News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-02-25
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in the case of citizen Cyrus w. Field, for
establishing Geographic communications
By means of the Atlantic cable traversing
midocean and connecting the Old World
with the New" the approval of the people
at large was as hearty as the vote in both
senate and house had been unanimous in
passing the act. Men and women who were
children then now recall the cable celebra-
ton as the first great event in memory, and
gray haired folk have not forgotten the
years of dazzling expectation and of hopes
blasted and deferred between the inception
and the achievement of that wonderful
undertaking.
The first news dispatch by the successful
cable told of the end of the Austro-
Prussian war of 1866, and between the lines
might be read the announcement that the
warfare of the cable was also ended. After
thirteen years of struggle the Atlantic tele-
graph was a fact. What triumphs of
science or miracles of art" in the history
of civilization have called forth greater
display of human energy, endurance and
courage than this same battle of the cable?
Admitting the correctness of the conclu-
sions of the able deep sea explorer, Lieut..
Maury, that there was plateau stretching
between Newfoundland and Iceland espe-
cially adapted to the purpose of holding
and protecting submarine cables, there
arose at that date the questions whether
wire could be constructed long enough to
span 600 miles, and, if so, Il ship large
enough to carry it and lay it; and would
ever the treacherous sea prove calm enough
and smooth enough to admit of the laying
of a cable mile and half to two miles
down in the deep, and above all would men
sensible enough to control SO much gold as
1 Il.
spired with faith to put their hands into
their bank vaults and foot the bills? And
if the cable could be laid would the electric
current work?
Field had accumulated IL competence for
those simple days and was enjoying it
when the idea of a cable came to him in
1853 He then enlisted Peter Cooper Moses
Taylor, Marshall o. Roberts and Chandler
White in the enterprise, secured the char
ter of the New York, Newfoundland and
London Telegraph company, and with a
capital of 81 ,50O,0 went to work. a tele-
graph line and Il road were built through
400 miles of Newfoundland wilderness, over
mountain and gorge, through swamps and
across rivers, around deep inlets and over
rocky headlands, task that alone de-
manded genius that could handle an army.
Then came the laying of Il cable across the
Gulf of ST. Lawrence, the loss of cable IN
Il gale at the first attempt, the completion
Of line and road 40 miles long across
Cape Breton island, years delay in max
ing and laying a second cable through tie
gulf, the whole at a cost of a round million
of dollars, all out of the Golfers of half Il
dozen men.
Mr.. Field then went to England to ask
financial aid, his estimates Calling for $780,,
0O0 To the inquiry, But suppose you
don't succeed-suppose you make the at
tempt and fail-your cable is lost in the
what will you dor" Mr. Field
quickly replied, Charge it to profit and
loss and go to work to lay another"
To show that he meant business, Mr..
Field paid down 900 for eighty-eig
shares of the stock subscribed in his own
name The English government granted
aid in the use of ships, and GA, 900 annual
subsidy for Il term of years, and Mr.. Field
to ask similar grants from his
home government After the American
eagle had aired his feathers in lengthy de-
bate the bill passed. and the lightning
promoter" went to England again. 1t
was then 1851
The United States loaned the steam war
frigate Niagara, and England the warship
Agamemnon to lay the cable. and the work
began on the Irish coast Aug. 5, each vessel
bearing coled within her sides 1900 miles
of wire. The Niagara began, and after
paying out 335 miles of wire, half of it in
water two miles deep, the cable parted
The machinery for paying out was insult
able and the fleet returned to England to
hear on all sides the cynical comment, II
,old you So" Not at all discouraged, Mr..