Part 14 (1/2)

”_Cyrus W Field, Esq, Atlantic Telegraph Co to state, that we are perfectly confident that a good and durable Submarine Cable can be laid fro 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 successiveorder

”We are so confident that this enterprise can be successfully carried out, that ill make a cash subscription for a su in the ordinary capital of the Company, and pay the calls on the sa to hand you, for your guidance, a list of all the subraph cables manufactured and laid by our firm since we coe of which, with the exception of the short one between Liverpool and Holyhead, which has been taken up, is at this ti order The cable that we had the honor to contract for and lay down for the French Governed in water of nearly equal depths to any we should have to encounter between Ireland and Newfoundland

”You will perest 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 shi+ps'

anchors, and none of those laid out of anchorage ground have ever cost one shi+lling for repairs

”The cable that ould 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 Aorously to raise capital for the new enterprise To this end he visited Boston, Providence, Philadelphia, Albany, and Buffalo--to address s 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 wassuch an assee in the capital of his native State There was nothe 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 A that they had done the generous thing in bestowing upon it such a mark of their approbation _But not a e them with meanness or hypocrisy No doubt they felt just what they said They could not but ad to hear him talk Yet these solid et the nificent adventure?

Peering into the future, the prospect of dividends was very reraph 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 Chae, and then he went al on merchants and bankers to enlist their aid The result was, subscriptions a 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 froland, however, the subject was better understood For obvious reasons, the science of subreater 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 ilobe with its possessions andthe sun and keeping company with the hours, encircles the whole earth with one continuous and unbroken strain of the e that thisarms to embrace her distant children?

Hence it was that the subject of subland than in America, not only by scientific men, but by capitalists The appeal could be ent sy, that it required ceaseless effort to roll the stone to the top of the mountain, and the result was not co of the year 1864

CHAPTER XIV

THE EXPEDITION OF 1865

It is a long night which has no

While weary eyes are watching the East, daylight comes over the sea

Five years have passed away, and though the tiht the rising of the sun Those years of patient experi tests without nu the deep-sea floor in all the waters of the world, at last brought forth their fruit in that renewed confidence which is the forerunner of victory

So strong was this feeling, that as early as August, 1863, although the capital was not raised, the Board advertised for proposals for a cable suitable to be laid across the Atlantic Ocean; and in order to leave invention entirely unfettered, abstained from any dictation as to the for speed of eight words a minute

To this request they received, in the course of a feeeks, seventeen different proposals froe wealth and experience These different tenders, with the numerous specimens of cable andCommittee composed in part of members of the Committee which had already rendered such service by its advice It consisted of Captain Douglas Galton, William Fairbairn, Professor C Wheatstone, William Whitworth and Professor Williaineers and electricians in the world They exa up one by one the different samples of cable, caused them in turn to be subjected to the severest tests This took a long tireat nuhly satisfactory The Committee were all of one mind, and recommended unanimously that the Board should accept the tender of Messrs Glass, Elliot & Co, and the general principle of their proposed cable; but advised that before settling the final specification, every portion of the reatest care, both separately and in combination, so as to ascertain what further improvements could bea noble ambition to justify the confidence of the Committee and the public They provided abundant materials for fresh experiths; and experiments were also tried upon different qualities of wire and hemp, that were to compose its external protection The result of all these investigations was the selection of a model which seemed to combine every excellence, and to approach absolute perfection

Such was the cable which this eminent firm offered to manufacture, and to lay across the Atlantic, and that on terms so favorable, that it seemed as if it could not be difficult to raise the capital and proceed with the work Indeed, a contract was partially made to that effect So confident was Mr Field, as then in London, that an expedition would sail the following suainst ordinary sea-risks, but part also to be laid and to work!

But hardly had he left England before there was soe, or some of the conditions were not complied with, and he had thethat the whole enterprise was postponed for another year!

This was indeed discouraging Yet this sudden dropping of the scheme did not imply a loss of interest or of faith on the part of those eeneral public did not respond to the call for more capital Alas that the noblest enterprises should so often be delayed or defeated by the want of money!

Capital is always cautious and tireat discoveries If Colue of a Queen full of womanly enthusiasm, had depended on a stock coht never have sailed from the shores of Spain

Happy was it for oing fro his way from door to door!