The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-28 00:00:00

was scarcely out of sight of the coast when the
cable parted. The end was picked up and repaireut
but the want of a correct knowledge of the features
of the ocean bed was fatal to the object of the ,ex-
pedition. On coming to the spot where the depth
suddenly increases from 400 to 1,700 fathoms the
vessels continued their average speed without allow-
ing
the necessary slack, and the stream again broke
the cable. The next year a renewal trial was maw'
by the same ships. More knowledge bad been 39;
quired, and better means and appliances were in
requisition. The dead weight in the bold of the
Agamemnon unsettled her trim, and a furious storm
c
nearly decided her fate. One of the most grlPrL
letters ever written appeared in the columns of the
Times descriptive of the scene, and some strikingd
pictures of the Agamemnon in the storm will be fours
in the Illustrated London News of that date. itga!a
the squadron put to sea, and were successful
hie
carrying the cable intact to Newfoundland. rk,
first message received under the Atlantic came fro;
President Buchanan to her Majesty on the 5th.,,„°
August, 1858. While the people of both countr'
were congratulating themselves, and each claiming,,
the lion's share of the enterprise, the signals became
indistinct, quickly grew more so and finally cease
The intervening period, though embracing several
o'l
years, was occupied by careful experiments, and s
the wire had been partly recovered and used fO,.
other submarine communications, the knowledge
acquired became so extensive that another
attempt was considered not only practicabie
but giving every prospect of success. The large
ship in the world was employed, and the Great
Eastern, with 2,300 miles of wire on board, re-eonl-
- the enterprise on the 15th July last Yes!'
We all know how that voyage ended, but the
scientific men who had taken up this scheme were,,d
only the more determined. That the scheme was
practicable was laid down by them as an axit
that it required the greatest care and scientific
appliances, together with an immense expenditure!
was recognised as equally true ; that the object iisr
worth overcoming all the difficulties that surroundeu
it was likewise held ; and such men as Mr. Cyrus
d
W. Field felt in their inmost hearts what he said
when responding to a toast on board the Great
,
Eastern just before her departure, " Thit, though
he now was almost certain of success, yet, if the
voyage failed, he would return again and again
and carry the thing through in spite of every
obstacle." We mentioned in our last number
that the Expedition from San Francisco to connect
t,
the Western coast of the States with Russia through
Siberia had sailed. There are no ocean difficulties
.
in the way, and this line will be quickly complete
d•
accomplished our planet will be girdled bn
the telegraph wire. The results to commerce eath
scarcely be calculated. The products of the ear
will tend more quickly to the points where they are
required. The violent fluctuations which distart,
trade and turn sober merchants into gamblers svig.,i
be lessened, and a more steady and true value W.„1",,,
be given to investments and objects of barter. .17.
barbarous countries, where little communicatto
existed and no roads, a dearth of provisions rnigbat.
fill a neighbouring nation with famine and pinee
while the people over their borders had more tuai,
enough, and it is probable that the greatest ealalneb
ties that the world has known have arisen from ends
causes. Free communication rolls away the clot' is
and mists of prejudice. We see each other throng
a glass darkly, and many do not see at all. Thece
more isolated we are, the greater our ignorance
and bigotry. So every means which tends t()
bring the nations together tends also to diall„t
these mists and clouds, and to teach us the gr,e'ut
fact, the basis on which our religion stands, 're
which we recognise only theoretically, that—tve a
all but One Family, and the creatures of one Go d.
a
In reality it matters little whether we be born aad
live in this little over-crowded island of Englan ,
or on the broad fertile wastes of the Anler'c„a
i,
prairies. Each has its advantages and disadvar,
tages ; but there can be no possible reason tll tr
why other feelings than those of cordiality _t
brotherhood should exist between us. That othet.
r
feelings do exist is a notorious and deplorable fact'
We are thankful to say the signs are abundant that
they are giving place to opinions more temperate
and just. The one great object that remained to
link the two nations has been accomplished ;
as the most prominent American in the work, `l,l
send across the Atlantic to Cyrus W. Field 0"
most hearty congratulations on his success.