THE FAILURE OF 1865
On February 25, 1865, Mr. Field writes:
"I have been absent from New York for some time on a visit to
Washington and to General Grant's army."
It was on the previous day that he had written to London:
"I do most sincerely hope that Captain James Anderson, of the
Cunard steamer _China_, will be appointed to the command of the
_Great Eastern_ during the laying of the Atlantic telegraph
cable.... With Captain Anderson in command and Messrs. Canning and
Clifford superintending the laying of the cable, I should feel the
greatest confidence that all would go right."
The _China_ was at this time on her way to New York. She sailed again on
her return voyage, March 8th, and Mr. Field was on board as a passenger.
The following letter from Captain Anderson is evidently the sequel of
their conversations on the voyage:
"34 RICHMOND TERRACE, BEECH ROAD,
"LIVERPOOL, _March 19, 1865_.
"_My dear Mr. Field_,--I purpose going up to London sometime
to-morrow. I did not get the _China_ moored until four P.M., so
that I have still the necessary custom entries to make.
"I shall meet you at breakfast Tuesday morning as early as you
like, and shall look for a note upon my arrival at your hotel. I
shall telegraph when I start.
"Mr. David MacIver appears to have laid his plans for the
possibility of my being required to remain behind at this time, but
will require an answer at latest on Wednesday morning. It will
therefore be necessary that I should be in communication as early
as possible on Tuesday morning with some one who could proceed to
the ship with me and talk the matter over.
"I dare say there may be no more work required than could be done
after my arrival in May, but it would then be too late to undo
anything.
"I have, however, the greatest faith in the engineering skill and
experience of Messrs. Glass, Elliott & Co., and believe I shall
find myself unable to suggest much that they are not already quite
familiar with, but I naturally would like to identify myself with
some knowledge of the storage and plans for lifting the ship, with
a view to trim for steering, pitching, or rolling as she becomes
lighter.
"I would like to see how the tanks are connected with each other in
their communication, and to understand the process of paying out,
the possibility of ever requiring to check it, and to be generally
familiar with men and material below the deck.
"You know I think prevention better than cure, and that it is the
distinct duty of a ship-master to be familiar with what is to be
apprehended, and, so far as he can, to have some plans in his mind
to which he can resort when his foresight has proved insufficient.
I do not apprehend or fear any difficulty to your great enterprise,
but as little as possible should be left to chance or inspiration.
"The essentials, as far as I am concerned, would be to _see for
myself all_ the ground tackling _clear_ and efficient;
"The steering gear and prevention ditto in good order;
"The sails necessary to steady the ship in a chance breeze;
"The _compasses_ and their _adjustment_ and all the means that are
available for freeing the ship from water.
"I should like to get around me such a staff of men that I might
hope to rely at least upon a portion of them.
"If the crew are all shipped at the last moment, you begin with a
difficulty at once. I would not, of course, incur the expense of
employing a large crew at present, but I would select a good
nucleus, and have the ship's work and discipline well in hand in
good season.
"Is the ship to go into Valentia Harbor? If so, I advise you to let
me go and see it. It is narrow. Should it prove a calm day this
might be of no moment, but it is not always calm in Ireland; we
might have to wait for a day or two. But these are first thoughts.
I will see what I think on Tuesday. Perhaps you might show this
letter to Mr. Canning, or any one you like. If they think I should
now join them, immediate application should be made; if not, it
will be very bad if I cannot work with the tools I get.
"Sincerely yours,
"JAMES ANDERSON."
The foresight and circumspection displayed in this note were
characteristic, and were among the qualities which, combined with
Captain Anderson's seamanship and long experience on the Atlantic, made
Mr. Field anxious to secure his services. The application to the Cunard
company for a leave of absence was granted, and there was no fault to be
found with the manner in which the temporary captain of the _Great
Eastern_ performed this part of the work.
