“ ‘I have, etc.,
“ ‘Lyons.
“ ‘The Hon. W. H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington.’
“ ‘Department of State,
“ ‘Washington, December 3, 1863.
“‘My dear Lord Lyons,—I have made known to the President and to the heads of departments the agreeable communication you have made to me in regard to the reception of Vice-Admiral Milne on the occasion of his visit at this capital.
“ ‘The just, liberal, and courteous conduct of the admiral in the performance of his duties while commanding H. M.’s naval forces in the vicinity of the United States was known to this government before his arrival, and it therefore afforded the President a special satisfaction to have an opportunity to extend to him an hospitable welcome.
“ ‘I am, etc.,
“ ‘W. H. Seward.
“ ‘The Lord Lyons.’ ”
About this time there came unfavorable reports from England of the affairs of the telegraph company. The work then was at a standstill, and on November 20th Mr. Field wrote to Mr. Saward: “If you have new and formidable difficulties you must make the greater exertions.” And on December 16th Mr. Saward wrote, urging him to come immediately to England.
On December 1, 1863, accordingly, he retired from business in New York, in order to devote his whole time to further the efforts then being made to lay a cable across the Atlantic, and on the 17th he gave up the building No. 57 Beekman Street, where his office had been for some years. His arrival in England early in January was reported in the London Telegraphic Journal of February 6th in these words:
“The Atlantic telegraph project is again attracting public attention. Mr. Cyrus W. Field, one of the leading spirits of the undertaking, is again amongst us, full of hope and ready to embark once more in the gigantic enterprise.”