Morceau du premier cable telegraphique transatlantique utlise en 1858

Morceau du premier cable telegraphique transatlantique utlise en 1858. Cables Specimens of the first Atlantic submarine cable, 1858. This cable tree is made up of specimens from the first Atlantic submarine cable. The first complete trans-Atlantic telegraph cable was laid by the British war steamer, Agamemnon, and the American war steamer, Niagara, in 1858. The vessels met in the middle of the ocean where the two halves of the cable were joined. The cable was only in operation for three weeks before it failed. Another attempt was made in 1865, but this too failed when the cable broke two miles under the sea. In 1866, Brunels (1806-1859) steam ship, the Great Eastern, laid the first successful trans-Atlantic telegraph cable. Parts of the original cables were also retrieved and later sold by Cyrus W Field (1819-1892), financier of the Atlantic Telegraph Company. ©SSPL/Science Museum