Chapter I: Front Matter

CYRUS W. FIELD

HIS LIFE AND WORK

[1819-1892]

EDITED BY

ISABELLA FIELD JUDSON

ILLUSTRATED

NEW YORK

HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS

1896

Copyright, 1896, by ISABELLA FIELD JUDSON.

_All rights reserved._

TO

MY FATHER'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS

THESE PAGES

Are Dedicated

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. PARENTAGE AND EARLY HOME LIFE (1819-1835) 1

II. EARLY LIFE IN NEW YORK (1835-1840) 14

III. MARRIAGE AND BUSINESS LIFE (1840-1853) 27

IV. OUT OF DEBT--A VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA
(1853) 42

V. THE FIRST CABLE (1853-1857) 59

VI. THE FIRST CABLE (CONTINUED) (1857) 74

VII. A FLEETING TRIUMPH (1858) 86

VIII. FAILURE ON ALL SIDES (1858-1861) 122

IX. THE CIVIL WAR (1861-1862) 131

X. CAPITAL RAISED FOR THE MAKING OF A NEW
CABLE--STEAMSHIP "GREAT EASTERN"
SECURED (1863-1864) 154

XI. THE FAILURE OF 1865 182

XII. THE CABLE LAID--CABLE OF 1865 GRAPPLED
FOR AND RECOVERED--PAYMENT OF DEBTS
(1866) 199

XIII. THE RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD (1867-1870) 232

XIV. INTERNATIONAL POLITICS--RAPID TRANSIT
(1870-1880) 267

XV. THE PACIFIC CABLE--THE GOLDEN WEDDING
(1880-1891) 303

XVI. LAST DAYS AND DEATH--IN MEMORIAM (1891-1892) 321

ILLUSTRATIONS

CYRUS W. FIELD _Frontispiece_

SUBMIT DICKINSON FIELD _Facing page_ 2

DAVID DUDLEY FIELD " 6

THE PARSONAGE, STOCKBRIDGE, MASS. " 10

VALENTIA: LANDING THE SHORE-END OF
THE CABLE, 1857 " 94

CYRUS W. FIELD, 1860 " 124

LAST TWO PAGES OF LETTER FROM MR.
GLADSTONE, DATED NOVEMBER 17, 1862 " 148

ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH CABLE CHART, 1865 " 188

THE NIGHT-WATCH " 194

ARDSLEY, IRVINGTON-ON-HUDSON " 264

CERTIFICATE OF DISCHARGE FROM THE MERCANTILE
MARINE SERVICE " 296

THE ANDRÉ MONUMENT, TAPPAN, NEW YORK " 302

CYRUS W. FIELD

HIS LIFE AND WORK