The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1866-11-30
MISCELLANEOUS.
TIE ATLANTIC CABLE.

BANQUET TO CYRUS W. Field
The STORY OF THE GREAT ENTER
pRIsE.-Mr. Cyrus w. Field was fit
ly honored in New York on the eve
ming of the 18th, with a banquet, Civ
en- by the members of the Chamber
of Commerce, as a tribute to his ex
ertions in the laying Of the Atlantic
Cable.
MIR. Field, in a long and interest,
ing address, gave a history of the un'
dertaking, interspersed with many in,
cidents illustrative of the difficulties
overcome and the indomitable persc,
verance by which success was achieY'
cd. =.
The enterprise was shown to have
been of purely American origin, the
plan having been conceived and con-
sidercd thirteen years ago, when
about half dozen gentlemen met at
Mr.. Fields residence, and those who
came first to the work stood by it to
the end. 1t was not till 1856 that
the enterprise had any existence in
England, and then the British Gov
ernment began that generous course
which it has continued ever SINCE
The expeditions of 1857 and the two
of 1858 were joint efforts, but for the
time they ended in failure.
When the scientific and engineer
ing problems were solved VIC took
heart again, and began to prepare
for a fresh attempt. This was in
1863. In this country-thougI, the
, war was still raging-I went from
city to city, holding meetings and
trying to raise capital, but with poor
success. Men came and listened,
aud said cit was all very fne," and
chopped I would succeed" but did
nothing. In one of these cities they
gave a large meeting, and passed
some beautiful resolutions, and ap-
pointed committee of "solid men"
to canvass the city, but l did not get
solitary subscriber. In this city I
did better, though money came by
the hardest. By personal solicita-
tions, encouraged by you, sir, and
other good friends, succeeded in
raising G70,O00. Since not many
had faith, I must present one exam
pie to the contrary, though it was not
till year later. When almost all
deemed it a hopeless scheme, one gen
tleman of this city came to me and
purchased stock of the Atlantic Tel
graph Company to the amount of
100000. That was MIR. Loring
Andrews, who is here this evening to
sec his faith rcwared. But at the
time I speak of, it was plain that our
main hope must be in England, and
T went to London. There too it
dragged heavily. There was pro-
found discouragement. Many had
lost before, and were not willing to
throw more money into the sea. We
needed 960O, 1000 and with our utmost
efforts we had raised less than half,
and there the enterprise stood in a
dead lock. It was plain that We
must have help from some new quar-
ter. I looked around to find a man
who had broad shoulders, and could
carry heavy load, and who would
be a giant in the cause. 1t was at
this time I was introduced. to gen.
tleman, whom I would hold up to the
American public as a specimen of a
great-hehrtcd Englishman, Mr.. Thos.
Brassey. You may never have heard
. his name, but in London he is known
as one of the men who have made
British capital felt in all parts of the
earth. [ went to see him, though
with fear and trembling. He re-
ceived me kindly, but put me through
such an examination as I never had
before. I thought I was in the wit
ness box. He asked Inc every posi-
BILE question, but my answers satisfied
him, and heended by saying " It was
an enterprise which ought to be car
ried out, and that he would be one Of
ten men to furnish the money to dc
it," This was a pledge of 10000
pounds sterling! Encouraged BY this
noble offer, I looked about to find
another such man, though it was al.
,,,oct EGo fr,-inor to find t,yo' w o11;nr