The Story of the Atlantic TelegraphField, Henry M. (Henry Martyn)
History
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
Field, Henry M. (Henry Martyn)
Transatlantic cables
"The Atlantic Telegraph fleet sailed from Queenstown, Ireland,
Saturday, July seventeenth, and met in mid-ocean Wednesday,
July twenty-eighth. Made the splice at one P.M., Thursday, the
twenty-ninth, and separated--the Agamemnon and Valorous, bound
to Valentia, Ireland; the Niagara and Gorgon, for this place,
where they arrived yesterday, and this morning the end of the
cable will be landed.
"It is one thousand six hundred and ninety-six nautical, or one
thousand nine hundred and fifty statute, miles from the
Telegraph House at the head of Valentia harbor to the Telegraph
House at the Bay of Bulls, Trinity Bay, and for more than two
thirds of this distance the water is over two miles in depth.
The cable has been paid out from the Agamemnon at about the
same speed as from the Niagara. The electric signals sent and
received through the whole cable are perfect.
"The machinery for paying out the cable worked in the most
satisfactory manner, and was not stopped for a single moment
from the time the splice was made until we arrived here.
"Captain Hudson, Messrs. Everett and Woodhouse, the engineers,
the electricians, the officers of the ship, and in fact, every
man on board the telegraph fleet, has exerted himself to the
utmost to make the expedition successful, and by the blessing
of Divine Providence it has succeeded.
"After the end of the cable is landed and connected with the
land line of telegraph, and the Niagara has discharged some
cargo belonging to the Telegraph Company, she will go to St.
John's for coal, and then proceed at once to New York.
"Cyrus W. Field."
The impression of this simple announcement it is impossible to conceive.
It was immediately telegraphed to all parts of the United States, and
everywhere produced the greatest excitement. In some places all business
was suspended; men rushed into the streets, and flocked to the offices
where the news was received. At Andover, Massachusetts, the news arrived
while the Alumni of the Theological Seminary were celebrating their
semi-centennial anniversary by a dinner. One thousand persons were
present, all of whom rose to their feet, and gave vent to their excited
feelings by continued and enthusiastic cheers. When quiet was restored,
Rev. Dr. Adams, of New York, said his heart was too full for a speech,
and suggested, as the more fitting utterance of what all felt, that they
should join in thanksgiving to Almighty God, and the venerable Dr.
Hawes, of Hartford, led them in fervent prayer, acknowledging the great
event as from the hand of God, and as calculated to hasten the triumphs
of civilization and Christianity. Then all standing up together, sang,
to the tune of Old Hundred, the majestic doxology:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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