12 THE NORTH ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH. sophy which I have just stated. That company has issued a cir- cular, stating that some twenty-one thousand letters were sent through that cable. I have seen evidence sufficient to satisfy me that the distinguished and honourable Secretary allowed his zeal to impel him to certify much beyond the fact, though I have no doubt but what he was sincere, and believed his statements to be correct. The Secretary, last year [1858] certified in the London Post, that “ the Queen’s message, containing ninety-nine words, was received by Newfoundland irr 67 minutes.”* On the other hand, a despatch from Mr. De Sauty was published through- out America, that “the reception of the Queen’s message was commenced early yesterday morning, and not finished until this morning,” &c. Here is proof that the certificate of the Secretary of the company was not correct. But you do not require the certificate of Mr. De Sauty to demonstrate that the Queen’s message was not received by Newfoundland as stated by the Secretary, because every one cannot but remember the piece- meal manner in which the message was made public—a part of which purported to have been received on one day and another part on another day. I have given you proof, sir, sufficient to cause you to doubt the correctness of any statement that may be issued claiming success for that enterprise. I do not believe the statement, recently published by some New York speculators, that some twenty-one thousand letters were transmitted through the cable. If I had time I could readily prove to you that this is an exaggeration. Persons unacquainted with the mysterious art of telegraphing might very naturally believe it. It would be well for the officers of the company to review their statement, and make public their arbitrary signals. In ordinary telegraphy a single arbitrary signal often represents some twenty letters. I express my opinion, that not ten consecutive words were ever sent through the cable in any one hour after it was laid. Even admitting that the 21,000 letters were sent through the cable during the twenty-three days its friends contend that it worked, no stronger evidence need be required to prove the im- practicability of that enterprise. The line was attempted to be * This statement has been taken from a letter, published officially by Mr. George Saward, Secretary and Manager of the Atlantic Telegraph Company, dated August 17th, 1858. Mr. Saward said, viz. : “ Immediately afterwards,” having reference to a preceding despatch, “a message from Her Majesty the Queen to his Excellency the President of the United States, consisting of 99 words, was received by Newfoundland in 67 minutes.” Mr. lie Sauty was the electrician at Newfoundland, and received the Queen’s mes- sage. In a letter he states, viz. : “ On reference to my journal, I find that the Queen’s message was commenced at 10'50 a.m. on the 16th of August, 1858, and was completed at 4'30 a.m. on the 17th ; so that it occupied 17 hours and 40 minutes in its reception.”

(1) Front Board
(2) Front Board
(3) Front Flyleaf
(4) Front Flyleaf
(5) Page 1
(6) Page 2
(7) Page 3
(8) Page 4
(9) Page 5
(10) Page 6
(11) Page 7
(12) Page 8
(13) Page 9
(14) Page 10
(15) Page 11
(16) Page 12
(17) Page 13
(18) Page 14
(19) Page 15
(20) Page 16
(21) Page 17
(22) Page 18
(23) Page 19
(24) Page 20
(25) Page 21
(26) Page 22
(27) Page 23
(28) Page 24
(29) Page 25
(30) Page 26
(31) Page 27
(32) Page 28
(33) Page 29
(34) Page 30
(35) Page 31
(36) Page 32
(37) Page 33
(38) Page 34
(39) Page 35
(40) Page 36
(41) Page 37
(42) Page 38
(43) Page 39
(44) Page 40
(45) Page 41
(46) Page 42
(47) Page 43
(48) Page 44
(49) Page 45
(50) Page 46
(51) Page 47
(52) Page 48
(53) Page 49
(54) Page 50
(55) Page 51
(56) Page 52
(57) Page 53
(58) Page 54
(59) Page 55
(60) Page 56
(61) Page 57
(62) Page 58
(63) Page 59
(64) Page 60
(65) Page 61
(66) Page 62
(67) Page 63
(68) Page 64
(69) Page 65
(70) Page 66
(71) Page 67
(72) Page 68
(73) Page 69
(74) Page 70
(75) Page 71
(76) Page 72
(77) Page 73
(78) Page 74
(79) Page 75
(80) Page 76
(81) Illustration
(82) Illustration
(83) Rear Flyleaf
(84) Rear Flyleaf
(85) Rear Board
(86) Rear Board
(87) Spine
(88) Fore Edge
(89) Scale
(90) Color Palette