"The _Great Eastern_ had arrived at her berth in the Medway on the
11th of July, 1864," wrote Mr. Field, "and the work on the three
tanks was begun at once. They were not completely finished until
February, 1865, although the coiling began on January 20th. The
admiralty had detailed two vessels, the _Amethyst_ and _Iris_, to
take the cable from the works to the _Great Eastern_, and late in
June all was safely on board."
This work was progressing so successfully that upon Mr. Field's arrival
in England he found it unnecessary for him to remain there, and that it
was possible for him to go to Egypt to attend the preliminary inspection
of the Suez Canal. He was duly accredited as a representative from the
Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York. His letter of appointment
is dated March 7, 1865, and sets forth: "You have been selected to
represent this chamber at the conference of representatives of Chambers
of Commerce invited to meet at Alexandria, Egypt, on the sixth day of
April next, by the Universal Company of the Suez Canal, to survey and
report upon the works undertaken by them to connect the Mediterranean
and the Red seas, and the great advantages to commerce which this new
line of water navigation promises." This journey was a most interesting
one. In his speech at Ismailia, on April 11th, he said:
"I am sure that all who witness what we have will agree that a ship
canal can be made across the Isthmus of Suez by the expenditure of
money under the direction of the best engineers of the nineteenth
century. You, Mr. President, are engaged in the great work of
dividing two continents for the benefit of every commercial nation
in the world.... Within the next three months I hope to have the
pleasure of seeing two hemispheres connected by a submarine cable,
and when that is done you will be able to telegraph from this place
in the Great Desert of Africa, through a part of Asia, across the
Continent of Europe, under the deep Atlantic, and over America to
the shores of the Pacific; and your message will arrive there
several hours in advance of the sun."
And at Cairo, on the 17th, he said to M. de Lesseps and those with him:
"Thirteen days since I arrived in Egypt an entire stranger, six
thousand miles away from home, but you received me with such
kindness that I at once felt that I was surrounded by friends; and
now, when we have met for the last time that we shall all be
together in this world, I have mingled feelings of joy and sadness.
Joy and gratitude that I have been with you on our most interesting
journey across the Isthmus of Suez, to examine that great work now
being constructed, of a ship canal from the Mediterranean to the
Red Sea; sadness that we now bid each other farewell. For all of
your kindness to me I most sincerely thank you, and if any of you
should visit America, while my heart beats you will receive a most
cordial welcome from me."
As it was not thought imperative for Captain Anderson to remain in
England in March, he made another voyage in command of the _China_, and,
on April 14th, while in New York, wrote to Mrs. Field:
"I am glad you have had such good news from your good husband. I
shall be astonished if he reports well of the canal, and should be
well satisfied to be assured of a healthy life until the first ship
sailed through the great ditch. I am quite curious to know what he
will say about it."
Mr. Field returned to London on May 1st, and that same day was at a
public meeting of Americans held "in order to give expression to their
feelings respecting the late distressing intelligence from America"--the
assassination of President Lincoln. Mr. Adams, the American minister,
presided, and Mr. Field closed his speech with these words:
"Just before leaving America I called to see President Lincoln, and
I know how deeply he desired peace in America and peace in all the
world. I trust, therefore, that everything calculated to stir up
ill-feeling between North and South--even the last sad deeds--or
between England and America, will be allowed to die with the good
man who has been taken away and will be buried in his grave
forever. If Mr. Lincoln could speak to-day he would urge upon every
one to do all he could to allay the passions which have been
excited in America; and I hope all will comply with what I believe
would be his wish."
The weeks passed rapidly in active preparation for the summer's attempt
to lay another cable. This account is from the London _Star_ of May
30th:
"At ten minutes past five yesterday afternoon the new telegraphic
cable, destined once more to connect England with America, was
completed. The last thread of wire was twisted, the last revolution
of the engine accomplished, and the mechanism of that subtle and
silent speech which henceforth is to unite two continents was ready
to be put in operation.... It was not to be expected that such a
propitious occasion should be allowed to pass without the
celebration of a dinner. No true-born Englishman could have lent
his countenance to a scheme which was not so inaugurated, and
therefore, towards evening, the gentlemen who had visited the works
of Messrs. Glass & Elliott proceeded westward to the Ship Tavern,
where a very princely entertainment had been provided. John Pender,
Esq., M. P., was in the chair. One of the toasts was: "Cyrus W.
