The Bay of Bull Arms, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland, Bonfires Lighted on the Hills to Notify of the Arrival of the Cable Fleet on August 5th, 1858

One of the 19th century's great technological achievements was to lay a telegraphic cable beneath the Atlantic, allowing messages to speed back and forth between North America and Europe in minutes, rather than ten or twelve days by steamer. An initially successful attempt in 1858, led by Cyrus W. Field and financed by the Atlantic Telegraph Company, failed after three weeks. Two working cables were finally laid in July and September 1866, the result of repeated efforts by the indefatigable Field, a cadre of engineers, technicians, and sailors, two groups of financial backers, and significant help from the British and United States navies. Dudley documented the process in a series of watercolors and oils, this example showing showing the cable fleet arriving in Newfoundland after successfully splicing two ends of the cable in the middle of the Atlantic in 1858. A working connection was established but lasted only three weeks. In 1892 Field donated art works by Dudley, commemorative medals, memorabilia, and specimens of cable to the Museum.