The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-16

| NAN RlInOBt aLi n bankers ana
mercfants though among them there was one
! gentleman whom we are proud TO call an Ane-
! rlcan-Mr. George Peabody-a name hOnorei
| IN TWO countries, since he has showered his
| Drlncely beneiactions upon both-who, though
| a refident for nearly forty years in London,
| where he has gained abundant wealth aud
honors, still Clings to the land of his birth; de-
| Ginning the honor OF Baronetcy of the United
Kingdom to remain simple American citizen.
| (Applause.)
In December, 1865, went back again, when
10! all our hopes had sunk TO nothing. The
Attorney -General OF England had given his
written opinion that we had no legal right
without a special act of Parliament (which
could not be obtained under q year TO issue the
new 10 per cent shares, on which we relied to
raise our capital. This was a terrible bIow
The works were at once stopped, and the
money which had been paid In returned TO the
subscribers, Such was the state of things only
ten months ago. l reached London on the
I4th OF December, and the next day was not a
merry Christmas 10 me. But IL was an inex.
pressible comfort to have the counsel of sucb
men as Sir Daniel GOoch and Sir Richard A.
Glass, and to hear stout-hearted Mr. Brassey
tell us to go ahead, and, If need were, he would
put down eco, 600 morel
1t was finally concluded that the best course
was 10 organize new company, which should
assume the work; and so originated the Anglo
American Telegraph Company. 1t was formed
Dy ten gentlemen who met around a table i'm
London, and put down Gl0 900 apiece, | hone
me excellent secretary of this Company, Mr.
DNhhNs VIM Idult VIII us across the ocean. Will
write its history, and tell the world what life
Directors.
The great Telegraph Construction and Maipte
nance Company-undaunted by the failure of
last year, answered us with subscription of
flOO,OU0. Soon alter the books were opened to
the public, through the eminent bankiag-house
OF j. 3. Morgan Co., and in fourteen days we
nau raised the whole f600, 600. Then the work
began again, and went on with speed, Never
was greater energy infused into any ENTERPRISE
IL was only the fist day of March that the new
company was formed and was registered as a
company the next day; and yet such was the
Ylgor and despatch, that in five months from
mat day the cable had been manufactured
shipped on the Great Eastern stretched across
the Atlantic, and was sending messages, literally
sWIt as nSht1lng, from continent to continent
(Cheers.)
Yet this was not "a lucky hit"-a fine run
across the ocean in calm weather. 1t was the
worst weather / ever knew at that season of fbe
year. In the despatch which appeared in the
new YORK papers you may have read, 'The
" Gather has been most pleasant" l wrote it
,un-pleasant." We had fogs and storms almost
the whole way. Our success was the result of
the highest science combined with practical ey
perience: Every thing was perfectly organized
to The minutest detail. We had on board an adj |
mraOle staf OF officers, such men as Halpin and
beckwlth, and engineers long used to the busi- |
ness, such as Canning and Clifford and Temple |
the hrst of whom has been knighted for his !
part IN this great achievement; and electricians |
Sutu rs IIOIeSsOI thomson, OF Glasgow. and |
Nllloughby Smith, and Laws; while Mr.. G. n |
Varley, our companion of the year before, who
stands among the first in knowledge and practi-
,al skill, remained with Sir Richard Glass at
alentla, TO keep watch at that end of the line:
md Mr.. LatimPr Clark, who was to test the
able when done. OF these gentlemen Pro-
essor thomson, as one OF the earliest and most
5mlnent electricians OF England, has received
he same marx of distinction. England honors
lerselt when she thus pays honor TO science
ind 1t is fit that the Government which hon |
Jred chemistry in Sir Humphrey Davy, should |
honor electrical science in Sir William Thomson. |
But our work was not over. After landing
ihe cable safely at Newfoundland we had !
mother task-to return to mld-ocean and re- |
;oVer that lost in the expedition of last YEAR |
This achievement has perhaps excited more sur |
orise tnan the other Many even now don't !
understand II" and every day / am asked chow |
i was done." Wen, it does seem rather diff |
cult to fish for a jewel at the bottom of the
ocean TWO and half miles deep. But it is not |
30 UeTy difficult when you know how. You |
may be sure we did not 20 a fishing at random |
nor was our success mere 'Iuck " 1t WAS thg |.
triumph OF the highest nautical and engineering |
skill We had four ships, and on board of them |
some OF the best seamen in England men who |
in the forest.
There was Captain Moriarty, who was in the |
A9oheTnaOa in 1873, He was in the GreuI !
EdSteTn last year, and saw the cable when it !
broke; and he and Captain Anderson at once !
TOOK their observations so exact that tbey
could go right TO the spot After inding il they /
marked the line OF the cable by row OF buoys; |
for logs would come down, and shut out sun |
ana stars, so that no man could take an obser-
Vaton. These buoys were anchored a few miles |
apart. They were numbered, and each had a .
nagstaH on II, so that 1t could be seen by day |
ana lantern by night, Thus having taken our /
bearings, we stood oil three or four miles, so as
10 come DrOadslde on, and then casting over
me gIapnel, dritted slowly down upon IT, drag
cling the bottom of the ocean as we went
AT nfSt ~ Httip 1Vyk Vyurd n Geh IN
deep water, but our men got used to it, and soon
could cast grapnel almost as straight as auy
oId Wnaler throws harpoon, Our dshing-line .
was OF formidable size. Ii was made of rome
twisted with wires of steel, so as to beara strain
ot thirty tons. 1t took about two hours for
The erapnel 10 reach bottom, but we could tell .
when It struck. l often went to the bow and
AT on the rope, and could feel by the culver
hat the grapnel was dragging on the bottom .
wo miles under US. But il was very slow busI- /
ness. We had storms and Calms, and fogs and .
qualls. Still we worked on day after day. ,
Jnce, on the 18th Of August, we cot the cable !
Up, and had II in full sight tor i've minutes, a |
ong, Shiny monster, fresh from the ooze OF the
oceans bed, but our men began to cheer so |
wildly that it seemed 10 be frightened and !
suddenly broke away and went down into |
The sea.
This accident kept Us at work two weeks
onger but finally, on the last night of August,
Gn,oo oa"gnt @ ~. Ne had cast the grapnel thirty
Nines' ~ was little before midnight on Friday
lignt ilgsi % tnal we hooked the cable, and it was a
lltte atter midnight SUNDAY morning -Uben We
got II on board. What was the ANXIETY Of those
lWenty-slX hours The strain on every manis
lte was like the strain on the cable itself when
hnaliY II appeared 1t was midnight. tbe ligbts
Of the ship, and in the boats around oTr h6eH
as they flashed in the faces of the men sbowe5
them eagerly watching tor tae cable to aNneo
on the water; AT length it was brought to fSe
surface. All who were allowed TO annroscb
crowded forward 10 see it. Yet not word was
spoken, only the voices of the officers In com
mand were heard giving orders. All fell ss jS
life and death hung on the issue.