The Story of the Atlantic TelegraphField, Henry M. (Henry Martyn)
History
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
Field, Henry M. (Henry Martyn)
Transatlantic cables
But regrets were idle. What could he do to repair the injury? "Is there
a steamer," he asked, "to be had in these waters?" "The Bloodhound is at
St. John's." "Telegraph instantly to charter her to go around to the
Gulf of St. Lawrence, and fish up the old cable and repair it. But that
may take several weeks. Is there nothing else that can serve in the mean
time to carry despatches across the Gulf?" "There is a little steamer,
called the Dauntless." "Well, telegraph for her too. Secure her at all
hazards; only see that the work is done." All this was the work of a few
minutes. The answers came back quickly, and in a day or two came the
steamers themselves. The arrangement was immediately carried out. The
Dauntless took her place in the Gulf, where she made her regular trips
from Port au Basque, in Newfoundland, to Aspee Bay, in Cape Breton,
keeping up daily communication with the States. The Bloodhound, which
had a more difficult task, first took on board eleven miles of cable
from the Great Eastern, to repair that which was broken. The expedition
was put in charge of Mr. A. M. Mackay, the indefatigable Superintendent
of the Company in Newfoundland, who had had the care of their lines for
ten years. He sailed for Aspee Bay, and made short work of the business,
dragging the Gulf and raising the cable, which he found had been broken
by an anchor, in water seventy fathoms deep, a few miles from shore.
This was spliced out with a portion of the new cable, and the whole was
as perfect as ever, giving a fresh proof that cables well made are
likely to be permanent, if not indestructible.
Meanwhile, owing to this interruption of the cable across the Gulf of
St. Lawrence, the news of the success of the expedition, which reached
Newfoundland on Friday, the twenty-seventh, did not reach New York till
the twenty-ninth. It was early Sunday morning, before the Sabbath bells
had rung their call to prayer, that the tidings came. The first
announcement was brief: "Heart's Content, July 27.--We arrived here at
nine o'clock this morning. All well. Thank God, the cable is laid, and
is in perfect working order.
Cyrus W. Field."
Soon followed the despatch to the Associated Press, giving the details
of the voyage, and ending with a just tribute to the skill and devotion
of all who had contributed to its success. Said Mr. Field: "I cannot
find words suitable to convey my admiration for the men who have so ably
conducted the nautical, engineering, and electrical departments of this
enterprise, amidst difficulties which must be seen to be appreciated. In
fact, all on board of the telegraph fleet, and all connected with the
enterprise, have done their best to have the cable made and laid in a
perfect condition; and He who rules the winds and the waves has crowned
their united efforts with perfect success."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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