Field, Esq.--may his energy and perseverance in behalf of the
Atlantic Telegraph Company be rewarded by the permanent success of
the cable."
What follows is the beginning of a long article in the London _Times_ of
June 19th:
"At length all the preparations connected with the final departure
of this great telegraphic expedition are completed. On Wednesday
the _Amethyst_ left the telegraph works with the last length of 245
miles of cable on board, and on Saturday the operation of coiling
this in was begun. This work will probably last till the 22d inst.,
when the _Great Eastern_ will have in her as nearly as possible
7000 tons of cable, or, including the iron tanks which contain it
and the water in which it is sunk, about 9000 tons in all. In
addition to this she has already 7000 tons of coal on board, and
1500 tons more still to take in. This additional weight, however,
will not be added till she leaves the Medway, which she will do on
the morning of the 24th for the Nore, when the rest of the coals
and special stores will be put aboard, and these will bring her
mean draught down to 32½ feet. Her total weight, including engines,
will then be rather over 21,000 tons--a stupendous mass for any
ship to carry, but well within the capacity of the _Great Eastern_,
of which the measurement tonnage is 24,000. Her way out from the
Nore will be by Bullock's Channel, which the admiralty are having
carefully buoyed to avoid all risk in these rather shallow waters.
Before the following spring tides set in, about the 6th or 7th of
July, the _Great Eastern_ will start for Valentia. There she is
expected to arrive about the 9th or 10th, and there she will be met
by the two ships of war appointed to convoy her--the _Terrible_ and
the _Sphinx_. Both these vessels are being fitted with the best
apparatus for deep-sea soundings; with buoys and means for buoying
the end of the cable, if ever it should become necessary; and with
Bollen's night-light naval signals, with which the _Great Eastern_
is likewise to be supplied. To avoid all chance of accident the big
ship will not approach the Irish coast nearer than twenty or
twenty-five miles, and her stay off Valentia will be limited to the
time occupied in making a splice with the massive shore end which
for a length of twenty-five miles from the coast will be laid
previous to her arrival. This monstrous shore end, which is the
heaviest and strongest piece of cable ever made, will be despatched
in a few days, and be laid from the head of a sheltered inlet near
Cahirciveen out to the distance we have stated, where the end will
be buoyed and watched by the ships of war till the _Great Eastern_
herself comes up. Some idea of the strength and solidity of this
great end may be guessed by the fact that its weight per mile is
very little short of one-half the weight of an ordinary railway
metal. For the shore end at Newfoundland only three miles are
required, and this short length will be sent in the _Great
Eastern_."
The request that American war vessels should accompany the expedition
was made in the early spring, as is shown by this correspondence:
"NEW YORK, _March 1, 1865_.
"_Sir_,--The undersigned honorary directors of the Atlantic
Telegraph Company have the honor to transmit to the President of
the United States the draft of a letter to the Honorable the
Secretary of the Navy, deeming it a matter of propriety that an
application of so interesting a character shall be made to the Navy
Department of the United States through the chief executive of the
nation, whose interest in behalf of the enterprise thus presented
is earnestly invoked.
"We have the honor to be,
"Very respectfully,
"Your obedient servants,
"W. E. DODGE, PETER COOPER,
"WILSON G. HUNT, A. A. LOW,
"E. M. ARCHIBALD, CYRUS W. FIELD,
"Honorary Directors in America.
"To his Excellency ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United
States."
[Illustration: ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH CABLE · 1865]
"NEW YORK, _March 1, 1865_.
"_Sir_,--Under an act of Congress approved March 3, 1857, the
government of the United States detailed the steam frigates
_Niagara_ and _Susquehanna_ to assist in laying the cable of the
Atlantic Telegraph Company from Ireland to Newfoundland, and the
following year sent the _Niagara_, under the command of Captain
Hudson, to co-operate with the _Agamemnon_, of her Britannic
Majesty's navy, in the further prosecution of this enterprise.
