rary magnet, strong in proportion to the number of turns 
 m the coil, whenever the current parses. This temporaiy 
 magnet will have its precise polarity determined by the 
 direction in which the electric current pas.es along the 
 wire. The pole which will be north when the current 
 passes in one direction, will be south when the current 
 runs the opposite way. The apparatus relied upon by 
 the Company to effect this object is an improvement upon 
 the relay magnet, which figured in Messrs. Cooke and 
 Wheatstonk's patent. The advantage of it in, that the 
 temporary magnet has no other work to do than to make 
 the small permanent magnet traverse upon its almost 
 frictionless pivot. On account of this peculiarity of con- 
 struction, It ])osseasos the utmost sensibility. It may be 
 J^ut into vigorous action by a sixi)eneo, and . frag.nent 
 of z.nc placed on the moist t.mgue. When two or three 
 of these instruments are scattered about in the room 
 
 where the I;" ■••!' i] 
 (J 
 
 ,1.1. 
 
 niauction coila ore at work, they 
 
Telegraph — The Termini of the Line. 201 
 
 are commonly heard clicking backwards and forwards 
 automatically, and doing a little business on their own 
 account, although no current of any kind is thrown upon 
 their coils. They are then merely traversing upon their 
 pivots, obediently to the magnetic attraction of the great 
 bars, having their magnetism successively reversed some 
 two or three yardc away, and, curiously enough, are 
 sympatheacally recording, at such times, precisely the 
 same signals and messages that the great magnets are 
 sending off through the transmission coils. 
 
 A description of the termini of the Atlantic Telegraph 
 line appropriately completes this history. 
 
 The American terminus is at Trinity Bay, in New- 
 foundland; the British, at Valentia Bay on the west coast 
 of Ireland. The position of these two points is indicated 
 on the accompanying map. 
 
 The approach to Trinity Bay is exceedingly pictu- 
 resque, and possesses all that wildness and grandeur of 
 scenery which distinguish nearly the whole coast of New- 
 foundland. When the weather is clear, the peaks of 
 the high headlands can be seen some thirty miles out at 
 sea, and a nearer view shows a country of peculiarly 
 mountainous character. The first thing that strikes the 
 visitor is the baiTen and rocky nature of the land ; but 
 there are some parts which are particularly susceptible of 
 cultivation, and where, considering tlie inhos})itable cha- 
 racter of the climate, farming has been successfully curried 
 
 9* 
 
 M 
 
 iv 
 
i\ 1 
 
 
 202 Telegraph— The Termini of the Line. 
 
 on. It must be confessed, however, that the prospects for 
 agricultural operations are not of the most encouraging 
 kind, and that cod-fishing is, as it must always prove, 
 the most lucrative occupation. Between those bleak,' 
 wild mountain ranges there are some beautiful little val- 
 leys, through which run streams of the purest, sparkling 
 water. Indeed, there is an inexhaustible supply of this 
 common but valuable and necessary article, both in the 
 numerous lakes, rivers, and streamlets with which the 
 whole island abounds, and which come gushing out of 
 every rock in the summer time, or are frozen up m icy 
 stillness and death during the long and cheerless winter. 
 The entrance to Trinity Bay is about thirty miles wide, 
 and on either side rise the bold headlands of Baccalo and 
 Horse Chops— the latter of which is about five hundred, 
 and the former seven hundred feet in hight. The shore 
 of the bay is marked by indentations and smaller bays, 
 and inlets have been worn into its rocky boundaries by 
 the restless action of the sea, which breaks here with 
 resistless fury. Large caves, running far into the moun- 
 tain barriers, have been hollowed out by the same agency, 
 and the dc:p scams that scar the front of the rocks show 
 that time has also left his mark upon them. 
 
 The other terminus of the line, is Valentia Bay, which 
 is i)erhaps the most available point on the whole southern 
 coast of Ireland, both on account of its being the nearest 
 '■'■ - -wfouudluiui, and on account of its particular adapta- 
 
 XT 
 
 iiO IMC 
 
Telegraph — The Termini of the Line, 203 
 
 bility for a telegraph station. The county of Kerry, 
 which is indented by Yalentia Bay, and in which the 
 shore end of the cable was landed on the evening of the 
 6th of August, 1857, is very similar in its natural 
 features to that pai-t of Newfoundland which we have 
 just described. Huge mountains rise up on almost 
 every side, and great masses of rock, in a thousand fan- 
 tastic shapes, stand out in solitary isolation miles from 
 the land. Two of these — of such gigantic dimensions 
 that they almost approach the dignity of mountains — 
 guard the entrance of Dingle Bay, like weather-beaten 
 sentinels ; while farther in from the ocean is a long 
 mountain range, the face of which is worn with deep 
 fissures, while its base is hollowed out at irregular inter- 
 vals by caves, some of which extend, according to the 
 statements of the peasantry, several hundred feet into the 
 very heart of the mountains. The bay has a depth in 
 some places over a hundred fathoms, but it is so open to 
 the sea, and the anchorage is so bad, that it is one of the 
 worst places which a vessel could select in a storm. But 
 Valentia Bay is more protected, and although not safr in 
 a storm, affords much better anchorage. The land, for 
 miles into the interior, is very rocky and barren, and 
 affords a poor pasturr.ge for the diminutive but hardy 
 race of cattle for which the county Kerry is so famous. 
 The huts of the peasantry which dot the hill sides, show 
 too })lainly the poverty of the lower cla^'ses of the people. 
 
 'i 
 
204 Telegraph— The Termini of the Line. 
 
 and ho^ miserably theij labor is rewarded. The ruins 
 of churches, which were built by pious Cathohcs as long 
 ago as the fourth or fifth century, are 3trikingly in accord- 
 ance with the impoverished appearance of the land and 
 of the people. The Island of Valentia suffered fearfully 
 during the famine in Ireland, and hundreds died of star- 
 vation on the road side or in the miserable dwfllings, 
 some of which still remain, and in which their bodies 
 were found many weeks after their death, unburied, and 
 in a horrible state of emaciation. Within the last few 
 years, it is said, the condition of the people haa consider- 
 ably improved. 
 
 About three miles from the head of Valertja Bay is 
 the post town of Cahirciveen, and at the same distance, 
 but in another dire^^tion, lies Knightstown, a small vil- 
 lage of some five hundred inhabitants. This village is 
 called after the Knight of Kerry, a gentleman who has 
 been one of the strongest advocates of the Atlantic 
 Telegraph. The small land cove in which the bay ter- 
 minates wa& decided upon last year as the place for the 
 landing of the cable, and has rot been changed since. 
 It is, in fact, the very best spot that could be selected. 
 J. bout four hundred yards from the beach, a telegraph 
 building, somewhat similar to that at Trinity Bay, New- 
 foundland, has been erected, and supplied with everything 
 necessary for the business and accommodation of the 
 operators. The iunction with tho. nahlp. xyi]] be formed 
 
Telegraph —The Ter.nini of the Line. 205 
 
 by a land line running to Cork, from Cork to Dublin, 
 thence across the channel to England, and by other con- 
 nexions with the great net work of telegraphs, which 
 extends over the whole continent of Europe, and which 
 has already embraced within ?t portions of Asia and 
 Africa. 
 
 E^G 
 
^»? 
 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 I. 
 
 ACTION OP CONGRESS IN RELATION TO THE INTER- 
 NATIONAL SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH. 
 
 In the Senate of the United States, Dec. 23, 1856, Mr. Sewakd sub- 
 mitted a resolution which was unanimously adopted, requesting the 
 President of the United States to communicate to the Senate such 
 information as he might possess, concerning the condition and pros- 
 pects of the proposed plan for connecting by submarine wires the 
 Magnetic Telegraph wires on this continent and Europe. In 
 response to this resolution, President Pierce, on the 29th of the 
 same month, transmitted to the Senate the following message and 
 accompanying correspondence : — 
 
 To the Senate of the United States : 
 
 In compUance with a resolution of the Senate of the 23d instant, 
 requesting the President to communicate "to the Senate, if not 
 incompatible with the public interest, such information as he may 
 
 •• - 
 
 lAeu 
 
208 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 have concerning the present condition and prospects of a proposed 
 plan for connecting by submarine wires, the Magnetic Telegraph 
 lines on this continent and Europe," I transmit the accompanying 
 report from the Secretary of State. 
 
 ^,r , . Fhankun Pierce, 
 
 VV aslungton, December 29, 1856. 
 
 Department or State, 
 Washinoton, Decen^er 26, 1&56. 
 The Secretary of State, to whom was referred the resolution of 
 the Senate of the 23d instant, requesting the President "to com- 
 municate to the Senate, if not incompatible with the public interest, 
 Buch irxformation as he may have concerning the present condition 
 and prospects of a proposed plan for connecting, by submarine 
 wires, the Magnetic Telegraph lines on this continent and Europe," 
 has the honor to lay before the President a copy of a letter of the 
 15tli instant, which he has aI.o referred to this department, ad- 
 dressed to him by the President and Directors of the New York, 
 Newfoundland, and London I'elegraph Company. 
 
 W. L. Marct. 
 To the President of Uio United States. 
 
 Office of the New Youk, Newfoundland, and London 
 
 Teleoraph Company, 
 
 New York, December 15, I85G. 
 
 8iR-The undrr3inrn,.d, Diroct^ira of the New York, Newfound- 
 
 InniJ on.l T,»...l..., T .1 1 /-<__ 
 
 ' "'■" -"-"fs""!'" v.wiupr»ny, imvo tiie iionor lo mlorni 
 
 you that contraofa have boon made Sbr the manufacture of the sub- 
 
Appendix. 
 
 209 
 
 marine telegraphic Cable, to connect the continents of Europe and 
 America; and that it is expected to have the line between New- 
 York and London open for business by the 4th of July, 1857. A 
 communication to this effect having been laid before the I^rds 
 Commissioners of her Britannic Majesty's Treasury, elicited a reply, 
 of which we have now the honor to submit to you an official cqiy, 
 just received by the United SUtes' mail steamship AtlarMc, from 
 Cyrus W. Field, Esq., Vice-Proeident of this Company. As the 
 work has been prosecuted thus far with American capital, aided by 
 the efforts of your Adminis'-ation to ascertain the feasibility of the 
 enterprise, it is the earnest desire of the directors to secure to the 
 Government of the United States equal privileges with those stipu- 
 lated for by the British Government. To this desire the LoiMs 
 Commissioners of the Treasu-y have acceded in the most liberal 
 spirit, by providing "That the British Government shall have a 
 priority in the conveyance of their messages over all uiuers, subject 
 to the exception only of the Government of the United States, in 
 the event of their entering into an arrangement with the Telegraph 
 Company similar in principle to that of the British Government, 
 in which case the messages of the two Governments shall have 
 priority in the order in whi.:h they arrive at the stations." In view 
 of the great international interests of this Government, and th.,> con- 
 stant recurrence of grave question., in the solution of which time 
 will be an essential element, we cannot doubt that the reservation 
 ,„ade in favor of the United Slates will he deemed of great mo- 
 ment. We therefore hasten to eommuni-ate the facts to you, and 
 to re.,ue.st. in view of the fact that llie pre.eut Conp-.^ss ;n il soon 
 tonninate its existence, and that -lie Cable will Lc laid, if no ;hv,- 
 .tent prevcnt.s, before the new (\nigress .nmmenees it.s se..ion, tl.at 
 
 yiMi wi 
 illlrii 
 
 11 tak 
 
 e su( 
 
 ■Il netion m Hn- ]uemises 11.1 yn 
 
 ,f t!ii4 (foverntnrnt to re(iuire 
 
210 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 Tlic Company will enter into a contract with the Government of 
 the Un-t^u States on the sauic terms and conditions as it has made 
 with the British Governmp : such a contract will, we suppose, fall 
 within the provisions of th, < titution in regard to postal arrange- 
 ments, of which this is only a new and improved form. 
 
