CAST DOWN, BUT NOT IN DESPAIR.
It takes a long time to recover from a great disaster. When at last the
friends of the Atlantic Telegraph were obliged to confess that the cable
had ceased to work; when all the efforts of the electricians failed to
draw more than a few faint whispers, a dying gasp, from the depths of
the sea, there ensued in the public mind a feeling of profound
discouragement. For a time this paralyzed all effort to revive the
Company and to renew the enterprise. And yet the feeling, though
natural, was extreme. If they had not done all they attempted, they had
accomplished much. They had at least demonstrated the possibility of
laying a cable across the Atlantic Ocean, and of sending messages
through it. This alone was no small triumph. So men reasoned when sober
reflection returned, and at length the tide of public confidence, which
had ebbed so strongly, began to reflow, and once more to creep up the
shores of England.
But when a great enterprise has been overthrown, and lies prostrate on
the earth, the first impulse of its friends is to call on Caesar for
help. So the first appeal of the Atlantic Telegraph Company was to the
British Government. It was claimed, and with reason, that the work was
too great to be undertaken by private capital alone. It was a matter,
not of private speculation, but of public and national concern. It was,
therefore, an object which might justly be undertaken by a powerful
government, in the interest of science and of civilization.
To raise capital for a new cable, it was necessary to have some better
security than the hazards of a vast and doubtful undertaking. Hence the
Company asked the Government to guarantee the interest on a certain
amount of stock, even if the second attempt should not prove a success.
With such a guarantee, the capital could be raised in London in a day.
In this application they might have been successful, but for an untoward
event, which dampened the confidence of the public in all submarine
enterprises--the failure of the Red Sea Telegraph. The British
Government, anxious to forward communication with India, had given that
Company an unconditional guarantee, on the strength of which the capital
was raised, and the cable manufactured and laid. But in a short time it
ceased to work, a loss which the treasury of Great Britain had to make
good. To the public, which did not understand the cause of the failure
to be the imperfect construction of the cable, the effect was to impair
confidence in all long submarine telegraphs. Of course, after such an
experience, the Government was not disposed to bind itself by such
pledges again. It was, however, ready to aid the enterprise by any safe
means. It therefore increased its subsidy from fourteen thousand pounds
to twenty thousand pounds; and guaranteed eight per cent on six hundred
thousand pounds of new capital for twenty-five years, with only one
condition--_that the cable should work_. This was a liberal grant, and
under the circumstances, was all that could be expected.
Still further to encourage the undertaking, it ordered new soundings to
be taken off the coast of Ireland. These were made by Captain Hoskins,
of the Royal Navy, and dispelled the fears which had been entertained of
a submarine mountain, which would prove an impassable barrier in the
path of an ocean telegraph.
But the greatest service which the British Government rendered, was in
the long course of experiments which it now ordered, to determine all
the difficult problems of submarine telegraphy. In 1859, the year after
the failure of the first Atlantic cable, the Board of Trade appointed a
committee of the most eminent scientific and engineering authorities in
Great Britain to investigate the whole subject. This was composed of
Captain Douglas Galton, of the Royal Engineers, then of the War Office,
who represented the Government; Professor Wheatstone, the celebrated
electrician; William Fairbairn, President of the British Association
for the Advancement of Science; George Parker Bidder, whose name ranks
with those of Stephenson and Brunel; C. F. Varley, who, in the practical
working of telegraphs, had no superior in England; Latimer Clark and
Edwin Clark, both engineers, who had had great experience in the
business of telegraphing; and George Saward, the Secretary of the
Atlantic Telegraph Company.
This Committee sat for nearly two years, at the end of which it made a
report to the Government, which fills a very large volume, in which are
detailed an immense number of experiments, touching the form and size of
cables, their relative strength and flexibility, the power of
telegraphing at long distances, the speed at which messages could be
sent; and in fine, every possible question, either as to the electrical
or engineering difficulties to be overcome. The result of these manifold
and laborious experiments is summed up in the following certificate,
signed by all who had taken part in this memorable investigation:
"London, 13th July, 1863.
"We, the undersigned, members of the Committee, who were
appointed by the Board of Trade, in 1859, to investigate the
question of submarine telegraphy, and whose investigation
continued from that time to April, 1861, do hereby state, as
the result of our deliberations, that a well-insulated cable,
properly protected, of suitable specific gravity, made with
care, and tested under water throughout its progress with the
best known apparatus, and paid into the ocean with the most
improved machinery, possesses every prospect of not only being
successfully laid in the first instance, but may reasonably be
relied upon to continue for many years in an efficient state
for the transmission of signals.
