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378
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
·
Henry M. Field
220
The
summer
of
this
year
Mr.
Field
spent
in
America,
where
he
applied
himself
vigorously
to
raise
capital
for
the
new
enterprise.
To
this
end
he
visited
Boston,
Providence,
Philadelphia,
Albany,
and
Buffalo--to
address
meetings
of
merchants
and
others.
He
used
to
amuse
us
with
the
account
of
his
visit
to
the
first
city,
where
he
was
honored
with
the
attendance
of
a
large
array
of
"the
solid
men
of
Boston,"
who
listened
with
an
attention
that
was
most
flattering
to
the
pride
of
the
speaker,
addressing
such
an
assemblage
in
the
capital
of
his
native
State.
There
was
no
mistaking
the
interest
they
felt
in
the
subject.
They
went
still
farther,
they
passed
a
series
of
resolutions,
in
which
they
applauded
the
projected
telegraph
across
the
ocean
as
one
of
the
grandest
enterprises
ever
undertaken
by
man,
which
they
proudly
commended
to
the
confidence
and
support
of
the
American
public,
after
which
they
went
home,
feeling
that
they
had
done
the
generous
thing
in
bestowing
upon
it
such
a
mark
of
their
approbation.
But
not
a
man
subscribed
a
dollar!
Yet
it
is
not
necessary
to
charge
them
with
meanness
or
hypocrisy.
No
doubt
they
felt
just
what
they
said.
They
could
not
but
admire
the
courage
of
their
countryman.
It
was
inspiring
to
hear
him
talk.
Yet
these
solid
men
were
never
lifted
off
their
feet
so
far
as
to
forget
the
main
chance.
What
were
to
be
the
returns
for
this
magnificent
adventure?
Peering
into
the
future,
the
prospect
of
dividends
was
very
remote.
In
fact
they
looked
upon
the
Atlantic
Telegraph
as
a
sort
of
South
Sea
Bubble,
an
airy
fancy,
which
would
go
up
like
a
balloon,
never
to
return
to
earth
again.
So,
like
the
high
priest
and
the
Levite,
they
passed
by
on
the
other
side.
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