These vessels meeting in mid-ocean on the 28th day of July, 1858,
after connecting the wire, separated, the _Agamemnon_ sailing for
Valentia, on the coast of Ireland, and the _Niagara_ for Trinity
Bay, on the coast of Newfoundland. They reached their respective
destinations on the 5th day of August, and the work of uniting the
two continents by telegraphic communication was successfully
accomplished.
"For a brief time messages were transmitted from one continent to
the other, among the most interesting being the announcement of
peace between Great Britain and France and China. The success, as
happily achieved, but only temporary, was still sufficient to
assure the parties engaged of a final and perfect fulfilment.
"The capital of the Atlantic Telegraph Company has once more been
filled up, and a new cable is now in course of shipment, on board
of the _Great Eastern_, and will be wholly embarked on or before
the 1st of June next. During that month we have every reason to
think it will be successfully laid, seven years of experience, with
the added teaching of science, affording very ample grounds for
this conclusion.
"Regarding this as an enterprise of great international importance,
we invite the attention of the government of the United States to
this new effort of the Atlantic Telegraph Company, and respectfully
request the Honorable the Secretary of the Navy once more to detail
a ship of war to act with such vessel of the British navy as her
Britannic Majesty may appoint to accompany the _Great Eastern_ on
her projected mission.
"The lapse of time since the first attempt was made to unite the
continents by a system of telegraphic communication has not tended
to abate the interest which originally centred upon this bold
undertaking. On the contrary, four years of civil war, prolific of
events demanding immediate and mutual explanations between Great
Britain and the United States, have contributed to strengthen and
deepen the interest with which at first it was so universally
regarded. May we not reasonably indulge the hope that, as the old
cable first conveyed to the Western World the news of restored
peace in China, one of the first messages through the wires about
to be immersed may convey to the Old World from the New tidings of
peace re-established in the West, of the States reunited, and
slavery everywhere abolished, and that henceforward all causes of
misunderstanding between Great Britain and the United States may be
instantaneously removed?
"We have the honor to be,
"Very respectfully,
"Your obedient servants,
"PETER COOPER, WM. E. DODGE,
"A. A. LOW, WILSON G. HUNT,
"CYRUS W. FIELD, E. M. ARCHIBALD,
"Honorary Directors in America.
"To Hon. GIDEON WELLES, Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C.
The only explanation ever vouchsafed of the failure of this application
was the suggestion, published in a New York paper, that it was "because
England had not withdrawn her proclamation excluding our vessels from
her ports under what is termed her 'twenty-four hours' rule.'"
The _Great Eastern_ left Medway on June 24th, and removed to the Nore,
and on July the 15th left that anchorage. The progress of the great ship
is chronicled in the following extracts from the London papers:
"PORTSMOUTH, _July 16th_.
"The _Great Eastern_ passed Newton at 2 P.M., five miles off land,
under steam and sail; wind light, southerly."
"VALENTIA, _July 23d_.
"Yesterday morning the first great step in the important
undertaking was accomplished by hauling on land the massive shore
end up the cliffs at the southwestern extremity of this island."
"VALENTIA, _July 24th_.
"Before this reaches the public the _Great Eastern_, if all goes
well, will already have laid some 300 miles of the Atlantic cable."
"ON BOARD 'GREAT EASTERN,'
"_Friday morning_.
"Five hundred nautical miles of cable were paid out at 10.50 A.M.
to-day. The distance run at 9.50 A.M. was 450 miles.
"The signals are perfect; weather fine."
"ON BOARD 'GREAT EASTERN,'
"_Wednesday morning, August 2d_.
"Twelve hundred miles paid out at 7.50 A.M.; 1050 run by _Great
Eastern_ at 6.50 A.M.
"All going on well."
