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378
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
·
Henry M. Field
37
But
the
charter
of
the
New
York,
Newfoundland,
and
London
Telegraph
Company,
which
was
now
to
be
obtained,
began
by
declaring,
in
its
very
first
sentence:
"Whereas
it
is
deemed
advisable
to
establish
a
line
of
telegraphic
communication
between
America
and
Europe
by
way
of
Newfoundland."
Not
a
word
is
said
of
fast
ships,
of
communications
in
less
than
six
days,
but
every
thing
points
to
a
line
across
the
ocean.
Thus
one
section
gives
authority
to
establish
a
submarine
telegraph
across
the
ocean,
from
Newfoundland
to
Ireland;
another
section
prohibits
any
other
company
or
person
from
touching
the
coast
of
Newfoundland
or
its
dependencies
[which
includes
Labrador]
with
a
telegraphic
cable
or
wire,
from
any
point
whatever,
for
fifty
years;
and
a
third
section
grants
the
Company
fifty
square
miles
of
land
upon
the
completion
of
the
submarine
line
across
the
Atlantic.
In
other
respects
the
charter
was
equally
liberal.
It
incorporated
the
associates
for
fifty
years,
established
perfect
equality,
in
respect
to
corporators
and
officers,
between
citizens
of
the
United
States
and
British
subjects,
and
allowed
the
meetings
of
the
stockholders
and
directors
to
be
held
in
New
York,
in
Newfoundland,
or
in
London.
To
obtain
such
concessions
was
a
work
of
some
difficulty
and
delay.
The
Legislature
of
the
province
were
naturally
anxious
to
scan
carefully
conditions
that
were
to
bind
them
and
their
children
for
half
a
century.
I
have
now
before
me
the
papers
of
St.
John's
of
that
day,
containing
the
discussions
in
the
Legislature;
and
while
all
testify
to
the
deep
public
interest
in
the
project,
they
show
a
due
care
for
the
interests
of
their
own
colony,
which
they
were
bound
to
protect.
At
length
all
difficulties
were
removed,
and
the
charter
was
passed
unanimously
by
the
Assembly,
and
confirmed
by
the
Council.
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