Transatlantic Telegraph Cable Segments
- Scope and content:
-
2 - sections of cable with brass bands at each end and a brass plaque reading, "Atlantic Telegraph Cable / Guaranteed by / Tiffany & Co. / Broadway, New York." Cyrus W. Field, an American businessman, and the Atlantic Telegraph Company led the effort to create an undersea telegraph connection between North America and Europe, which was ultimately completed on August 16, 1858 with Queen Victoria sending the first message to President James Buchanan. Unfortunately the cable was only operational for a few weeks before the insulation failed due to poor handling and design coupled with the use of higher voltages when transmission speed dropped. Tiffany & Co. bought the leftover portions of cable from Field and fashioned them into souvenir sections with brass plaques. Sections approximately 4" in length. Gift of the Ruth T. Henley Estate; transmitted to Swem SCRC by University Development. Located in T&E S6 SS2. Mss 2012.258.01ab
Access and use
- Location of collection:
-
Special Collections Research CenterEarl Gregg Swem LibraryCollege of William and Mary400 Landrum DrivePO 8795Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
- Contact for questions and access:
- Email: spcoll@wm.eduPhone: (757) 221-3090Fax: (757) 221-5440Web: swem.wm.edu/scrc
- Parent restrictions:
- Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
- Parent terms of access:
- Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.