BACK REFLECTION

THE MAN HISTORY FORGOT (PART 3) BY STEWART ASH AND BILL BURNS

As we explained in the September Issue, in the early months of 1862 Cyrus Field met with British Government officials in an attempt to obtain funding, or at least guarantees, for the laying of a new Atlantic cable. At the same time, he wrote to Sir Peter George FitzGerald (1808-80), 1st baronet and 19th Knight of Kerry, asking if he could use his Government contacts to advance the project. FitzGerald had promoted Valentia as the Irish landing site for the 1857 and 1858 cables, and he was anxious to maintain this position for a new cable. He was, of course, successful in this.

In the Knight of Kerry’s scrapbook of the Atlantic cable, now held at the IET Archives in London, is a letter to him from Bewicke Berry, manager of the Knight’s slate works at Valentia. Berry was in London in 1862 at the same time as Cyrus Field, and had met him at breakfast on 25 February, shortly before Field’s meeting with Earl Russell on 4 March, that we described in Part 2. In his letter, Berry gave the Knight this important information:

‘Field’s proposal, which however he has not yet made to the Government and wishes to be kept quiet at present, is that each of the three Gov(ernmen)ts of England, France and America should give an unconditional guarantee of one per cent for 30 years on the estimated outlay of £700,000.’

As we have seen, neither Field nor

Cyrus Field (with chart) and Sir Peter FitzGerald (with cane) selecting the landing point for the 1865 cable at Valentia

Stuart-Wortley had any success with the British Government, all their proposals being rejected. The next step was to try and persuade France to invest in the project, and the Atlantic Telegraph company took this in hand. One of the company’s directors was John Watkins Brett (1805-63), and Stuart-Wortley must have consulted him about approaching the French Government, as the next letter in the collection is dated 9 July 1862 and is from Brett to Stuart-Wortley.

Brett, with his younger brother Jacob (1808-97), was the founder of the Submarine Telegraph Co, which installed the first successful submarine cable to France in 1851 and was by then operating cables to Belgium (1853), Germany (1858) and Denmark (1859). On 12 April 1859, this company had entered into a monopoly agreement with the British & Irish Magnetic Telegraph Co, chaired by John Pender, and Brett had joined the Board of the Magnetic.

Brett’s interest in an Atlantic Telegraph went back as far as 16 June 1845, when he and his brother had registered the General Ocean Telegraphic Co. He was Cyrus Field’s first contact in Britain, and the only British director of the New York, Newfoundland & London Telegraph Company. With Field and Charles Tilston Bright he was the founder of the Atlantic Telegraph Co and was still a director. Because of his pioneer-

ing role in this emerging 1854,when Gisborne was communications business, introduced to Cyrus Field Brett had been dubbed by by Field’s brother Matthew, The Times ‘The Father of Brett’s name came up in Submarine Telegraphy’. conversation and he was the Unfortunately, it was Brett first man that Field sought out who had introduced Wild- when he first came to England man Whitehouse to the later that year. Atlantic Telegraph Co, and Brett then stated that, in his Whitehouse had become opinion, the southern route the scapegoat for the 1858 represented separate interests cable failure. Brett was also and it should not be regarded in trouble with his attempts as a competing line. However, to lay a cable across the John Watkins Brett (1805-863) and Jacob Brett (1808-97) he explained: Mediterranean from France ‘The Emperor may attach to Algeria via Sardinia, through La also about this time (now Charge greater importance to a line via Spain Société du télégraphe électrique sous- d’affaire or United States Minister at or Portugal which should touch their marin de la Méditerranée, pour la cor- Spain) then resident in Spain for- favoured possession in Africa (Senegal) respondance avec l’Algérie et les Indes. mally proposed through Mr Dallas and connect the great commercial points Due to this, Brett’s previously unas- American Minister in London, to act on the South Atlantic via France, to a sailable reputation had become much on my behalf in furtherance of this line via England to France, should you reduced. For more information about object, with the Spanish Government on your interview find this to be the case, John Watkins Brett, see Back Reflec- to obtain a concession for the Span- I will now state a point, on which I have tions in Issue 73, November 2013. ish possessions in the South Atlantic long felt perfectly confident in my own

