heroes of the telegraph-第14部分

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ut　the　mirror　instrument　sprang　out　of　Thomson's　study　of　this　phenomenon；　and　was　designed　to　match　it。　　Hence　this　instrument；　through　being　the　fittest　for　the　purpose；　drove　the　others　from　the　field；　and　allowed　the　first　Atlantic　cables　to　be　worked　on　a　profitable　basis。

The　cable　consisted　of　a　strand　of　seven　copper　wires；　one　weighing　107　pounds　a　nautical　mile　or　knot；　covered　with　three　coats　of　gutta…　percha；　weighing　261　pounds　a　knot；　and　wound　with　tarred　hemp；　over　which　a　sheath　of　eighteen　strands；　each　of　seven　iron　wires；　was　laid　in　a　close　spiral。　　It　weighed　nearly　a　ton　to　the　mile；　was　flexible　as　a　rope；　and　able　to　withstand　a　pull　of　several　tons。　　It　was　made　conjointly　by　Messrs。　Glass；　Elliot　&　Co。；　of　Greenwich；　and　Messrs。　R。　S。　Newall　&　Co。；　of　Liverpool。

The　British　Government　promised　Mr。　Field　a　subsidy　of　L1；400　a　year；　and　the　loan　of　ships　to　lay　the　cable。　　He　solicited　an　equal　help　from　Congress；　but　a　large　number　of　the　senators；　actuated　by　a　national　jealousy　of　England；　and　looking　to　the　fact　that　both　ends　of　the　line　were　to　lie　in　British　territory；　opposed　the　grant。　It　appeared　to　these　far…sighted　politicians　that　England；　the　hereditary　foe；　was　'literally　crawling　under　the　sea　to　get　some　advantage　over　the　United　States。'　The　Bill　was　only　passed　by　a　majority　of　a　single　vote。　　In　the　House　of　Representatives　it　encountered　a　similar　hostility；　but　was　ultimately　signed　by　President　Pierce。

The　Agamemnon；　a　British　man…of…war　fitted　out　for　the　purpose；　took　in　the　section　made　at　Greenwich；　and　the　Niagara；　an　American　warship；　that　made　at　Liverpool。　　The　vessels　and　their　consorts　met　in　the　bay　of　Valentia　Island；　on　the　south…west　coast　of　Ireland；　where　on　August　5；　1857；　the　shore　end　of　the　cable　was　landed　from　the　Niagara。　　It　was　a　memorable　scene。　　The　ships　in　the　bay　were　dressed　in　bunting；　and　the　Lord　Lieutenant　of　Ireland　stood　on　the　beach；　attended　by　his　following；　to　receive　the　end　from　the　American　sailors。　　Visitors　in　holiday　attire　collected　in　groups　to　watch　the　operations；　and　eagerly　joined　with　his　excellency　in　helping　to　pull　the　wire　ashore。　　When　it　was　landed；　the　Reverend　Mr。　Day；　of　Kenmore；　offered　up　a　prayer；　asking　the　Almighty　to　prosper　the　undertaking；　Next　day　the　expedition　sailed；　but　ere　the　Niagara　had　proceeded　five　miles　on　her　way　the　shore…end　parted；　and　the　repairing　of　it　delayed　the　start　for　another　day。

At　first　the　Niagara　went　slowly　ahead　to　avoid　a　mishap；　but　as　the　cable　ran　out　easily　she　increased　her　speed。　　The　night　fell；　but　hardly　a　soul　slept。　　The　utmost　vigilance　was　maintained　throughout　the　vessel。　Apart　from　the　noise　of　the　paying…out　machinery；　there　was　an　awful　stillness　on　board。　　Men　walked　about　with　a　muffled　step；　or　spoke　in　whispers；　as　if　they　were　afraid　the　sound　of　their　voices　would　break　the　slender　line。　　It　seemed　as　though　a　great　and　valued　friend　lay　at　the　point　of　death。

