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1
378
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
·
Henry M. Field
121
"The
ships
were
visited
in
the
course
of
the
evening
by
the
Directors
and
others
interested
in
the
great
undertaking,
and
arrangements
were
immediately
commenced
on
board
the
Niagara
for
paying
out
the
shore
rope
for
conveyance
to
the
mainland.
These
arrangements
were
fully
perfected
by
Wednesday
morning;
but
for
some
hours
the
state
of
the
weather
rendered
it
doubtful
whether
operations
could
be
safely
proceeded
with.
Toward
the
afternoon
the
breeze
calmed
down,
and
at
two
o'clock
it
was
decided
that
an
effort
should
be
made
to
land
the
cable
at
once.
The
process
of
uncoiling
into
the
small
boats
commenced
at
half-past
two,
and
the
scene
at
this
period
was
grand
and
exciting
in
the
highest
degree.
"Valentia
Bay
was
studded
with
innumerable
small
craft,
decked
with
the
gayest
bunting--small
boats
flitted
hither
and
thither,
their
occupants
cheering
enthusiastically
as
the
work
successfully
progressed.
The
cable-boats
were
managed
by
the
sailors
of
the
Niagara
and
Susquehanna,
and
it
was
a
well-designed
compliment,
and
indicative
of
the
future
fraternization
of
the
nations,
that
the
shore
rope
was
arranged
to
be
presented
at
this
side
the
Atlantic
to
the
representative
of
the
Queen,
by
the
officers
and
men
of
the
United
States
navy,
and
that
at
the
other
side
the
British
officers
and
sailors
should
make
a
similar
presentation
to
the
President
of
the
Great
Republic.
"From
the
main
land
the
operations
were
watched
with
intense
interest.
For
several
hours
the
Lord
Lieutenant
stood
on
the
beach,
surrounded
by
his
staff
and
the
directors
of
the
railway
and
telegraph
companies,
waiting
the
arrival
of
the
cable,
and
when
at
length
the
American
sailors
jumped
through
the
surge
with
the
hawser
to
which
it
was
attached,
his
Excellency
was
among
the
first
to
lay
hold
of
it
and
pull
it
lustily
to
the
shore.
Indeed
every
one
present
seemed
desirous
of
having
a
hand
in
the
great
work;
and
never
before
perhaps
were
there
so
many
willing
assistants,
at
'the
long
pull,
the
strong
pull,
and
the
pull
all
together.'
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