Referring to his life-work, on October 23d he writes:
“Who first conceived the idea of a telegraph across the Atlantic I know not. It may have been before I was born.
“I have made twenty-four sea voyages solely for the purpose of connecting Europe and America by telegraph, and although the cable laid is not now in operation, the experience gained will, I doubt not, be the means of causing another cable to be submerged that will successfully connect Newfoundland and Ireland.”
At 10 P.M. on October 26th this message from San Francisco was received:
“Cyrus W. Field, New York:
“The Pacific telegraph calls the Atlantic cable.
“A. W. Bee.”
He replied:
“Your message received. The Atlantic cable is not dead, but sleepeth. In due time it will answer the call of the Pacific telegraph.”