Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

360 ENGINEERING WONDERS OF THE WORLD. Fig. 4.—U.S.N.S. “ NIAGARA ” COMPLETING AMERICAN END OF THE FIRST ATLANTIC CABLE, 1 A.M., AUGUST ÖTH, 1858. n.m., whilst the Agamemnon had accomplished her share of the dis- tance with an expenditure of 1,020 n.m., making the total length of cable laid 2,050 n.m. The cable was then cut, and a splice effected with the heavier type cable on the Valorous, for her to complete the work with the aid of boats. About 3 p.m. on that day the Irish end was safely brought on shore at Knight’s Town, Valencia, by the engineer-in-chief, “ to whose energy and perseverance,” in the words of the Times correspondent, “ the suc- cess of the expedition was attribut- able.” of the line. The brakes had, indeed, to be carefully adjusted every time the stern of the vessel rose and fell in the trough of the sea. To add to these unavoidable anxieties, other ships crossing the Atlantic evinced such inquisitiveness (or zeal) as to be a frequent source of trouble by approaching dangerously near ; and eventually the Agamemnon had to alter her course to avoid a collision, since the firing of guns appeared to have no effect. Things went well, however, with the rest of the voyage ; and, in the shoal water not far distant from the Irish coast, the change from the lower main coil to that upon the upper deck was successfully accomplished. Never, probably, was the sight of land more welcome, for it implied the successful termination of one of the greatest and most trying enterprises ever undertaken. The Agamemnon steamed into the harbour of Doulus Bay about 6 a.m. Agamemnon on Thursday, August 5th. and the A little later a message Niagara was received from the Nia- reach Land. ^ara preparations were also being made for landing the American end of the line. She had paid out 1,030 Mr. Bright was accompanied by Mr. Can- ning, as well as by the Knight of Kerry. The end was immediately laid in the trench previously prepared to receive it, whilst a royal salute an- First . . Transatlantic nounced that communication Message sent, between the Old World and the New had been completed. The cable was taken into the electrical testing-house by Mr. Whitehouse and attached to a signalling instrument, whereupon the first message was received through the entire line. In contradistinction to the heavy seas and difficulties the Agamemnon had encountered, her American consort, the Niagara, experi- enced quite quiet weather. Her part of the work was, indeed, comparatively uneventful, with the exception of a fault near the bottom end of one of the coils. This was happily detected and repaired before being paid out into the sea. The Niagara entered Trinity Bay, New- foundland, about 1 a.m. on August 5th, with the line safely in tow. Thus during the fore- noon of that day she, like the Agamemnon, completed her work, with the assistance of small craft, by landing the American end of