The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-13

stretching its sensitive nerve from hemisphere
to hemisphere, Is civilizing in its effect. The
thought of IL as lying there on the bottom Of the
deep, threading the mysterious passages of sub
marine life, ready to transmit the pulsations of
humanity across the invisible mountain-chains,
the unheard-of abysses, the wilderness of sand
and sea.weed and rock; lighting up the iatbom-
less dark with its streak of electric flame; dis
enchanting space and time of their power
TO separate; hand of steel that never looses
It's grasp; a girdle never unbraced; silver
cord OF amity touching two cOntinents-the
mere thought that it is done, and done by the
worldconquerng wit of man, Is more than
ciyilizing, it Is humanizing. II enlarges our
conceptions OF human power, intelligence, and
skill it strengthens and deepens the faith in the
unity that prevails ideally, and shall prevail
actually in the enterprises and interests OF
mankind; IL suggests the unity OF nations and
the brotherhood of men; 1t makes us feel more
at home with foreign peoples; it extends the
circle of our sympathy, and wakens warm
traterna sentiment towards the dwellers at the
ends OF the earth. The imagination becomes
excited by visions of harmony; the touch of the
cord makes our hearts beat with prophetic nope
of better things to come.
And why not? The element of quickness and
frequency that the cable introduces into our
foreign intercourse cannot be too highly esti-
mated. 1t is everything. The critical moments
are but moments. Whatever happens, happens
in moment, and the point of supreme import
ance is the seizure OF the instant The world
moves not once in three days, but every second.
Three days later from Europe is Just three days
700 late sometimes for the transmission of
momentous uding on which the security of
governments and the peace OF nations may
hang. The steamer may leave Just an hour too
soon, and may come in lust an hour too late for
the word OF power to prevail Events big with
consequences or that would, if improved, be
big with consequences to great communities,
may occur and pass unimproved between the
sailing OF two ocean steamships. The word in
season may be worth columns day too late.
Many time during the past six years that word
in season might have saved millions in money
and bitter misunderstanding that no money, can
makeamends tor. What ClOuOs'of black and blast
ing fury might have discharged themselves harm.
lessy through that slender wi G What fiery
currents Of national hate might have found
silent and swift passage along its thread! What
triendliness might have been preserved as the
continents whispered to one another in the mo-
ment OF doubt or agony What the past groaned
Tor the want of, the future will rejoice in. When
puck shall have set his girdle round the
world III forty minutes, and the planet breathes
its secret day by day to listening ears in Paris,
London, New Iork, and all through the dwell.
ingplaces of men, the human svmDathies Will
begin TO pour as evenly ard steadily through
the world Of men as the magnetic currents how
round the globe. Tides of sentiment and con-
science will have their regular ebb and flow.
The moral wealth OF one quarter will be trans
mltted to the part, that are morally poor. The
effect on the detection and arrest of crime will
be Ot immediate and vast importance. Tie
world wall become a whispering gallery with Il
focus at each large town, and every sieh or
groan that burdens the breast VIII be heard and
listened 10.
We are speaking in view of the future time
when Atlantic cables shall be multiplied so thaC
the people can use them. The successful ex-
pertinent involves such future. The single
costly line prCphesies a score of less costly ones
that shall transmit not the messages of the
statesman or the millionaire, but the thoughts
and reflections OF the multitude.
No doubt the cable is but an opportunity
which some Rothschild may buy up and use tor
his financial ends, which a cabinet minister may
take possession of at critical moments and en-
plOy 1or party purposes, which a daring adven-
turer may succeed in suborning to his base
designs; but 1t is a great opportunity; and in the
long run great opportunities make great men.
We shall rapidly learn to live up to our condi-
tions; and the people who will live up to such
conditions as these we have loresnadowed VIII
be people of large power and sympathy