The Story of the Atlantic TelegraphField, Henry M. (Henry Martyn)
History
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
Field, Henry M. (Henry Martyn)
Transatlantic cables
"Tuesday.--Breakfast at eight. Lunch at one. Dinner at six. Tea
at eight. Five hundred and two souls who live on board this
huge ship following their prescribed occupations. Cable going
out merrily. Electrical tests and signals perfect, and this is
the history of what has taken place from noon yesterday to noon
to-day. May we have three days more of such delightful
monotony! It rained very hard during yesterday evening, and as
we approach the Banks of Newfoundland we get thick and hazy
weather."
The latter part of the voyage did not fulfil in all respects the promise
of the first. The bright skies were gone; and instead perpetual fog hung
over the water, while often the clouds poured down their floods. Thus
the diary continues:
"Wednesday.--Fog and thick rain--just the weather to expect on
approaching the Banks of Newfoundland. The convoy keep their
position, and though sometimes the fog hides the ships from our
view, yet we know where they are by their signal-whistles--two
from the Terrible, three from the Medway, and four from the
Albany, which are replied to by the prolonged single shriek
from our whistle. At fifty-two minutes past one, Greenwich time
(ship's time, forty-five minutes past ten P.M., last night),
the fore tank being nearly empty, preparations were made for
passing the bight of the cable into the main tank. At fifteen
minutes past two all the jockey-wheels of the paying-out
machinery were up, and the brakes released. Twenty-three
minutes past two the bight was passed steadily and cautiously
by the cable hands outside of the trough to the main tank, and
at thirty-five minutes past two the splice went over the stern
in 1542.8 fathoms. By arrangement with Sir James Hope, the
admiral of the North-American station, who has received
instructions from the Admiralty to give the present expedition
every assistance in his power, a frigate or sloop will be
placed in longitude 48°, 25', 52", which is just thirty miles
from the entrance of Trinity Bay, and sixty from Heart's
Content. She will probably hang on by a kedge in that position,
which shows the 'fair way' right up the bay; and if it be
clear, we ought to see her about daybreak on Friday morning.
The fog was very thick this morning, but occasionally lifts; as
long as the wind is from south-west we cannot expect clear
weather."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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