 "We have tlie honor, also, to call your attention to the second 
 proviso in the letter of the Lords Commissioners, to the following 
 
 effect : 
 
 " Her Majesty's Government engages to furnish the aid of ships 
 to make what soundings may still be considered needful, or to verify 
 those already taken, and favorably to consider any request that may 
 be made to furnish aid by their vessels in laying down the cable." 
 
 We are informed that no private steamships now built are 
 adapted to laying a cable of such dimensions as is proposed to be 
 used, but that the war-steamers recently finished by our Govern- 
 ment are arranged to the very best advantage for this purpose. 
 
 To avoid failure in laying ihe Cable, it is desirable to use every 
 precaution, and we therefore have the honor to request that you 
 will make such recommendations to Congress as will secure author- 
 ity to detail a steamship for this purpose, so that the glory of 
 a(;conip1isliing what has been justlv styled "the cruwning enterprise 
 of the ape" may be divided between tlic greatest and freest Govern- 
 ments on the face of the globe. 
 
 With great respect, wo have the honor to be, Sir, your moat obe- 
 dient servanta, 
 
 1'ktku CooPKii, President. 
 
 M. O. RoBKUTS, 
 
 Moses Tayi 'K, 
 
 Wu.^'jN G. IIuvj'. Di'cctora. 
 
 Tiif rr'-sulfiit ot'tlio rniti'd SfntivA. 
 
Appendix. 
 
 211 
 
 Treasury Chambers, November 20, 1855. 
 
 Sib, — Having laid before the Lords Commissioners of her Ma- 
 jesty's Treasury your letter of the 13th ultimo, addressed to the 
 Earl of Clarendon, requesting, on behalf of the New York, New- 
 foundland, and London Telegraph Company, certain privilege? :;ad 
 protection in regard to the line of telegraph which it is proposed to 
 establish between Newfoundland and Ireland, I am directed by their 
 loraships to acqun at you that they are prepared to enter into a 
 contract with the said Telegraph Company, based upon the follow- 
 ing conditions, viz: 
 
 1. It is understood that the capital required to lay down the line 
 will be (£350,000) threa hundred and fifty thousand pounds. 
 
 2. Her Majesty's Government engage to furni.^h the aid of ships 
 to take what soundings may stiU be considered needful, or to verify 
 those already taken, and favorably to consider any request that may 
 be made to furnish aid by their vessels in laying down the Cable. 
 
 3. The British Government, from the time of the completion of 
 the Une, and so long as it shall continue in working order, under- 
 takes to pay at the rate of (£14,000) fourteen thousand pounds a 
 year, being at the rate of four per cent, on the assumed capital a? a 
 fixed remuneration for the work done on behalf of tlie Government, 
 in the conveyance outward and homeward ol their messages. This 
 paynitnt to continue imtil the net profits of the Company are equal 
 to a dividend of six pounds per cent., when the payment shall bo 
 nMlvuH'd to (C10,000) ten thousand pound.s a year, for a period of 
 twcnty-iive years. 
 
 It is, liow<-ver, understood that if the Govi-rnnient message n 
 :uiy year shall, at the usual tariff rate diarged tothe puliiic, am -unt 
 to a larger sum, sucti additional payment siiaii be made as is equiva- 
 lent thereto. 
 
212 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 [, 
 
 4. That the British Government shall have a priority in the con 
 vejance of their messages over all others, subject to the exoeptioi 
 only of the Government of the United States, in the event of thei 
 entering .n o^ arrangement with the Telegraph Company simila 
 in princii *hat of the British Government, in which case th. 
 
 messages of tl.-e two Governments shall have priority in tlie ordei 
 ia which they arrive at the stations. 
 
 5. That t^e tariff of charges shall be fixed with the consent of 
 the Treasury, and shaU not be increased without such consent being 
 obtained, as long as this contract lasts. 
 
 I am, sir, your obedient servant, 
 
 James Wilson. 
 CvRcs W. Field, Esq., 37 Jermyn Street. 
 
 On the 9th of January, 1857, Mr. Seward obtained leave to intro- 
 duce a bill (S. No. 493) to expedite telegraphic communication for 
 the use of the Government in foreign intercourse; which was read 
 twice, and referred to the Committee on the Post Ofiice and Post 
 Roads; and on the 13th of January, it was reported back by Mr. 
 CoLLAMER without amendment. On the 21st of January, the Se- 
 nate proceeded to its consideration. 
 
 In the course of the debate, in wliich Senators Seward, Hall, 
 Risk, Douglas, Collamer, Toicet, and others participated, Mr! 
 Seward used the following remarkable language: 
 
 Mr. Sewar,.: Tliere was an American citizen who, in the year 
 1770, or •lu.r,.;.l„>ut, indicated to tiiis r.-untry, to Great Britain and 
 to the world, the use of the lightning t.,r .lu- pu. poses of comnumi.v 
 t.on ,T intelligen.H', an.l that w.-.s r,,. Franklin. I am .^ure that 
 ?::ere in nut uAy no hivmbvi ui liie Senate, but no American citi- 
 y.vn, however humble, who would bo willing to have struck out 
 
Appendix. 
 
 213 
 
 ted, 
 
 Mr. 
 
 the 
 
 year 
 
 Uin 
 
 an<l 
 
 irnuni('„ 
 
 ure 
 
 tliat 
 
 can 
 
 citi- 
 
 uck 
 
 out 
 
 from the achievements of Americau invention thia great discovery 
 of the lightning aa an agent for the uses of human society. 
 
 The suggestion made by that distinguished and illustrious Ameri- 
 can was followed up some fifty years afterwards by another sugges- 
 tion and another indication from another American, and that was 
 Mr. Samuel F. B. Morse, who indicated to the American Govern- 
 ment the means by which ♦^he hghtning could be made to write, 
 and by which the telegraph wires could be made to supplj the place 
 of wind and steam for carrying intelligence. 
 
 We have followed out these suggestions of these eminent Ameri- 
 cans hitherto, and I am sure at a very small cost. The Government 
 of the United Suites appropriated $40,000 to test tht practicability 
 of Morses suggestion ; the $40,000 thus expended establishe<i its 
 pnvtjticability and its use. Now, there is no person on the face of 
 the globe who can measure the price at which, if a reasonable man, 
 he would be willing to strike from the world the use of the magne- 
 tic telegraph as a means of communication between different por- 
 tions of the same country. This great invention is now to be 
 brought into its further wider and broader use — the use by the 
 general society of nations, international use, the use of the society 
 of mankind. Its benefits are largo — just in proportion to the extent 
 and scope of it^ operation. They are not merely benefits to the 
 Government, but tliej are benefits to the citizens and subjects of all 
 nations anc' of all States. I think there is not Uving in the StaU» of 
 South Carolina, or Tennessee, or Kentucky, or Virginia, a man wlio 
 would be willing to have the use of the telegraph dispensed with or 
 overthrown in reducing the cost of exchange of ins particular pro- 
 ducts to the markets of the United States. I think so beeaase of 
 the celerity with which comtuuuication of the state of demaml and 
 yupt'ly in a distant market alVects the value of the auicle in the 
 luinds of the p oducer, and reduces by so much tlio cost of tlie agea- 
 
 hi ; 
 
 Pi 
 pi 
 ill 
 
 ill 
 
214 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 t 
 
 cies employed in its sale. Precisely the same thing w-hich thus hap- 
 pens at home must necessarily happen wh.n you apply it to more 
 remote markets in othe: parts of the world. 
 
 I might enlarge further on this subject^ but I forbear to do so, 
 because I know i^' ., at some future time I shall come across the 
 record of what I have said to-day. I know that then what I have 
 said to-day by way of anticipation, will fall so far short of tlie reaUty 
 of the benefits which individuals, states, and nations will have de- 
 rived from this great enterprise, that I shall not reflect upon it with- 
 out disappointment and mortiiication. 
 
 At the conclusion of the debate the bill was passed, as follows: 
 
 A BILL TO ExpEDiTK Telkgraphio Communication for the Uses of 
 TUE Government and its Foreign Intercourse. 
 
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
 United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary 
 of State, in the discretion and under the direction of the President 
 of the United States, may contract with any competent person, 
 persons, or association, for the aid of the United States in laying 
 down a Subamrine Cable, to connect < xisting Telegraphs between 
 the coast of Newfoundland and the coast of Ireland, and for the use 
 of such submarine communication, when established^ by the Govern- 
 ment of the United Slates, on such terms and conditions as shall 
 seem to Uie President just and reasonable, not exceeding $70,000 
 per annum, until the net profits of such person, or persons, or asso- 
 ciation, shall be equal to a dividend of six per cent, per annum, and 
 ihen not exceeding $50,000 per annum for twenty-five years : Pro- 
 vided, That tlie Government of Great Britain shall, before or at the 
 same time, enter into a Uke contract for those purposes with the 
 same person, persons, or association, and upon terms of exact equa- 
 hty witli those stipulated by tlie United States: And Praviikd, That 
 
Apj>endix. 
 
 215 
 
 the tariff of prices for the use of such submarine communication by 
 the public shall be fixed by the Secretary of the Treasury of the 
 United States and the Government of Great Britain, or its author- 
 ized agents : Provided further, That the United States and the citi- 
 zens thereof shall enjoy the use of the said Submarine Telegraph 
 comraunication for a period of fifty years, on the san)-^ terms and 
 conditions which shall be stipulated in favor of the Government of 
 Great Britain, and the subjects tbereoi", m the contract so to be 
 entered into by such person, persons, or association, with that Go- 
 vernment: Provided further, That the contract 30 to be made by 
 the British Government, shall not be diflerent from that already 
 proposed by that Government to the New York, Newfoundland, 
 and London Telegraph Company, except such provisions as may be 
 necessary to secure to ea^h Government the transmis&ion of its own 
 messages by its own agents, — [Approved, March 3, 1857.] 
 
 The Charter of the Compant, passed by Parliamest. 
 
 The Act of Incorporation of this Company obtained at the second 
 Session of the English ParUament for the year 1857, and receiving 
 the Royal assent July 27 of that year, is a document of twenty-ono 
 pages. It is entitle! "An ict to incorporate and regulate the 
 Atlantic Telegraph Company, and to enable the Company to esta- 
 blish and work Telegraphs between Great Britain, Ireland, and New- 
 foundland ; and for other purposes." It begins by setting forth 
 that in October, 1856, a company vas estAblibhed in England to con- 
 nect Great Britain or Ireland with Newiornuiuial hy a SuC'riianne 
 electric Telegraph, thus establishing electric communication be- 
 
2l6 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 t\V(jen Europe and America, having a capital of three hundred thou- 
 sand pounds divided into three hundred shares of one thousand 
 pounds each. The number of shares was afterwards increased to 
 three hundred and fifty, all of which wer' issued, and the sum of p'l: 
 hundred pounds was paid upon each share. It also set forth that in 
 consequence of agreements entered into with other companies and 
 persons, and in order that the undertaking, which is one of great 
 public and national importance, shall be speedily carried into execu- 
 tion, it is desirable that a new company (including the original 
 shareholders) should be constituted with the necessity powers to 
 carry out the undertaking ; and the Atlantic Telegraph Company was 
 therefore incorporated, with all the rights and privileges, and assum- 
 ing all the liabilities entered into by the old company. The right 
 was granted to the new company, by a two-thirds votf , to Increase 
 the capital stock to £1,00,000, the Directors having authority to 
 create additional shares of not more than £1,000 nor less than £20 
 each. The r'ght was given to boiTOw one-third of the capital on 
 bond or mortgage, but one-third of the money icceived for calls 
 must be applied to iV repayment of such money until the whole 
 shall be discharged. 
 
