The Elbert County tribune., 1908-07-23
R4Yz7YG OFT TIT >CAAZE

Just so years ago next August, on
the seventeenth day of the month, the
first telegraphic message across the
Atlantic via the new cable was sent
from England to America. The mes
sage was of 30 words. from Queen
Victoria to President Buchanan. 1t
took 81 minutes to transmit. 1t was
the first tangible proof that one of
the greatest attempts of man in the
field of science had succeeded.
When a little company of men, un-
der the leadership of Cyrus w. Field,
began to organize for the purpose of
bringing the old world and the new
within speaking distance of each 9TH
er by means of a protected thread of
wire across the Atlantic, they were
hooted at as madmen. Capitalists who
invested their money in the scheme
were thought by their friends to have
become bereft of reason. Few imag-
ined the feat possible.
By formal agreement, on September
20. 1856, the Atlantic Telegraph COM
pany was organized. Its object was
Ito lay, or cause to be laid, a subma-
rine cable across the Atlantic" "
Among those prominent in the form
ing of the company were Peter Coop
er, Chandler White. Moses Taylor,
Marshall o. Roberts and Cyrus W.
Field.
The first step in the program was
to be the laying of cable across the
Gulf of ST. Lawrence, from Cape Ray
Cove to Cape North. The first trial
was disastrous, because of furious
storm, but in the following year the
cable was successfully laid. New
foundland was to be the western term
mus.
Assistance was obtained from the
United States, Newfoundland and
English governments. The United
States frigate Niagara, which was de-
tailed to assist in submerging the
cable, went to England April "a, 1857.
The coiling of the cable in Liverpool
occupied three weeks. A strand of
seven copper wires composing the
conductor, occupied the center. There
was gutta percha Insulation, COW
ering of specially prepared hemp, and
then the outer covering of iron wire,
IOr protecting tne caDle.
Five large cones were arranged in
the hold of the Niagara, round which
the cable was coiled. The length car
ried made total of 1854 miles. The
remainder was carried by the English
ship Agamemnon, 1,700 nautical miles
being required between the temini
at Newfoundland and Ireland. Spe-
| nj 4
apparatus was designed for paying
out, and. If need be, winding in the
cable.
Nature seemed to favor the prof.
ect, for extending along the bed of the
ocean, exactly between the two points
to be connected, is great pleateau.
like an immense prairie, stretching
over an extent of 1,400 miles from
east to west, with an average depth
of about two miles. As it approaches
the Newfoundland coast 1t is entirely
free from the effects of icebergs which
ground on shallow bottoms. In every
other part, the Atlantic is character.
lied by abrupt declivities and noun.
tain heights.
Another advantage was fould in
the deposit of infusoria, covering the
bottom in abundance. The material
showed tendency to unite with the
iron wire protecting the cable, thus
forming a concrete mass, making in
effect bed of down for the cable tc
rest upon.
The landing of the cable in Dolus
bay was successfully accomplished or
the 9th of August, 1857. Never before
had such mass of people assembled
on the shores of that bay. They came
from miles around-from their hut.
on the steep hillsides and the noun
tain passes. from the storied scene,
OF Killarney in the interior, and tn,
] bleak coast in the south.