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378
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
·
Henry M. Field
83
The
Company
being
thus
in
working
order,
proceeded
to
make
a
contract
for
the
manufacture
of
a
cable
to
be
laid
across
the
Atlantic.
For
many
months
the
proper
form
and
size
of
the
cable
had
been
the
subject
of
constant
experiments.
The
conditions
were:
to
combine
the
greatest
degree
of
strength
with
lightness
and
flexibility.
It
must
be
strong,
or
it
would
snap
in
the
process
of
laying.
Yet
it
would
not
do
to
have
it
too
large,
for
it
would
be
unmanageable.
Mr.
Brett
had
already
lost
a
cable
in
the
Mediterranean
chiefly
from
its
bulk.
Its
size
and
stiffness
made
it
hard
to
unwind
it,
while
its
enormous
weight,
when
once
it
broke
loose,
caused
it
to
run
out
with
fearful
velocity,
till
it
was
soon
lost
in
the
sea.
It
was
only
the
year
before,
in
September,
1855,
that
this
accident
had
occurred
in
laying
the
cable
from
Sardinia
to
Algeria.
All
was
going
on
well,
until
suddenly,
"about
two
miles,
weighing
sixteen
tons,
flew
out
with
the
greatest
violence
in
four
or
five
minutes,
flying
round
even
when
the
drums
were
brought
to
a
dead
stop,
creating
the
greatest
alarm
for
the
safety
of
the
men
in
the
hold
and
for
the
vessel."
This
was
partly
owing
to
the
character
of
the
submarine
surface
over
which
they
were
passing.
The
bottom
of
the
Mediterranean
is
volcanic,
and
is
broken
up
into
mountains
and
valleys.
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