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378
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
·
Henry M. Field
241
'Three
fishers
went
sailing
away
to
the
West,
Away
to
the
West
as
the
sun
went
down--'
the
sounds
of
which
rise
up
from
the
dark,
deep
cavern
with
startling
effect,
and
produce
an
indescribable
impression.
"We
proceed
on;
but
the
song
of
the
sailors
who
are
taking
charge
of
the
Atlantic
Telegraph
cable
is
haunting
us
like
a
dream.
In
vain
our
guide
conducts
us
all
over
the
big
ship,
through
miles
of
galleries,
passages,
staircases,
and
promenades;
through
gorgeous
saloons,
full
of
mirrors,
marbles,
paintings,
and
upholstery,
made
'regardless
of
expense;'
and
through
buildings
crowded
with
glittering
steam
apparatus
of
gigantic
dimensions,
where
the
latent
power
of
coal
and
water
creates
the
force
which
propels
this
monster
vessel
over
the
seas.
In
vain
our
attention
is
directed
to
all
these
sights;
we
do
not
admire
them;
our
imagination
is
used
up.
The
echo
of
the
sailors'
song
in
the
womb
of
the
Great
Eastern
will
not
be
banished
from
our
mind.
It
raises
visions
of
the
future
of
the
mystic
iron
coil
under
our
feet--how
it
will
roll
forth
again
from
its
narrow
berth;
how
it
will
sink
to
the
bottom
of
the
Atlantic,
or
hang
from
mountain
to
mountain
far
below
the
stormy
waves;
and
how
two
great
nations,
offsprings
of
one
race
and
pioneers
of
civilization,
will
speak
through
this
wonderful
coil,
annihilating
distance
and
time.
Who
can
help
dreaming
here,
on
the
spot
where
we
stand?
For
it
is
truly
a
marvellous
romance
of
civilization,
this
Great
Eastern
and
this
Atlantic
Telegraph
cable.
Even
should
our
age
produce
nothing
else,
it
alone
would
be
the
triumph
of
our
age."
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