The HMS Agamemnon was the first ship used to lay a first transatlantic telegraph line, which began operating in 1858, not the Great Eastern. The cable laid by the Great Eastern was the first SUCCESSFUL cable, as the one laid by the Agamemnon failed shortly after being put into service.
Three weeks after, I just read – apparently telegraph traffic through the cable was so slow as to be almost unusable and it failed after three weeks when someone tried to increase speed by upping the voltage. Takes nothing away from the accomplishment of HMS Agamemnon though – an interesting hybrid ship; 91 gun ship of the line with a full set of sails but also steam power.
Speaking of cables… I just read this absolutely fascinating article about cables - as you’re both seemingly cable geeks, I assure you this is worth your time - and even if you’re not, it’ll probably still be enjoyable 😄:
Your recollection is the same as mine. I also remember that in early polling IKB was in 10th (last) position. Famous personalities were given the task to persuade the viewing public as to why their Briton should come first. Jeremy Clarkson chose IKB and the rest is history. The best thing that Clarkson has ever done.
I just read the wikipedia article on the Thames Tunnel. One of the "notes" to that article really puts the Thames Tunnel in its place though.
"Despite being the first tunnel known to have been successfully constructed underneath a navigable river, the Babylonians may have constructed the Euphrates Tunnel nearly 4,000 years earlier.[2]"
Another nice horological link for you, Jack: Thomas Mudge was also the uncle of William Mudge, who, in 1791 was appointed to the Ordnance Trigonometrical Survey, and in 1798 became a Director of the organisation we in Britain now know and love as the Ordnance Survey. In 1801, and under Mudge's direction, the first edition of the Ordnance Survey one inch to the mile map of the county of Kent was published, and the survey was progressively expanded to become the first national map of the United Kingdom.
There is a wonderful book which you may enjoy entitled; "Map of a Nation - A Biography of the Ordnance Survey" by Rachel Hewitt, which is fascinating reading. This book also shows Nevil Maskelyne in a rather different manner to how he is portrayed by Dava Sobel in her book, "Longitude". Perhaps not so much the stuffy villain as we might have thought. It's a good read.
The HMS Agamemnon was the first ship used to lay a first transatlantic telegraph line, which began operating in 1858, not the Great Eastern. The cable laid by the Great Eastern was the first SUCCESSFUL cable, as the one laid by the Agamemnon failed shortly after being put into service.
Three weeks after, I just read – apparently telegraph traffic through the cable was so slow as to be almost unusable and it failed after three weeks when someone tried to increase speed by upping the voltage. Takes nothing away from the accomplishment of HMS Agamemnon though – an interesting hybrid ship; 91 gun ship of the line with a full set of sails but also steam power.
Speaking of cables… I just read this absolutely fascinating article about cables - as you’re both seemingly cable geeks, I assure you this is worth your time - and even if you’re not, it’ll probably still be enjoyable 😄:
https://www.theverge.com/c/24070570/internet-cables-undersea-deep-repair-ships
Fascinating and very well written article - thanks for sharing it.
My pleasure. Glad you enjoyed it - I had no plans to read a long post when I started it, but once I did, I couldn't stop!
OMG …. hard enough keeping up with your own posting links 🔗 and now they are popping up everywhere…one more for the list 😳🫨
Why the title, Second Greatest Briton Of All Time? Perhaps something to do with a vote on British TV?
He came in second in a BBC poll, yes – Winston Churchill was no. 1.
Your recollection is the same as mine. I also remember that in early polling IKB was in 10th (last) position. Famous personalities were given the task to persuade the viewing public as to why their Briton should come first. Jeremy Clarkson chose IKB and the rest is history. The best thing that Clarkson has ever done.
Interesting article. Thanks Jack.
I just read the wikipedia article on the Thames Tunnel. One of the "notes" to that article really puts the Thames Tunnel in its place though.
"Despite being the first tunnel known to have been successfully constructed underneath a navigable river, the Babylonians may have constructed the Euphrates Tunnel nearly 4,000 years earlier.[2]"
Another nice horological link for you, Jack: Thomas Mudge was also the uncle of William Mudge, who, in 1791 was appointed to the Ordnance Trigonometrical Survey, and in 1798 became a Director of the organisation we in Britain now know and love as the Ordnance Survey. In 1801, and under Mudge's direction, the first edition of the Ordnance Survey one inch to the mile map of the county of Kent was published, and the survey was progressively expanded to become the first national map of the United Kingdom.
There is a wonderful book which you may enjoy entitled; "Map of a Nation - A Biography of the Ordnance Survey" by Rachel Hewitt, which is fascinating reading. This book also shows Nevil Maskelyne in a rather different manner to how he is portrayed by Dava Sobel in her book, "Longitude". Perhaps not so much the stuffy villain as we might have thought. It's a good read.
Chasing Venus book also portrays Maskelyne in a very different manner, much better than Longitude book. I really recomend it.
Thanks for the recommendation. I'll have to take a look!