Brett’s letter concerned his com- including Cuba, which fact can if mind. After many years of careful reflecmunication with the French Gov- necessary be proved by the original tion and study, and which if you will ernment in 1858. In 1853, Brett had documents in my possession. trust one you might venture to assure His commenced negotiations with the I may now state why I have Majesty might be obtained.’ Brazilian Government about a South left this project in abeyance, and not To this letter Brett attached a copy Atlantic cable, but in 1857 he had acted upon it of late years.’ of a memorandum in French, dated heard that the French were in negotia- Brett took the trouble to explain to 19 February 1858 and addressed to tions with the Portuguese Government Stuart-Wortley his role Monsieur le Directeur for a cable to the USA via the Azores, in initiating the Atlantic de l’Administration des and he explained the reason for his Telegraph, and described lignes télégraphiques, au correspondence with them as follows: how in 1853 Frederic Ministère du l’Intérieur.

‘Having done this to secure my Newton Gisborne (1824- It was signed by Brett and claim as the originator of this line, & 92) had come to London James Robert Carmichael for which I had many years previous to seek his assistance (1817-83), 2nd Baronet. opened favourable negotiations with with his Newfoundland This letter and memothe Emperor of the Brazils, & more project. Although Brett randum are part of the recently with Captain Rasloff, (now had declined to invest in document collection. Danish Minister to the United States) this venture, he contin- It is clear that Brett’s on the part of the Danish Govm Do- ued to correspond with letter was intended to minions in the West Indies). Mr Perry Gisborne, so in early Frederick Newton Gisborne (1842-92) assist Stuart-Wortley in

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seeking an interview with the French Emperor, and while Brett was being helpful, judging by the tone of the letter he was also taking the opportunity to show his extensive network of influential contacts and his previous leading work in the field, to try and rebuild his reputation with the new Chairman of the Atlantic Telegraph Co.

Despite his physical incapacity, in July 1862 Stuart-Wortley travelled to Vichy in France with George Saward, arriving on 14 July. From his hotel he wrote to Monsieur le General Fleury, Aide de Camp to the Emperor, requesting his assistance in obtaining an audience with the Emperor. To this communication he attached a letter of introduction to the General, given to him by Jean-Gilbert Victor Failan (1808-72), Duc de Persignay, the Minister of the Interior, the man with whom Brett had corresponded in 1858. This letter had been obtained from a meeting that Saward and Stuart-Wortley had with him in Paris, on their way to Vichy. In addition, there was a private letter addressed to the Emperor from William Alexander Archibald Hamilton (1811-63), 11th Duke of Hamilton. It had been given to Stuart-Wortley by Britain’s Chargé d’affaires in Paris on the instruction of the Ambassador, Henry Richard Charles Wellesley (1804-84), 1st Earl Cowley, the nephew of the Duke of Wellington. Finally, he attached a set of printed notes on his recent interview with the Prime Minster, Lord Palmerston.

An audience was finally agreed upon for one o’clock on 16 July, and Stuart-Wortley and George Saward proceeded to the Imperial summer villa, armed with the Committee of

Charles Louis Bonaparte (1808-73)

Inquiry report and other important documents relating to recent negotiations between the two Governments. Saward remained downstairs with the Emperor’s Aide–de-Camp, General Boville, while Stuart-Wortley was ushered into the presence of Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte (1808-73), Napoleon III.

The Emperor greeted Stuart-Wortley in English, and the interview, lasting some 30 minutes, was conducted in a mix of English and French. After the meeting Stuart-Wortley compiled a detailed handwritten summary of events, and this forms part of the document collection.

