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1
378
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
·
Henry M. Field
257
On
Monday,
the
miles
of
cable
that
had
been
hauled
up,
and
which
were
lying
in
huge
piles
upon
the
deck,
were
subjected
to
a
rigid
examination,
to
find
out
where
the
fault
lay.
This
was
soon
apparent.
Near
the
end
was
found
a
piece
of
wire
thrust
through
its
very
heart,
as
if
it
had
been
driven
into
it.
All
looked
black
when
this
was
discovered,
for
at
once
it
excited
suspicions
of
design.
It
was
remarked
that
the
same
gang
of
workmen
were
in
the
tank
as
at
the
time
of
the
first
fault.
Mr.
Canning
sent
for
the
men,
and
showing
them
the
cable
pierced
through
with
the
wire,
asked
them
how
it
occurred.
Every
man
replied
that
it
must
have
been
done
by
design,
even
though
they
accused
themselves,
as
this
implied
that
there
was
a
traitor
among
them.
It
seemed
hard
to
believe
that
any
one
could
be
guilty
of
such
devilish
malignity.
Yet
such
a
thing
had
been
done
before
in
a
cable
laid
in
the
North
Sea,
where
the
insulation
was
destroyed
by
a
nail
driven
into
it.
The
man
was
afterward
arrested,
and
confessed
that
he
had
been
hired
to
do
it
by
a
rival
company.
The
matter
was
the
subject
of
a
long
investigation
in
the
English
courts.
In
the
present
case
there
were
many
motives
which
might
prompt
to
such
an
act.
The
fall
in
the
stock
on
the
London
Exchange,
caused
by
a
loss
of
the
cable,
could
hardly
be
less
than
half
a
million
sterling.
Here
was
a
temptation
such
as
betrays
bold,
bad
men
into
crime.
However,
as
it
was
impossible
to
fix
the
deed
on
any
one,
nothing
was
proved,
and
there
only
remained
a
painful
suspicion
of
treachery.
Against
this
it
was
their
duty
to
guard.
Therefore
it
was
agreed
that
the
gentlemen
on
board
should
take
turns
in
keeping
watch
in
the
tank.
It
was
very
unpleasant
to
Mr.
Canning
thus
to
set
a
watch
on
men,
many
of
whom
had
been
with
him
in
his
former
cable-laying
expeditions,
but
the
best
of
them
admitted
the
necessity
of
it,
and
were
as
eager
as
himself
to
find
out
the
Judas
among
them.
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