Friday, July 27, 2012

July 27th The Transatlantic Cable

July 27th
The Transatlantic Cable
Cyrus West Field made so much money in the wholesale paper business, by age thirtythree he had retired to a mansion in New York City. He was feeling restless in 1853 when he had the wild idea of laying an underwater telegraph line across the Atlantic Ocean. At that time messages between the U.S. and Europe still went aboard sailing ships. A transatlantic cable would connect America with the rest of the world.

With little knowledge of oceans or telegraphy, Field threw himself at the task. He queried scientists, rounded up investors, and hired engineers. He convinced the U.S. and British navies to lend him two ships.

In 1857 the steamship Niagara began laying cable from Ireland's coast. The line snapped after 350 miles had been laid, and the attempt was abandoned.

A depression reduced Field's personal fortune, but he continued to work without pay. In June 1858 two ships met in the middle of the Atlantic, spliced together two halves of a cable, and proceeded toward opposite shores, laying cable as they went. Again the line broke.

A month later, Field tried again. This time he got the cable laid. President Buchanan and Queen Victoria exchanged messages. New York City celebrated with parades and fireworks. Then the line went dead. Somewhere on the ocean floor, the cable had failed. Field went from being a hero to being called a fraud.

Public disillusionment and the Civil War forced a wait of seven more years. In 1865 Field bought the Great Eastern, the world's largest steamship, and tried again with an improved cable. The ship had paid out more than 1,000 miles when the line snapped.

On July 27, 1866, on the fifth attempt, the Great Eastern arrived at Newfoundland trailing 2,000 miles of line. "Thank God, the cable is laid," an exhausted Field telegraphed. Since that day, the Old and New Worlds have been wired together.
 
Carl Ray Louk

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