copper wires (No. twenty-two guage), covered with gutta percha to a diameter of 3% of an inch :-this again being wound round with tarred hemp, and all being finally protected by eighteen strands of seven twisted wires, tightly bound round it, forming a metal rope about half-inch in diameter. The entire length of iron and copper wire employed, was 332,500 miles ;--enough to girdle the earth thirteen times. Two vessels were employed to lay it-the British "Agamemnon" and the American "Niagara" :-and the exciting history of this event (which we must not touch here)—of its success and failure-hopes and fears-dangers and delays ;-will amply repay perusal :-till at last, in August, 1858, Queen spoke to President, and President to Queen-though 2000 miles apart. The joy was unbounded, and mutual congratulations were everywhere exchanged. It was not to last long however,-signs of weakness which soon showed themselves, rapidly increased, and at last, on September 3rd, the cable refused to speak. This loss naturally gave the death-blow, for years, to the Atlantic Telegraph Company :-and though Mr. Field compassed land and sea incessantly to revive and sustain interest-it was not till the civil war arose in America, that capitalists, and the public could be induced to renew the attempt. In December, 1862, the new prospectus was issued; and by the commencement of 1864, all was in readiness for the manufacture of a new cable :—but while the lost rope was made in six months, it was determined to allow twelve months for this, and the manufacture was entrusted to one firm only"The Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company Limited." The form of cable was also materially altered and improved ;chiefly by enlarging the copper conducting wires, and by substituting for the small external wires, ten wires of No. 13 (Webster and Horsfall's) Homogeneous wire, these being covered with Manilla yarn, wound spirally round the core, so that the finished cable had the appearance of a hemp rope, about one-inch in diameter. For this new enterprise the "Great Eastern" was chartered, and seems to have found her mission in this work. It has been of the utmost importance in laying large cables, to possess this vessel, capable of carrying the entire load the total of which has often been enormous. When she started in 1865, her total dead weight was 21,000 tons, including 7,000 tons of cable, 2,000 tons of tanks, and 8,500 tons of coals. The details of this voyage must be fresh in the memories of most, with the constantly recurring faults and disasters, up to the final loss of the cable in 1,950 fathoms of sea, after paying out 1,250 miles. So much was learned and proved however by this effort, and the astounding fact so completely demonstrated, that the lost treasure could be grappled in its deep home, and recovered:-that but little difficulty was experienced in increasing the capital and making arrangements to lift the sleeping coil, and during the same voyage, lay down a second line. This fact speaks loudly for British pluck, when we remember that nearly £1,000,000 were lying in the depths of the sea. It was done however in 1866, and the wonderful ease, and freedom from accident which marked the successful attainment of long cherished hopes, helped to atone for past reverses. Well might Mr. Field flash through the cumbrous messenger, “Thank God, the cable is laid." * * * Honors were freely bestowed in recognition of this national event:-Mr. Gooch and Mr. Lampson were created Baronets and Mr. Canning, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Glass, and Captain Anderson were knighted, while in his own country as well as here, Mr. Field was the hero of the day. It may be worthy of record, that Birmingham had a large share in the manufacture of these cables; inasmuch as she supplied all the copper and iron wires and all the yarn :-the covering of the outer wires with the yarn being also a Birmingham patent. Such a successful termination to the Atlantic Telegraph schemes, could not fail to give great impetus to kindred efforts in other directions :-numerous proprietories rapidly came into existence, and Telegraph companies have ever since held a place as useful and necessary agencies. Mere popular excitement soon subsided, and gave place to steady and legitimate business transactions, which are now for the most part regarded as safe and permanent investments. It would be easy to give a complete list of all the ocean cables, larger and smaller, but we must not monopolize space, and many possess only a local interest and importance. They number nearly eighty :-are about 30,000 miles in length, and have cost about £10,000,000. We have tabulated the following because a small space will suffice, and because they are the trunk lines, of international importance, round which so much interest has always centred, and which must always occupy a first place. Other lines of almost equal importance are now in course of construction, or are at least projected. Spain and the Brazils will soon be joined; Australia and New Zealand are to be connected; as also Aden, the Mauritius and Port Natal; and when another intended line is finished between Japan and San Francisco, a loving girdle will encircle all the world, and the continents will clasp each other's hands and feel the throbbings of each other's hearts. The commercial importance of these links between the trading nations of the earth can scarcely be over estimated, and has doubtless been the chief motive power behind the whole. There are, however, other considerations, which closely concern us all, which will always make the cables influential for good, and invest them with increased interest. Although the life of the first Atlantic cable was so short, it was long enough to prove the value of that life. By its aid hundreds of anxious friends were