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378
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
·
Henry M. Field
12
To
the
Editor
of
the
Courier:
Sir:
I
regret
to
find
that,
in
every
plan
for
transatlantic
communication,
Halifax
is
always
mentioned,
and
the
natural
capabilities
of
Newfoundland
entirely
overlooked.
This
has
been
deeply
impressed
on
my
mind
by
the
communication
I
read
in
your
paper
of
Saturday
last,
regarding
telegraphic
communication
between
England
and
Ireland,
in
which
it
is
said
that
the
nearest
telegraphic
station
on
the
American
side
is
Halifax,
twenty-one
hundred
and
fifty-five
miles
from
the
west
of
Ireland.
Now
would
it
not
be
well
to
call
the
attention
of
England
and
America
to
the
extraordinary
capabilities
of
St.
John's,
as
the
nearest
telegraphic
point?
It
is
an
Atlantic
port,
lying,
I
may
say,
in
the
track
of
the
ocean
steamers,
and
by
establishing
it
as
the
American
telegraphic
station,
news
could
be
communicated
to
the
whole
American
continent
forty-eight
hours,
at
least,
sooner
than
by
any
other
route.
But
how
will
this
be
accomplished?
Just
look
at
the
map
of
Newfoundland
and
Cape
Breton.
From
St.
John's
to
Cape
Ray
there
is
no
difficulty
in
establishing
a
line
passing
near
Holy-Rood
along
the
neck
of
land
connecting
Trinity
and
Placentia
Bays,
and
thence
in
a
direction
due
west
to
the
Cape.
You
have
then
about
forty-one
to
forty-five
miles
of
sea
to
St.
Paul's
Island,
with
deep
soundings
of
one
hundred
fathoms,
so
that
the
electric
cable
will
be
perfectly
safe
from
icebergs.
Thence
to
Cape
North,
in
Cape
Breton,
is
little
more
than
twelve
miles.
Thus
it
is
not
only
practicable
to
bring
America
two
days
nearer
to
Europe
by
this
route,
but
should
the
telegraphic
communication
between
England
and
Ireland,
sixty-two
miles,
be
realized,
it
presents
not
the
least
difficulty.
Of
course,
we
in
Newfoundland
will
have
nothing
to
do
with
the
erection,
working,
and
maintenance
of
the
telegraph;
but
I
suppose
our
Government
will
give
every
facility
to
the
company,
either
English
or
American,
who
will
undertake
it,
as
it
will
be
an
incalculable
advantage
to
this
country.
I
hope
the
day
is
not
far
distant
when
St.
John's
will
be
the
first
link
in
the
electric
chain
which
will
unite
the
Old
World
and
the
New.
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