‘His Majesty then asked me what was the particular subject on which I had come to speak to him, & after I had explained my position as Chairman of the Atlantic Co, & said that I had come in the hope of obtaining the concurrence of His Majesty with the Government of G’ Britain & the United States in encouraging our endeavours to lay a new cable by granting us a guarantee or subvention for carrying the messages of the Government of France. I then described the present situation of our Co with the Governments mentioned, & the efforts we had made to obtain further substantial assistance first in the shape of an unconditional guarantee, & secondly of an increased subvention from our own Government and explained how we had failed of success, & upon what principle their refusal was grounded in the last letter addressed to me by Mr Gladstone, and by Lord Palmerston in the interim of which I had sent a report to General Fleury.’

They then discussed France’s recent negotiations with other Governments concerning a South Atlantic Cable via the Azores. The Emperor confirmed that an investigation of such a scheme had been undertaken on his orders and had been approved by the Council of State, but said he did not know the current state of negotiations or the amount and nature of any subvention or guarantees, although this would be known in the Departments of the Interior or Telegraphs. Stuart-Wortley mentioned the name of M. Balantini as the man leading this South Atlantic proposal and the Emperor confirmed that this was correct.

Stuart-Wortley then went on to explain to Napoleon that the British Government was extremely unlikely to support the proposal that the French Government had put to them, as they had recently, in line with William Gladstone’s advice, adopted a position of non-interference in submarine cable projects. He then went on to explain the funding proposal for his own project and indicated that they would be ready to lay their cable in the summer of 1863. This was followed by a summary of

the improvements in cables and cable laying since the 1858 cable. He finished by proposing that France should join with England and the United States in giving the Atlantic Telegraph Co a subvention and guarantee in consideration of them carrying her messages. However, he indicated that he was concerned that France may already have made some commitment to this southern scheme. If the Emperor was so committed, then perhaps an arrangement might be made between the two companies, such as an interna- Queen Victoria’s Message to President James Buchanan tional undertaking between the countries of the Americas and retreat on the Isle of Wight, which still Western Europe through which a has today a small collection of telefund of some £2,000,000 could be graph cable memorabilia, sent by the assembled, enabling them to lay both Atlantic Telegraph Co to the Queen. a North and South Atlantic cable. The Among other communications was Emperor concurred that this idea had a letter from Major General Yorke merit and commented as follows: (1790-1880) to Captain Augustus Ter-

‘It must be important to all the na- rick Hamilton (1818-80), a director tions’ and ‘There were messages sent by of the Atlantic Telegraph Co, dated 9 your cable I believe, & a correspondence August 1859, which stated: between the Queen & the President.’ ‘With reference to my letter of the 8th

This gave Stuart-Wortley the op- ultimo in answer to your enquiry as to portunity to show the Emperor the any messages having ever been transexchange of telegrams between Queen mitted to Newfoundland by the Atlantic Victoria and President James Buchan- Telegraph during the time it was in an Jnr. (1791-1868). Stuart-Wortley operation last year. I am directed by the had obtained a copy of the original General Commanding in Chief to acmessage, which had been sent from the quaint you that replies have been received Queen to George Saward in Valentia. from the General Officers Commanding This message is part of the document the Troops in Canada and Nova Scotia to collection; it is written on Osborne the effect that a Telegram dated London House embossed note paper and in an England, 31st August 1858 respectOsborne House embossed envelope. ing the 39th Regiment, was received Osborne House was Queen Victoria’s at Montreal on the 3rd September and

answered on the following day and that a Telegram of the same date respecting the 62nd Regiment was received at Halifax on the day of its transmission.’ The telegram referred to in this letter saved the British Government an estimated £50,000 by countermanding an earlier order to repatriate the 62nd Regiment. If sent by ship, this new order would have arrived too late. The meeting ended with the Emperor agreeing that Stuart-Wortley should put his proposals in writing and present them to Henri Michon de Vougy (1807-91), France’s Director of Telegraph Lines. The Emperor indicated that de Vougy was currently in Néris-les-Bains, near Montluçon, and Stuart-Wortley advised him that he would seek out the Director on his journey back to England.