 Ten shareholders holding stock to the amount ( f £15,000, have 
 authority to require the Directors to call an extraordinary meeting 
 of the Company, the time of the annual meeting being fixed for the 
 month of February, in London ; twenty shareholders having stock 
 to the amount of £50,000 constituting a quorum. A two-thirds 
 vote of the Company shall authorize the Directors to subdivide the 
 £1,000 shares int ) fifty shares of £20 each, a £1,000 share con- 
 ferring fifty votes upon the holder. The Board of Directors is fixed 
 at eiglueen, but the number may be reduced at any general meet- 
 ing, but not below eight. The qualification of a Director is the 
 holding of £1,000 in the stock of the Company, and the Dir tors 
 
Appendix. 
 
 -17 
 
 of the original Company shall be the first Directors of the ne',. Com- 
 pany. The remuneration of the Directors is to be fixed by the 
 stockholders. The Company has authority to elect fr'^m the share- 
 holders ordinarily resident in the United States or tne British Pro- 
 ■«^inces of North America, not more thin eight from the former and 
 four from the latter, who shall be Honorary Directors, shall have the 
 right to be present, take part in and vote at the meeting of Direc- 
 tors, but are not to be counted in determining whether there is a 
 quorum, and shall aceive no remuneration for their services. 
 
 The British Government reserves the right to appoint an ex-ofllcio 
 Director of the Company, for the purpose 01 securing Jie due fulfil- 
 ment on the part of tae Company of all contracts for the transmis- 
 sion of signals and messages ^or her Majesty or on her Majesty's 
 service. This ex-officio Director is not to go out of office with 
 the other Directors, but he is removable at the pleasure of the 
 Government He is to be a shareholder in the Company or not, 
 as the Government may think fit; he is to be present at all 
 meetings of the Directors and of the Company ; and has power to 
 examine all books and documents of the Company ; but has not 
 the right to vote, and does not receive any remuneration from the 
 Company, 
 
 He has the powsr, in case he is of opinion that any act or 
 course of the Company is prejudicial to the performance of tlie con- 
 tracts with Government, or the regular, speedy, and impartial trans- 
 mission if messages for the public, or otherwise disadvantageous to 
 Government or the pubhc, to veto the taking of such course or tno 
 doing of such act, when the matter shall be referred to the Lords 
 Commissioners of the Treasury, whose opinion shall be final, unless 
 the Board of Directors see fit to appeal to two Judges of the Supe- 
 rior Court at Westminster, whose decision shaii be final and con- 
 clusive on all parties. The election of Directors of the Company, 
 
 lU 
 
 i 
 
2l8 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 'II 
 
 I' 
 
 ordinary or honorary, is subject to the appio"al of the Lords Com- 
 missioners of the Treasury. 
 
 The undertaking of the Company was set forth to be the laying 
 down of one or more submarine Telegraph Cables betweer. Ireland 
 and Newfoundland, or on the Continent of America, and the work- 
 ing of such Unes. They are authorized and empowered to make 
 arrangements with the New York, Newfoundland, and London and 
 other Companies, for the transmission of messages and for the 
 charges on the sume, a. may be necessary for the carrying out of the 
 object of the Company. They are empowered to fix and receive 
 reasonable charges for the transmission of messages, and may 
 demand pre-payment of the same. With the exception of the pri- 
 ority of government messages, aU others for the public are to 
 be received and sent without favor or preference, according to the 
 order of time in w ;h they shall have been received by the Com- 
 pany. The following section m regard to the right of government 
 priority, we quote entire: — 
 
 " LVI. All messiges and signals sent or forwarded for transmis- 
 sion and delivery lu. her Majesty or on Her Majesty's service shall 
 have priority over aU other messages whatsoever, and it shall be 
 imperative on the Company, their officers and servants, to transmi; 
 and dehver such messages and signals accordingly, and to suspend 
 the transmission of all or any other messages until the said messages 
 and signals shall first have been transmitted; Provided, always 
 tiiat the Company may, in consideration of a guarantee or subsidy 
 granted or secured by the Government of the United States, equal 
 in rate or amount to tliat granted by or on behalf of her Majesty's 
 Government, grant ami extend to the Government of the United 
 States the like priority for intelligence, on and for their service over 
 all othci- messages and signals whatsoever, except those for her 
 Majesty or on her Majesty's service, and after they shall have so 
 
Appendix. 
 
 219 
 
 done, and shall have notified their having so done to the Lords 
 Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury, the messages and signals 
 on the service of the Government of the Uni "ed States shall thence- 
 forward be entitled to, and shall have, during the continuance in 
 force of any such guaranty or subsidy, the Uke priority as messages 
 and signals for her Majesty or on her Majesty's service over those 
 of all other persons whomsoever, and thenceforward messages and 
 signals for her Majesty or on her Majesty's service, and those on the . 
 service of the Government of the United States, shall, as between 
 themselves, have no right of priority, but be transmitted and deli- 
 vered respectively in the order of time in which they may be 
 respectively tendered for transmission and dehvery." 
 
 If the Government and the Company cannot agree upon the rate 
 of remuneration for sending public messages, tlie matter is to be 
 settled by referees. 
 
 The Company is authorized, whether or not they shall grant for 
 the Government of the United States any such priority as is stated 
 in the section before quoted, to make arrangement with that Govern- 
 ment for the transmission of their messages. The following section 
 authorizes the English Government, under certain circumstances, to 
 take possession of the works of the Company. 
 
 " LXII. At all times from and after the period of twenty-five 
 years from the opei '.ig of the said l-nes of TelagTaph conmmnica- 
 tioii for the transmission of messages, whenever one of her Majesty's 
 principal Secretaries of State for the time being shall be of opinion 
 tliat 'ircumstances render it expedient to vest in her Majesty's 
 Goven ment the control of the operations of the Company, it shall 
 be lawf 1 for such Secretary of State, by warrant under his hand, 
 to .ase possossion to be taken of all the Telegraphs and Tele- 
 '"aphic apuaraliis di iiie VaiiuuS pinuOiiS Oi liic vOmpany, UiCir 
 licenses or assigns, for the space of one week from the date of such 
 
220 
 
 A^jpendix. 
 
 i|^ 
 
 ■warrant, for the purpose of preventing any communication being 
 made or signals given, save such as shall be directed and authorized 
 by any sucii Secretary of Stute, and also by further successive war- 
 rants to cause possession of the said Telegraphs and Telegraphic 
 apparatus to be retained from week to week, so long as any such 
 Secretary of State shall deem such possession expedient for the 
 public service : Prv/vided always, that for every week during which 
 possession shall be so retained, the Company, their hcensees or 
 assigns, shall receive from and be paid by the Lords Commissioners 
 of her Majesty's Treasury, the same amount of profits as the Com- 
 pany ivould have made in case they had continued the working of 
 the said Telegraphs, such profits to be computed upon an average 
 of the weekly profits of the Company for the three months imme- 
 diately preceding the issuing of the first of the said warrants." 
 
 Any negUgence or delay in the transmission of a message, makes 
 the officer liable to a fine not exceeding £20. ^^., damage to the 
 works of tlie Company is lecoverable bj a suit at la^v, and any per- 
 son committing 'nich mjury is liable also to punishment as for the 
 commission of a misdemeanor. 
 
Appendix. 
 
 221 
 
 II. 
 
 LIEUT. M. F. MAURY* ON THE FEASIBILITY OF 
 OCEANIC TELEGRAPHS. 
 
 On the 22d of February, 185^, mor. than four years and a half 
 ago, Lieut Maury addressed the following letter to the Secretary 
 of the Navy. Its predictions have been signally vonfied : 
 
 National Observatort, * 
 WAsmifOTON, February Z2, ''854. 
 
 Sir,— The United States brig Dolphin, Lieutenant Commanding 
 0. H. Bkrkyman, was employed last summer upon especial service 
 connected with the researches that are carried on at this office con- 
 cerning the winds and currents of the sea. Her observations were 
 confined principally to that part of the ocean which the merchant- 
 men, as they pass to and fro upon tlie business of trade between 
 Europe^ and the UrHed States, use as their great thoroughfare. 
 Lieutenant Berryman availed himself of this opportunity to carry 
 along also a Une of deep sea soundings from the shores of New- 
 foundland to those of Ireland. The result is liighiy interer^ting, in 
 so far as the bottom of the sea is concerned, upon the question of a 
 Submarine Telegraph across the Atlantic ; and I therefore beg leave 
 to make it the subject of a special report 
 
 This line of deep sea soundings seems to be decisive of the ques- 
 tion as to the p. . McabiUty of a Submarine Telegraph btftween the 
 two .continents, .>^ so far as the bottom of the deep sea is concern^. Flora 
 Newfoandland to Ireland, the distance between the nearest points 
 
222 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 l-i* 
 
 is about 1,600 miles ;* and the bottom of the sea bet\/een the two 
 places is a plateau, which seems to have been placed there especially 
 for the purpose of holding the wires of a Submarine Telej^'raph, and 
 of keepmg them out of harm's way. It is neither *oo deep nor too 
 shallow ; yet it is so deep that the wires but once landed, will 
 remain for ever beyond the reach of vessels' anchors, iceb. rgs, and 
 drifts of any kind, and so shallow that the wires may be readily 
 lodged upon the bottom. The depth of this plateau is quite regular, 
 gradually increasing from the shores of Newfoundland to the depth 
 of from 1,500 to 2,C )0 fathoms as you approach the other side. The 
 distance between Ireland and Cape St. Charles, or Cape St. Lewis, 
 in Labrador, is somewnat less than the distance from any point of 
 Ireland to the nearest point of Newfoundland. But whether it 
 would be better to lead the wires from Newfoundland or Labrador 
 is not now the question ; nor do I pretend to consider the question 
 as to the possibility of finding a time calm enough, the sea smooth 
 enough, a wire long enough, a ship big enough, to lay a coil of wire 
 1600 miles in length; though I have no fear hut thut the enterprise 
 and ingenuity of the age, whenever called on with those problems, 
 will be ready with a -;itisfactory and practical solution of them. 
 
 I simply address myself at this tirii(> to the question m so far as 
 Che bottom of the sea is coiicenietl, and as fur as that the greatest 
 practical dinicultiiM will, I apprehen<l, be found after reaching sound- 
 ings at either end of the line, and not in the deep sea. ♦ * 
 
 A wire laid across from either of the above-name.l places on this 
 side will p.u^s to the north of tiie Gran<l Banks, and rest on that 
 beautiful j)lateau to which I have alluded, and where the waters of 
 
 • From r(iiu> Freels, Newtoundlaini. to Krris Hcaii, Ircliuid. the di.stn 
 
 nee 
 
 in i,tiii imi-'f*; iTum riijK' Ciiarit's, or (.apo .St. Lowis, Labrador, to ditto, 
 the distaiico in 1,(J01 miles. 
 
Appendix. 
 