"_August 7th._
"Although the precise cause of the catastrophe is still a mystery,
there remains but faint hope that the fate of the Atlantic cable is
not already decided. Four days have elapsed since the signals
ceased to evoke any return, and those received at Valentia became
unintelligible."
"_August 17th._
"Arrival of the _Great Eastern_, Crookhaven. Failure of the
Atlantic telegraph expedition."
An illustrated paper published on the _Great Eastern_, and called _The
Atlantic Telegraph_, tells of some of the days that passed so
mysteriously to those on land:
"_Saturday, July 29, 1865._
"OUR WEEKLY SUMMARY.
"The week just completed has been most exciting, several mishaps
having occurred, but we are enabled to state that everything at the
time of our going to press was most satisfactory, both as regards
the ship's progress and the chief objects of her voyage across the
Atlantic.
"On Monday the hopes of all interested in the success of the
undertaking were much damped by the intelligence that all was not
right with the cable. The chief engineer immediately proceeded to
stop the 'paying out' of the cable, and gave orders for 'paying in'
the same. This latter operation is very slow and unsatisfactory,
and answers to the 'paying out' of the pockets of the shareholders,
whereas the 'paying out' of the cable contributes to the 'paying
in' as regards the same pockets. This curious feature will be
better understood by a reference to our money market intelligence.
"MONEY MARKET.
"Money scarce. Exchange, 00.
"STOCK EXCHANGE.
"There has been great fluctuation in the shares of the Atlantic
Telegraph and Great Ship companies.
"NEWS OF THE WEEK.
"The _Great Eastern_ speeds nobly on her mission of towing the
islands of Great Britain and Ireland to America. In less than ten
days it is expected that a splice will be effected between the two
countries, and long, long may it last.
"AMUSEMENTS FOR THE DAY.
"12 noon.--Luncheon and _Daily Navigator_.
"5.30.--Dinner.
"8.--Tea.
"9 to 11 P.M.--Grog, possibly with whist.
"From daylight till dusk.--Looking out for the _Sphinx_. (Through
the kindness and liberality of the admiralty, this interesting
amusement will be open to the public free of charge.)
"N. B.--The above amusements, with the exception of whist, are
gratis.
"FINIS.
"_The Atlantic Telegraph_ will be published till further notice.
The price will be, for the series, five shillings, including the
cover, and the proceeds will be devoted to such purposes as Captain
Anderson shall appoint.
"Communications to be addressed to the editor at No. 14 Lower South
Avenue, Middle District.
"FINIS."
"THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.
"_Saturday, August 12, 1865._
"The events of the last ten days have caused so much anxiety to the
chiefs of this expedition, and, indeed, to all on board, that it
appeared to us unseemly to allow our funny writer, or any one in
our employ, to utter any ill-timed joke. That anxiety is now over,
and though it be not supplanted by the exultation of success, let
us accept our failure in the healthy spirit shown by the chief
sufferers, and with an expression of sincere regret let us wipe
from our brain what of the past is unavailing, and turn to the
future with that hope and confidence which are justified by the
experience gained by failure. As in kingdoms they say, 'The king is
dead; the king liveth,' so let us say, 'The cable is dead; the
cable liveth.' All honor and glory to our new sovereign!
"DEEP-SEA FISHING.
"It being ascertained that the sea-serpent was somewhere in
latitude 51° 30' N., longitude 39° W., Captain Anderson,
accompanied by Messrs. Canning and Clifford and a party of
scientific gentlemen, endeavored to capture the monster. It being
found that the lazy brute lies perfectly still at the bottom of the
ocean, and being fed by sea animals, a bait was useless. A strong
wire rope, with a grapnel attached, was lowered to a depth of 2000
fathoms. After drifting a while, they grappled the monster and
brought him up 1000 fathoms, when, unfortunately, the swivel gave
way. Two or three attempts were made, with a like result, and it
was resolved to postpone all operations to a more favorable time.
"ADVERTISEMENT.