The next day, 17 July 1862, Stuart-Wortley and George Saward arrived at Néris in time for a late breakfast, following which Stuart-Wortley composed a brief message to de Vougy which Saward hand-delivered, together with the letters of introduction. Saward returned to their hotel soon afterwards, with an invitation to an immediate conference, and the two then went to the Director’s lodgings, Saward taking with him a copy of the Report of the Board of Trade Committee, known as the ‘Blue Book’, due to the colour of its covers. After the meeting, Stuart-Wortley again wrote a Memorandum of the proceedings in twelve pages of notes. This document is also in the collection, and the

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following is a brief summary.

De Vougy was somewhat confrontational at first, perhaps annoyed by being disturbed at his country retreat. Stuart-Wortley records in his notes that:

‘M. D. V. asked us in rather a brusque tone “what we had to propose?”’ and speaking in French, he then presented to de Vougy much of the same information that he had given the Emperor the previous day. His account continues:

‘M. De V then burst in rather uncourteously by saying that we had failed in laying our cable & asking for what reason France should give a subvention to our Company under such circumstances? I answered “Because we understand the Emperor to be very anxious to get a Telegraphic communication with America, & while we are confident of being able to lay a new Cable with better success if we are encouraged to the task, we believe that we can by our line afford that communication to the Emperor sooner & at a cheaper rate than he could obtain it by any other line or means’.

‘M. de V said “that is all very well – c’est bien – but that the Emperor had given his sanction to a very different undertaking. I then said that I was quite aware of that & that it was the communication made by His Majesty to the English Government on the subject of an Atlantic line of Telegraph by the South, that was the occasion of my mission.’

An extensive discussion of this Southern route followed, with de Vougy, having seen that Stuart-Wortley knew the details of this French proposal, told him that it was:

‘not a proposal for an Atlantic Telegraph at all’, but rather ‘an international line beginning from Bayonne & going

George Saward (1821-73)

through Spain & Portugal, to Morocco, & from there down the coast of Africa, to the French Portuguese & English settlements on that coast & then to the Cape de Verde Islands, the Azores & other Islands belonging to different nations & eventually with the West Indies & through British Territory in that quarter.’ He then stated that England had only been asked to permit the line to pass through her territory. De Vougy then asked why France should offer a subvention or guarantee to Stuart-Wortley’s proposed Northern line, to which he replied in part:

‘Simply because it will afford to France the communication with the Continent of America, &, by means of the land lines already in work or in course of construction, with California the Isthmus of Panama & Mexico, & because we believe it to be the cheapest if not the only practicable line, better explored & less hazardous than any line to the south.’

De Vougy was somewhat appeased when told that no rivalry with any French company was involved and asked why they had any better hopes of success than in the former attempt [of 1858]. Stuart-Wortley then played his best card, the extensive list of working cables already installed by Glass, Elliot. He explained that:

‘After alluding to the causes of the former failure & running over some of the leading circumstances of the recklessness of those then employed I relied of course on the advancement of Telegraphic science, the improvement of Instruments, the experience gained in laying other lines & the table of Messrs Glass & Elliotts’ lines at present working in perfect order, & especially that of Toulon & Algiers. I then stated how strongly relied on Messrs Glass & Elliott’s tender & the confidence in success which it carried; at first M. D V seemed disposed to put that aside...’

‘However when I handed him Glass & Elliott’s Tender & it was translated to him by his Secretary (who was present nearly all the time) M. de Lavenelle & myself, & when he realized that they not only proposed to take all their profits in shares, but to be received in monthly instalments & to be paid only month by month till the line had been working for 12 months, his tone changed a good deal & his seemed much impressed.’ Henri Michon de Vougy (18077-91)

Stuart-Wortley then laid out his projects, presenting a number of possible ways in which France might work with him. First he proposed that France might lay a line to Ireland, which would then enable it to send traffic over the cable to Newfoundland and then to the USA, but then suggested that if the Emperor still preferred a Southern line, then the Western Governments of Europe, and perhaps even Russia, might unite to give guarantees to the Atlantic Telegraph Co that would enable them to raise a capital of £2,000,000 on the London and Paris Exchanges to lay the Newfoundland line, and afterwards continue with more lines to the South.

Having won over de Vougy, Stuart-Wortley closed his memorandum with his conclusions on the meeting:

‘To neither of these schemes did he express any strong objection, but by the second on the contrary seemed to me, as the Emperor had been, to be a good deal attracted.

