“With much love to your mother, Eddie, and Willie, and kind regards to all the servants,
“I remain, as ever,
“Your affectionate father,
“Cyrus W. Field.
“Misses Grace, Alice, Isabella, and Fanny Field.”
CHAPTER X
CAPITAL RAISED FOR THE MAKING OF A NEW CABLE—STEAMSHIP “GREAT EASTERN” SECURED
(1863-1864)
ON Sunday, January 4th, 1863, the steamer Asia arrived in New York, and Mr. Field writes that he had had a rough passage of fifteen days. On January 27th, in a letter to Mr. Saward, he says: “The whole country is in such a state of excitement in regard to the war that it is almost impossible to get any one to talk for a single moment about telegraph matters, but you may be sure that I shall do all that I can to obtain subscriptions here.” And in another letter: “Some days I have worked from before eight in the morning until after ten at night to obtain subscriptions to the Atlantic Telegraph Company.”
Long afterwards he told how, during these years, he has often seen his friends cross the street rather than have him stop them and talk on what engrossed so much of his thoughts as were not given to his country. But his love for his country was his master-passion, and only five days after his arrival in New York he went to Washington to deliver a letter that he had brought with him from Glass, Elliott & Co., in which they repeat their offer to lay submarine cables connecting certain military posts or points of strategic importance. He writes to this firm on January 17th:
“I went to Washington on January 9th, and the next day delivered your letter of December 19th to our government, and urged upon them the acceptance of your offer. I returned home on Sunday, and on Monday morning I received a telegram from the Navy Department requesting me to return immediately to Washington, which I did the next day.”
The journey to Washington at this time was long and trying, and in winter a very cold one, for it involved a ride of an hour across Philadelphia in the street cars.
Mr. Gladstone, in writing from London on February 20th, again thanks Mr. Field for books sent to him relating to the American war, and adds:
“I hope I do not offend in expressing the humble desire that it may please the Almighty soon to bring your terrific struggle to an end, for all who know me know that if I entertain such a wish it is with a view to the welfare of all persons of the United States, in which I have ever taken the most cordial interest.”