heroes of the telegraph-第13部分

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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　quantity　of　doggerel。　　Among　the　happier　lines　were　these　：…

　　　　''Tis　done！　the　angry　sea　consents；　　　　　　The　nations　stand　no　more　apart；　　　　　　With　clasped　hands　the　continents　　　　　　Feel　throbbings　of　each　other's　heart。

　　　　　Speed！　speed　the　cable！　let　it　run　　　　　　A　loving　girdle　round　the　earth；　　　　　　Till　all　the　nations　'neath　the　sun　　　　　　Shall　be　as　brothers　of　one　hearth。

　　　　　As　brothers　pledging；　hand　in　hand；　　　　　　One　freedom　for　the　world　abroad；　　　　　　One　commerce　over　every　land；　　　　　　One　language；　and　one　God。'

The　rejoicing　reached　a　climax　in　September；　when　a　public　service　was　held　in　Trinity　Church；　and　Mr。　Field；　the　hero　of　the　hour；　as　head　and　mainspring　of　the　expedition；　received　an　ovation　in　the　Crystal　Palace　at　New　York。　　The　mayor　presented　him　with　a　golden　casket　as　a　souvenir　of　'the　grandest　enterprise　of　our　day　and　generation。'　The　band　played　'God　save　the　Queen；'　and　the　whole　audience　rose　to　their　feet。　　In　the　evening　there　was　a　magnificent　torchlight　procession　of　the　city　firemen。

That　very　day　the　cable　breathed　its　last。　　Its　　insulation　had　been　failing　for　some　days；　and　the　only　signals　which　could　be　read　were　those　given　by　the　mirror　galvanometer。＇It　is　said　to　have　broken　down　while　Newfoundland　was　vainly　attempting　to　inform　Valentia　　that　it　was　sending　with　THREE　HUNDRED　AND　TWELVE　CELLS！＇　The　reaction　at　this　news　was　tremendous。　　Some　writers　even　hinted　that　the　line　was　a　mere　hoax；　and　others　pronounced　it　a　stock　exchange　speculation。　　Sensible　men　doubted　whether　the　cable　had　ever　'spoken；'　but　in　addition　to　the　royal　despatch；　items　of　daily　news　had　passed　through　the　wire；　for　instance；　the　announcement　of　a　collision　between　two　ships；　the　Arabia　and　the　Europa；　off　Cape　Race；　Newfoundland；　and　an　order　from　London；　countermanding　the　departure　of　a　regiment　in　Canada　for　the　seat　of　the　Indian　Mutiny；　which　had　come　to　an　end。

Mr。　Field　was　by　no　means　daunted　at　the　failure。　　He　was　even　more　eager　to　renew　the　work；　since　he　had　come　so　near　to　success。　　But　the　public　had　lost　confidence　in　the　scheme；　and　all　his　efforts　to　revive　the　company　were　futile。　　It　was　not　until　1864　that　with　the　assistance　of　Mr。　Thomas　（afterwards　Lord）　Brassey；　and　Mr。　（now　Sir）　John　Fender；　that　he　succeeded　in　raising　the　necessary　capital。　　The　Glass；　Elliot；　and　Gutta…Percha　Companies　were　united　to　form　the　well…known　Telegraph　Construction　and　Maintenance　Company；　which　undertook　to　manufacture　and　lay　the　new　cable。

Much　experience　had　been　gained　in　the　meanwhile。　　Long　cables　had　been　submerged　in　the　Mediterranean　and　the　Red　Sea。　　The　Board　of　Trade　in　1859　had　appointed　a　committee　of　experts；　including　Professor　Wheatstone；　to　investigate　the　whole　subject；　and　the　results　were　published　in　a　Blue…book。　　Profiting　by　these　aids；　an　improved　type　of　cable　was　designed。　　The　core　consisted　of　a　strand　of　seven　very　pure　copper　wires　weighing　300　lbs。　a　knot；　coated　with　Chatterton's　compound；　which　is　impervious　to　water；　then　covered　with　four　layers　of　gutta…percha　　alternating　with　four　thin　layers　of　the　compound　cementing　the　whole；　and　bringing　the　weight　of　the　insulator　to　400　lbs。　per　knot。　　This　core　was　served　with　hemp　saturated　in　a　preservative　solution；　and　on　the　hemp　as　a　padding　were　spirally　wound　eighteen　single　wires　of　soft　steel；　each　covered　with　fine　strands　of　Manilla　yam　steeped　in　the　preservative。　　The　weight　of　the　new　cable　was　35。75　cwt。　per　knot；　or　nearly　twice　the　weight　of　the　old；　and　it　was　stronger　in　proportion。

Ten　years　before；　Mr。　Marc　Isambard　Brunel；　the　architect　of　the　Great　Eastern；　had　taken　Mr。　Field　to　Blackwall；　where　the　leviathan　was　lying；　and　said　to　him；　'There　is　the　ship　to　lay　the　Atlantic　cable。'　She　was　now　purchased　to　fulfil　the　mission。　　Her　immense　hull　was　fitted　with　three　iron　tanks　for　the　reception　of　2；300　miles　of　cable；　and　her　decks　furnished　with　the　paying…out　gear。　　Captain　（now　Sir）　Jam