266 



FIELD, CYRUS WEST. 



Dr. Santy, the electrician, and Prof. Morse gave 

 up all hope, and the engineers were about to cut 

 the cable and try to wind it up, when the spark 

 as suddenly reappeared and the interrupted cur- 

 rent resumed its flow. This mystery was never 

 explained ; although afterward, when watching 

 anxiously a great whale that just succeeded in 

 clearing one of the later cables, Mr. Field im- 

 agined he had a glimpse of the true cause that 

 the creature had become entangled, and had 

 finally worked itself loose. On the following 

 morning, when they were over 300 miles out, 

 judging that the cable was paying out too rap- 

 idly for the speed of the vessel, the engineers 

 applied the brakes firmly, and as the ship's 

 head rose from the trough of the sea the cable 

 parted. So deep had been the interest felt, 

 that tears rolled down more than one weather- 

 beaten cheek on realizing that the great ex- 

 periment had failed. The vessels turned about, 

 and when the Irish shore was reached Mr. 

 Field was ready with the following letter, which 

 he had no idea at the time would ever get into 

 print : 



The successful laying down of the Atlantic tele- 

 graph cable is put off for a short time, but its tinal 

 triumph has been fully proved by the experience that 

 we have had since we left Valencia. My confidence 

 was never so strong as at the present time, and I feel 

 sure that, with God's blessing, we shall connect Eu- 

 rope and America with the electric cord. ... I re- 

 quested Capt. Wainwright, the commander of the 

 English telegraph fleet, to order the " Agamemnon" 

 to remain with the " Niagara " and the " Susquehanna" 

 in this deep part of the Atlantic for a few days, to try 

 certain experiments which will be of great value to 

 us. I further requested Capt. Wainwright to order 

 the " Cyclops" to sound here where the cable parted. 

 ... In my letter to Dr. Whitehouse I requested him 

 to telegraph to London and have a special meeting of 

 the directors called for twelve o'clock on Saturday, to 

 decide whether we would have more cable made at 

 once and try again this season, or wait until next 

 year. . . . Do not think that I feel discouraged, or am 

 in low spirits, for I am not ; and I think 1 can see 

 how this accident will be of great advantage to the 

 Atlantic Telegraph Company. 



The experience gained convinced the directors, 

 including Mr. Field, that more cautious prepara- 

 tion could and should be made, and the plan 

 was put off until the following year. Mr. Field 

 returned home to find the great commercial 

 crisis of that year, 1857, overwhelming business, 

 and new capital was hard to obtain. But the 

 Government again offered ships, and new cable 

 was ordered, this time with the request that Mr. 

 Field would go to England and take personal 

 control of the affairs of the company. Compen- 

 sation for this was offered by the directors, but 

 was declined by Mr. Field. 



In June, 1858, the second expedition sailed. It 

 was agreed to go to midocean and lay toward 

 either shore. After a calm of two days, followed 

 by a dreadful gale that threatened to sink the 

 ships, the second submerging was begun. When 

 the ships were separated but three miles the 

 cable parted, caught in the machinery of the 

 " Niagara." They spliced the ends, and began 

 once more. Forty miles were safely run, when 

 again the electric current ceased. This was a 

 discouragement that could ill be borne, as it 

 seemed to point to some hidden cause that might 

 at any time elude the skill and knowledge of 



scientists and engineers, and the energy of the 

 most confident and enthusiastic. 



Once more the cable was joined in midocean, 

 and with trepidation the vessels turned their 



Srovvs toward opposite continents. Two hun- 

 red miles were laid safely, when the cable once 

 more parted. Again Mr. Field immediately 

 made use of this fresh and, as it seemed to 

 others, entirely destructive accident to learn by 

 experiment for future use. He had the strength 

 of the broken cable tested, and when the ships 

 reached Queenstown he hastened to London not 

 to give up, or spread discouragement, but to 

 propose that the vessels should again repair to 

 .midocean and, as they still had cable enough, 

 once more attempt to lay it. His courage and 

 counsels prevailed, and on July 17 the fleet 

 sailed once more. Not a cheer followed them, 

 and there was more than one suggestion that it 

 was a fool's errand. The same strange and sud- 

 den ceasing and recurrence of the electric flow 

 occurred on this voyage, and this time on both 

 vessels at once ; but on Wednesday, Aug. 4, Mr. 

 Field's diary recorded : " Depth of water less 

 than 200 fathoms. Weather beautiful, perfectly 

 calm. ' Gorgon ' in sight. Sixty-four miles 

 from the telegraph house. Received signal from 

 the ' Agamemnon ' at noon that they had paid 

 out from her 940 miles of cable. Passed this 

 morning several icebergs. Made the land off 

 entrance to Trinity Bay at 8 A. M. Entered 

 Trinity Bay at half past twelve. At half past 

 two we stopped sending signals to the 'Aga- 

 memnon ' for fourteen minutes, for the purpose 

 of making splice. Thursday, Aug. 5 : ' Niag- 

 ara ' anchored. Total amount of cable paid out 

 since splice was made, 1,016 miles, 600 fathoms. 

 Total amount of distance, 882 miles. At 5.15 

 A. M. cable landed. At 6, end of cable carried 

 into telegraph house, and received very strong 

 currents of electricity through the whole cable 

 from the other side of the Atlantic." 



The success of the cable was the occasion of 

 great rejoicing in America, and Mr. Field was 

 the recipient of multitudes of messages of con- 

 gratulation and admiration. No message could 

 pass between the countries until the connection 

 in Newfoundland could be properly made. The 

 projectors desired to keep the line from public 

 use in order to test and decide upon the best 

 and most rapid method of telegraphing ; but 

 the public was at first so eager, and then so in- 

 credulous, that a message from Queen Victoria 

 to the President, and his reply, were transmitted 

 on Aug. 16. On the morning of Aug. 17 New 

 York city was waked by the pealing of bells and 

 the roaring of cannon in honor of the event, 

 and Mr. Field's name was on every lip, while at 

 night there was a grand illumination. But one 

 message had preceded those of the potentates. 

 It was from the directors in England to those in 

 the United States, and merely recited the mes- 

 sage of joy : " Glory to God in the highest, and 

 on earth peace, good will toward men." On 

 Sept. 1 the city officials gave Mr. Field a public 

 reception, in accepting which he had caused the 

 British as well as the American projectors and 

 officers to be included. As he was getting into his 

 carriage an over-ocean telegram was handed him, 

 and he read it to the assembled multitude amid 

 tremendous cheering. Torchlight processions 



