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IEEE History
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IEEE
Milestones
County Kerry
Transatlantic Cable Stations, 1866
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County Kerry, Ireland, July
2000 - IEEE UKRI Section
On July 13, 1866
the Great Eastern steamed westward from Valentia, laying telegraph
cable behind her. The successful landing at Heart's Content,
Newfoundland on July 27 established a permanent electrical
communications link that altered for all time personal, commercial
and political relations between people across the Atlantic Ocean.
Later, additional cables were laid from Valentia and new stations
opened at Ballinskelligs (1874) and Waterville (1884), making County
Kerry a major focal point for global
communications. The discoveries of electricity in the latter half of the 18th
Century, and its close connection with magnetism, were the products
of earlier experiments, which in turn led to the invention of the
electric telegraph. Telegraphy had connected the interior of the
United States, and it also connected Europe together. However,
connecting the Americas and Europe proved to be a challenge. Due to
the electric current that ran through the cable lines, insulation
and waterproofing was necessary. The discovery of gutta percha, a
gum like substance proved to be a satisfactory waterproof
insulator.
In the 1850’s a number of attempts were made to lay
a cable between Ireland and Newfoundland. In 1864 two investors put
up the capital and the Great Eastern was offered to Cyrus
Field to lay a cable. The Great Eastern was five times larger
than any vessel afloat at the time. She was able to carry the entire
new cable, which weighed 7,000 tons. The 2,600 miles of cable could
be lowered in a continuous line from Ireland to Newfoundland. In
June 1865 the Great Eastern arrived at Valentia and began
laying the cable. Within 600 miles of Newfoundland the cable snapped
and sank. The Great Eastern, after making several attempts to
recover the cable without success, returned to Ireland.
A new company, the Anglo American Telegraph Co.
raised £600,000 to make another attempt at laying the cable. The
Great Eastern was overhauled, and in June 1866 the ship left
Valentia, Ireland and sailed for Trinity Bay without mishap. The
cable arrived at Heart's
Content, (corresponding IEEE Milestone) on 27 July 1866.
Europe and the Americas had finally been connected. The Great
Eastern was also able to recover the 1865 cable, and two
Atlantic cables were working. |
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