Douglas Galton,
C. Wheatstone,
Wm. Fairbairn,
Geo. P. Bidder,
Cromwell F. Varley,
Latimer Clark,
Edwin Clark,
Geo. Saward."
Thus the years which followed the failure of 1858--though they saw no
attempt to lay another ocean cable--were not years of idleness. They
were rather years of experiment and of preparation, clearing the way for
new efforts and final victory. The Atlantic Telegraph itself had been a
grand experiment. It had taught many important truths which could be
learned in no other way. Not only had it demonstrated the possibility of
telegraphing from continent to continent, but it had been useful even in
exposing its own defects, as it taught how to avoid them in the future.
For example, in working the first cable, the electricians had thought it
necessary to use a very strong battery. They did not suppose they could
reach across the whole breadth of the Atlantic, and touch the Western
hemisphere, unless they sent an electric current that was almost like a
stroke of lightning; and that, in fact, endangered the safety of the
conducting wire. But they soon found that this was unnecessary. God was
not in the whirlwind, but in the still, small voice. A soft touch could
send a thrill along that iron nerve. It seemed as if the deep were a
vast whispering gallery, and that a gentle voice murmured in the ocean
caves, like a whisper in a sea-shell, might be caught, so wonderful are
the harmonies of nature, by listening ears on remote continents; a
miracle of science, that could give a literal meaning to Milton's
"Airy tongues, that syllable men's names
On sands, and shores, and desert wildernesses."
These were also years of great progress, not only in the science of
submarine telegraphy, but in the construction of deep-sea cables. In
spite of the failure of that in the Red Sea, one was laid down in the
Mediterranean, 1,535 miles long, from Malta to Alexandria, and another
in the Persian Gulf, 1,400 miles long, by which telegraphic
communication was finally opened from England to India. Others were laid
in different seas and oceans in distant parts of the world. These great
triumphs, following the scientific experiments which had been made,
revived public confidence, and prepared the way for a fresh attempt to
pass the Atlantic.
Yet not much was done to renew the enterprise until 1862. Mr. Field had
been indefatigable in his efforts to reanimate the Company. He was
continually going back and forth to the British Provinces and to
England, urging it wherever his voice could be heard. Yet times were
adverse. The United States had been suddenly involved in a tremendous
war, which called into the field hundreds of thousands of men, and
entailed a burden of many hundreds of millions. While engaged in this
life-and-death struggle, and rolling up a mountain of debt, our people
had little thought to bestow on great enterprises by land or sea.
And yet one incident of the war forcibly recalled public attention to
the necessity of some speedier communication with Europe than by steam.
The unhappy Trent affair aroused an angry feeling in Great Britain which
nearly resulted in hostilities, all of which might have been prevented
by a single word of explanation. As The Times said truly: "We nearly
went to war with America because we had not a telegraph across the
Atlantic." After such a warning, it was natural that both countries
should begin to think seriously of the means of preventing future
misunderstanding. Mr. Field went to Washington, and found great
readiness on the part of the President and his Cabinet to encourage the
enterprise. Mr. Seward wrote to our Minister in London that the American
Government would be happy to join with that of Great Britain in
promoting this international work. With this encouragement, Mr. Field
went to England to urge the Company to renew the undertaking. While in
London, he endeavored to obtain from some responsible parties an offer
to construct and lay down a cable. Messrs. Glass, Elliot & Co., replied,
declaring their willingness to undertake the work, without at first
naming the precise terms. They wrote to him under date of February
seventeenth:
"Sir: In reply to your inquiries, we beg to state that we
should not be willing to manufacture and lay a Submarine
Telegraph Cable across the Atlantic, from Ireland to
Newfoundland, assuming the entire risk, as we consider that
would be too great a responsibility for any single firm to
undertake; but we are so confident that these points can be
connected by a good and durable cable, that we are willing to
contract to do the work, and stake a large sum upon its
successful laying and working.
"We shall be prepared in a few days, as soon as we can get the
necessary information in regard to what price we can charter
suitable ships for the service, to make you a definite offer."
Although it is anticipating a few months in time, we may give here the
"definite offer," which was obtained by Mr. Field, on his return to
England in the autumn:
"London, October 20, 1862.
"_Cyrus W. Field, Esq., Atlantic Telegraph Company_:
"Dear Sir: In reply to your inquiries, we beg to state, that we
are perfectly confident that a good and durable Submarine Cable
can be laid from Ireland to Newfoundland, and are willing to
undertake the contract upon the following conditions:
"First. That we shall be paid each week our actual
disbursements for labor and material.
