Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-07-14


he became interested in the subject of sub
marine telegraphy. 1t was brought to his
attention by telegraph operator named
Osborne, who had secured a charter from
the Newfoundland legislature for a cable
between st. Johns and New York. A cable
was laid across the Gulf of st. Lawrence
after great difficulties.
MIR. Field then induced Peter Cooper,
Moses Taylor, Marshall o. Roberts and
Chandler White to join him in the enter
prise A company was formed under the
title OF the New York, Newfoundland and
London Telegraph company. 1t was thir-
teen years after this before any results
worth speaking of were obtained This was
the most remarkable period of Fields life,
He bore up against rebuffs of all kinds and
financial disaster which would have easily
subdued most men. He made fifty journeys
across the Atlantic on behalf of his scheme.
A few great men encouraged him. Mr..
Thackeray and John Bright were among
them.
The Cable Laid.
After long series of dismal failures a
cable was laid in 1858. Two ships, one COM
ing from Newfoundland and the other from
Ireland, met and spliced the ends together
Messages were sent over this cable for a
IL
This failure was doubly disheartening, and
nothing more was done for some years.
Cyrus continued his agitation of the cable
scheme, however, and in 1865 the huge
Great Eastern was chartered to lay another
cable. By this time Sir William Thomson
had perfected his instruments for measur-
ing currents and for ascertaining the posi-
tion OF submarine cables. On the first oc-
casion the Great Eastern had gone about
i, 200 miles, when the cable parted.
The cable layers succeeded in getting hold
OF the cable again, but the rope with which
1t was hauling up gave way, and there was
not enough rope to make another attempt
1t was also too late in the season and too
rough to continue the work that year In
1855 the Great Eastern went out again, sue
ceeding in laying new cable and in pick
ing up the one abandoned In the previous
year. On July 81 communication was es-
tablished between the two continents and
since then it has never been interrupted.
Honors were heaped on Field. Congress
presented him with gold medal and the
thanks Of the nation. Lord Palmerston de-
clared that the British government would
have known how to honor him had he
been British subject. John Bright said
ne had moored the New World alongside of
the Old.
He was the last person to receive the hon
orary freedom of the city Of New York. A
gold snuff box was given to him at the same
time. He also got the thanks of the state
of Wisconsin, with a gold medal the thanks
of the American Chamber of Commerce of
Liverpool, with gold medal; a decoration
from King Victor Emmanuel of Italy; a sill
yer service from George Peabody, and in
n xlroa oil al
over the world.
His Monument to Andre.
Mr.. Fields house on the Hudson was
called Ardsley, from the house which his
ancestor Zachariah built in 1880. Some
years ago Mr.. Field created stir on the or
dinarily peaceful banks of the Hudson by
putting up monument to Major Andre,
the young English officer who bravely un-
dertook the duties of spy and was very
properly shot by General Washington's or
ders when caught.
As Andre was captured by three local
heroes, whose deed is also commemorated
in stone, local and national patriotism
moved Mr.. Fields neighbors to pull the
monument down. He put it up again and
they pulled it down again, and in time he
grew tired. Mr.. Field was freely accused
pf anglomania. This offense consisted in
submitting to the friendship Of the most
eminent Englishmen of the present and the
last generation.
Mr.. Field was careful of his personal ap-
pearance, but his dress was quiet 1t was
marked by one popularity, an emerald
given to him in South America which he
always wore in his shirt front. His CONVEX
sation was rapid and witty, and he could
get through more business in five minutes
than many in an hour. His recent troubles
are too well known to need repeating here.