Conversation so far:
What does William have to do with calculations on data rate?
Thomson contended that the signalling speed through a given cable was inversely proportional to the square of the length of the cable.
How were his contributions helpful to society?
December 1856, he was elected to the board of directors of the Atlantic Telegraph Company.
Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?
Thomson attacked Whitehouse's contention in a letter to the popular Athenaeum magazine, pitching himself into the public eye.

Question: How did the public react to this letter?
Self-contained rewrite: How did the public react to William Thomson's letter to to the popular Athenaeum magazine??