The Transatlantic telegraph cable was a telegraph cable that crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Valentia Island, in western Ireland to Trinity Bay, in eastern Newfoundland. The Transatlantic cable bridged the North American continent with that of Europe, and expedited communication between the two. Whereas it would normally take days to deliver a message by ship, it now took a matter of minutes by telegraph. There were three attempts over an eight-year period, 1858, 1865, and 1866, before a lasting connection was achieved. An additional eight more cables would be laid down after 1866 until the turn of the century. Toward the end of the 19th century cables bypassing Ireland and Newfoundland ran directly from the United States to France. Cyrus Field was the force behind the first transatlantic telegraph cable between North America and Europe, completed on August 5, 1858. Although not considered particularly successful or long-lasting, it was the first transatlantic cable project with practical results. The first telegram to pass between two continents was a letter of congratulation from Queen Victoria of England to the President of the United States James Buchanan on August 16. The cable was destroyed the following month when Wildman Whitehouse applied excessive voltage to the cable while trying to achieve faster telegraph operation. The short period of use undermined public and investor confidence in the project, and delayed efforts to restore a connection. A second attempt was undertaken in 1865 with much-improved material and, following some setbacks, a connection was completed and put into service on July 28, 1866. This time the connection was more durable, and even more public confidence resulted when a second cable was established shortly afterwards. (wikipedia).

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