The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-08-19
LITERARY NOTICES.
HISTORY or THE ATLANTIC TELrGRArn. by
Henry NJ Field. d. u. Charles Scgibncr 4 Co.

| History OF THE ATLANTIC TELEGRArIi. BY
| Henry NJ. Field. d. u. Charles Scgibner 4 Co.
New York.
Fact Is stranger than felton, and this plain,
phed tale OF struggle and vc.orya bravo struggle for
twelve long years, victory won by tho union OF
science and SKIN with ndomi,able pcrseycrance-is
infinitely more fascinating than any novel. A single
chapter the Fourteenth In which the intrepid Canning
grappIes for the lost cable ouweghs the whole We
tor Hneos roers Of the sean with It's psdantry and
Alterations It's impossible situations its monsters OF his
creation It's abrupt transitions from the sublime
the ridiculous, aud all the poinp and fury Of his swollen
phrases Field and his en,erprsing associates the
true Tocrs Of the Sea, and this Great Eastorn and this
Atlantic Telegraph cable may we'll be called marvellous
romance or civilization.
The possible consequences of this successful enterprise
incaculablc stretching far away into tho DIM IN.
known future .along the line Of limess desires But
relie b informed that The cable self un.ws,ed
and full length would only reach TO tho moon hers
figures give but vague impression Of vast spaces Ba,
Il curious fact ascertaned by computation,
that oil the wires OF copper and OF iron with she
layers that made up The and the covering and
strands OF yarn that IN istod into this one
knotted sea Gable, placed end 70 end whole
length would reach from the earth 10 the moon, saye
Dr. Fold.
salient feature OF Dr. Fields volume Is its conscen.
tious distribution Of praise among oil directly or nd
recty In the great enterprise OF which s
record minute aud fun His object no declares
Is not 10 exa an individual, but 10 give q faithful re-
cord thai shalt bear in every line the stamp Of truth
and 10 do Justice all, both sides OF tho Atlantic,
who have borne yart In work which viii do much
link together two great nations and to promote the
peaceful intercourse Of mankind The record is
fhc az gI
tho Triumphant realization OF the idea or
com mn nicatiou between the Old World and the New
In 1913 Professor Morse, letter TO tho secretary OF
the United states Treasury had detailed the results OF
certain experiment. IN the harbor Of New York 10 show
the power OF electricity to communicate at great dis
tances concluding with these prophetic words -" The
practical inference from this Law IT, that . telegrsphic
commun cation on the electro magnetic plan may with
certainty be established acrou the Atlantic ocean
Startling this may seem, am confident the time
will come when this project viii be realized During
,hc winter az Is<a so Mr. " Girborn~ conceived the
project OF telegraph to connect = Johns, the mos,
eastcriy port Of America with the main continent; and
about tho same time the RICH, lev Dr. Muook, the
Catholic Bishop q Newfoundland, promulgated in ~
John newspaper the importance Of the geographical
position OF thai island tho event OF telegraph ever
being carried The Atlantic In January, 1854,
w. Cyrus w. Field received . call from Mr.
Osborne who described the route Of his proposed New
foundland telegraph. After Mr. Osborne est The ouse
Mr. Field took the globe which Standing In the LID
rary and began turn I, II was whie thus study
ing tho globe the ides nr-, occurred TO him hst tho
telegraph might be carried further s and be msdc TO
span the Atlantic OCEAN This idea, although not
gInai with Mr. Field 70 him, the previous
-pecuaoD- Of scientific minds tbs subject not having
attracted hs attention; but no "wss bc the instru.
tf.r tavs n n nat Tha
encouraging replies Of the saesw MAury. snd Of Professor
morse 10 inquiries addressed 10 them by Mr. Field, AZ
once secicd him upon the witch he followed
through gloom and sunshine 10 the hour 81 triumph.
Ills brother right In saying tho story of such
terprlsa deserves be told end familiar contempt
r.neous accounts have made 10 the public mind this
volume will BE- welcomed telling fcr the nsst time the
whole story bringing many nov facts 70 light, and ilu
minaling old ones with hvcsr interest. According 10
the authors promise renders justice 70 all concerned
The protector, the inventors ~ such indispensable
ip,trumouis as Brookes deep 80 sounding apparatus
the psying-out machinery Of Everest 4 Appod, the
galyanome,er Of Thomson, and wloushby Smiths nsv
and ingenious process testing the cable every Instant
the u deep cables the esEnes cleo
toisns capitalists naval cfncsr~, ssamcn aud cabin
boys, workmsn, their wives and babies y
| distinguished visitors, the Prince Of wales. the
| Lord Lieutenant Lady franklin, and The knight
| n Kerry myrisds Of rejoicing ympsihixen In
1853 on both sdes Of tho Aiian,ic tho friends constant
throughout tho uncertainties and diappo,nsments Of
twelve year, until crowned the worh In issssIl
are gratefully remembered In these pages and not few
BY name The mysterious name of ne Sanity. for In.
stance stands out conspienously. De sAasy longer
myth but live electrician duly certified ~ in charge
Of the electrical dcIsrsmea.v during the expedition n
| 1895
Finally, the Journalists Who hsvs ctsoseled the vsry-
Ing fortunes o. the ea,spss not forgotten by the
author, who duly anrcs IL. u. TO the name 81 " n.
Rassell 'qbe veil known oorespoadsss Of ". London
Tive" compares "oss Of the nssst descriptions Of .
storm II ssar IN letter BY NJ. Woods, another cor
respondent the London r~s with the marine pant
logs o. stssfsld Turner and after msu,spnss n
connection with the expedition u 1885, Bsysrd rsyor
'ate welLkn traveller and rI,x James Brl.r, =,
very braEs writer. ~ho sfsss-srd fell In our eva var