"Captain Anderson will sell by auction in the chief saloon of the
_Great Eastern_, on Saturday, August 12th, at one o'clock, the
following articles, the property of various gentlemen leaving their
present quarters:
"Lot 1.--_The Great Eastern._ For cards to view apply to Mr. Gooch,
on board.
"Lot 2.--The good-will of the Atlantic Telegraph Company. (This
invisible property is in Mr. Field's possession.)
* * * * *
"Lot 12.--A free pass from Boston or Halifax to Liverpool by any of
the Cunard boats, the proprietor, Mr. W. Russell, having no use for
the same."
The accompanying illustration appeared at the end of the papers, with
this verse:
"No useless sentry within the tank,
Not in slumber or sleep we found him;
But he sat like a warrior stiff on his plank,
With his Inverness cloak around him."
It was while Mr. Field was on watch on August 2d that "a grating noise
was audible as the cable flew over the coil," and "There is a piece of
wire" was called to the lookout man. The fault was discovered, and the
cable was transferred without difficulty to the bows, and the picking up
was going on quietly when the strain became too great and it parted.
To quote from _The Atlantic Telegraph_:
"Mr. Canning appeared in the saloon, and, in a manner which caused
all to start, said: 'It is all over--it is gone,' and hastened
onward to his cabin. Mr. Field, ere the thrill of surprise and pain
occasioned by those words had passed away, came from the
companionway into the saloon, and said, with composure admirable
under the circumstances, though his lip quivered and his cheek was
blanched, 'The cable has parted and gone overboard.'
"After this grappling was determined upon. At 11.30 on August 11th
the _Great Eastern_ signalled to the _Terrible_, 'We are going to
make a final effort.' The cable was caught and was brought up 765
fathoms, and was then lost."
At Dundee, Scotland, in 1867, Sir William Thomson said:
"I shall never forget the day when we last gave up hope of
finishing the work in 1865. On that day Cyrus Field renewed a
proposal for the adoption of the plan which has been adopted, and
which has led to the successful completion of the enterprise. Cyrus
Field's last prospectus was completed in the grand saloon of the
_Great Eastern_ on the day when we gave up all hope for 1865."
[Illustration: THE NIGHT-WATCH
(From a lithograph drawn and printed on board the _Great Eastern_.)]
On the morning of the 12th the _Terrible_, one of the vessels detailed
and the one that had acted as pilot, was directed to resume her journey
westward and to carry letters to America. As she steamed away she
signalled "Farewell"; the _Great Eastern_ answered "Good-bye, thank
you."
The following message is without doubt the one sent by this conveyance
to Mr. Field's family:
"_Great Eastern_ left mouth of the Thames July 15th. Shore end
landed in Ireland on 22d. Parted on August 2d in latitude 51° 25'
north, longitude 39° 6' west, 1062.4 miles from Valentia Bay, 606.6
miles from Heart's Content. Spent nine days in grappling; used up
all wire, rope; nothing left, so obliged to return to England.
Three times cable was caught, and hauled up for more than
three-quarters of a mile from bed of the ocean."
The news of the failure of the cable expedition reached New York after
the middle of August, and in a degree the country was prepared for it.
The _Cuba_ early in August had brought word of the trouble that had
occurred on the 29th of July.
The suspense and anxiety had been so great to Mr. Field's family that
the loss of the cable was as nothing compared to the relief they
experienced at knowing that he was alive. Mr. David Dudley Field has
told of going to Garrison's on the Hudson, where the family were passing
the summer, to express sympathy, and that he found a very happy group,
and was met with the words, "Is not this delightful?"
This letter was one of the first received by Mrs. Field:
"NORTH CONWAY, _19th August, 1865_.
"_My dear Friend_,--Emerging from the wilderness at Moosehead Lake,
my first inquiry was for news concerning the cable. I have not had
a full long breath ever since, such has been my suspense.
"Day and night our thoughts have been with you and dear Mr. Field.
