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378
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
·
Henry M. Field
292
Dr.
Russell,
the
brilliant
historian
of
the
Expedition
of
1865,
was
not
on
board
the
Great
Eastern
this
year.
He
had
left
England
a
few
weeks
before
for
the
scene
of
the
war
in
Germany.
His
place
was
supplied
by
Mr.
John
C.
Deane,
the
Secretary
of
the
Anglo-American
Company,
whose
"Diary
of
the
Expedition"
furnishes
a
faithful
record
of
the
incidents
of
this
memorable
voyage.
If
the
story
be
not
quite
so
thrilling
as
that
of
the
year
before,
it
is
because
it
has
not
to
tell
of
such
fatal
accidents.
It
has
the
monotony
of
success.
A
few
pages
from
this
diary,
giving
its
most
important
portions,
will
render
this
narrative
complete.
The
voyage
began
with
good
weather
and
every
omen
of
success.
Friday,
indeed,
was
a
day
of
fog
and
rain.
At
the
very
time
they
were
making
the
splice
with
the
shore
end,
the
rain
was
pouring
on
the
deck.
But
in
a
few
hours
it
cleared
off,
and
Saturday
and
Sunday,
Mr.
Field
writes
in
his
journal,
"Weather
fine;"
and
Monday,
"Calm,
beautiful
day.
Signals
perfect."
Owing
to
the
improved
system
adopted
by
the
chief
electrician,
communication
with
the
shore
was
kept
up
even
while
the
tests
for
insulation
were
going
on.[A]
Every
possible
precaution
was
taken
to
guard
against
such
accidents
as
had
marred
the
success
of
the
year
before.
Remembering
how
small
a
thing
had
sufficed
to
puncture
the
cable,
the
men
in
the
tank
were
not
allowed
to
wear
boots
or
shoes
with
nails
in
their
heels,
but
were
cased
from
head
to
foot
in
canvas
dresses,
drawn
over
their
ordinary
sailor
costume,
and,
with
slippers
on
their
feet,
they
glided
about
softly
as
ghosts.
But
we
turn
to
Mr.
Deane's
diary
for
a
record
of
the
progress
from
day
to
day:
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
