“With respect to the amount of business I might send through the new line I cannot, of course, speak positively, but believe I can say that for the first year it would certainly not be less than £5000.
“I remain, dear sir,
“Faithfully yours,
“Julius Reuter.
“Cyrus W. Field, Esq.”
At this time no one at all realized the amount of work that the small wire would be called upon to do. Sixteen months after it was laid, on the 2d of December, 1867, Mr. Field telegraphed to London that Mr. Bennett was willing to sign a contract with the cable company for one year, and that he would pay for political and general news $3750 a month—that is, £9000 a year—and the agreement was to begin at once or on the 1st of January, 1868.
The invitation to Cliveden to which Mr. Gladstone referred was given by the Dowager Duchess of Sutherland, and this visit, early in December, was followed by many others, and the friendship then formed lasted as long as she lived.
He sailed for home on December 20th, and before he left England he sent this letter:
“Palace Hotel,
“London, November 22, 1862.
“My dear Daughters,—Many, many thanks to you for all the letters that you have written to me since we parted at our happy home.
“I think I hear you say, Why does not papa answer all of our letters? The reason is that I am so much occupied that I have hardly one single moment of leisure. I am busy all day at the Atlantic Telegraph Company’s office; or at Messrs. Glass, Elliott & Co.’s; or at the Gutta-percha Company’s works; or with some persons connected with the English government; and almost every evening I am engaged until a very late hour.
“I will give you a list of my engagements for the next few evenings: