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History of the Atlantic Cable & Undersea Communications
from the first submarine cable of 1850 to the worldwide fiber optic network

Cable Timeline: 1845-1900
by Bill Glover

Click on the Route links to see cable samples, the Company or Operator links for full descriptions, the ship name links to see descriptions or images. Atlantic cables and their connecting systems are highlighted.
Year Route Manufacturer Company or Operator Cable Ships Notes
1845 Laid between HMS Blake and HMS Pique in Portsmouth Harbour S.W. Silver & Co S.W. Silver & Co HMS Blake - HMS Pique Charles West of S.W. Silver & Company manufactured one mile of cable insulated with rubber and carried out tests on it in Portsmouth Harbour. He subsequently obtained permission from HM Government to lay a cable across the English Channel, but was unable to raise the necessary capital so the idea was dropped.
1850 Dover, England - Calais, France Gutta Percha Co 25 nm Submarine Telegraph Co Goliath - HMS Widgeon System 25 nm. CABLE: 1 copper wire No 16 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 2 BWG. 8 or 16lb lead weights were attached to the cable as it was laid to help it sink,. Cable was cut by French fisherman after three days
1851 Dover, England - Calais, France (St Margarets Bay - Sangatte No 1) Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co - Wilkins & Wetherly Submarine Telegraph Co HMS Blazer (1) - HMS Fearless - Red Rover (1) System 25½ nm. CABLE: 4 copper wires No 16 BWG each covered with gutta percha to No 2 BWG, then formed into a cable. The spaces were packed with tarred yarn and a further layer of gutta percha was added. Tarred hemp was wrapped around the core then it was armoured with 10 No 1 BWG iron wires. Cable ran out before reaching France. A temporary repair was made. Red Rover laid replacement a month later. Taken over by the GPO in 1890. Wilkins & Wetherley were awarded the contract to add the armouring, but in doing so they infringed Newall's patent and so the bulk of the work was carried out by Newall's
1852 Holyhead, Wales - Howth, Ireland Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co 70 nm R.S. Newall & Co Britannia (1) System 65 nm. CABLE: 1 copper wire No 16 BWG, covered with gutta percha and 12 No 12 BWG galvanised iron wires. Failed after three days
1852 Donaghadee, Ireland - Portpatrick, Scotland Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R. S. Newall & Co 26 nm English & Irish Magnetic Telegraph Co. Britannia (1) CABLE: 1 copper wire No 16 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 4 BWG (Centre wire). 5 copper wires No 16 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 2 BWG and 12 No 2 BWG iron wires. Expedition abandoned after 15 nm laid. Cable recovered by Monarch (1)

1852

Prince Edward Island - New Brunswick (Northumberland Strait)

Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co

Newfoundland Electric Telegraph Co

Ellen Gisborne

System 12 nm. Failed within a year
1853 Denmark (The Belts) Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co 18 nm. Danish Government ? System 15 nm. CABLE: 3 copper wires No 18 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 2 BWG armoured with 9 No 2 BWG wires.
1853 Dover, England - Ostend, Belgium Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co - Kuper & Co Submarine Telegraph Co William Hutt System 76 nm. 6 copper wires No 16 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 2 BWG, and 12 No 2 iron wires. Taken over by GPO in 1890
1853 Donaghadee, Ireland - Portpatrick, Scotland William L. Gilpin Electric Telegraph Company of Ireland Albert, assisted by Asp Uninsulated conductor - laying abandoned
1853 Donaghadee, Ireland - Mora Bay, Portpatrick, Scotland Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co English & Irish Magnetic Telegraph Co William Hutt, assisted by Conqueror and Wizard System 25 nm. CABLE: 6 copper wires No 16 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 2 BWG. These were then bedded on a core of yarn and the whole covered with gutta percha. 12 No 2 BWG iron wires were used for armouring. Total weight 7 tons per nm. Taken over by GPO in 1870
1853-1855 Orfordness, England - Scheveningen, Holland Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co - Spencer & Thomas Ltd Electric & International Telegraph Co Monarch (1) Four individual cables were laid. May, June, September 1853 and September 1855. 119 nm, 118 nm,123 nm, 119 nm. CABLE: Each consisted of 1 no 16 BWG copper wire covered with gutta percha to No 1 BWG, taped, covered with yarn and armoured with 10 No 8 BWG galvanised iron wires. Newalls sub contracted the work to Spencer & Thomas Ltd.
1853 Firth of Tay Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R. S. Newall & Co Electric & International Telegraph Co Monarch (1) 3 cables each of 1 nm similar to those used between England and Holland.
1853 Firth of Forth Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co Electric & International Telegraph Co Monarch (1) System 4 nm. 4 cables similar to those used between England and Holland
1854 Portpatrick, Scotland - Whitehead, Ireland Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co 27 nm. English & Irish Magnetic Telegraph Co William Hutt System 26 nm. CABLE: 6 copper wires No 16 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 2 BWG. These were then bedded on a core of yarn and the whole then being covered with gutta percha. 12 No 2 BWG iron wires were used for armouring. Total weight 7 tons per nm. Taken over by GPO in 1870
1854 Sweden - Denmark Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Kuper & Co 9 nm Swedish - Danish Governments Christopher Hague System 9 nm. CABLE: 3 copper wires No 16 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 2 BWG and 10 wires of No 2 BWG
1854 Stralsund - Danholm Island Felten & Guilleaume ?   System 1nm.
1854 Spezia - Corsica Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co - Kuper & Co 12 nm French PTT Persian System 11 nm. CABLE: 6 copper wires No 16 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 1 BWG and 12 wires No 1 BWG
1854

