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378
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
·
Henry M. Field
186
The
next
morning
after
this
illumination,
the
Niagara
entered
the
harbor
of
New
York,
and
Mr.
Field
hastened
to
his
home.
The
night
before
leaving
the
ship,
he
had
written
to
the
Directors
in
London,
giving
a
full
report
of
the
laying
of
the
cable,
which
he
closed
by
resigning
the
position
which
he
had
held
for
the
last
seven
months.
He
wrote:
"At
your
unanimous
request,
but
at
a
very
great
personal
sacrifice
to
myself,
I
accepted
the
office
of
General
Manager
of
the
Atlantic
Telegraph
Company,
for
the
sole
purpose
of
doing
all
in
my
power
to
aid
you
to
make
the
enterprise
successful;
and
as
that
object
has
been
attained,
you
will
please
accept
my
resignation.
It
will
always
afford
me
pleasure
to
do
any
thing
in
my
power,
consistent
with
my
duties
to
my
family
and
my
own
private
affairs,
to
promote
the
interests
of
the
Atlantic
Telegraph
Company."
Once
more
with
his
family,
Mr.
Field
hoped
for
a
brief
interval
of
rest
and
quiet.
But
this
was
impossible.
The
great
event
with
which
his
name
was
connected
was
too
fresh
in
the
public
mind.
He
could
not
escape
public
observation.
He
was
at
once
thronged
with
visitors,
offering
their
congratulations,
and
his
house
surrounded
with
crowds
eager
to
see
and
hear
him.
While
making
all
allowance
for
popular
excitement,
yet
none
could
deny
that
a
service
so
great
demanded
some
public
recognition.
Even
in
England,
where
the
enthusiasm
did
not
approach
that
in
this
country,
still
the
wondrous
character
of
the
achievement
was
fully
acknowledged.
Said
the
London
Times
on
the
morning
of
the
sixth
of
August:
"Since
the
discovery
of
Columbus,
nothing
has
been
done
in
any
degree
comparable
to
the
vast
enlargement
which
has
thus
been
given
to
the
sphere
of
human
activity."
"More
was
done
yesterday
for
the
consolidation
of
our
empire,
than
the
wisdom
of
our
statesmen,
the
liberality
of
our
Legislature,
or
the
loyalty
of
our
colonists,
could
ever
have
effected."
To
mark
the
public
benefit
which
had
been
conferred,
the
Chief
Engineer
of
the
Expedition,
Mr.
Charles
T.
Bright,
was
knighted,
and
Captains
Preedy
and
Aldham
were
both
made
Companions
of
the
Bath,
and
other
officers
were
promoted.
Thus
England
showed
her
appreciation
of
their
services.
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