 223 
 
 the sea appear to bo as quiet and as completely at rest as it is at the 
 bottom of a mill-pond. It is proper that the reasons should be 
 stated for the inference that there are no perceptible currents, and 
 no abradin- agents at work at the bottom of the sea upon this Tele- 
 graphic Plateau. I derive this inference from a study of a physical 
 fact, which I Uttle deemed, when I sought it, had any such bear- 
 ings. 
 
 Lieut Berryman brought up with Brooke's deep-sea sounding 
 apparatus specimens of the bottom from this plateau. I sent them 
 to Prof. Bailey, of West Point, for examination under his micro- 
 scope. This he kindly gave ; and that eminent microscopist was 
 quite as mu< h surprised to find, as I vas to learn, that all those spe- 
 cimens of deep-soa soundings are filled with microscopic shells ; to 
 use his own words, '' not a particle of sand or gravel exists in them:' 
 These little sheila, therefore, suggest the fact that there are no cur- 
 rents at the bottom of the sea whence they came— that Brooke's 
 load found them where they were deposited in their burial-]. lace 
 after having lived and died on the surface, and by gradually sinking 
 were lodged on the bottom. Had there been currents at the bot- 
 tom, these would have swept - oradod and mingled up with 
 these mien scopic remains tl.o dw .5 01 the bottom of the sea, such 
 as ooze, sand, gravel, and other n' itter; but not a particle of sand 
 or gravel was found among lUtm. Hence tlie inference that tiioso 
 depths of the sea are not disturbed either by waves or current.'^. 
 Consequently, a telegraphic wire once laid there, there it would 
 rcnuain, us completely beyond the reacli of accident as it would be 
 if buried in air-tight cases. Therefore, so far as the bottom of the 
 deep sea between Newfoundlaml, .^r the North Cap.', at the luoutli 
 
 of the St. Lawrence, and Ireland, is concerned, the practicability of 
 
 _ _^ . •••_■■„_> * * 
 
 a Submarine leiegnipii mro:<^< iin- Aii.ni.u: ■- i-.r..;;;. 
 
 In this view of the subject, and for tlic purpose of hastening the 
 
224 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 ^li 
 
 completion of such a line, I take tlie liberty of suggesting for your 
 consideration the propriety of an offer froin the proper soiirce, of a 
 prize to the Company through whose Telegraphic Wire the first 
 message shall be passed across the Atlantic. 
 
 I have the honor to be, respecLfully, &c., » 
 
 M. F. Maury, Lieut. U.S. Navy 
 Hon. J. C. DoBBiy, Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D.C. 
 
 In December, 1856, the follovring correspondence passed :— 
 
 House or Representatives, 
 Washington, December 30, 1856. 
 Sir, — The submarine communication which now excites so much 
 attention, both in the Congress of the United States and the coun- 
 try, will, I perceive by the map of the ^ rvey, terminate on tiisside 
 the Atlantic in the British possessions, t.'. in Newfoun 'land. 
 
 Will you do mc the favor, at your earUest convenience, to answer 
 the following questions, to wit : 
 
 Is there a point, U7ider our flag ^ which would answer for the west- 
 ern terminus ? 
 
 If not, what are the obstructions? 
 
 What influence would it have in a miUtary point of view? 
 Very respecCuUy, your obedient servant, 
 
 , . , , ^, „ C. C. CUAFFEE. 
 
 l.ieut. Maury, U.S. Navy. 
 
 U.S.N. Ohservatory and HvDRoa. Okhce. 
 Washinqton, Dcceiuher 31, IbSG. 
 :. ,-c rirtivvii joiir ri..i<- ui liic SOVn iusiant, making cei- 
 tain ui<iuiri.'9 in relation to tlie Subinanne Telegraph of the Atlantic, 
 
 a 
 
Appendix. 
 
 225 
 
 and -ishing to know what are the obstructions which p event the 
 western end of the wire from being brought straight across the sea 
 to our own shores. 
 
 The difficulties are manifold, and in the present state of the tele- 
 graphic art, th3y may be considered insuperable. 
 
 The shortest telegraph distance between the Bn.ish Islands and 
 the United SUtea, without touching English soil by the way, i., in 
 round numbers, three thousand miles, and the lightning has never 
 yet been made to bear a message through a continuou i wire of such 
 a length. Here, therefore, is an obstruction. 
 
 The distance from the Western Islands to the nearest point on 
 our shores is about equal to the distance between Newfoundland 
 and Ireland; and the distance between 3 Irish coast and the 
 Western Islands is about (itleeu hundred nules. Therefore, with a 
 relay on ihe Western Islands a line from Ireland, via those Islands 
 to our own sho'<:s, is electrically piacticable. 
 
 But wire by that route would have to cross the Atlantic at its 
 deepest part, and then the Portuguese Government, as well as the 
 English, would have control of the line ; so that, in a miUtary, com- 
 mercial, or pohtical point of view, nothing would be gained by 
 underrunnmg the Atlantic with the telegraphic wires by that route. 
 Moreover, that route would lead the wires across a volcanic region. 
 These constitute obst.-uctions that, in the present state of our know- 
 Knige, are fatal to such a route. 
 
 The onl> practicable route for a Submarine Telegraph between 
 the United States and Eiighnd appears to be along the " plateau" 
 of tiio Atlantic, whereon it is proposed to lay the wire that is now 
 in process of construction. 
 
 But suppose a Imo were to be constructed by A erican entcr- 
 
 .1 T>_:.:^i. ^1 .-...^ ..II •!>.. »....«r »,\ otiki ivf liijr kujji-nyrk 
 ;;;:' x;:;;.;.^:i . :f--;t.- , zzi: ':-.• — --j — ^ ._ 
 
 bonof In time of pfuce the hue along the " plateau"' 
 
 towns: cui 
 
226 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 woul<1 by reason of iU groiit ivdviintagca, take all the business ; and 
 in war Uio British authorities need but cut the Anierean cord, or 
 t.ikr charge of its oll'iee at the otlier end, to render the whole hno 
 inoperative or perfeetly useless to us. 
 
 It eunnot but be regarded by every wise and good man as a for- 
 tunate circunisUince, that this great enterprise of the sub-Atlantic 
 Telegraph is the joint work of England and Ameriea. This eir- 
 euuistance ought of itself to serve as a guarantee to the world that, 
 in ease of war— should war unhai)pily ever be waged between these 
 two nations— that eord is never to be broken, or to be used 
 otherwise than freely and fairly alike by the two nations, their citi- 
 zens and subjects. 
 
 We have just seen the great nations of Europe emerging from the 
 horrors of a fierce and bloody war ; and yet, to their honor and the 
 glory of the ag" be it said, that that strife, ven-^eful though t was, 
 was nut savage enough to break a single line of telegraphic^ wire. 
 Thf lightning ran 'o and fro with messages between St. Peters- 
 burgh and the capitals of France and England, as it now does. And 
 in ease of war with this eoinUry, after that electric cord is .«tretehed 
 by the joint means and enter[irise of tiie two jicoph' upon the quiet 
 bottom of the deep sea, neitiicr of the two Govcrnnunts would dare 
 take tlmt cord, and, in tin' lace of the Chri.^lian states and people of 
 the age, convert it into a military engine to be turnetl against iUs 
 joint-owners and partners. 
 
 Our fellow-citizen.i who contrived, planned, and brought forward 
 this noble work, are too sagneious and patriotic not to have per- 
 ceived that lyinf as it does wlioUy within the control of a foieiKu 
 pow.T, that power, were it a nation of (Joths and Vantials, miglit 
 tr.ru the path they were about to make ft.r the lightning along the 
 be.l of liie ocean a^rainst their owi co-uitry in war; but (hey knew 
 (he people on the other side, and trusted to higher and nobler .sen- 
 
Appendix. 
 
 227 
 
 timente. The Biili^h Government, iuterfeie with the free use oi' 
 that Cable even in war! The spu-it I' the age i. against such an 
 act, and no SUte within the pale of Christendom, much less that 
 great English nation of noble people, would dare to do such a thing. 
 Her people and rulers would not if they could; they could not if 
 they would. We might as well think of tearing up now, in peace, 
 the railways between Canada and the States, or of abrogating d.e 
 steam-engine because it may be turned Pgainst us in war. 
 
 Wl'on Captain Cook was on his voyage of discovery, France and 
 England were at war. The king of France was requested not to lei 
 his armed cruisers destroy the records of that expedition in case 
 any of them should fall in with it. You recollect the noble reply : 
 "I war not against science;" and forthwith every French man-of- 
 war had orders to treat Cuok as a friend, should they faU in with 
 him ; and assist, not interrupt, him in the object of his cruise. To 
 tliis day the memory of tliat king is held in more esteem for that act 
 and sentiment than for any other act of his reign. 
 
 A little more than three years ago, at the n.a-ilime conference of 
 Brussels, where the principal natio.is of the world assembled in the 
 persons of their representatives, to d.-vise a uniform plan of physi- 
 cal research at sen, and to report th.' best form for the abstra.:t h.g 
 to be used on board ship for marking the observations upon its 
 winds and current.s, those functionaries alluded to this sentiment of 
 ,lu. French monarch, and a.^pealed each to his own Government to 
 ,„,,,.,. that, in case of war, this abstract log should also be regarded 
 as a sacred thi.a^ It is made s... The armed cruisers of the var:ous 
 nations that are co-operat.ng in this system of research are requued 
 to touch that record with none but friendly hands. 
 
 This Submarine Telegraphic line is an achiev.-ment whicli tins 
 
 , . _ 1 1 . »l,: t.> i\i\ in liriiiirinnr .ibout : 
 
 very system of resean-u Tirij n;ui r. ;:::c>.:::::^ ■ ,, . 
 
 ..,n.i IS it likely that it will or can be monopolizcl by any po^>■.•r f,.r 
 
228 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 war purposes ? Fairly and dearly it may be considered as the joint 
 property of those who are operating as r -workers and joint co- 
 laborers in that beautiful r^stem of physical research by whi'.h a 
 way for the hghtning has been discovered under the sea and across 
 the ocean. 
 
 This system of research, it has been proclaimed over and over 
 again, was not undertaken for the exclusive advantage of any one 
 people or nation, but for the benefit of commerce, the advancement 
 of science, and for the benefit and improvement of the whole 
 human ft-rnily ; and with this understanding the nations of Europe 
 entered into it. ' 
 
 Being joint owners and equal participators in such a great enter- 
 prise as this, we may, w' h propriety, under these circumstances, 
 demand a fair participation in all its advantages. 
 
 But suppose we should stand aloof, and that the enterprise now 
 on foot should be abandoned by our citizens and government, and 
 then suppose war to come ; in less than six months after its decla- 
 ration, the British government could, on its own account, have a 
 wire stretched along this telegraphic plateau between Newfoundland 
 and Ireland. 
 
 You do not desire me in your note to consider the Chnstianiiiing, 
 political, social, and peace-preserving influences Avliich tnis fascicle 
 of copper threads, when once stretched upon tlie bed cf the ocean, 
 is to have, and therefore I do not offer any of the vie%/s which pre- 
 sent themselves from such a stand-point. This much, hov.ever, I 
 may say : Submarine Telegraphy is in !:s infancy, but it is in the 
 aot of making the =>trido of a full-grown giant ; and no problem can 
 to my mind be more satisfactorily demonstrated than is the practi- 
 cability of readily, and almost without risk, laying tlit» wire from 
 land to land upon this telegraphic i)latcau of the Atlantic. 
 
