SUCCESSFUL LAYING OF THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH CABLE (1866).
Source.—Annual Register, 1866; Chronicle, pp. 102, 103.
July 27.—This evening at about 5 o’clock English time, the cable was completed between Europe and America. Conversations had been carried on throughout the day, until word was sent to Valentia to cease signalling as they were about to make the splice with the shore end at Trinity Bay. This was effected soon after dusk. One of the earliest messages transmitted by the cable was the following:
From the Queen, Osborne, to the President of the United States, Washington.
“The Queen congratulates the President on the successful completion of an undertaking which she hopes may serve as an additional bond of union between the United States and England.”
The President replied as follows:
From Andrew Johnson, the Executive Mansion, Washington, to Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
July 30, 11.30 a.m.
“The President of the United States acknowledges with profound gratification the receipt of Her Majesty’s despatch, and cordially reciprocates the hope that the cable that now unites the eastern and western hemispheres may serve to strengthen and perpetuate peace and amity between the Government of England and the Republic of the United States.”
President Johnson’s reply to the Queen occupied only one hour and nine minutes in its transit from Newfoundland to Osborne.
The following Message was sent by the Earl of Carnarvon to Viscount Monk, Ottawa, Canada.
“I am commanded by the Queen to convey to the Governor-General of her North-American Provinces Her Majesty’s congratulations on the completion of the Atlantic telegraph and the strengthening thereby of the unity of the British Empire.
Her Majesty includes her ancient colony of Newfoundland in these congratulations to all her faithful subjects.”
Carnarvon.
July 28, 1866.