Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

EARLY ATLANTIC CABLES. 357 the Niagara was nowhere to be seen, the good ship set out for Queenstown, whither the Niagara was found to have proceeded. This was due to a misunderstanding as to the programme. Thus ended the most arduous and dangerous expedition that has ever been experienced in the history of cable work. It at any rate provided the public with some exciting read- ing, emanating from the Times correspondent, who had sailed with the Agamemnon. Finis Coronat Opus. The sad tale of disaster had spread abroad on the Niagara’s return to Queenstown. The board was soon called together. It met as a council of war, summoned after a great defeat, to decide whether to surrender or to test once more the chances of battle. With most of the directors the feeling was on© akin to despair. They felt that there was nothing left on which to found an ex- pectation of future success, or to encourage the expenditure of further capital upon an adventure so completely visionary. The chairman suggested “ a sale of the remaining cable, and a distribution of the proceeds amongst the shareholders.” Bolder counsels prevailed, however. There were those who thought there was still a chance-s-like Robert Bruce, who, after twelve battles and twelve defeats, yet believed that a thirteenth might bring victory. The projectors made a firm stand for im- mediate action, as did also Professor Thom- son and Mr. (afterwards Sir Curtis) Lampson. The latter succeeded Mr. Determination proo^jng as depUty chairman ; to persevere. jtøgfø j£on James Stuart-Wortley, M.P., took the chair in place of Sir William Brown, on the latter’s resigna- tion. These advocates of non-surrender suc- ceeded at length in carrying through an order for the immediate sailing of the expedition for a final effort—an effort which proved to the world the possibility of telegraphing from one hemisphere to the other. The order for advance having been given, the ships forthwith took in coal and other necessaries. When everything and everybody had been shipped, the squadron left Queenstown once more on July 17th, 1858. The vessels sailed out of the harbour of Cork amid none of the enthusiasm which attended their de- parture from Valencia the year before, or even the small amount excited subsequently. Nobody so much as cheered. In fact, the mission was by this time spoken of as “a mad freak of stubborn ignorance.” * The squadron and staff on each vessel were the same as on the last occasion, but it was agreed that the ships should not attempt to keep together this time, each ship making its way to the rendezvous independently. The latter was therefore reached on somewhat different dates. When eventually all the forces were together, the mid-ocean splice between the Agamemnon’s cable and that in the Niagara was duly effected on July 28th. Both vessels then started paying out the line towards their respective shores. During the first day the \ Agamemnon en- countered a huge whale, which at one time seemed likely to again spell disaster. Great was the relief when the pon- derous monster was seen to Exciting Incidents. move on without doing serious damage to the cable. A little later a portion of the line was seen to be badly injured a mile or so from that which was passing out- board. Not a moment was lost in cobbling up the defect as well as time would permit ; but the electrical continuity had ceased, and th© cable was thereupon cut, with a view to effecting a complete repair. Electrical tests, however, revealed the disagreeable fact that the fault was really outboard—apparently some fifty miles astern ! Every moment was of importance, for in * Life-Story of Sir Charles Bright.