The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-11-19
WHEELING WEST Va MONDAY MORNING. NOVEMBER

capital-except one quarter which, as
you have said, was taken by myself
was subscribed wholly in Great Britain.
The directors were almost all English
bankers and merchants, though among
them was one gentleman whom we are
proud to call an American-hIr, George
Peabody, name honored in two conn
tries, since he has showered his princely
benetactions upon both-who, though
resident for nearly forty years in Lon
don, where he has gained abundant
wealth and honors, still clines to the
land of his birth, declining the honor
OF Baronetcy of the United Kingdom
70 remain a simple American citizen,
With the history of the expeditions of
1878 you are familiar. On the third
trial we gained a brief success, The
cable was laid, and for four weeks it
WorRed-though never very brilliantly
never giving forth such rapid and dis
unct flashes as the cables of to-day,
1t spoke, though only in broken SEN
tences. But while 1t lasted noless than
400 messages We're sent across the At
lanttc. You all remember the enthusi-
asm which it excited. It was a new
thing under the sun, and for a few
weeks the public went wild over it. or
course, when it stopped, the reaction
was very great. People grew dumb
and suspicious. Some thought it was
all a hoax; and many were quite sure
that 1t never worked at all. That kind
of odium we have had to endure for
eight years, till now, trust, we have
at last silenced the unbelievers,
After the failure of 1858 came our
darkest days. When a thing isdead
1t is hard to galvanize it into life. 1t is
more difficult to revivean old enterprise
than to start new one. The freshness
and novelty are gone, and the feeling
of fHiSann0intn1anfF F1farotIroeRaH f,,rkI,aI
effort. .-t.-,-...S -
Other causes delayed a new attempt.
This country had become involved in a
tremendous war; and while the nation,
was struggling for life, it had no time
to spend in. foreign enterprises.
But in England the project was still
kept alive. The Atlantic Telegraph
Company kept up its organization. It
had noble body of directors, who had
faith In the enterprise, and looked be-
yond its present low estate to ultimate
success. / cannot name them all, but
must speak of our Chairmin-the
Right don.i James Stuart WOrtley-a
gentleman who did not join us in the
hour of victory, but in what seemed the
hour of despair, after the failure of 1858,
and who has been a steady support
throug h all these years. The Deputy
Chairman, Mr.. Lampson, has been
made a Baronet for his connection with
VI
Mr.. Saward, too, did much to keep
alive the interest of the British public.
All this time the science of subma-
rine telegraphy was making progress.
The. British Government appointed a
Commission to investigate the whole
scientific men and practical engineers
--Galton, Wheatstone, Fairbairn, Var.
ley and Lattner and Edwin Clark
with the Secretary of the Company, Mr..
Saward-names to be held in honor in
connection with this enterprises; along
with those of other English engineers,
such as Stephenson and Brunei, and
Whitworth, and Penn, and Lloyd, and
Joshua Field, who gave time and
thought 9nd labor freely to this enter
prise, refusing all compensation. This
Commission sat for nearly two years,
and spent many thousands of pounds
in experiments. The result was clear
conviction in every mind that it was
possible to lay u telegraph across the
Atlantic. Science was also being all
the while applied to practice. Subma-,
rine cables were laid In different seas
in the Meditefraneatl,s in the Red Sea,
and the Persian Gulf The latter was
laid by my friend, Sir Charles Bright,
who thus rendered another service to
his country, and gained a fresh title to
the honor which was conferred upon
him for his part in laying the first At
lantic cable. 4
When the scientific and engineering
problems were solved, we took heart
again, and began to prepare for fresh
attempt. This was In 1868. In this
country-though the war was still rag
ing-I went from city to city, holding
meetings and trying to raise capital,
but with poor success. Men came and
listened, and said sit was all very fine,
and chopped would succeed, but did
TT, ~ rff tool
me a large meeting, and passed some
beautiful resolutions. and appointed a
committee of "solid men" to canvass
the city, but did not get a solitary
subscriber. In this city i did better,
though money came by the hardest. By
personal solicitations, encouraged by
you, Sir, and other good friends, sue
ceeded in raising $4,000. Since not
many had faith, Unjust present one ex-
ampleto the contrary, though it was not
till year later. When almost all deemed
it is a hopeless scheme, one gentleman
Atlantic Telegraph Company to the
amount of, 100000 That was Mr..
Loring Andrews, who is here this even
ing to see his faith rewarded. But at
the time speak of, it was plain that
our main hope must be in England,
and / went toLondon. There, too, it
dragged heavily. There was n pro-
found ,, encouragement. Many had
lost before, and were not willing to
throw more money into the sea. We
needed G600, 900, and with our. utmost
efforts we had raised less than half and
there the enterprise stood in dead
lock-. It was plain that we must have
help from some new quarter. I looked
around me to find "a man who had
broad shoulders, and could carry a
heavy load, and who would be q giant
In thecause. 1t was at this time was
introduced to a gentleman, whom
would hold up to the American public
as aspecimenpf a great. t.hearted Eng
may never have heard his name, but,
in London he is known as one of the
men who has made British enterprise
and British capital felt in all parts of
the earth. i went to see him, though
with fear and trembling, He received
me kindly, but put tmHthroughTsuch an
examination as I never had before. 1
thought was in the witness box. He
asked every possib Question, but my
answers satisfied him, and he ended by
Saying 1t was an enterprise which ought
to be carried out, and that he would be
one often men to!furnish thelmoney to
do it, This. was R4pledgsl Of ESQ, 600
sterlingl Encouraged by this noble
offer, I looked around to find fanother
such man, though it was almost like
he IBGs found in Mr., John Pender, of
Manchester. I went to his office one
day. In london, and We walked together
70 the House Of Commons, and. before
got there he said he would take an
equal share with Mr.. kBrassey.
The action of these two gentlemen
WRs q turning point IN the history of