 Respectfully, Ac, 'SI F. Mauht. 
 
 Hon. C. C. CiiAKFKK, lIi>ii=!o of llt'pre'^enfative-, Washiiig'on. 
 
Appendix. 
 
 229 
 
 III. 
 
 THE BASIN OF THE ATLANTIC, AND THE TELEGRA- 
 PHIC PLATEAU.* 
 
 There is at the bottom of the Atlantic, between Cape Race in 
 Newfoundland and Cape Clear in Ireland, a remarkable steppe, 
 which is already known as the telegraphic platoau. A Company is 
 now engaged with the project of a submarine telegraph across the 
 Atlantic. It is proposed to carry the wires along this plateau from 
 the eastern shores ol Newfoundland to the western shores of Ire- 
 land. The great circle distance between these two shore-lines is 
 one tliousand six hundred miles, and the sea along the route is pro- 
 bably nowhere more than ten thousand feet deep. This Company, 
 it is understood, consists of men of enterprise and wealth, wl o. 
 .Uould the inquiries that tlioy are now making prove satisfy tovy. 
 u . jr. pared to undertake the establishment forth A-ith of a Suliuu- 
 rii e Tclci^'ruph across the Atlantic. 
 
 It was upon this plateau that Brooke's sounding apparatus 
 brought up its first trophies from tlio bottom of the sea. These s,.e- 
 ciinens Lieutenant Bekryman and his officers judged to be clay ; but 
 they took the precaution to label them, carefully to preserve them, 
 and, on their return to the United States, to send them to the pro- 
 per'bureau. They were divided: a part was sent l.r examination 
 to Professor Ehrkn-hkug, of Berlin, and a part to Professor Bailev, 
 of West Point-eminent microrcopist^s both. I have not heard 
 
 _ _. - -^.^_ < .. ..r .1.,. u„., " l,,T Li"UL M 1*^- Maurt. 
 
 * IToin the •• t io""-"' "^'^''^'"'i""^ " —- - , 
 
 New York: ITarprr * Brothers, 1855. 
 
230 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 I 
 
 from the former, but the latter, in November, 1853, thus re- 
 sponded : 
 
 " I a;., greatly obliged to you for the deep soundings you sent me 
 last week, and I have looked at them with great interest. They 
 are exactly what I have wanted to get hold of. The bottom of the 
 ocean at the depth of more than two miles I hardly hoped ever tc 
 have a chance of examining; yet thanks to Brooke's contrivance, 
 we have it clean and free from grease, so that it oan at once be put 
 under the microscope. I was greatly delighted to find that all these 
 deep soundings were filled with microscopic sheUs; not a particle of 
 sand or gravel exists in them. They are chiefly made up of per- 
 fect httle calcareous sheUs {Foraminifera;\ and contain, also, a small 
 number of silicious shells (Diatornacea;)" 
 
 These httle mites of shells seem to form but a slender clue indeed 
 by which the chambers of the deep are to be threaded, and myste- 
 ries of the ocean revealed; yet the results are suggestive; in right 
 hands and to right minds, they are guides to both light anJ know- 
 ledge. The first notice.' le thing the microscope gives of these spe- 
 cimens is that all of them are of the animal, not one of the mineral 
 kingdom. The ocean teems with life, we know. Of the four ele- 
 ments of the old philosophers— fire, earth, air, and water— perhaps 
 the sea most of all abounds with Uvir^ --ptur-.s. The space occu- 
 pied on the surface of our planet by the different families of animals 
 and their remains are inversely as the size of the individual. Tljc 
 t^maller the animal, the greater the space occupied by liis remains. 
 Though not invariably the case, yot tliis rule, to a certain extent, is 
 true, and will, therefore, answer our present purposes, which m- 
 simply those of illustration. Take the elephant and his remains, or 
 a microscopic animal and his, and compare them. The contrast', a.s 
 to space orcui>ip(l. ig as atn'L-i'ricr "° 'i^"* -<■ 'i - 1 " __ • • 
 
 ■ • <■-> '" ■■■■•■- ■" !"L i.A;.iii r.i I ui jsiiinii 
 
 Will, the dimensions of the whale. The grave-yard that would 
 
Appendix. 
 
 231 
 
 
 hold the corallines is larger than the grave-yard that would hold 
 the elephants. 
 
 We notice another practical bearing in this group of physical 
 facts that Brooke's apparatus fished up from the bottom of the 
 deep sea. Bailey, with his microscope, could not detect a single 
 particle of sand or gravel among tliese Uttle mites of shells. They 
 were from the great telegraphic plateau, and the inference is that 
 there, if anywhere, tlie waters of the sea are at rest. There was 
 not motion enough there to abrade these very deUcate organisms, 
 nor current enough to sweep them about and mix up ^\ ith them a 
 grain of the Quest sand, nor the smallest particle of gravel torn from 
 thj loose beds of debris that here and there strew the bottom of tlie 
 sea. This plateau is not too deep for the wire to sink down and rest 
 upon, yet it is not so shallow that currcuts, or icebergs, or any 
 iibrrding force can derange the wire, after it is or lodged. 
 
 As rrofossor Bailey remarks, the animalcula, whose remains 
 Brooke's lead has brought up from the bottom of the deep sea, pro- 
 bably did not live or die there. They would have had no hght 
 there, and had tliey Uved there, their frail little textures would have 
 been subjected in their growth to a pressure upon them of a column 
 of water twelve thousand feet high, equal to the weight of four 
 iiundred atmospheres. They probably lived and died near the sur- 
 face, where they could feel the genial influences of both hght and 
 boat, and were buried in the Uchen caves below after death. 
 
 Brooke's lead and the microscope, therefore, it would scorn, are 
 jibout to teach us to regard the ocean in a new light. Its bosom, 
 which so teems with animal hfe; its face, upon which time writes 
 no wrinkles— makes no impression— are, it would now seem, as 
 obedient to the great law of change as is any department whatever, 
 cither of the animal or the vegetable kingdom. It is now suggested 
 tlia:, henceforward we should view the surface of the sea as a nur- 
 
 iMliWMBigiMiiiMieiii 
 
232 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 sery teeming with nascent organisms, its depths as the cemetery for 
 'amilies of Uving creatures that outnumber the sands on the sea- 
 shore for multitude. 
 
 Where there is a nursery, hard by there will be found also a 
 grave-yard — such is the condition of the animal world. But it 
 never occurred to us befo'-s to consider the s.-face of the sea as one 
 wide nursery, ito every ripple a cradle, and its bottom one vast 
 burial-^)l6ce. 
 
 ^n those parts of the sohd portions of the earth's crust which are 
 at the bottom of the atmosphere, various agents are at work, hvel- 
 hng both upward and downward. Heat and cold, raiu and sun- 
 shine, the winds and the streams, all assisted by the for es of gravi- 
 tation, are unceasingly wasting away the high places on the land, 
 and as perpetually fiUing up the low. 
 
 But in contemplating the levelling agencies that are at work upon 
 the sohd portions of the crust of our planet which are at the bottom 
 of the sea, one is led at first thought ah-^ost to the conclusion that 
 these levelling agents are powerless thert. 
 
 In the deep sea there are no abrading processes at work ; neitlier 
 fros'a nor rains are felt there, and the force of gravitation is so para- 
 lysed down there that it cannot use half its power, as on the dry 
 land, in tearing the overhanging rock from the precipice and casting 
 it down into the valley below. 
 
Appendix. 
 
 2^3 
 
 IV. 
 
 EAKLY PREDICTIONS OF PROFESSOR MORSE. 
 
 New York, Atig'"st lOth, 1843 
 
 Sir : I take this opportunity of communicating to the honorable 
 Secretary the result of the experiments made on the 8th inst, with 
 the prepared wiie in one continuous hne of 160 miles. Professors 
 Renwick, Draper, Ellet, and SchaefFer, with my assistants Professors 
 Fisher and Gale, were present by invitation; Professors Silliman, 
 Henry, Torrey, and Dr. Chilton were also invited, but were prevented 
 by official duties from attending. 
 
 In the letter to the honorable Secretary dated March 10th, 18-13, 
 in which I propose my general plan, T have this remark, speaking of 
 the wire after its insulating preparation should be completed : " Many 
 interesting experiments bearing upon the general result can then lie 
 tried bev the wire is enclosed." 
 
 The ex J. iments alluded to were tried on Tuesday, and with per- 
 fect success. I had prepared a galvanic battery of 300 pairs in order 
 to have a.T^ple power at command, but, to my great gratiucation, I 
 found that 100 pairs were sufficient to produce all the effects I de- 
 sired through the whole distance of 160 miles. 
 
 It may be well to observe that the 160 miles of wire are to be 
 divided into four lengths of 40 miles each, forming a fourfold cord 
 from Washington to Baltimore. Two wires form a circuit; the 
 electricity, therefore, in producing its eflects at Washington from 
 
 E-li! , .,»o,a .o r...^>v^ TlnU ;.«<-..•<-> in VVaaliinort/^n Iind hftf'k ftfai.l i,0 
 
 Baltimore, of course travelling 80 miles to produce its result. One 
 
234 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 hundred and sixty miles, tlierefore, gives me an actual distance of 80 
 miles, double the distance from Washington to Baltimore. The 
 result, then, of my experiments on Tuesday is, that a battery of only 
 100 pairs at Washington will operate a telegraph on my plan 80 
 miles distant with certainty, and without rijquiring any intermediate 
 station I 
 
 Some careful experiments on the decomposing power at various 
 distances were made, from which the law of propulsion has been 
 deduced, verifying the results of Ohm and those which ^ made in 
 the summer of 1842, and alluded to in my letter to the Hon. 
 C. G. Ferris, and published in the Ho- report No. 17 of the last 
 Congress. 
 
 The practical inference from this law is that a telegraphic communi- 
 cation on the eleciro-magnetic plan may, unth certainty, be established 
 a.ross the Atlantic ocean/ Startling as this may now seem, I am 
 confident the time unU come when this project uriU be realized. 
 
 The wire is now in its last process of preparation for encbsing in 
 tlie lead tube, which will be commenced ou Tuesday, the 15th inst. 
 
 I have the honor to be, sir - nth sincere respect, your most obedi- 
 ent servant, 
 
 SAMUEL F. B. MORSE, 
 Superintendent of Electro-Magnetic Telegraph. 
 To the Hon. John C. Spencer, 
 Secretary of the Treasury of the U. States. 
 
Appendix. 
 
 235 
 
 V. 
 
 USE OF THE TELEGRAPix IN CONNEXION WITH 
 LONGITUDE OPERATIONS. 
 
 At th Second Annual Meeting of the American Association for 
 tlie Advancement of Science, held at Cambridge, Mass., in August, 
 1849, a valuable paper, embodying the results of Telegrpphic obser- 
 vations of Longitude, was read by Mr. Sears C. Walker, a capable 
 astronomer, since deaeased. The investigations upon tb^ subject 
 were undertaken by Mr. Walked, under the direction of the Super- 
 intendent of the Coast Survey. The question of determining longi- 
 tudes by the use of telegraphic wires, is now invested with fresh 
 interest. The material portions of the report of ! • "^alker may, 
 therefore, be reprodu'^ed in -annection with this hi Lory. Mr. 
 Walker said : 
 
 "The first mention of the electro-magnetic telegraph, in connec- 
 tion with longitude operations, i-s far as I know, was made, in 
 1837, by M. Arago to Dr. Morse. 
 
