The great ship was ready to sail on the day that had been named so many months before, and the London papers had daily messages from her:
“Margate, July 1st.
“The Great Eastern, with the Atlantic telegraph cable on board, passed here at half-past 3 P.M.”
“Valentia, July 6th.
“Shore end of the Atlantic cable successfully landed at 3 P.M. Tests perfect. The William Corey proceeding to sea, paying out slowly. Weather fine. Cable of 1865 tested at noon to-day; is perfect as when laid.”
“Valentia, July 8th.
“Vessels Blackbird, Pedler, Skylark, and William Corey returned to Berehaven at 3.30 A.M. All vessels will complete coaling at Berehaven to-morrow night, and will proceed to sea to splice main cable to shore end on Wednesday morning, weather permitting. All going well.
“The Great Eastern, with the Atlantic cable on board, has arrived at Berehaven, a natural haven on the western coast of Ireland, near Foilhommerum Bay, from whence the proposed electric communication is to start seawards towards America. Another vessel, the William Corey, has had confided to it the duty of laying the shore end, and it was intended when that was completed that the Great Eastern should run round at once, make the splice, and begin its work.”