The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-11 00:00:00

THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.

Mr. Cyrus W. Field, of New York, gave a dinner on
Tuesday evening at the Palace Hotel, Buckingham-gate,
At which about seventy of the principal gentlemen in Eng-
land interested in telegraphy were assembled. By arrange-
ment with the telegraph companies Mr. Field was enabled
to have the telegraph wires brought into the dining-room
of the hotel, and many interesting messages were de-
spatched to and replies received from New York, Wash-
ington, Havannah, Newfoundland, and Heart's Content.
Among these we may state at full the following messages
from the President of the United States, and from the
Hon. W. H. Seward, Secretary cf State. The President
telegraphed as follows :
"Express my congratulations to the telegraph festival
assembly. I wish them all possible success, and that their
wires may be multiplied through many seas, and their
stakes be extended through many lands."
And Mr. Seward said :

" I congratulate the telegraph builders. Instead of
building a bridge for the tramp of hostile armies across the
ocean, they have stretched a wire beneath it which effec-
tually exchanges friendly sentiments, sympathies, and
affections."

Mr. Gladstone was expected, but being detained by the
Irish debate, the following letter received from him by
Yi.r. Cyrus Field was read to the meeting :

" House of Commons, Mareh 10.

"My dear Sir,—l had cherished to the last the hope of
coming to you, but unhappily it is now arranged that Lord
Mayo will not speak until after dinner, and I therefore
fear that my presence at the only time of the evening when
it could have been of use will be impossible. I should
have much enjoyed, and I had greatly coveted, the oppor-
tunity your kindness offered for speaking a word of good
will to your country. But lam detained here by a yet
higher duty ; for there is, in my judgment, no duty for
public men in England which at this juncture is so high,
so sacred, as that of studying the case of Ireland, and ap-
plying the remedies which I believe it admits. We shall
be here till past midnight, but not without thoughts of
your festival and of the greatness of the country with
which it is connectei. You are called to encounter diffi-
culties, and to sustain struggles which some years ago I
should have said were beyond human strength. But I
have learnt to be more cautious in taking the measure of
American possibilities, and, looking to your past, there is
nothing which we may not hope of your future.—J am,
&c., "`V. E. GLADSTONE."
After the usual loyal toasts had been proposed, and
one to the President of the United States, with others
having special reference to telegraphy, had been duly
honoured. _ _

Mr. CYRUS FIELD stated that he had bad on Friday
evening the pleasure to hear the debate in the House of
Commons on the Alabama claims, and he added that the
whole of the principal speeches made in the House of
Commons on that question had been word for word tele-
graphed under his order to the American Press. He con-
cluded by a toast to his Excellency the Hon. Charles
Francis Adams, the American Minister, who, much to the
regret of everyone who had' been brought into official or
friendly intercourse with him, was about to leave this
country, after long, faithful, and distinguished services.
Mr. WALTER and Mr. MORAN (Secretary to the Ameri-
can Legation) responded to the toast.
Mr. J. H. LLOYD, in an eloquent manner, adverted to
the untiring energy and dauntless efforts of Mr. Field,
which culminated in the successful laying of the Atlantic
cables.

The Rev. Mr. NEWMAN HALL referred to the fact that
fourteen years ago that clay an agreement was signed by
half a dozen men, Mr. Field being among them, that a
telegraph wire should be laid under the ocean between
England and America. They said it would promote civili-
sation and lead to love and harmony; it was a thing worth
making sacrifices for ; but it was due to Mr. Cyrus Field's
untiring energy and sacrifice that the .difficulties were
finally vanquished. For fourteen years money was going
out, and until within the past six months there had been
no return. He concluded by proposing a toast to the
ladies, the two daughters of Mr. Field, his niece, and a
lady friend, who accompanied him on his present visit to
England, and who had graced the table with their pre-
sence.

Mr. FIELD read a letter, which he stated had been en-
trusted to him by one of the principal citizens of New
York, to Mr. John Bright, whom he had hoped to have
the pleasure of seeing that evening. He could say,
without fear of contradiction, that there was no man
living who would meet a better reception in America than
Mr. John Bright. The letter was as follows:

" New York, Feb. 17, 1368.

" Dear Sir,—Your friends in America are so anxious to
see you that we beg leave to renew at this time the invita-
tion which you have so often received to make a visit to
this country. You will receive a hearty welcome from
thousands to whom your name is already familiar, but
who desire to hear your voice, and to take you by the
hand. Your presence at this time would tend to strengthen
the ties between your country and ours, and we beg leave
to suggest a visit during the ensuing spring, if you can
then be indulged in a short respite from your duties in
Parliament. Hoping that you may find this possible and
convenient.—We are, &c.,
" To John Bright, Esq."

The two Roman Catholic Judges of Assize at
Wexford, Chief Baron Pigott and Mr. Justice O'Brien,
attended Divine service in the Roman Catholic church,
Rome-street, on Sunday last, in their official robes, and
were attended to the doors of the sacred edifice by the
mayor and sheriff, who are Protestants. This incident
shews the change which has taken place in the relations of
party and the state of public feeling.
THE HORRIBLE MURDER AT TODMORDEN.—trpon
inquiries being made at Todmorden, it was ascertained
that Mr. Plow was favourably progressing, but Mrs.
Plow, the wife of the former, still lies in a very dangerous
condition, and no hopes are entertained of her recovery.
Since the prisoner has been committed to take his
trial at the Manchester Assizes, a number of important
letters have been given up to the police by his sweet-
heart, Sarah Bell, which will shew that he had enter•
tained thoughts of the dreadful crime for somfi monthg
• —.
past•.