Transatlantic Cable, 1873

THF168878 / Transatlantic Cable, 1873

Artifact Overview

This cable is part of a display of transatlantic telegraph cables dating from 1858-1928. This cable section was part of a system laid from Heart's Content, Newfoundland, Canada to Valencia, Ireland in 1873.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Transatlantic cable

Date Made

1873

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

2016.0.33.1.4

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Wire
Metal

Color

Black (Color)
Silver (Color)

Dimensions

Length: 12 in
Diameter: 1.25 in

Inscriptions

stamped in black on ferrule: 1873

Keywords	Atlantic Ocean Transatlantic cables Cables (Object genres) Telegraphs Communication

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Signals Under the Ocean

14 Artifacts

In 1866, with the second transatlantic cable in place, instant communication between North America and Europe became a reality. An abundance of new cable systems followed, materials improved—and geographic range extended. By 1902 the world was physically surrounded by a network of undersea communication cables. Even today, new submarine cables continue to be installed to carry Internet data.

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Learn about the technology and machinery needed to lay the first transatlantic cable—capable of transmitting telegraph signals across the Atlantic Ocean--in 1858, and subsequent iterations.