The　submarine　hill；　with　its　dangerous　slope；　was　passed　in　safety；　and　the　'telegraph　plateau；'　nearly　two　miles　deep；　was　reached；　when　suddenly　the　signals　from　Ireland；　which　told　that　the　conductor　was　intact；　stopped　altogether。　　Professor　Morse　and　De　Sauty；　the　electricians；　failed　to　restore　the　　communication；　and　the　engineers　were　preparing　to　cut　the　cable；　when　quite　as　suddenly　the　signals　returned；　and　every　face　grew　bright。　　A　weather…beaten　　old　sailor　said；　'I　have　watched　nearly　every　mile　of　it　as　it　came　over　the　side；　and　I　would　have　given　fifty　dollars；　poor　man　as　I　am；　to　have　saved　it；　although　I　don't　expect　to　make　anything　by　it　when　it　is　laid　down。'

But　the　joy　was　short…lived。　　The　line　was　　running　out　at　the　rate　of　six　miles　an　hour；　while　the　vessel　was　only　making　four。　　To　check　this　waste　of　cable　the　engineer　tightened　the　brakes；　but　as　the　stern　of　the　ship　rose　on　the　swell；　the　cable　parted　under　the　heavy　strain；　and　the　end　was　lost　in　the　sea。

The　bad　news　ran　like　a　flash　of　lightning　through　all　the　ships；　and　produced　a　feeling　of　sorrow　and　dismay。

No　attempt　was　made　to　grapple　the　line　in　such　deep　water；　and　the　expedition　　returned　to　England。　　It　was　too　late　to　try　again　that　year；　but　the　following　　summer　the　Agamemnon　and　Niagara；　after　an　experimental　trip　to　the　Bay　of　Biscay；　sailed　from　Plymouth　on　June　10　with　a　full　supply　of　cable；　better　gear　than　before；　and　a　riper　experience　of　the　work。　　They　were　to　meet　in　the　middle　of　the　Atlantic；　where　the　two　halves　of　the　cable　on　board　of　each　were　to　be　spliced　together；　and　while　the　Agamemnon　payed　out　eastwards　to　Valentia　Island　the　Niagara　was　to　pay　out　westward　to　Newfoundland。　　On　her　way　to　the　rendezvous　the　Agamemnon　encountered　a　terrific　gale；　which　lasted　for　a　week；　and　nearly　proved　her　destruction。

On　Saturday；　the　26th；　the　middle　splice　was　effected　and　the　bight　dropped　into　the　deep。　　The　two　ships　got　under　weigh；　but　had　not　proceeded　three　miles　when　the　cable　broke　in　the　paying…out　machinery　of　the　Niagara。　　Another　splice；　followed　by　a　fresh　start；　was　made　during　the　same　afternoon；　but　when　some　fifty　miles　were　payed　out　of　each　vessel；　the　current　which　kept　up　communication　between　them　suddenly　failed　owing　to　the　cable　having　snapped　in　the　sea。　　Once　more　the　middle　splice　was　made　and　lowered；　and　the　ships　parted　company　a　third　time。　　For　a　day　or　two　all　went　well；　over　two　hundred　miles　of　cable　ran　smoothly　out　of　each　vessel；　and　the　anxious　chiefs　began　to　indulge　in　hopes　of　ultimate　success；　when　the　cable　broke　about　twenty　feet　behind　the　stern　of　the　Agamemnon。

