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378
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
·
Henry M. Field
343
[B]
This
is
an
error.
Mr.
Crocker,
an
operator
in
the
Telegraph
House
at
Valentia,
was
the
fortunate
one
on
watch
at
that
hour,
on
whose
eye
the
first
ray
fell,
as
a
spark
of
life
from
the
dead.
[C]
Speech
at
the
Chamber
of
Commerce
Dinner,
Nov.
15,
1866.
CHAPTER
XVIII.
THE
AFTERGLOW.
It
is
the
clear
shining
after
rain.
The
storms
that
swept
the
sea,
have
blown
themselves
out,
and
all
is
tranquil
on
the
face
of
the
deep.
The
cable
is
lying
in
its
ocean
bed
uniting
the
two
hemispheres,
nevermore
to
be
separated.
And
now
comes
the
public
recognition
on
both
sides
the
Atlantic,
though
in
different
form.
The
event
had
produced
a
profound
impression
throughout
the
civilized
world.
Yet
it
was
a
singular
illustration
of
the
changes
in
public
interest,
that,
whereas
in
1858
a
temporary
success
had
kindled
the
wildest
enthusiasm
in
the
United
States,
while
in
England
it
was
regarded
almost
with
indifference,
now
the
state
of
feeling
in
the
two
countries
was
completely
reversed.
In
Great
Britain
it
was
the
theme
of
boundless
congratulation,
while
in
America
the
public
mind--dulled
perhaps
by
the
excitements
of
four
years
of
war--received
the
news
with
composure.
The
reason
was,
in
part,
that
England
had
had
a
larger
share
in
the
later
than
in
the
earlier
expeditions.
Certainly
none
could
deny
the
inestimable
services
rendered
by
her
men
of
science,
her
seamen,
her
engineers,
and
her
great
capitalists;
and
it
was
most
fit
that
the
country
which
they
had
honored
should
do
them
honor
in
its
turn.
Scarcely
had
the
Great
Eastern
recrossed
the
sea
before
those
to
whom
the
empire
owed
so
much,
were
duly
recognized
in
the
following
letter
from
the
Earl
of
Derby,
then
Prime
Minister,
addressed
to
Sir
Stafford
Northcote,
who
was
to
preside
at
a
dinner
given
in
Liverpool,
to
celebrate
the
great
achievement:
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