When, in 1858, the Atlantic Cable proved a failure, and was looked upon as an utter impossibility, a Mr. Collins, the American commercial agent resident at St. Petersburg, proposed to construct a line of telegraph overland from the United States (via) Behring Strait and Asiatic Russia to Europe.
Perceiving the importance of the project, Mr. J. Cochrane, a member of Congress and of the Committee on Commerce, reported to that body on Feb. 18, 1861, a bill appropriating $50,000 for “The Survey of the Northern Waters, Coasts and Islands of the Pacific Ocean and Behring Strait, having reference to telegraphic connection with Russia,” and expressing full faith in its possibility.
In the United States Senate, Feb. 17, 1862, Mr. Latham also made an elaborate report, revealing the vast progress of telegraphs in Europe and the enthusiastic and enlightened action of the Russian Government in the proposed extension of her telegraph system to the Pacific.
A line had already been mapped out from Kazan, through Circassia.
From Omsk a line was traced out with the design of reaching India through the Northern Central gate of Asia. Still another was projected from the Amoor line to Pekin, Shanghai, Amoy and Hong Kong—thus, to reach the trade of China, these projects showed the value of the telegraph to commerce.
Mr. Latham asked an appropriation of $100,000 for a survey of the route from California to the Amoor.
Russia offered her aid and a rebate of forty per cent. on American messages when communication was established.
Russia had already assured the construction of the line 7,000 miles from Moscow to the Pacific.
Secretary Seward took a deep interest in the enterprise, in a report to the Senate, May 4, 1864.
On the proposition of Mr. Collins, he said: “I think it may be regarded as settled that the United States cannot neglect to employ telegraphic communication with foreign countries, and yet expect to maintain a healthful commerce with them; that the United States cannot hope to inspire respect, confidence and good will abroad, and to secure peace with foreign States, without using the magnetic telegraph when it is possible. I do not know any one object lying within the scope of our foreign relations more directly important than the preservation of peace and friendship with Great Britain and Russia; nor can I conceive of any measure of nationality that would more effectually tend to secure that great object than the construction of this proposed international telegraph.”