"Second. That when the cable is laid and in working order, we
shall receive for our time, services, and profit twenty per
cent on the actual cost of the line, in shares of the Company,
deliverable to us, in twelve equal monthly instalments, at the
end of each successive month whereat the cable shall be found
in working order.
"We are so confident that this enterprise can be successfully
carried out, that we will make a cash subscription for a sum of
twenty-five thousand pounds sterling in the ordinary capital of
the Company, and pay the calls on the same when made by the
Company.
"Annexed we beg to hand you, for your guidance, a list of all
the submarine telegraph cables manufactured and laid by our
firm since we commenced this branch of our business, the whole
mileage of which, with the exception of the short one between
Liverpool and Holyhead, which has been taken up, is at this
time in perfect and successful working order. The cable that we
had the honor to contract for and lay down for the French
Government, connecting France with Algeria, is submerged in
water of nearly equal depths to any we should have to encounter
between Ireland and Newfoundland.
"You will permit us to suggest that the shore ends of the
Atlantic Cable should be composed of very heavy wires, as from
our experience the only accidents that have arisen to any of
the cables that we have laid have been caused by ships'
anchors, and none of those laid out of anchorage ground have
ever cost one shilling for repairs.
"The cable that we would suggest for the Atlantic will be an
improvement on all those yet manufactured, and we firmly
believe will be imperishable when once laid.
"We remain, sir, yours faithfully,
"Glass, Elliot & Co."
The summer of this year Mr. Field spent in America, where he applied
himself vigorously to raise capital for the new enterprise. To this end
he visited Boston, Providence, Philadelphia, Albany, and Buffalo--to
address meetings of merchants and others. He used to amuse us with the
account of his visit to the first city, where he was honored with the
attendance of a large array of "the solid men of Boston," who listened
with an attention that was most flattering to the pride of the speaker,
addressing such an assemblage in the capital of his native State. There
was no mistaking the interest they felt in the subject. They went still
farther, they passed a series of resolutions, in which they applauded
the projected telegraph across the ocean as one of the grandest
enterprises ever undertaken by man, which they proudly commended to the
confidence and support of the American public, after which they went
home, feeling that they had done the generous thing in bestowing upon it
such a mark of their approbation. _But not a man subscribed a dollar!_
Yet it is not necessary to charge them with meanness or hypocrisy. No
doubt they felt just what they said. They could not but admire the
courage of their countryman. It was inspiring to hear him talk. Yet
these solid men were never lifted off their feet so far as to forget the
main chance. What were to be the returns for this magnificent adventure?
Peering into the future, the prospect of dividends was very remote. In
fact they looked upon the Atlantic Telegraph as a sort of South Sea
Bubble, an airy fancy, which would go up like a balloon, never to return
to earth again. So, like the high priest and the Levite, they passed by
on the other side.
Other cities were equally gracious, equally complimentary, but equally
prudent. In New York he succeeded better, but only by indefatigable
exertions. He addressed the Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Brokers,
and the Corn Exchange, and then he went almost literally from door to
door, calling on merchants and bankers to enlist their aid. The result
was, subscriptions amounting to about seventy thousand pounds, the whole
of which was due to persevering personal solicitation. Even of those who
subscribed, a large part did so more from sympathy and admiration of his
indomitable spirit than from confidence in the success of the
enterprise.
In England, however, the subject was better understood. For obvious
reasons, the science of submarine telegraphy had made greater advances
in that country than in ours. As England is an island, she is obliged to
hold all her telegraphic communication with the continent by cables
under the sea. She has colonial possessions in all parts of the world. A
power that rules so large a part of the earth cannot be shut up in her
island home. No one has depicted the extent of her dominion in nobler
phrase than our own Webster when he speaks of the imperial sway which
"has dotted the face of the whole globe with its possessions and
military posts, whose morning drumbeat, following the sun and keeping
company with the hours, encircles the whole earth with one continuous
and unbroken strain of the martial airs of England." Was it strange that
this mother of nations should reach out her long arms to embrace her
distant children?
Hence it was that the subject of submarine telegraphs was so much better
understood in England than in America, not only by scientific men, but
by capitalists. The appeal could be made to them with more assurance of
intelligent sympathy. And yet so vast was the undertaking, that it
required ceaseless effort to roll the stone to the top of the mountain,
and the result was not completely achieved till the beginning of the
year 1864.