The creator of the famous Morse Samuel Morse in the 30 - ies of the XIX century, suggested the possibility to connect Europe and America, an underwater telegraph cable. Perhaps the main obstacle to the realization of this project was at that time, the lack of proper insulation that will protect the metal wire from the corrosive marine environment. But soon the property industry has a new gutta-percha insulation material - latex sap of the tree of Malay, who possessed the necessary properties.
Samuel Morse.
In 1850 was laid the first submarine telegraph line, though short, from the French city of Calais to Dover English. Alas, it lasts only a few minutes, it accidentally broke their networks fisherman. The following year, on the same route, had been laid a new line with a more powerful cable. The success has surpassed all expectations and inspired the engineers of the continent, which soon paved a whole series of underwater telegraph cables connecting Britain with Ireland, England, Belgium, Italy, with Sardinia, Sardinia, Corsica, and that, in turn, with North Africa.
In Russia, the first underwater cable joined in 1853 with the Kronstadt Oranienbaum. Submarine cables one after another, connected to a pan-European telegraph network isolated corners of the continent's first. But all the information between Europe and America continue to circulate at the ship.
Meanwhile, the submarine cable laid, and in America. One line was to connect New York to the island of Newfoundland, but to complete the work does not have sufficient funds. This was accidentally discovered a successful American businessman Cyrus Field. Deep knowledge in the field of electrical engineering, he did not possess, but instinctively realize the benefit that that promise business travelers a new way of communication. A short line across the Strait was not interested - Field turned his sights on the Atlantic. But the question is: will a weak electrical signal to overcome the great distances or damped in the middle?.
Field went to London, where he met with the inventor of the Morse. He just spent a large-scale experiment combining successive ten circuits of telegraph lines in the London area - Birmingham. The total length of 10 times the line was 3200 km, which is almost equal to the distance from Ireland to Newfoundland. In this case the Morse transmitted reliably up to 200 words per minute, that is, its construction work safely. Field then visited a military cartographer Mori, a connoisseur of sea winds, ocean currents and underwater topography.
On assurances Mori, between Ireland and Newfoundland lay completely flat ... Reassured by the businessman returned to New York and, through its ability to persuade, quickly assembled an impressive tool.
FIRST cablegrams.
August 5, 1857 in a small village on the shores of the Irish harbor of Valencia was assigned to the end of the cable wound on a drum, which, in turn, was on board the steam -sailing American ship ... Swimming, which began on a positive note, ended after 600 km of track, when the cable suddenly broke off and sank to the depth of available. The next attempt was made in June 1858. By ... Under the plan the two vessels were to meet at the middle point of the route, to grow together here two ends of the cable, and then unwind it in opposite directions. But even before the meeting in the ocean ...
On deck, rolling objects plucked from the field, maiming and wounding sailors. Damaged and the cable in the holds of his broken insulation. The ships still come together in the ocean, but all attempts to establish a measured work led only to a loss of many kilometers of cable sections. Having a short rest weary people, Field in July of that year made a third attempt to conquer the Atlantic. The Court returned to the old point, dropped to the bottom splice the two halves of the cable with a lead weight and began to diverge. At this time all proceeded without PE. A week later, ...
The first telegram, or rather, cables, crossed the ocean, was a congratulatory message to the British Queen Victoria to U.S. President. Field met at home as the victor, was honored as a national hero.
Meanwhile, the signals gradually fades, and then completely disappeared.
In a moment, public opinion turned against yesterday's favorite. Around the name of Cyrus Field's most fantastic rumors swirled. They said that did not have any missions that there collusion and fraud, which ultimately Field sold the company's stock has risen in price dramatically and unprecedentedly enriched.
After some time in America, civil war broke out between North and South, and now it seemed that the idea of submarine telegraph across the Atlantic was buried forever. But, as it may seem surprising, Field did not break under the blows of fate. Moreover, he was able to attract the ...
Meanwhile on the arena events appeared steam ... This giant, designed for 4000 passengers, brought nothing but losses and is now sold for a pittance. But the giant vessel could take in all at once holds your cables, required for laying of the Atlantic.