"Any land which you may find necessary to have for any of these purposes will be furnished by the government free of expense to you, not intended to include land for offices or houses. "It is to be understood that if you do not within five years begin the construction of the cable necessary to connect the islands with the United States, and establish the connection within ten years, this grant is to cease. "The King and Cabinet, having the greatest confidence in your ability and energy, anticipate the completion of the cable to the islands at an early day. "I have the honor to be, sir, "With great respect, "Your obedient servant, "ELISHA H. ALLEN, "His Hawaiian Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary." It was on the evening of the 10th of March, 1879, that he said: "One thing only remains which I still hope to be spared to see, and in which to take a part: the laying of a cable from San Francisco to the Sandwich Islands ... and from thence to Japan, by which the island groups of the Pacific may be brought into communication with the continents on either side--Asia and America--thus completing the circuit of the globe." Two months later this note was sent: "NEW YORK, _May 17, 1879_. "_Dear Judge Allen_,--I sail for Europe on Wednesday next, the 21st instant, and shall be absent five weeks from this city. During my visit there I shall confer with my friends in regard to the Pacific cable, and I am willing to head a subscription list with my own subscription of one hundred thousand dollars. "I shall be happy to confer with you on my return to this country. "I have had a bill introduced into Congress granting permission to land and operate cables in the United States, which I hope will pass during this session. "With great respect, "I remain, dear Judge Allen, "Very truly your friend, "CYRUS W. FIELD." To follow his steps more closely, it is best to turn back to the fall of 1871. It was on October 10th that he cabled to London: "A great fire has been raging in Chicago for the last two days, and more than 100,000 persons are homeless and destitute of food, shelter, and clothing. Five square miles in heart of Chicago utterly destroyed. Loss between two and three hundred millions. All principal business houses, banks, and hotels destroyed. Could not you, Captain Hamilton, and Mr. Rate call upon the large banking-houses connected with America, such as Morgan, Baring, Jay Cooke, Morton, Brown, Shipley, and others, and endeavor to organize a relief committee for the purpose of rendering the assistance that is so much needed? The large cities of the United States are acting nobly in this fearful calamity that has befallen Chicago, and the citizens subscribe liberally."