The First Transatlantic Cable.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 15, 15 April 1909, Page 595

The First Transatlantic Cable.

In the records of human enterprise there are few moM romantic than the narrative of thirteen years of hardship and failure which preceded the successful laying of the first ocean cable. Disaster, criticism, ridicule, and the loss of millions did not deter Cyrus Field and the few resolute men who believed in him from carrying out the greit project. The real beginning of the cable under the Atlantic Ocean was in 1853, when Field was introduced by his brother to Fred Gisborne, of Newfoundland. He was then, thirty-five years of age, had accumulated a fortune in trade, and had ' determined to retire from business and devote the remainder of his life to study and travel. Gisborne was interested in a project to build a telegraph line from New York to St. Johns, Newfoundland, and by putting on a line of fast ships between that point and Ireland, to obtain a better news service. It was hoped that the period of transmission might in this way be reduced to five or six days. Field declined to entertain the project, but conceived the idea of placing a wire under the ocean, and consulted with S. F. B .Morse, perfector of the telegraph, and other \ experts— On May 6, 1854, a company was organised to undertake the great enterprise. Opposition and discouragement were met on every hand, and it was not until August 16, 1858, that the first actual message was flashed between the two continents. The life of this cable 'was destined to be short, however, and in 1863, a new company was formed and work on the new cable was commenced, the historic steamship, Great Eastern, l>eing used to lay it. This effort was also futile, as the cable parted when 1200 miles of it had been laid. < Through Field's great force of character and influence lie organised an entirely new company, and the Great Eastern was placed in commission a second time, leaving Valentia, Ireland, with her cargo on July 13, 1866. After fourteen days and nights she steamed into the harbor cf Heart's Ease, Newfoundland, and again united tlie Old and the New World by telegraphic communication.