Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

362 ENGINEERING WONDERS OF THE WORLD. Atlantic cable at Valencia, has brought to a successful issue his anxious and difficult task of linking the Old World with the New. Since the discovery of Columbus nothing has been done in any degree comparable to the vast enlargement which has thus been given to th© sphere of human activity?’ The sermons preached on the subject in of the first message, New York was awakened by the thunder of artillery. That night the city was illuminated, and the following even- ing a firemen’s procession took place. Indeed, nothing seemed too extravagant to give expression to public rejoicing, and from the Atlantic to the valley of the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico similar demonstrations took place. Fig. 6.—THE NEWFOUNDLAND TELEGRAPH STATION, 1858. this country, as well as in the United States, were literally without number. Enough found their way into print to fill a volume ; never had an event touched more deeply the spirit of religious enthusiasm. Though having comparatively little to do with the actual work, our American cousins were, as might be expected, far American more demonstrative than our- Enthusiasm. n _ selves. The landing of the cable was in itself a signal for wild excite- ment ; but on the morning after the reception It was a curious coincidence that the line was successfully completed on the same day of 1858 on which the first shore end had been landed at Valencia the . . Coincidences. year before. Moreover, it was exactly one hundred and eleven years to a day since Sir William Watson had astonished the scientific world by sending an electric current through a wire two miles long, using the earth for the return circuit. Bright and his staff were entertained at various banquets in commemoration of the