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378
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
·
Henry M. Field
115
Thus,
labor
and
feasting
being
ended,
the
Niagara
and
the
Susquehanna
left
Liverpool
the
latter
part
of
July
and
steamed
down
St.
George's
Channel
to
Queenstown,
which
was
to
be
the
rendezvous
of
the
telegraphic
squadron,
where
they
were
joined
by
the
Agamemnon
and
the
Leopard,
which
was
to
be
her
consort.
The
former,
as
she
entered
the
harbor,
came
to
anchor
about
a
third
of
a
mile
from
the
Niagara.
The
presence
of
the
two
ships
which
had
the
cable
on
board,
gave
an
opportunity
which
the
electricians
had
desired
to
test
its
integrity.
Accordingly
one
end
of
each
cable
was
carried
to
the
opposite
ship,
and
so
joined
as
to
form
a
continuous
length
of
twenty-five
hundred
miles,
both
ends
of
which
were
on
board
the
Agamemnon.
One
end
was
then
connected
with
the
apparatus
for
transmitting
the
electric
current,
and
on
a
sensitive
galvanometer
being
attached
to
the
other
end,
the
whole
cable
was
tested
from
end
to
end,
and
found
to
be
perfect.
These
experiments
were
continued
for
two
days
with
the
same
result.
This
inspired
fresh
hopes
for
the
success
of
the
expedition,
and
in
high
spirits
they
bore
away
for
the
harbor
of
Valentia.
It
had
been
for
some
time
a
matter
of
discussion,
where
they
should
begin
to
lay
the
cable,
whether
from
the
coast
of
Ireland,
or
in
mid-ocean,
the
two
ships
making
the
junction
there,
and
dropping
it
to
the
bottom
of
the
sea,
and
then
parting,
one
to
the
east
and
the
other
to
the
west,
till
they
landed
their
ends
on
the
opposite
shores
of
the
Atlantic.
This
was
the
plan
adopted
the
following
year,
and
which
finally
proved
successful.
It
was
the
one
preferred
by
the
engineers
now,
but
the
electricians
favored
the
other
course,
and
their
counsel
prevailed.
It
was
therefore
decided
to
submerge
the
whole
cable
in
a
continuous
line
from
Valentia
Bay
to
Newfoundland.
The
Niagara
was
to
lay
the
first
half
from
Ireland
to
the
middle
of
the
Atlantic;
the
end
would
then
be
joined
to
the
other
half
on
board
the
Agamemnon,
which
would
take
it
on
to
the
coast
of
Newfoundland.
During
the
whole
process
the
four
vessels
were
to
remain
together
and
give
whatever
assistance
was
required.
While
it
was
being
laid
down,
messages
were
to
be
sent
back
to
Valentia,
reporting
each
day
of
progress.
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