Outside of your own family perhaps no one has known more of the
hopes, the sacrifices, the efforts involved in this great
undertaking. Certainly no one has felt more of interest in his
success than I have. His pluck, bravery, and faith have always
elicited my admiration, and inspired me with absolute confidence in
his ultimate triumph over all difficulties. He has surely done his
part well. He deserves the approbation and honor of the civilized
world.
"To-day for the first time I have heard of the parting of the
cable. It seems as if a strong cord had snapped in my own heart. I
feel most keenly for Mr. Field's disappointment. The disaster comes
home to us all.
"Mrs. Adams and myself talk much of you. We hope you have good news
as to the health of your husband. How does he bear up with all this
excitement and revulsion? I trust he will soon be returned to you
safe and well; most of all, that he and you and we may yet see the
complete success of this wonderful enterprise....
"Very truly and affectionately your friend and pastor,
"W. ADAMS."
To copy once more from his papers:
"This last attempt at ocean-cable laying proved conclusively that
all the principal difficulties had been overcome in the way of
carrying the grand enterprise to successful completion. The _Great
Eastern_ as a cable ship had proved herself admirably fitted for
the service on which she was employed. The cable itself could
hardly be improved. The paying-out apparatus was almost perfect,
and on this occasion it did not require any great amount of
persuasion to induce the directors of the company to go on with the
work.
"A meeting was at once called, and the board resolved not only to
pick up the lost cable, but to construct and lay another, both
operations to be performed in the following year, and the _Great
Eastern_ to be employed in the service. The contractors made a
liberal offer to the company, and the directors decided to raise
£600,000 of new capital."
All work for the coming year having apparently been most satisfactorily
settled, he returned home in September. A friend on the steamer with him
said:
"We heard Mr. Field was a passenger. We felt the deepest sympathy
for him, and to our surprise he was the life of the ship and the
most cheerful one on board. He said: 'We have learned a great deal,
and next summer we shall lay the cable without doubt.'"
But again came discouragement. November 3d Captain Anderson wrote:
"I cannot yet write a cheerful letter.... I cannot see any
difficulty to our success but the one item of money. We are losing
time. The board has already lost its margin, and it will end, must
end now, by being in a hurry at the last.
"I am sorry you are not here. Somehow no one seems to push when you
are absent."
On November 27th Mr. Field wrote to Mr. Saward:
"Unless I have more favorable news from London in regard to the
Atlantic telegraph, it is my intention to sail for Liverpool on the
_Scotia_ on the 13th of December."
He did not reach England a day too soon. On December 22d the
Attorney-General had given the opinion that only an act of Parliament
could legalize the issue of the twelve per cent. preference shares.
Parliament was not to meet until February, and then there would be a
delay in passing the bill. For this reason the money subscribed had been
returned, and the work of manufacturing the cable stopped. Mr. Field
accepted the opinion given, but also saw a way out of the difficulty.
It seems as if Mr. O'Neil's words in _Blackwood's Magazine_ referred to
this crisis and not to the failure of the previous summer:
"Mr. Cyrus Field, the pioneer of Atlantic enterprise, full of hope
and confidence, and never betraying anxiety or despair even at the
most serious disaster--a man whose restless energy is best shown in
his spare yet strong frame, as if his daily food but served for the
development of schemes for the benefit of mankind in general and
the profit of individuals in particular, every stoppage in our
progress being marked by the issue of a fresh prospectus, each
showing an increase of dividend as the certain result of confiding
speculation--and, I say, all honor to him for his unswerving
resolution to complete that great work for the success of which he
has toiled so long and so earnestly."
It was on December 30th that Captain Anderson wrote:
"SHEERNESS, _Saturday, 30th, '65_.
"_My dear Mr. Field_,--Thanks for your cheering letter. I have
great hopes in your energy and talent. I feel as if our watch had
got the mainspring replaced, and had been trying to go without it
for the last three months. At all events, I know nothing will be
left undone that human energy can accomplish.
"With the compliments of the season, and every kind wish, in which
my good wife joins me,
"I remain
"Sincerely yours,
"JAMES ANDERSON."