The　expedition　returned　to　Queenstown；　and　a　consultation　took　place。　Mr。　Field；　and　Professor　Thomson；　who　was　on　board　the　Agamemnon；　were　in　favour　of　another　trial；　and　it　was　decided　to　make　one　without　delay。　　The　vessels　left　the　Cove　of　Cork　on　July　17；　but　on　this　occasion　there　was　no　public　enthusiasm；　and　even　those　on　board　felt　as　if　they　were　going　on　another　wild　goose　chase。　　The　Agamemnon　was　now　almost　becalmed　on　her　way　to　the　rendezvous；　but　the　middle　splice　was　finished　by　12。30　p。m。　on　July　29；　1858；　and　immediately　dropped　into　the　sea。　　The　ships　thereupon　started；　and　increased　their　distance；　while　the　cable　ran　easily　out　of　them。　　Some　alarm　was　caused　by　the　stoppage　of　the　continuity　signals；　but　after　a　time　they　reappeared。　The　Niagara　deviated　from　the　great　arc　of　a　circle　on　which　the　cable　was　to　be　laid；　and　the　error　was　traced　to　the　iron　of　the　cable　influencing　her　compass。　　Hence　the　Gorgon；　one　of　her　consorts；　was　ordered　to　go　ahead　and　lead　the　way。　　The　Niagara　passed　several　icebergs；　but　none　injured　the　cable；　and　on　August　4　she　arrived　in　Trinity　Bay；　Newfoundland。　　At　6。　a。m。　next　morning　the　shore　end　was　landed　into　the　telegraph…house　which　had　been　built　for　its　reception。　Captain　Hudson；　of　the　Niagara；　then　read　prayers；　and　at　one　p。m。　H。M。S。　Gorgon　fired　a　salute　of　twenty…one　guns。

The　Agamemnon　made　an　equally　successful　run。　　About　six　o'clock　on　the　first　evening　a　huge　whale　was　seen　approaching　on　the　starboard　bow；　and　as　he　sported　in　the　waves；　rolling　and　lashing　them　into　foam；　the　onlookers　began　to　fear　that　he　might　　endanger　the　line。　　Their　excitement　became　intense　as　the　monster　heaved　astern；　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　cable；　until　his　body　grazed　it　where　it　sank　into　the　water；　but　happily　no　harm　was　done。　　Damaged　portions　of　the　cable　had　to　be　removed　in　paying…out；　and　the　stoppage　of　the　continuity　signals　raised　other　alarms　on　board。　　Strong　head　winds　kept　the　Agamemnon　back；　and　two　American　ships　which　got　into　her　course　had　to　be　warned　off　by　firing　guns。　　The　signals　from　the　Niagara　became　very　weak；　but　on　Professor　Thomson　asking　the　electricians　on　board　of　her　to　increase　their　battery　power；　they　improved　at　once。　　At　length；　on　Thursday；　August；　5；　the　Agamemnon；　with　her　consort；　the　Valorous；　arrived　at　Valentia　Island；　and　the　shore　end　was　landed　into　the　cable…house　at　Knightstown　by　3　p。m。；　and　a　royal　salute　announced　the　completion　of　the　work。

The　news　was　received　at　first　with　some　incredulity；　but　on　being　confirmed　it　caused　a　universal　joy。　　On　August　16　Queen　Victoria　sent　a　telegram　of　　congratulation　to　President　Buchanan　through　the　line；　and　expressed　a　hope　that　it　would　prove　'an　　additional　link　between　the　nations　whose　friendship　is　founded　on　their　common　interest　and　reciprocal　esteem。'　The　President　responded　that；　'it　is　a　triumph　more　glorious；　because　far　more　useful　to　mankind；　than　was　ever　won　by　conqueror　on　the　field　of　battle。　　May　the　Atlantic　telegraph；　under　the　blessing　of　heaven；　prove　to　be　a　bond　of　perpetual　peace　and　friendship　between　the　kindred　nations；　and　an　instrument　destined　by　Divine　Providence　to　diffuse　religion；　civilisation；　liberty；　and　law　throughout　the　world。'

These　messages　were　the　signal　for　a　fresh　outburst　of　enthusiasm。　Next　morning　a　grand　salute　of　100　guns　resounded　in　New　York；　the　streets　were　decorated　with　flags；　the　bells　of　the　churches　rung；　and　at　night　the　city　was　illuminated。

The　Atlantic　cable　was　a　theme　of　inspiration　for　innumerable　sermons　and　a　prodigious　qu