Late in the spring of 1854 Mr. Field was obliged to take his old place at the head of the firm of Cyrus W. Field & Co., his brother-in-law and partner, Joseph F. Stone, having died on the 17th of May. The following August his only son died, and it was with a heavy heart that he began this double work. On January 25, 1855, he sailed for England to order the cable to connect Cape Ray and Cape Breton. And while he was away his children received this letter: "MORLEY'S HOTEL, "LONDON, _February 25, 1855_. "_My dear, dear Children,_--Many thanks for your affectionate letters, which I received last week in Paris. "I wish that you would tell your good uncle Henry that I am much obliged for his letter of January 30th, and give my warmest love to your dear grandfather and Aunt Mary, and thank them for writing to me, and tell them that if I do not get time to answer their letters I think a great deal about them, and hope that we shall soon all meet in health, and that then I shall have much to tell them of what I have seen and heard in the few weeks that I have been in Europe. "I hope at some future day to visit Europe again with your dear mother, and then, perhaps, we shall take all of our children with us. "I am sure that you would be very happy to see the many beautiful things that can be daily seen in London, Paris, and other parts of Europe. "When do you think it would be best for us to sail? "I am sure that you will be very kind to your mother and affectionate to each other, and do all in your power to make each person in our house very happy. "I hope that you will go very often to see your dear grandfather, grandmother, Aunt Mary, and Cousin Emilia; and whenever you see dear little Freddy kiss him many times for me. "It is one month to-day since I left home, and on the 24th of March I hope to leave Liverpool for New York. "In Paris I purchased some things for you, and the one that has been the best child during my absence shall have the first choice. "Good-bye, and may God bless you all, is the constant prayer of "Your affectionate father, "CYRUS W. FIELD. "The Misses Field, New York." On the 7th of August, 1855, a party sailed from New York on the steamer _James Adger_ to assist at the laying of the cable across the Gulf of St. Lawrence. To quote again from Mr. Cooper's speech: "We went along very pleasantly until we came to Port au Basque, and there we waited several days for the arrival of the ship that contained the cable, and when she came we directed the captain to take her in tow. Unfortunately he had taken umbrage at the action of Mr. Lowber, who, acting as a master of ceremonies, had placed Rev. Dr. Spring at the head of the table instead of the captain. So offended was he that he became as stubborn as a mule thereafter.