 " The first practical application of the method was by Capt.WL-.es, 
 in 1844, between Washington and Baltimore. Two chronometers, 
 previously rated by astronomical observations in the vicinity, were 
 brought to the two telegraph ofl&ces, and were compared together 
 through the medium of the ear, without coincidence of beats. This 
 process is accurate enough for geographical or nautical purposes : but 
 its precision stops short of the mark where the requirements of 
 
 when placed side by side, cannot be compared together, by the human 
 
236 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 ear, with sufficient precision for geodetical purposes. The subse- 
 quent experience of the Coast Survey has shown, that where several 
 astronomers make independent comparisons of clocks, in tl is man- 
 ner, two seconds of an arc, or twelve hundredths of a second of time, 
 is ati average discrepancy between their results. 
 
 " The subject of telegraph operations for longitude had engaged 
 the attention of the Superintendent of the Coast Survey previous to 
 the experiment of Capt. Wilkes ; but the orders received by me for 
 this purpose bear date November 24, 1845. In 1846, the very I'rst 
 season in which two astronomical stations of the Survey were 
 brouglit in connection by the Morse telegraph lines, the work of 
 connecting them together in longitude was commenced in earnest by 
 the superintendent of the Coast Survey. The cooperation of the 
 Nationai Observatory, as one of the stations, was freely tendered by its 
 Superintendent, Lieut. Maury, U. S. N., and accepted by Prof. Bache. 
 
 " Another station was established ut Philadelphia, under the super- 
 intendence of Prof. Kendall, and still another at Jersey City umler 
 Prof. Loorais. 
 
 "Owing to the imperfect insulation of the lines, the connection of 
 Jersey City with Washington failed tliat year ; but the Washington 
 and Philadelphia stations were connected togoiher astronomically on 
 the 10th and 2'2d of October. The method (1 comparison by cuiiici- 
 deuce of beats of solar and sidereal timekeepers, was not introduced 
 this year; but the e<)uivak'ut one was employed, viz., the exchange 
 o* star-signals. These are the dates of instants of the pas.sage of a 
 stAr over the wires of the eye-piece of the transit instrument, sig- 
 nalized by ijipping on t)ie telegraph key at one station, and record- 
 ing it on the Morse register at both. 
 
 "In 184n, we connected together in longitude the Wa,shingfon 
 niid i'liiiiiiicijiiiiu slaiiuii:^. in io4i, iiic* |nugi .iiiiiiif i<;il tiiiiiiii^iicti 
 
 in iy4G, by the imperfection of the lines, was re-Jiuued and com- 
 
Appendix. 
 
 237 
 
 pleted, and Washington, Philadelphia, and Jersey City vere con- 
 nected together. On the 27th of July, 1847, the method of coinci- 
 dence of bfjats, used so successfully by R. T. Paine, Fsq., in the chro- 
 nometric operations for longitide in Massachussets, and by Strave 
 and Airy in their chronometric enterprises, was applied to the tele- 
 graphic comparisons of the Philadelphia and Jersey City clocks. 
 This method of coincidences was used in combination with exchangi's 
 of star-signals in the telegraphic operations of ihe Coast Survey in 
 1848, when the Cambridge Observatory, under Prof. Bond, and the 
 Stuyvcsant Station in New York, were connected together by the 
 Coast Survey. 
 
 " In October, 1848, Cincinnati was connected with Philadelphia. 
 The labors of the year 1848 comprise some 1,800 observed transits 
 of stars, 800 comparisons of chronometers by coincidences of beats 
 taken at the stotions, 5,000 transits over wires, for determining the 
 personal equations of the officers of the Survey, many thousand 
 exchanges of personal clock signals, and 600 star-transit signals. 
 
 " Of the different kinds of registers I prefer the sheet of Mr. Sax- 
 ton. One sheet filled on both sides, or two pages, will contain an 
 ordinary night's work. A year's work will make a book of some 
 three hundred pages, on the margin of which may be entered the 
 ordinary remarks for an observing-br>uk, relative to the state of the 
 level and meteorological instrument.^, names of stnrs observed, and 
 iustruraentid devittti(ms. If fjliod up, or buuiid and put away 
 for a century, the reduction of the work will thm be as ea.«y as at 
 first. In fact, we may, with the metallic cylinder, electrotype tlie 
 jilatp; or, using copper, we tiiay print from it witlxMi^ 
 
 " W[\cn we reflect that the probable error of oii- tran«i» over on.« 
 wire is only the sixteenth of a second, and that with five win-^ it 
 is only a thirty-s xt>i part, or tliree humhedtli ol a second, it is iiiaiii- 
 fest tliat one uUy, ot five wires, is ample for all urdinary work. In 
 
238 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 fact, one wire is sufficient for most of the purposes of astronomy, j 
 have been led, on consideration of all the facts known from the expe- 
 rience of the Coast Survey, to make the following remark relative 
 to the precision of our work, after proper adjustment of the transit 
 instrument, or measurement of its deviations from a normal state : — 
 The printed transit of a fundamental star over any one wire of Wur- 
 deman's diaphragm, and that of a star, planet, or comet, whose place 
 is sought, over another wire, — both reduced to the centre, on the suppo- 
 sition of uniformity of interval,— give the place of the object sought with 
 a precision not much below that on which rest the present elements of aU 
 the bodies in the solar system." 
 
Appendix. 
 
 239 
 
 VI. 
 
 VELOCITY OF THE GALVANIC CURRENT. 
 
 In the year 1850, the American Association received a paper 
 embodying the results of experiments on the velocity ol" the Galvanic 
 Current in Telegraph wires. These experiments were made under 
 the direction of Prof. A. D. Bache, Superintendent of the Coast Sur- 
 vey ; and a very excellent summary of them was prepared and laid 
 before the American Association, by Dr. B. A. Gould, Jr., from 
 whose report we copy : — 
 
 The ingenious experimenL* of Prof. Wheatstone, in 1834, tended 
 to conhrm the general opinion previously existing, that the velocity 
 with which the electricity was transmitted by a metallic conductor 
 was so enormous — so immense, indeed, compared with all other 
 ve'ocities known to us, excepting that of hght — as to warrant the 
 assumption of our incapacity to determine it. On this account, 
 Wheatstone's elegant experiment obtamed for its autlior the more 
 distinction, and for his results the greater confidence. One of iht^se 
 results, as aiipounced by liini, was, tliat the velocity of electricity 
 through the topper 'vir«\s used, was indeed appreciable, — but ex- 
 ceeded tiiat of Ught through the i)UinetArj space,! that it could not 
 be les.H than 2H8,0()0 miles in a aecoiid, wliile light traverses about 
 ISf),000 during the same time. 
 
 Tiie telegraphic observations, instituted under the immediate 
 direction uf Mr. Walker, by tlie U. S. Coast Survey, for determin- 
 lUL' lli(! ilifTeretiocs ot lu^iyitude between reiiiot'.' HfjifinT'.j ■!! *]•.!' 
 
 ♦ Tbir TruM , l-*i. j>. tm. 
 
 t Phil. Trans.. iSfti, p. B91. 
 
240 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 i 
 
 United States, led to a very unexpected result, — viz. : that to obtain 
 the greatest harmony among the several observations, a smrll correc- 
 tion must be introduced, depending on the relative distances between 
 the telegraphic stations. No explanation of this phenomenon offer- 
 ed itself, excepting the hypothesis suggested* by Walker, and com- 
 municated by Prof. Bache to the Am. Phil. Society in March, 1849, 
 that the time elapsing during the passage of the signals between 
 remote stations was much more considerable, and the velocity, con- 
 sequently 'cSS than had been before imagined. 
 
 Since >Valker's results were first published, the subject has 
 engaged the attention of numerous astronomers and physicists in 
 Europe and America, among whom Mitchel, Fizeau, and Steinheil 
 are conspicuous. The subject belongs in itself far more properly to 
 the domain of physics than to astronomy, but its special bearing 
 upon the problem of longitude, and the manner in which it has 
 fon.'cd itself upon the consideration of astronomers, have made it 
 nicumbent ii[)i)n them to enter into a full disi:ussion of the subject 
 
 While in Washington in the month of February last., I accepted 
 with plc'isure an invitation from Mr. Walker to take part in »n ex- 
 periment on a very large scale, for which he had been long engnged 
 in making preparation in behalf of the Coast Survey, and from which 
 he anticipated results so ample as to put an end to the controversy. 
 Tiie Seaton St^ation of the Survey in ^ ishingtidi, north of tlie 
 Capitol, and the city of St. Loui.s, were i;o (M'ted on the 4th Febru- 
 ary, in one colossal galvanic ciiciiit, and but the damage occa- 
 sioiicd by a storm on tlie siitic day, the i ircuit would havt> extended 
 even a )ubuque, in tJie Territory oi Iowa, a distance of some 15()0 
 milc^. 
 
 On the night of Oct. 31, 1810, a series of experiments was made 
 
 • Proo. Am. riill Soc, v. p. T«. A«tr. Nschr., xxix. 64. 
 
Appendix. 
 
 241 
 
 for the express purpose of determining the time needed for the 
 transmission of signals. The results are pubhshed in No. 7 of the 
 Asir. Joum., with a detailed account of the methods which he used, 
 and an analytical investigation of the effects of those circumstances 
 which could interfere with the accuracy of his results. The mea- 
 surements of all the registers gave him fbr the velocity on that 
 night 16,000 miles a second,— differing less than 1900 miles from his 
 previous result, and tending in general to confirm it. The final 
 result at which he arrived was the general theoren, — that a signal 
 given by breaking or closing the galvanic circuit at any point, was 
 observed at other points on the circuit after intervals proportionate 
 to their distance from the place where the signal was made, — and 
 corresponding to a velocity of from 16,000 to 19,000 miles. 
 
 Prof Mitchel, of the Cincinnati Observatory, dissents from the 
 view taken by Ts^r. Walker, and attributes tlie rosults obtained by 
 him to the effect of various sources of error and uncertainty in the 
 methods which Walker has used. He devised a special and very 
 curious apparatus for investigating the question, — and with the 
 inrenuity and n-echanical skill for which he is so eminent, con- 
 structed it at the Cincinnati Observatory, and ma e a largo series of 
 interesting experiments on the Telegraph hne between Cincinnati 
 ftnd Pittsburgh. Prof. M.'s view of the matter is, that after a sig- 
 nal is given by closing or breaking the galvanic circuit, an appre- 
 ciable time elapses before the signal is communicated to any other 
 station, and that it is then received by all aimu'iUmeously. He con- 
 sidci s this in connection with the details of his experiment to indi- 
 cate that two fluids cu-culato m onposite directions between the 
 [)t>lt!a of a battery, but that neither makes its influence perceptible 
 until co.nplete cii' illation of each has taken place from pole to pole. 
 The velocity of tiu.T circulation Prol. Mitchel inters to be about 
 30,000 miles a second. 
 
 11 
 
'SiB 
 
 242 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 Were the arrangement of the Telegraph such now as it was at 
 firSt, one source of uncertainty would perhaps have been avoided in 
 the experiments ; but the opportunity of solving tliis latter problem 
 would have been lost Until telegrapuers availed themselves of the 
 discovery of Steinheil, that no control over the circuit was lost 
 when one half of it was formed by the earth, each Telegraph line 
 was double — consisting of one wire to the terminus and another 
 back. But in all the lines in use in this country, the earth forms 
 one half of the circuit. Are we to consider, when the two distant 
 extremities of a line of wire communicate with the earth at a dis- 
 tance of many hundred miles from one another, that there is a 
 special line of tension through the earth from one extremity to the 
 other ? and that a signal is communicated from terminus to termi- 
 nus through the ground, m the same manner as it is through 
 a wire? or may we consider tlie earth as a huge receptacle, to speak 
 metaphorically, capable of receiving or imparting any amount of 
 electricity at any time ? The former opinion is held by my friend 
 Mr. Walker. 
 