Corsica - Sardinia

 

 Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co - Kuper & Co French PTT Persian System 110 nm. CABLE: 6 copper wires No 16 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 1 BWG and 12 wires No 1 BWG
1854 Holyhead, Wales - Howth, Ireland Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Fenton & Hyde Electric & International Telegraph Co Monarch (1) System 65 nm. CABLE: 1 No 16 BWG copper wire covered with gutta percha to No 0 BWG and 10 wires No 8 BWG. Expedition failed.
1854 Hurst Castle - Keyhaven Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co Electric & International Telegraph Co Monarch (1) System 1 nm. CABLE: 1 copper wire No 16 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 0 BWG and 12 iron wires No 2 BWG. Linked Osborne House to the mainland
1855 Sardinia - Algeria Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co - Kuper & Co Mediterranean Extension Telegraph Co Result Towed by steamer Tartar. Cable ran out too quickly and eventually parted. Elba recovered 60 nm in 1858
1855 Constantinople - Varna (Crimea) Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co Ottoman Government Elba System 150 nm. CABLE: 1 copper wire No 16 gauge covered with gutta percha to No 2 BWG and covered with spun yarn. Only the shore ends were armoured. See below.
1855

Varna - Balacalava - Eupatoria (Crimea)

Article by Walter Peterson on this cable

 Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co British Government Argus System 310 nm. CABLE: 1 copper wire No 16 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 1 BWG. Shore ends only covered with 12 or 10 wires. See above.
1855 Egypt Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Kuper & Co Egyptian Government ? System 10 nm
1855 Italy - Sicily Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass, Elliot & Co Italian PTT ? System 3 nm. 3 copper wires No 16 BWG.
1855 Sardinia - Algeria Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Mediterranean Extension Telegraph Co Dutchman Cable again ran out too quickly and parted. R.S. Newall's Star recovered part of the cable
1855 Holyhead, Wales - Howth, Ireland Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co Electric & International Telegraph Co Monarch (1)  
1855 Cape Ray Newfoundland - Cape North:Cape Breton Island Gutta Percha Co supplied the core: R. S. Kuper, Glass & Co New York Newfoundland and London Telegraph Co Sarah Bryant Taken in tow by James Adger. Cable as used for 1851 Cross Channel Cable. Cable cut due to bad weather. The core had been supplied to Kuper & Co., but was armoured by R. S. Kuper, Glass & Co. Glass later bought Kuper out.
1856 Bosphorus Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co ? ? System 1 nm.
1856 Amazon River Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co ? ? System 105 nm.
1856 Lake Constance Felten & Guilleaume ? ? System 7 nm.
1856 St Petersburg - Kronstadt Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co ? ? System 10 nm.
1856 Cape Ray Newfoundland - Cape North:Cape Breton Island Gutta Percha Co supplied the core: R. S. Kuper, Glass & Co New York Newfoundland and London Telegraph Co Propontis System 85 nm. CABLE: 7 copper wires No 22 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 1 BWG and 12 iron wires No 9 BWG. Laid on 10 July taking 15 hours to complete.
This and the following cable were the first components of Cyrus Field's proposed Atlantic route.
1856 Prince Edward Island - New Brunswick Gutta Percha Co supplied the core: R. S. Kuper, Glass & Co New York Newfoundland and London Telegraph Co Propontis System 12 nm. CABLE: 7 copper wires No 22 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 1 BWG and 12 iron wires No 9 BWG.
1857 Sardinia - Malta - Corfu Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co Mediterranean Extension Telegraph Co Elba - Blazer (2) System 700 nm 1 copper wire No 16 BWG. Cables failed in 1859 and 1861
1857 Ceylon - India Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Henley's Telegraph Works Indian Government ? System 30 nm. 1 copper wire No 14 BWG.
1857 Cagliari, Sardinia - Bona, Algeria Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co 150 nm. ? Elba System 125 nm. Cable ran out too quickly. Temporary repair made. Blazer (2) laid replacement
1857

