The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-08-21


Yesterday Thursday the pleasing Intelligence reached
Liverpool the arrival at Valcntia OF III NJ Aga
memnon, after having successfully laid her portion Oh
the cable The announcement took people by surprise,
many who at first srained high hopes OF the sue
of tho experiment gradually relaxed into indif
ference at the many msforuncs hitherto attending the
attempt at sinking the wires, and the qualification which
evnced Change showed the deep interest taken
in this great enterprise by the commercial community
The despatch which communicated the arrival of the
Agamemnon also contained the of tho Niagara
having reached Trinity Bay, Newfoundland, with the
other portion Of the cable rafoy laid The flag at the
Town Hall was hosed in honor of the event Atlantic
elegaphs quot at $500 to 81, 900 Ia sale being
quoted at 5000.
The Atlantic telegraph is an accomplished fact The
ocean has been bridgcd, and Europe and America
now placed in as close relation AZ ii no sea of three thou
sand miles in breadth rolled between them. BY this
latest triumph of nature period Of from ten
to twelve days. which the rate at which intelligence
between the two countries travelled has been abridged to
about half tho number of hoars Nay If not
careful to make allowance for the difference Of latitude
there will be constant danger of falling into the deuson
that intelligence Of event is received In one country
before it can have happened in the other.
The SUCCESS of this achievement will work complete
revolution In tho intercourse between England and Amer
cs Now that the transmission of intelligence has be-
question not Of weeks but OF hours every
ment in the country will produce sensible effect
upon the other. Whether in commercial, social
or political relations every pusation in the heart
Of England will vibrate to the extremities Of the
States. Already that process had gone on to mar
veous extent. In spite OF all little chickering's
England and America knew more OF each other, and
cared more for the good opinion of each other than for
that of any other nation the face Of the earth But
how much must this scnstvencss of feeling be quickcned
when the proceedings in Wall street will be IA
miiar to Capel court and pce psa, and nearly in
short time those Of the exchanges at Liverpool and
Manchester now-when the events Of every day
chronicled in the capitals of the two countries before the
day is over-when the beginning Of speech is known in
New York before moderately long winded orator has
sumed his seat in st. Sephensand when the first burst
of excited feeling in one country sent across the
in all its heat and bitterness to Trate the bad pas
sons of the other. But, the other hand, how much
of angry feeling will be avoided how many Of
national squabbling nipped in the bud how many
misrepresentation will be exploded before they have
had time to do mischief by means of this simple
vet marvellous instrument. How much Of national
bitterness for example, might have been spared how
much i'll blood avoided, and, let us add, how many
speeches of inflated patriotism would have been spoiled
the water, had the telegraph been laid down at
the time of the recent agitation the right of visit
could American brethren have been informed as
they would then have been month sooner than they
werc that there occasion for heat passion, be-
cause the opinions of all sensible in England coin
cded with their own although, in fact there moth
ing which to hang quarrel? So much for politics,
but what Of commerceY Our own impression is that
the success Of this experiment has created immediate
necessity for its repetition 1t is futile to suppose that
electric instrument, though worked necessarily for
the whole twenty four hours, will do half the work
that is required of it, il said that the Office Of
civilization il to create wants and know not
moro lively illustration of the maxim than the of
the Atlantic telegraph. So long there was such
of communication across the Atlantic, its exist
ence could have been dispensed witha parties were
level but the laying down Of telegraph will
cessitae the laying of several Others else remen
dous monopoly will be placed in the hands of those who
the most readily command its operations. We be
leve indeed that the operations of the Agamemnon and
the Niagara have been watched with intense interest not
only by the public at large but by many spectators who
waiting for their the signal to
rival enterprises The glory of the achievement of
course must rest with the projectors Of that which
has just been completed and for at least twelve months
they will be able to enjoy the profits Of their
cess undisturbed.