The news of the seizure of Mason and Slidell by Captain Wilkes, from the steamer Trent, was received in Boston on November 24th, and at once he saw another reason for urging the immediate laying of a cable across the Atlantic, and in a letter to Mr. Saward he says:
“The low rate of interest now ruling in Great Britain, and the great desire of the British government to have telegraphic communication with her North American colonies, both indicate that now is the time to move energetically in the matter of connecting Newfoundland and Ireland by a submarine cable.”
And on the 17th of December:
“It does appear to me that now is the time for the directors of the Atlantic Telegraph Company to act with energy and decision, and get whatever guarantee is necessary from the English government to raise the capital to manufacture and lay down without unnecessary delay between Newfoundland and Ireland a good cable.”
General T. W. Sherman had written to him from Port Royal on December 21st:
“It was but the other day I was discussing the very subject you mention. We want very much a telegraphic communication between Beaufort, Hilton Head, and the Tybee. How can we get it promptly?”
This was in reply to a letter of Mr. Field’s in which he had enclosed a copy of the following letter and its indorsement:
“Willard’s Hotel,
“Washington, December 4, 1861.
“Sir,—Pardon me for making the following suggestions:
“1. That government establish at once telegraphic communication between Washington and Fortress Monroe by means of a submarine cable from Northampton County to Fortress Monroe.