kings and queens, or the commanders of victorious armies. In all countries and in all ages, persevering, courageous, faithful, and devoted men, of every calling and condition of life, have been found to command the admiration of their fellows, and reap the reward of well doing. The sentiment which honored martial prowess in the days of ancient Rome, exerts the same power, åt the present time, over every American heart.

4. In our own day, with a simplicity more truly republican, but with an earnestness not less sincere than that of the Roman people, we welcome to our cities and our homes the victorious generals, who, by their valor and their success, have re-established for ourselves and for our children the principles of liberty and good government throughout our land. Nor have we ever been backward in awarding to men of high position in the State, or to men distinguished as instructors and benefactors of the race, the honors that are justly their due. In days gone by, it has been our pride and our pleasure to welcome, with such civilities as we know how to render, those who have been raised to the highest office in the gift of the people, and alike the prince and the peer of other realms.

5. But we are not met here now to exalt president, potentate, prince, or titled lord; albeit the friend in whose honor we are assembled, is known by a Christian name which seems to have been prophetic of his future renown as a king among men,—and his chief title to our regard comes to us through a long line of descent; not that genealogical line, which, proceeding from father to son, can be distinctly traced, uniting family with family, but that line, which, descending from Valentia on the coast of Ireland, and stretching two thousand miles across the bed of the Atlantic to Newfoundland, reaches "Heart's Content"

uniting continent with continent-nation with nationEurope with America; bringing all into the most intimate relations, and securing to each other instant knowledge of every thing that is of mutual concern.

6. I venture to say there is not an emotion known to the human soul, whether of joy or sorrow, of pleasure or pain, of disappointment following high-wrought expectation, of anxiety bordering on despair, of hope mounting to the region of sublimest faith, — that, during these twelve last years, has not entered into the experience of our longtried and well-proved champion.

7. We may fairly claim, that, from first to last, CYRUS W. FIELD has been more closely, more consistently, identified with the Atlantic Telegraph than any other living man; and his name and his fame, which the Queen of Great Britain has justly left to the care of the American government and people, will be proudly cherished and gratefully honored. We are in daily use of the fruits of his labors; and it is meet that the men of commerce, of literature and law, of science and art, of all the professions that impart dignity and worth to our nature, should come together, and give a hearty, joyous, and generous welcome to this truly chivalrous son of America.

8. We have met, not to celebrate a victory of arms on land or sea; not the acquisition of conquered provinces, annexed to our national domain; but we have met, rather, to commemorate an event of vast international interest; an epoch in the progress of science; the attainment of a great commercial boon; a triumph over obstacles hitherto deemed insurmountable. We are met to celebrate an achievement that reflects much credit upon the handicraft of the mechanic, on the skill and capacity of the sailor, on the intelligence and liberality of the merchant,

an

achievement which elicits our admiration of the electricians who have artfully explored the occult laws of Nature, and, seizing subtle powers hitherto but partially developed, have converted them to the use of man, — giving him a new sense of what Omnipresence is.

9. We have come here to acknowledge the aid imparted to the Atlantic Telegraph Company by the Governments of Great Britain and the United States, through the enlightened action of their respective and intelligent statesmen; to own the important part taken by the naval ships of both countries; the generous pecuniary support rendered by the wealthy merchants and factors of Great Britain; and, above all, to recognize the goodness of that Divine Being who has crowned the labors of all with abundant success, - who has vouchsafed such wonderful

gifts to man!

LESSON LXXXVII.

RECOVERY OF THE LOST ATLANTIC CABLE.

CYRUS W. FIELD.

UT our work was not over.

BUT

After landing the cable

safely at Newfoundland, we had another task, — to return to mid-ocean and recover that lost in the expedition of last year. This achievement has, perhaps, excited more surprise than the other. Many even now "do not understand it ;" and every day I am asked, "How was it done?" Well, it does seem rather difficult to fish for a jewel at the bottom of the ocean two and half miles deep. But it is not so very difficult, when you know how.

2. You may be sure we did not go a-fishing at random, nor was our success mere "luck." It was the triumph of

the highest nautical and engineering skill. We had four ships, and on board of them some of the best seamen in England, men who knew the ocean as a hunter knows every trail in the forest. There was Capt. MORIARTY, who was in "The Agamemnon" in 1857-8. He was in "The Great Eastern" last year, and saw the cable when it broke; and he and Capt. ANDERSON at once took their observations so exact, that they could go right to the spot.

3. After finding it, they marked the line of the cable by a row of buoys; for fogs would come down, and shut out sun and stars, so that no man could take an observation. These buoys were anchored a few miles apart. They were numbered, and each had a flag-staff on it, so that it could be seen by day, and by a lantern at night. Thus, having taken our bearings, we stood off three or four miles, so as to come broadside on, and then, casting over the grapnel, drifted slowly down upon it, dragging the bottom of the

ocean as we went.

4. At first, it was a little awkward to fish in such deep water; but our men got used to it, and soon could cast a grapnel almost as straight as an old whaler throws a harpoon. Our fishing line was of formidable size. It was made of rope, twisted with wires of steel, so as to bear a strain of thirty tons. It took about two hours for the grapnel to reach bottom; but we could tell when it struck. I often went to the bow, and sat on the rope, and could feel by the quiver that the grapnel was dragging on the bottom two miles under us.

5. But it was a very slow business. We had storms and calms, and fogs and squalls. Still we worked on, day after day. Once, on the 17th of August, we got the cable up, and had it in full sight for five minutes,-a long, slimy monster, fresh from the ooze of the ocean's bed; but our men

began to cheer so wildly, that it seemed to be frightened, and suddenly broke away, and went down into the sea. This accident kept us at work two weeks longer; but finally, on the last night of August, we caught it. We had cast the grapnel thirty times.

6. It was a little before midnight on Friday, that we hooked the cable; and it was a little after midnight, Sunday morning, when we got it on board. What was the anxiety of those twenty-six hours! The strain on every man's life was like the strain on the cable itself. When, finally, it appeared, it was midnight; the lights of the ship, and in the boats around our bows, as they flashed in the faces of the men, showed them eagerly watching for the cable to appear on the water.

7. At length, it was brought to the surface. All who were allowed to approach, crowded forward to see it. Yet not a word was spoken: only the voices of the officers in command were heard giving orders. All felt as if life and death hung on the issue. It was only when it was brought over the bow, and on to the deck, that men dared to breathe. Even then they hardly believed their eyes. Some crept toward it to feel of it, to be sure it was there.

8. Then we carried it along to the electricians' room, to see if our long-sought treasure was alive or dead. A few minutes of suspense, and a flash told of the lightning current again set free. Then did the feeling long pent up burst forth. Some turned away their heads and wept; others broke into cheers; and the cry ran from man to man, and was heard down in the engine-rooms, deck below deck, and from the boats on the water, and the other ships, while rockets lighted up the darkness of the sea. 9. Then, with thankful hearts, we turned our faces again to the west. But soon the wind arose, and, for thir