212 MATTHEW FONTAINE MAURY 



the manufacture and laying of deep-sea cables, which 

 would decrease the cost almost one half. But in the 

 final successful laying of the Atlantic Telegraph Cable, 

 completed in that very same month, Maury had no part. 

 Though Field had been, before the war, quite ready to 

 accord him due credit for his assistance in laying the 

 first cable across the Atlantic, yet at the banquet given 

 him by the New York Chamber of Commerce at the 

 Metropolitan Hotel, on November 15, 1866, he only 

 casually referred to Maury's name. Two years later at 

 a dinner in his honor in Willis's Rooms, London, on 

 July 1, 1868, Field did not even mention, in his speech, 

 the name of Maury, who that very day sailed at last for 

 his home in the United States. 



The success of the Atlantic Cable, however, brought 

 Maury another decoration. This was offered by Maxi- 

 milian in the following letter: "My dear Counselor 

 Maury, — It was with pride that I heard of the scientific 

 triumph just achieved, and due to your illustrious labors. 

 The Transatlantic Cable, while uniting both hemi- 

 spheres, will continually recall to their minds the debt 

 of gratitude they owe to your genius. I congratulate 

 you with all my heart, and I am pleased at announcing 

 to you that I have appointed you Grand Cross of the 

 Order of Guadalupe. Receive the assurance of the 

 good wishes of your affectionate, Maximilian". Maury, 

 not realizing perhaps that Maximilian recognized justly 

 his right to share in the honor of the final success of the 

 laying of the Atlantic Telegraph, replied modestly, "The 

 letters of the 16th and 18th of August with which I am 

 honored show how kind and good your Majesty always 

 is. They do me much — too much honor, for I had no 

 hand in the achievement to which your Majesty so 