assured of the safety of all on board the "Europa" and "Arabia," (which had met in collision,) fourteen days earlier than could otherwise have been the case, and the Government saved £50,000 by being able to stop the return of some troops, which had previously been ordered home. Families and friends in distant lands will not now seem so far apart; and while commerce is extending, and profits are accruing, shall we not do well to hope that the people of foreign lands shall be brought nearer and nearer together, into closer sympathy and more united aims-that wars and all national differences shall become more and more impossible, and that peace shall finally and for ever assert her sway, and scatter abroad the lasting blessings of her benign reign. PAX. THE NOBLE ROMAN. (AS I SAW HIM Last.) High-raised above the vulgar crowd he stood, With measured step and slow the rostrum paced. Of steel-and on his head a plumèd casque He spoke, and said,—“ Walk up! walk up Ladies and gentlemen! now's your time! just A goin' to begin! only thrëë pence to the gallery!" UNYUNFAYRE. REJECTED, A PAGE FROM THE VERITABLE HISTORY OF TWO BACHELORS. ia SCENE I.-WILLIAMS' ROOMS. (Williams sitting moodily over a Bran's Patent Coal Economiser.-N.B. Bran's Economiser-a simple application of the principle that without a fire you won't burn your coals.) Enter BROWN, A.B., (Artium Baccalaureus.) BROWN: How now my Williams! what new sorrow furrows that classic brow? Got the tooth-ache? mSPainful complaint, have it out-simple operation, soon over. Short pain, pleasant repose.-What, no response? It's a bad debt then.-The Grangilafrog Mining Scheme is bust up. Your dawg is dead?-Come man if my diagnosis is not correct, what is the complaint and let me prescribe. WILLIAMS :-Love. B.-Love! don't seem to agree with you any way. W. Rejected. B.-What! your love rejected? W.-Worse, myself. B.-And you have been idiot enough to pop the fatal question without being first sure of your game? Why you deserve your fate. And that little minx. W.-Hold, my friend! There's no little minx in the question. Maria Jukes is a majestic person, and not to be slighted; in short Brown, don't you think that-that-there may-may be circumstances in which suicide B.-Ha! ha! ha! Now here is a brave fellow who will drop lance and run at the first brush with the enemy. And Maria a confirmed bleu! W. She has a marked taste for literature I confess, but-then— B.-A blue, man; a blue! and then her dress, her person, her face, why Williams ! W.-Oh! do proceed my friend, it is your turn to laugh. B. She squints! W. There may be a little peculiarity— B.-Say obliquity about the eyes and we are agreed. And then her nose! a celestial snub of type most prononcèe. W.-Perhaps there is a slight upward tendency. B. Indicating, no doubt, the direction of her thoughts. W.-Ah! Brown you little know the pangs of a wounded heart, or you could not stand jesting there while I am smarting here (pathetically laying his hand on the left side of his waistcoat.) B.-Wounded, rubbish! Williams, I ever thought thou hadst a soul above such trifles. To dote upon women is the pastime of fools, and he who indulges in it need prepare for direful consequences, for ever since frail Helen brought a heap of trouble on devoted Troy, have love and war lain close together. Thou hast tried the game, thou knowest its loss; but Williams take the poet's advice, and "look not mournfully into the past" but "go forth," &c., youth and genius are on thy side. W.-Spare me ! spare me, your sermon Brown, I know it by heart; you have never known the pleasures, the hopes and fears of a first love, I cannot ask for sympathy, but let me have silence! B.—I won't give you either. How do you know that I have never known a first love? it so happens that I am at this moment experiencing those very emotions you have just mentioned. I am in love Williams! but with an infinitely more worthy object than a woman— W. (warmly.)-Be careful Brown, be careful! B. I have no care. Williams, did you ever taste the pleasures of literature? W.-You know my fondness for books. B.-Oh! ah! I had not thought of that. But that is not exactly what I meant. Were you ever conscious of a kind of bursting, burning sensation-say, when you have been reading a new book-a feeling as though there were a vacuum somewhere into which you were being irresistibly drawn-or driven-or— W.-Brown, what are you driving at? B. (drawing closer to him.)-Well Williams! did you ever experience -cacoethes scribendi ? W. (starting to his feet.)-Good gracious Brown! No. B. You have never written anything then? W.-Never published anything you mean? No, my presumption was never equal to that. But why do you ask? B. (with exultation.) Because I have. W. And does it pay you? B.-Am I a penny-a-liner Williams? We write for honour Sir ! B.—I care not for any man's opinion; I know the satisfaction to be immense. And we write under exceptional circumstances. We are all amateurs, Sir! And then there is a peculiar charm in being an author, independent of all the trammels of Grub Street. We have no one to please but ourselves. We laugh at the critics and snap our fingers at a patronising public; we select our own patrons and send round the hat before the performance commences. We know no limitations and obey no power but the glorious impulses within, Williams, within! W.-You are an accepted contributor then ? What is the periodical? B.-The "K. L. M." but I have not yet appeared in it. I have sent in my paper though and expect in a few days to be reading myself. I suppose I am even now in the press, and the thought produces the strangest emotions. I feel rather as if I were expecting to see somebody's ghost. W. The ghost of your own thoughts-may be. B.-Hardly that, for I suppose they will never look so substantial as in print. W. And never be so likely to frighten you. |
