The Mighty Deep 



nibble. It was not appetising, and he flung it 

 back into the water. Somewhat later, however, 

 he hooked it up again ; and this time he secured 

 his spoil, cutting off a length, which he carried 

 to his native town, as a rare ocean-curiosity. 



Naturally, no further telegraphic messages 

 could be exchanged between the two countries. 



Nothing daunted, the projectors started afresh ; 

 made another cable ; and put that down. This 

 time they met with good success ; and since 1851 

 England and France have talked in confidential 

 whispers below the Channel. 



Many more cables under the sea were laid 

 in different places with success. But all these 

 were short ones. 



A great scheme, dimly foretold in 1842 by 

 one far-sighted American, was stirring. Why 

 should not the New World be united to the 

 Old, even as Great Britain was united to the 

 Continent ? Why not bind Europe and America 

 together by cables beneath the Ocean ? 



Not twenty or forty or sixty miles would this 

 require, but two thousand miles of cable. And 

 in any part of those two thousand miles, one 

 slight break, one little flaw, would undo the 

 whole. The plan meant thousands of pounds 

 risked, with perhaps no return. 



278 



