DIRECT ATLANTIC CABLE. 345 



In this manner we were enabled ourselves to under- 

 take great cable -lay ings, and thereby to break down 

 the monopoly of the great cable-ring which had mean- 

 while been formed, and whose purpose was to monopo- 

 lize the whole submarine telegraphy. In reality my 

 brothers succeeded in calling a Company into existence, 

 which entrusted to us the production and the laying of 

 an independent direct cable between Ireland and the 

 United States. The requisite capital was subscribed 

 on the Continent, as the English market was closed 

 to us by the overwhelming competition. 



Brother William shewed his great constructive 

 ingenuity by designing a large steam -ship expressly 

 destined for the laying of cables, which was christened 

 by us "Faraday". Brother Charles undertook the 

 command of it on laying the cable. I considered 

 Charles specially fitted for this task, as he was cool 

 and deliberate, besides being a good observer and 

 resolute in action. I myself was not to be deterred 

 from sailing in the Faraday, freighted with the deep- 

 sea cable, to the starting point of the laying, Ballins- 

 kellig Bay, on the west coast of Ireland, and there 

 undertaking the direction of the operations of the land- 

 station during the laying. 



It was tolerably favourable weather, and every- 

 thing went well. The difficult abrupt descent of the Irish 

 coast into deep water was successfully got over, and 

 according to the electrical testings the state of the cable 

 was faultless. Then suddenly there occurred a small 

 defect in the insulation, so small that only extremely 



