The Atlantic telegraph cable

In 1854, Cyrus W. Field, an American businessman, organized the New York, Newfoundland, and London Telegraph Company and began plans for laying a transatlantic cable. In 1856, he re-formed the company and renamed it the Atlantic Telegraph Company. Field decided to lay his cable between Newfoundland and Ireland, because the ocean floor along this route is fairly level.

Field took over 12 years to complete his project. His first two cables, laid in 1857 and 1858, broke. In August 1858, two ships successfully laid a third cable for Field. This cable carried the first transatlantic telegraph message. But it failed after only four weeks of serve.

In 1865, Field made his fourth attempt to lay a cable across the Atlantic. This cable also broke when the project was almost completed. Success finally came in 1866, when the British steamship the Great Eastern laid a cable that extended from Valentia, Ireland, to Heart’s Content, Nfld. Also in 1866, crewmen retrieved and repaired the cable that broken in 1865.

Much of the success of the submarine cable laid by the Great Eastern was due to the work of the British physicist William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin). He had developed a theory on how cables should work. He had also invented a device called a mirror galvanometer that enabled the transatlantic cable to transmit signals rapidly and continuously. The Atlantic cables marked the beginning of quick communication across the sea. By 1900, 15 transatlantic telegraph cables had been laid.

Exercises:

1. Give Russian equivalents of the following phrases:

An American businessman; laying a transatlantic cable; the ocean floor; to complete his project; successfully laid; telegraph message; the British physicist; invented a device; to transmit signals.

2. Say if the following sentences are true or false.

1. In 1954, Cyrus W. Field, an American businessman, organized the New York, Newfoundland, and London Telegraph Company and began plans for laying a transatlantic cable. 2. Field decided to lay his cable between Newfoundland and Wales, because the ocean floor along this route is fairly level. 3. This pipe carried the first transatlantic telegraph message. 4. He had also invented a device called a mirror galvanometer that enabled the transatlantic cable to transmit signals rapidly and continuously. 5. The Pacific cables marked the beginning of quick communication across the sea.

3. Insert missing words, use the text’s vocabulary:

1. In 1856, he re-formed the company and renamed it the … Telegraph Company. 2. Field took over … years to complete his project. 3. But it failed after only … weeks of serve. 4. Success finally came in 1866, when the British steamship the … laid a cable that extended from Valentia, Ireland, to Heart’s Content, Nfld. 5. He had also invented a device called a mirror … that enabled the transatlantic cable to transmit signals rapidly and continuously.

4. Translate these sentences into your native language:

1. In 1856, he re-formed the company and renamed it the Atlantic Telegraph Company. 2. His first two cables, laid in 1857 and 1858 broke. 3. Much of the success of the submarine cable laid by the Great Eastern was due to the work of the British physicist William Thomson (later Lord Kelvin). 4. The Atlantic cables marked the beginning of quick communication across the sea. 5. By 1900, 15 transatlantic telegraph cables had been laid.