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378
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
·
Henry M. Field
140
While
the
English
Government
was
thus
prompt
in
furnishing
its
ships,
news
arrived
from
America
that
the
Company
could
not
have
again
the
assistance
of
the
Susquehanna,
which
had
accompanied
the
Niagara
on
the
preceding
expedition.
She
was
in
the
West-Indies,
and
the
yellow
fever
had
broken
out
on
board.
What
should
be
done?
It
was
late
to
apply
again
to
the
American
Government,
and
it
was
doubtful
what
would
be
the
result
of
the
application.
This
threatened
some
embarrassment.
Mr.
Field
resolved
the
difficulty
in
a
way
which
showed
his
confidence
in
the
great
and
generous
Government
on
the
other
side
of
the
water,
with
which
he
had
occasion
so
often
to
deal.
Without
waiting
for
the
action
of
the
Company,
he
called
a
cab,
and
drove
straight
to
the
Admiralty,
and
sent
in
his
card
to
Sir
John
Pakington,
then
First
Lord
of
the
Admiralty.
This
gentleman,
like
his
predecessor,
Sir
Charles
Wood,
had
shown
the
most
friendly
interest
in
the
Atlantic
Telegraph,
and
given
it
his
warmest
support.
Mr.
Field
was
received
at
once,
and
began
with
true
American
eagerness:
"I
am
ashamed
to
come
to
you,
after
what
the
English
Government
has
done
for
us.
But
here
is
our
case.
We
are
disappointed
in
the
Susquehanna.
She
is
in
the
West-Indies,
with
the
yellow
fever
on
board.
She
cannot
come
to
England
to
take
part
in
the
expedition.
Can
you
do
anything
for
us?"
Sir
John
replied
that
the
Government
had
not
ships
enough
for
its
own
use;
that
it
was
at
that
very
moment
chartering
vessels
to
take
troops
to
Malta--"but
he
would
see
what
he
could
do."
In
an
hour
or
two
he
sent
word
to
the
office
of
the
Company,
that
Her
Majesty's
ship
Valorous--commanded
by
Captain
W.
C.
Aldham,
an
officer
of
great
experience--had
been
ordered
to
take
the
place
of
the
Susquehanna
in
the
next
expedition.
We
mention
this
little
incident,
not
so
much
to
illustrate
Mr.
Field's
prompt
and
quick
manner
of
deciding
and
acting,
as
to
show
the
noble
and
generous
spirit
in
which
the
English
Government
responded
to
every
appeal.
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