Lab
Library
Journal
Shop
Sign in
to keep
Share image
1
378
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
·
Henry M. Field
139
The
strength
of
the
cable
was
such
that
it
would
not
break
except
under
a
tension
of
a
little
over
three
tons.
The
machinery
was
so
adjusted
that
not
more
than
half
that
strain
could
possibly
come
upon
the
cable,
when
the
brakes
would
relax
their
grasp,
the
wheels
revolve
easily,
and
the
cable
run
out
into
the
sea
without
a
jar.
The
paying-out
machine,
therefore,
we
are
far
from
claiming
as
wholly
an
American
invention.
This
part
of
the
mechanism
was
English.
The
merit
of
Mr.
Everett
lay
in
the
skill
with
which
he
adapted
it
to
the
laying
of
the
Atlantic
cable,
and
in
his
improvements
of
other
parts
of
the
machinery.
The
whole
construction,
as
it
afterwards
stood
upon
the
decks
of
the
Niagara
and
the
Agamemnon,
was
the
product
of
English
and
American
invention
combined.
The
engineers,
who
now
saw
it
for
the
first
time,
were
delighted.
It
seemed
to
have
the
intelligence
of
a
human
being,
to
know
when
to
hold
on,
and
when
to
let
go.
All
felt
that
the
great
difficulty
in
laying
the
cable
was
removed,
and
that
under
this
gentle
manipulation
it
would
glide
easily
and
smoothly
from
the
ship
into
the
sea.
While
these
preparations
were
going
on
in
London,
the
Niagara,
which
did
not
leave
New
York
till
the
ninth
of
March,
arrived
at
Plymouth,
under
command
of
Captain
Hudson,
to
take
on
board
her
share
of
the
cable.
Both
ships
had
discharged
their
burden
at
Keyham
Docks,
where
the
precious
freight
was
passed
through
a
composition
of
tar
and
pitch
and
linseed-oil
and
beeswax,
to
preserve
it
from
injury,
and
had
been
coiled
under
cover
to
be
kept
safely
through
the
winter.
The
Agamemnon
was
already
at
Plymouth,
having
been
designated
by
the
Admiralty
again
to
take
part
in
the
work,
though
under
a
new
commander,
Captain
George
W.
Preedy,
an
excellent
officer.
The
place
of
the
Leopard
was
taken
by
the
Gorgon,
under
command
of
Captain
Dayman,
who
had
made
the
deep-sea
soundings
in
the
Cyclops
the
year
before.
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
