36 A SAGA OF THE SEAS 
science. Brett, Thomson, and a young engineer named 
Charles T. Bright were pillars of strength to Field in his early 
negotiations in England. 
The attention of the promoters now turned toward New- 
foundland. This island, which is larger than Ireland, has the 
wild scenery and barren expanses of Scotland. It was, and still 
is a sparsely-settled country. Most of the inhabitants live in 
the deeply-indented bays of the eastern coast, remote from 
other settlements. ‘The capital, St. John’s, is hundreds of miles 
from any large city. The route of the cross-island telegraph 
was along the desolate and inhospitable south shore. This 
harsh environment, the remoteness from any source of sup- 
plies, and the primitive attitude of the people combined to 
make a difficult task of any extensive enterprise undertaken 
there. When representatives of foreign capital came to St. 
John’s for concessions to develop the island’s resources, they 
often became involved in local politics, were hindered by 
neighborhood animosities, or were opposed by the tendency 
of islanders to feel antagonistic toward rich strangers. Many 
an agent of foreign capital who has gone to St. John’s with 
high hopes has been outwitted by the lawyers and business 
men of the island who put their personal aims above the com- 
mon good. Cyrus Field, shrewdly advised by David Dudley 
Field, avoided much of this. 
When the New York, Newfoundland & London Telegraph 
Company began the task of connecting St. John’s by wire 
with Nova Scotia, it was estimated that only a moderate ex- 
penditure and a year of time would be required for that part 
of the work. It actually took over two years and most of the 
Company’s capital. Severe troubles were encountered. The 
construction of the land line across the island, even under the 
experienced supervision of Matthew Field, was a wearisome 
and arduous job because of the wild nature of the country 
and lack of the most elementary conveniences, such as roads 
and supplies. When the first attempt was made to lay the 
