. The library of American history, literature and biography .. . ury. This was liberally extended ; but inthe meantime the civil war in the United States interfered with further progressthere. Little was done until 1863, when the manufacture of a new cable wasbegun. It was completed during the year 1864-5, ^^i*^ the sum of ^600,000was raised for the company, mainly through the instrumentality of Mr. this occasion but one vessel was employed to bear the cable—but that wasthe Great Eastern. CYRUS W. FIELD. ni On the 23d of July, 1865, the land connection was made, and the great shipcomm
. The library of American history, literature and biography .. . ury. This was liberally extended ; but inthe meantime the civil war in the United States interfered with further progressthere. Little was done until 1863, when the manufacture of a new cable wasbegun. It was completed during the year 1864-5, ^^i*^ the sum of ^600,000was raised for the company, mainly through the instrumentality of Mr. this occasion but one vessel was employed to bear the cable—but that wasthe Great Eastern. CYRUS W. FIELD. ni On the 23d of July, 1865, the land connection was made, and the great shipcommenced her momentous voyage. Day by day the great wheel turned, andfathom after fathom of the new cable, heavier and more carefully insulated thanits predecessors, slipped overboard into the sea. The work went bravely on for1200 miles ; but when approaching Newfoundland the old misfortune recurred ;in spite of all the care and watchfulness, the cable broke and disappeared underthe waves. Attempts were made to recover the cable by grappling ; but though it was. ARRIVAL OF THE GREAT EASTERN. several times caught and lifted nearly to the surface, the strain was too greatfor the grapnels ; they broke, and again the cable sank. It was evident thatmore efificient appliances would be required. The spot was carefully markedby buoys, and the great vessel returned to England. The strain of repeated disappointment was terrible ; but it had at least beendemonstrated that a cable could be laid and a message sent over it. Publicconfidence in the ultimate success of the enterprise was greater. Before thenext year Mr. Field succeeded in obtaining large new subscriptions. Anothercable was made and all the appliances for laying it perfected ; and on Friday, 713 THE FINAL TRIUMPH. July 13th the Great Eastern again sailed from Ireland with the cable sinking;into the ocean as she moved westward. LANDING OF THE CABLE. Public interest in the enterprise had now become intense. It was known thatthe ca
Size: 1826px × 1369px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthormabieham, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookyear1904