‘The interview ended by his civilly expressing his readiness to receive me if I called at his office in Paris where he was returning the next week, & in the arrangement that we should in the mean time put our proposals in writing addressed to his Department & that he undertook to consider them & send me an official answer to London.’

In a marginal note, Stuart-Wortley added:

‘M. De Vougy towards the close of the interview distinctly gave his adherence to the principle of a fusion of interests and added to it his opinion in favour of the desirability of a guarantee by both nations to render the Cable inviolable even in times of War.’

This statement appears to be the first recorded mention of a proposed neutrality of cables in wartime, which was not formally documented until the international Convention for the Protection of Submarine Telegraph Cables at Paris in March 1884, and even then, incorporated many exceptions for the belligerent nations.

Stuart-Wortley and Saward must have returned to England feeling confident that they had made some real progress with the French Government. However, it should be noted that neither project progressed any further, and France was to have no involvement in the eventual Atlantic cables of 1865/66. A five-month gap then appears in the collection, which may have signalled another lapse in Stuart-Wortley’s health, so in the January issue we will pick up the story in December 1862. STF

BILL BURNS is an English electronics engineer who worked for the BBC in London after graduation before moving to New York in 1971. There he spent a number of years in the high-end audio industry, during which time he wrote many audio, video, and computer equipment reviews, along with magazine articles on subjects as diverse as electronic music instruments and the history of computing. His research for these articles led to a general interest in early technology, and in the 1980s he began collecting instruments and artifacts from the fields of electricity and communications.

In 1994 a chance find of a section of the 1857 Atlantic cable inspired a special interest in undersea cable history, and soon after he set up the first version of the Atlantic Cable website <https://atlantic-cable. com>, which now has over a thousand pages on all aspect of undersea communications from 1850 until the present.

Bill’s interest in cable history has taken him to all of the surviving telegraph cable stations around the world, and to archives and museums in North America and Europe. He has presented papers on subsea cable history at a number of conferences, and in 2008 he instigated and helped organize the 150th Anniversary Celebration for the 1858 Atlantic cable at the New-York Historical Society. Most recently, in 2016 he was involved with the celebrations in London, Ireland and Newfoundland to mark the 150th anniversary of the 1866 Atlantic cable.

Since graduating in 1970, STEWART ASH has spent his entire career in the submarine cable industry. He joined STC Submarine Systems as a development engineer, working on coaxial transmission equipment and submarine repeater design. He then transferred onto field engineering, installing coaxial submarine cable systems around the world, attaining the role of Shipboard Installation Manager. In 1986, he set up a new installation division to install fibre optic submarine systems. In 1993, he joined Cable & Wireless Marine, as a business development manager and then move to an account director role responsible for, among others the parent company, C&W. When Cable & Wireless Marine became Global Marine Systems Ltd in 1999, he became General Manager of the engineering division, responsible for system testing, jointing technology and ROV operation. As part of this role he was chairman of the UJ Consortium. He left Global Marine in 2005 to become an independent consultant, assisting system purchasers and owners in all aspects of system procurement, operations, maintenance and repair. Stewart’s interest in the history of submarine cables began in 2000, when he project managed a celebration of the 150th anniversary of the submarine cable industry. As part of this project he co-authored and edited From Elektron to ‘e’ Commerce. Since then he has written and lectured extensively on the history of the submarine cable industry. From March 2009 to November 2015 he wrote Back Reflection articles for SubTel Forum. In 2013 he was invited to contribute the opening chapter to Submarine Cables: The Handbook of Law and Policy, which covered the early development of the submarine cable industry. To support the campaign to save Enderby House—a Grade II listed building—from demolition, in 2015 he wrote two books about the history of the Telcon site at Enderby Wharf on the Greenwich Peninsula in London. The first was The Story of Subsea Telecommunications and its Association with Enderby House, and the second was The Eponymous Enderby’s of Greenwich. His biography of Sir John Pender GCMG The Cable King was published by Amazon in April 2018.