Identifier: americaninventio00mowr (find matches)
Title: American inventions and inventors
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors: Mowry, William Augustus, 1829-1917 Mowry, Arthur May, 1862- joint author
Subjects: Inventions
Publisher: New York, Boston (etc.) Silver, Burdett and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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ships for laying down the cable. On the 7th of August, 1857, the Niagara and the Agamem-non sailed from Ireland, each carrying 1,250 miles of cable.The Niagara began paying out her line and all went well forthree days. At nine oclock on the evening of the tenth,however, the cable ceased working. Three hours later theelectric current returned, to the intense relief of all; butbefore morning came the cry, Stop her! back her! the cablehas parted! With flags at half-mast the ships returned to Ireland.Half a million dollars had been lost already. Disheartened,but not discouraged, the company voted to increase its capitaland try again the next year. This time the two steamerssailed directly to mid-ocean, spliced the two parts of the 282 AMERICAN INVENTIONS AND INVENTORS. cable, and sailed away from each other, the Agamemnon forIreland and the Niagara for Newfoundland. On the 17thof August the extremities of the cable were connected withthe instruments and the work was done. In the space of
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LAYING AN OCEAN CABLE. thirty-five minutes there was flashed under the ocean themessage: Europe and America are united by telegraph. Glory toGod in the highest; on earth peace; good will toward men. Messages and replies from the Queen to the President ofthe United States and from the mayor of London to the mayorof New York followed. The American people were wildwith enthusiasm; they declared the Atlantic cable to be thegreatest achievement of the age, and they heaped boundless LETTERS—THE ATLANTIC CABLE. 283 praise upon the head of the persistent and courageous Field.Eighteen days afterward, the signals became unintelligibleand the first Atlantic cable ceased to work. Was all the time and money so far spent thrown away?No! for this first experim.ent paved the way for another andsuccessful attempt. It is said also that one message, sent during these few days, ^ _„__ _ „_ saved the commercial - ^ world no less a sum than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. For the time being,

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