 But does it not seem improbable that the slight activity of a 
 galvanic battery, traversing a circuit of 1000 miles of wire, should 
 be sufficient to establish a s})ec%cd line of electric tension extending 
 through the earth in a rord or parallel wiJi the surface for 750 
 niilw ? For my own part, when I remember not only the grand 
 phenomena of tcrrwtrial magnetism, but the immense galvanic 
 force wliicli imret be exerted by the mutual influence of the huge 
 masses of metal in the b )Wola of the earth, — when I consider the 
 miirhty electiioal activity developed in the great processes of nature, 
 — T will confoas that I cannot bring myself to believe that one 
 
 1: r _i. 
 
 :., «i,« 
 
 A Kr»fMfoori ixMrn 
 
 remote st.iiions can be established athwart all tliese colossal forces 
 by the actio! >f a puny Telegraph battery. 
 
Appendix. 
 
 243 
 
 VII. 
 
 TABLE OF SUBMARINE CABLES. 
 
 Boute. Bate. Miles. 
 
 Dover aiid Calais, 1850 24 
 
 Dover and Ostend, 1852 76 
 
 Holyhead and Hpwth, 1852 65 
 
 England and Holland, 1853 115 
 
 Portpatrick and Donaghadee (two Cables), . 1853 26 
 
 Italy and Corsica, 185d 65 
 
 Corsica and Sardinia, 1854 10 
 
 Denmark— Great Belt, 1854 15 
 
 Denmark— Little Belt, 1854 5 
 
 Denmark— Soun'I, ''.855 12 
 
 Scotland— Frith of Forth, 1856 4 
 
 Black Sea, 1855 400 
 
 Soland, Isle of Wight, 1855 3 
 
 Straits of Messina, 1856 6 
 
 Qulfof St Lawrence, 1856 74 
 
 Straita of Northumberland, 1856 10^ 
 
 Bosphorus, 1856 1 
 
 Gut of Canso, Nova Scotia, 1856 2 
 
 St Petersburg to Cronstadt, 1856 10 
 
 Atlantic Cable- Yalentia Bay to Trinity Bay, 1858 1950 
 
 2,862i 
 
244 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 THE MORSE TELEGRAPHIC ALPHABET. 
 
 Letters. 
 
 
 Figure* and Punotustion 
 
 A - — 
 
 - - 
 
 1 
 
 B 
 
 P 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 Q 
 
 3 
 
 D 
 
 R 
 
 4 
 
 E - 
 
 S --- 
 
 5 
 
 F - - 
 
 T — 
 
 6 
 
 a 
 
 U 
 
 7 
 
 H 
 
 V 
 
 8 
 
 I -- 
 
 w- 
 
 9 
 
 J 
 
 X 
 
 
 
 K 
 
 Y -- -- 
 
 (.) 
 
 L 
 
 Z 
 
 (?) 
 
 M 
 
 & - — 
 
 (I) 
 
 N — 
 
 &c 
 
 .- 
 
Appendix. 
 
 H5 
 
 IX. 
 
 RECEPTION OF THE TIDINGS OP SUCCESS IN THE 
 UNITED STATES. 
 
 
 The tidings of the mechanical success of the enterprise, first received 
 in New York on the 5th of August, gave the first impulse to a uni- 
 versal jubUee. That the Cable had been safely laid, was a fact which 
 justified a warm expression of popular feeUng. The successful laying 
 of an Oceanic Telegraph was justly regarded by the American peo- 
 ple as an achievement which carried rich compensation for previous 
 triald and dangers. For the space of a w^ ek, therefore, whUe the 
 question of overcoming the scientific difficulties of transmission of 
 the electric current yet ren-- ned unsettled, the country gave itself 
 up to a general jubilation. 
 
 The announcement of the landing of the Cable at Trinity Bay 
 reached the quiet town of Andover, Massachusetts, while the Alumni 
 of the Theological Seminary at that place were celebrating their semi- 
 centennial anniversary by a dinner. One thousand persons were 
 present, all of whom rose to their feet, and gave vent to .heir excited 
 feeUngs by continued and enthusiastic cheers. When quiet was 
 restored, the Alumni sang the Doxology to the tune of " Old Hun- 
 dred ; " brief addresses, referring to the great event as a new Unk in 
 the influences of Christianity, were deUvered by the Rev. Wm. 
 Adams, D.D., of New Turk, the Rev. Dr. Hawes of Hartford, and 
 others; a prayer was offered, and the dinner was then resumed 
 
 xiiu iic *v*3 Vv'iio 
 
 .,,-,__,,:.,. -.J -;* \xT««u,iM£,f/irj with unboundod Gntliiisi- 
 
 asm. 
 
 Labor was entirely suspended in the Government Depart- 
 
246 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 ments, and the tidings spread over the city with extraordinary 
 rapidity. The President was not in town, having retired, some 
 days previously, to Bedford, Pennsylvania, at which place the an- 
 nouncement was made to him. 
 
 At Albany, New York, the proceedings of the Courts, of the 
 Board of Trade, and of the Raiboad Companies, were instantly ar- 
 rested, and intense er ^''tement prevailed. In that city, and at Utica, 
 Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, and other cxt j and towns in the State 
 cf New York, pubUc and private buildings were illuminated, and 
 enthusiasm found veui in various demonstrations. 
 
 In the city of New York, the first new ^ was received with some 
 degree of caution. Hence the celebration of the event on the night 
 of the 5th of August was not equally enthusiastic with the demon- 
 strations elsewhere. The city reserved itself for a future occasion. 
 On the reception of the Queen's Message, its exuberance knew no 
 
 bounds. 
 
 At Fishkill, New York, an impromptu celebration took place, at 
 
 which speeches were delivered by the Rev. Henry Ward Beechek, 
 
 and others. In the course of his remarks, Mr Beecheb said : — 
 
 im 
 
 " Here I mark one thing, viz. : That while this wire, with those 
 other co-related telegraphs on either side, will, in the first instance, 
 work towards monopoly, in the second and main instance they will 
 work towards diffusion and the common weal ; for although com- 
 merce and poUtics, and the merchant class and the political class will 
 in the first instance be the users, and so be benefited first by it, yet, 
 in the main, the people will be the ones who will reap the benefit, 
 for whatever thing brings now whole communities into circum- 
 stances of greater prosperity must needs, iu the spirit and temper of 
 our time, be distributive. If il vvuie post-luic fur KiiOvvic-age to no 
 confined to the minds of the many, if it were possible for mono- 
 
Appendi 
 
 247 
 
 polista to lock up the two ends of this wire, holding, on either side, 
 the power of its intelligence, it might be disastrous to governments 
 and to the people. But now it has a tendency to make knowledge 
 co-extensive with the globe instantaneously." 
 
 lUuminations took place in Brooklyn, the city of Captain Hud- 
 son's residence. Among the transparencies was one hung over the 
 Mechanics- Bank, which bore the words of a telegraphic dispatch 
 forwarded by the commander of the Nio^ara to his family- ^. : 
 
 " TRimTY Bat, Aug. 5, 1858. 
 "God has been with us. The Telegraph Cable is laid without 
 accident, and to Him be aU the glory. We are all well. 
 
 " Yours affectionately, 
 
 Tm. L. Hudson." 
 
 SimUar demonstrations occurred on the 5th and 6th of August at 
 the South and West. The citit. of Philadelphia and New Orleans 
 were especiaUy jubilant. In the city of Boston, salutes were fired, 
 illuminations took place, and bonfires were lighted. 
 
 The reception of the Qui^en's Message on the 16th and 17th of 
 August, however, produced the most remarkable effect. Celebra- 
 tions which had been promised, but were postponed until the cer^ 
 tainty of success became assured, took place under circumstances of 
 unusual impressiveness. That which occurred in the city of New 
 York, on the evening of Tuesday, August 1 . , was in many respects 
 the most remarkable popular demonstration that has occurred foi 
 many years. Without preparation, and without the settlement of a 
 programme, the city suddenly exult. 1 It was a momentary im- 
 nnlse. ended as speedily as it began, and, being a short-lived excite- 
 ment, brought no reaction with it. Two thousand workmen irom 
 
sss^ 
 
 248 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 ■ ' 
 
 il 
 
 li I 
 
 the Central Park appeared in Broadway at noon, marching in orderly 
 procession, bringing with them their implements of labor which they 
 had ceased using for a day. From the City Hall, the hotels and 
 oiBces, flags flc-^ted. Banners were displayed in the leading thorough- 
 fares, as night drew on ; and at dusk the City Hall, the Astor House, 
 the newspaper estabUshments, stores and dwelhngs in the lower 
 part of tlie city blazed witli the Ught of a spontaneous illumination. 
 Unfortunately a display of finepyn.iechny which took place in front 
 of the City Hall, resulted in a disaster to that fine edifice; the un- 
 consumed remains of the fireworks igniting the roof of the Hall and 
 producing a partial destruction of the upper floor. The celebration 
 was marked by the burning of a City liaU, and the two events 
 became 'lif torical together. 
 
 Among the devices displayed upon transparencies during the 
 illumination, the foUowing expressed the popular feehng in a signi- 
 ficant manr er : — 
 
 "Victoria. Ah hail to the Inventive Genius and Indefatigable 
 Enterprise of John and Jonathan, that has succeew^d in consum- 
 mating the Mightiest Work of the Age; may the Cord that binds 
 them in the bonds of International Friendship never be severed, and 
 the Field ot its Usefukess extend to every part of the EartJ 
 
 "let nations shout, 'midst cannons' roar. 
 Proclaim the event from shore to shore." 
 
 " The old Cyrus and the new— the first conquered the land for 
 himself, the second the ocean for the world." 
 
 "Lightning Caught and Tamed by Franklin. Taught to . Read 
 and Write and go on errands by Morse. Started in the Foreign 
 Trade by Field, Cooper & Co., with Johnny Bull and Brother 
 Jonathan as Special Partners." 
 
Appendix. 
 
 249 
 
 
 In the city of Brooklyn, on the succeeding evening, a jubilee 
 recei>tion was given to Captain Hudson. In response to an address 
 of vfelcome from ex-Mayor Hall, Captain Hudson made the follow- 
 ing pithy little speech : — 
 
 "Mr. Mayor: If I were not a sailor ' s^ ■" stay back and nrt 
 open my mouth to reply. But I am surprised ... what I see before 
 me; for I have done nothing to deserve this — it is entire'y -lade- 
 served. I have done nothing m- e than "• r'uty — nothiuf, thaL 
 calls for anything of this kind. We liMve been engaged in a work 
 that will make a sensation over the wV '.e world. It ushers in a new 
 era in the commercial community. Inrough its means we shall be 
 able * carry the gospel to all parts of the earth. We have been 
 simple ^struments in Higher Hands to bring about the accomplish- 
 L ant of this enterprise. There is < )ne higher than us, and to Him 
 should be given all the praise. I hardly know how to speak. But 
 you would not expect much f *m a sailoi . and therefore you will 
 noi be disappointed." 
 
