“May the Atlantic Telegraph, under the blessing of Heaven, prove to be a bond of perpetual peace and friendship between the kindred nations, and an instrument destined by Divine Providence to diffuse religion, civilisation, liberty, and law throughout the world. In this view will not all nations of Christendom spontaneously unite in the declaration that it shall be for ever neutral, and that its communications shall be held sacred in passing to their places of destination, even in the midst of hostilities? (Signed) “JAMES BUCHANAN.” On the same day a message was received from Mr. C. Field, consisting of 38 words, which occupied 22 minutes in transmission. The mighty agency which had been made subservient to the dictates of man, had touched the hearts of two nations by expressing mutual esteem and respect, but had not yet exercised its higher prerogatives. On the 21st of August it flashed tidings of great joy, and brought relief to those who, but for it, would have languished in very weariness and pining. The Europa and Arabia, each thickly freighted with human lives, had come into collision in mid-ocean. So much was known, but there was nothing to appease the anxiety of those whose friends and relatives were on board. Fourteen days must elapse before the arrival of the next steamer. Within fourteen hours, however, the Atlantic telegraph wires allayed intense dread and anxious fears: “Newfoundland.--Europa and Arabia have been in collision--one has put into St. John’s--no lives are lost--all well.” On the 25th of August it was announced that “the Cable works splendidly,” and shortly after the New York journals recorded how the entire continent had gone mad for very joy, how feasting was the order of the day, and how American intellect had achieved the greatest scientific triumph of the age. On the 7th of September, 1858, the following letter appeared in the _Times_, addressed to the editor:-- “_September 6th_, 1858. “SIR,--I am instructed by the Directors to inform you that, owing to some cause not at present ascertained, but believed to arise from a fault existing in the Cable at a point hitherto undiscovered, there have been no intelligible signals from Newfoundland since one o’clock on Friday the 3rd inst. The Directors are now in Valentia, and, aided by various scientific and practical electricians, are investigating the cause of the stoppage, with a view to remedying the existing difficulty. Under these circumstances no time can be named at present for opening the wire to the public. “GEO. SAWARD.”