 The jubilee was general throughout the country, after the recep- 
 tion of the Message of Her Majesty ; so general, indeed, were the 
 demonstrations of unbounded joy, that it would be difficult to exag- 
 gerate any ac- ^nt of the rejoicings. The jubilee of a Nation is a 
 rare event, ana ^'stifies a p sing notice in this record. 
 
 At Belfast, Mair e. the c lebration was ver^ spirited. H. 0. Alden, 
 Esq., Vice-Preside) t of the American Telegraph Company, and a 
 stockholder iu tb'> Atlantic Company, caused the Queen's Message 
 to be generaUy t .• :u kted among the citizens. 
 
 At Detroit, Micb^^an. the display of enthusiasm was totally unpre- 
 cedented. The demonstrations commenced by the firing of one 
 hundred guns at sunset; fire-bells rang merry peals, rockeU. were 
 
 11* 
 
250 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 fired, bonfires lighted in tlio crowded si: eeta, the thoroughfares gaily 
 decoratod with streamers and appropriate transparencies. The pub- 
 lic buildings and p.ivate dwellings were illuminated. An imposing 
 torch-light procession, headed by the Mayor of the city and officers, 
 marched through the principal streets to the Campus Martins, Avhere 
 addresses were delivereu, and expressive resolutions passed. 
 
 The city of Cincinnp^i, Ohio, was brilliantly illuminated in honor 
 of the Ocean Telegraph. At the corner of every street barrels of 
 tar were buriiing, donated for the pr.rpose by the Gas Company. The 
 bells of Gil lati, Covington, and Newport were rung, and 100 
 guns were 1- u. 
 
 At Pittsburg, Pennsyl' ia, the celebration was a brilliant afTair. 
 At li)ur o'clock, p.m., r.ll business was suspended, all the bells in the 
 city were i-ung, and a salute of 100 guns fired. In the evening 
 there 'vas u torchlight procession by the civic societies, and a gene- 
 ral illumination of public and private liouses. On die rivers there 
 was an illuminated regatta by all the boat clubs. 
 
 The reception of the Q'leen'a and President's Messr.gcs was hailed 
 nt St. Louis witli <lolight. The Messages were read on 'Change, and 
 elicited hearty acclamations. Congratulatory remarks were made 
 by seveial gentlemen. A meeting was convened i ler the direc- 
 tion of the President of the Chamber of Conunerce, .nd the follow- 
 ing resolution unanimously adopted: — 
 
 Resolved, By thj Chamber of Commerce, that St. Louis will inite 
 with the countiy in the celebratiuii of this great iulc'-.i-'ii nul enter- 
 prise. 
 
Appendix. 
 
 25 » 
 
 X. 
 
 MR. BERDAN AS THE INVENTOR OF THE NEW PAY- 
 ING-OUT MACHINE. 
 
 [The name of Mr. Hiram Berdan, of New York, having been 
 mentioned in the body of this work, in connexion with the inven- 
 tion of the Paying-out Machine, which was successfully employed 
 in layirg the Atlantic Cable in the Suninior of 1858, we deem it 
 proper to produce certain proofs, establishing the claims of thi.t 
 gentleman as the original inventor of that beautiful apparatus :] 
 
 Soon after the failure of the Telegraphic Expedition of 1857, and 
 as soon as the causes of such failure could be satisfactorily ascer- 
 tained, Mr. H. Berdan, of thij city, set himself to the task of inves- 
 t'^'atmg the subject and devising a paying-out apparatus which 
 would supply the defects of that already used, and in hia judgment, 
 successfully lay the Cable across the Atlantic. 
 
 About the IsL of January of the present year, Mr. Berdan had 
 completed his design and bail a working luodcl constructad on such 
 a scale oa to show clearly the full operation of all the diflercnt parts 
 of the appariiius. Mr. Field's attention had been called to Mr. 
 Berdan's .avention, and expressing his anxious desire that Mr. 
 Everett should examine the apparatus, a day 'vas a) mtcil lur 
 him to do so, which wan the Monday previous to tlie sailing of the 
 Persia, wliich took Mr. Fiki.p iukI Mr. Everett to Liverpool in 
 .laiuiary last. Mr. Field, Mr. Everett, Peter Cooi-er, Capt. 
 liupMON, unti inuiiy oii -t gi'uiicmiMi, witc pn'!'«'iil wiiiii Mr. Ev.-. 
 RETT made hia first visit to, and examination of, Mr. Bkrdan's model. 
 
252 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 When Mr. Everett first examined the model and noticed that 
 the tension on the Cable was to be tested by a counter weight, he 
 remarked with reference to it, " Oh, that won't do, a counter weight 
 cannot be used on board ship, the momtatum is too great. "We 
 have thought of that and abandoned it." 
 
 To which Mr. Berdan replied, that he doubted if Mr. Everett 
 yet understood the operation of the machine and its eflfect upon the 
 Cable to give elasticity to it ; that there was no serious difficulty in 
 placing the counter weights on board ship. Mr. Berdan then 
 operated the model, showing the effect of the counter weights and 
 the various parts of the machinery so satisfactorily that Mr. Everett 
 appeared to change his mind at once, and observed, " I came here 
 with nr expectations of seeing any thing new. Wo have had a 
 thousand suggestions from various sources, but this is new and 
 interesting, and I am now satisfied tliat we must adopt a compen- 
 sating movement." Mr. Everett then remarked that he had no 
 plan of his own as yet, was wedded to no system, and was deter- 
 mined to seek for the best, and use it ; that he was much pleased 
 •with Mr. Berdan's plan ; that he wished Mr. B. would let him t&i.e 
 tlie model with liim that he might study it on his way out to Lon- 
 don. Mr. Beroan consented, and thj model was .acoordingly boxed 
 and sent to Mr. Everett's state-room, on board tluf Persia, and was 
 taken by Mr. Field and Evkrktt to London. The following is a 
 copy . f a letter acknowledging the receipt of the moi' 1 by the 
 Atlantic Telegraph Company : 
 
 "Atlantic TELEORApn Company, 
 " 22 Old Boi.d street, London, 
 "Enoinkerj}' Department, March Ath, 18,58. 
 
 
 ^ * .1 ^; _ 
 
 >tu-giapii X (jiii[iiiiiy, ijomiuii : 
 " Mt Dear Sir,— I have read the vory interesting communica- 
 
Appendix. 
 
 253 
 
 tion commuaicated by Mr. Berdan, of New York, addressed to 
 yourself, and have also examined the model of his apparatus which 
 you brought from America. I must say that he deserves our very 
 best thanks for the elaborate attention he has devoted to the subject 
 which has resulted in the design of a paying-out machine, embody- 
 ing many of the conditions requisite for success. 
 
 " The most important fe.-.ture of his plan is the arrangement to 
 compensate for the motion of the vessel, and this you are aware has 
 engaged our attention for some time." 
 
 On the 25th of January last, Mr. Berdan forwarded to Mr. Field 
 drawings of his paying-out apparatus, accompanied by a letter giving 
 his views generally, and full explanations of his machine in par- 
 ticular. 
 
 This communication from Mr. Berdan to Mr. Field was laid 
 before Mr. Bright, the Engineer-in-chief of the Company, who 
 wrote to Mr. Field in reply, of which tho followi-.g I3 an extract: 
 
 "The Atlantic Telegraph Company Limited, 
 
 " 22 Old Bond street, 
 "London, E. C, January 19<A, LS58. 
 
 " Sin, — I have received, by the hands of Cyrus W. Field, Esq., 
 one of ti.e Directors of this Company, your very beautiful and 
 elaborate model of a paying-out machine for depositing tli.> Atlantic 
 Telegraph Cable in the Ocean. 
 
 " I beg (o tender you tho warmest thanks of tho Directors for 
 the lively interest you have so evidrntly evinced for tlie success of 
 this undertaking. 
 
 " The marliine shall bo submitted to tho English and American 
 BcientUic authorities who are engaged in afflisting vm with thrir 
 judgment as to the right means fur laying th<) Cable next auiuiuor, 
 
254 
 
 Appendix. 
 
 and I am quite certain it will receive at their hands a perfectly fair 
 and especial consideration. Again thanking you for your kindness, 
 " I am, Sir, yours very truly, 
 
 " Geo. Slward, Secretary. 
 "Hiram Berdan, Esq., 110 Broadway, New York." 
 
 It is pertinent to remark that in ilr. Berdan's letter to Mr, Field of 
 tlie 25th of January, the former laid great stress upon the importance 
 of properly adjusted scrapers to remove the tar from the sheaves. 
 In that letter, in describing his machinery, Mr. Berdan writes: — 
 " At a convenient point in the frames B anil D, as well as the 
 other sheave frames, I place shafts, having scrapers attached there- 
 to, of auch forms as to fit the grooves in the sheave wheels. The 
 axes of these shafts are placed at such a distance fiom the periphery 
 of the sheave wheels as to allow the shaft to rotate freely on its 
 axis, the scrapers just touching the whole inner surface of the 
 grooves in the sheaves; a handle on tl'o outer end of the shaft 
 serves to hold the scrapers in a proper position to remove any tar 
 that may be adheriiii,' to the surface of the sheaves. On the top of 
 tlie frames, and inuuciliatoly over the sheavus, I place water cans, 
 having an outlet over eacli sheave to wet the Cable, and prevent in 
 Jiart the a ■(mmulation of tar on the slicav.-s, as well as to assist in 
 the cleaning operation of the rapcrs." Again, in Mr. Berdan's 
 letter to Mr. Fl Id, dated tlio 27th of March last, Mr. Berdan writes 
 as follows: — "Constant, drijjping of wa'er on the shi'aves, together 
 with tlie use of an iustruiueut whicii can be applied with accuracy 
 every lew moments to take olVllie aceuiiuiiatiou of tar, is also very 
 important, — water is preferable to oil, a-t the latter would dissolve 
 the tar on the Cal>le, which is not desirable." 
 
 ()n tiie M[ ol June lollownig, Mr. Everett makes a report to Mr. 
 Field in which occurs the following:— " The operation of the ma- 
 
Appendix. 
 
 255 
 
 chinery generally, is certainly satisfactory, and there is no alteration 
 I can suggest other than in the tar scrapers, which will require 
 modification ; the amount of tar acc«mulating is so much beyond 
 what could have been expected from last year's experience, owing 
 to the repeated coatings since it was unloaded from the vessel last 
 October, that extraordinary provision will be required." It clearly 
 appears from Mr. Everett's report that Mr. Berdan did not attach 
 too much importance 10 the tar scrapers, and that his recommenda- 
 tions, which ought to have been adopted at first, were found abso- 
 lutely necessary at last. 
 
 The question now accrues, and it is one o'' importance : To whom 
 is the credit due for devising the paying out apparatus which was 
 used in successfully laying the Atlantic Cable ? Mr. Everett is 
 doubtless entitled to a full share of credit for superintending the 
 constructing of the machinery, and for the exercise of a sound dis- 
 cretion in adoptiUj,' from the numerous difforent suggestions sub- 
 mitted to the Company, such iis appeared to him most feasible. It 
 seems equally clear that in the exercise of his judgment in converse 
 with the other able engineers of the Company, the principle of Mr. 
 Berdan's compensating apparatus, and the arrangement and .se of 
 the tar scrapers, with some modifications, were aiKipted and used ; 
 and as tha<?e two features in the apparatus were the principal novelties 
 and improvements upon the old machine, it is certainly fair to give 
 Mr. Br Ian the full credit of their introduction, especially as Mr. 
 Everett and the other engineers had the model, drawing, an<l speci- 
 fications of the same constantly before them. 
 
Ill 
 
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