Valentia, Ireland - Bay Bull Arm, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland

See also this article

Gutta Percha Co supplied the core for the 1857 and 1858 expeditions. - Glass Elliot & Co - 1250 nm for 1857 attempt and a further 900 nm for the 1858 attempt. R.S. Newall & Co 1250 nm for 1857 cable. New York Newfoundland and London Telegraph Co HMS Agamemnon - USS Niagara - Willing Mind laid Valentia shore end. HMS Agamemnon loaned by Royal Navy to lay cable manufactured by Glass Elliot & Co. USS Niagara loaned by the US navy to lay cable manufactured by R.S. Newall & Co. Expedition failed. 385 nm of cable laid. Leipsig recovered 39 nm of cable.
1857 Danube River Crossing Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co ? ? System 3 nm. 1 copper wire No 14 BWG.
1857 Norway Fiords Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Norwegian Government ? System 49 nm 1 copper wire No 14 BWG.
1858 Norway Fiords Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Norwegian Government ? System 16 nm.
1858 Orfordness, England - Haarlem, Holland Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co 140 nm Electric & International Telegraph Co William Cory System 129 nm. CABLE: 4 copper wires No 13 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 0 BWG and 10 iron wires No 00 BWG. Two wires were also coated with Chatterton's compound. Taken over by GPO in 1870
1858 Dardanelles - Chios - Smyrna - Candia Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co Levant Telegraph Company ? System 450 nm
1858 Athens - Syra - Chios Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co Greek Government ? System 150 nm
1858 England - Alderney Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co 102 nm Channel Islands Telegraph Co - Electric & International Telegraph Co Elba System 69 nm. CABLE: 1 copper wire No 14 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 7 BWG and 9 No 6 BWG galvanised iron wires
1858 Alderney - Guernsey Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co 18 nm. Channel Islands Telegraph Co - Electric & International Telegraph Co Elba System 17.25 nm. CABLE: 1 copper wire No 14 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 7 BWG and 9 No 6 BWG galvanised iron wires
1858 Guernsey - Jersey Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co Channel Islands Telegraph Co - Electric & International Telegraph Co Elba System 15 nm. CABLE: 1 copper wire No 14 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 7 BWG and 9 No 6 BWG galvanised iron wires
1858

Valentia, Ireland - Bay Bull Arm, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland

See also this article

Glass Elliot & Co 900 nm in addition to that left from the 1857 expedition. Total carried on this expedition 3000 nm. 100 nm was brought back to England; the remainder was used in the earlier attempts which took place in 1858.

Atlantic Telegraph Co

HMS Agamemnon - USS Niagara - Industry recovered 40 nm of cable at Newfoundland.

System 2200 nm. CABLE: 7 strands of copper wire, six wrapped around the seventh, No 22 BWG covered with three coats of gutta percha to No 4 BWG. This was wrapped in jute yarn soaked with a composition consisting of 5/12 Stockholm tar, 5/12 pitch, 1/12 boiled linseed oil and 1/12 common bees wax. Armouring consisted of 18 strands each strand composed of 7 of the best charcoal iron wires, six wrapped around the seventh, each of 22 BWG. The completed cable as it left the machine was dipped in a heated composition consisting of tar, pitch and linseed oil. The cable worked with variable results for three weeks, the last complete message being received on September 1st 1858. Attempts to revive the cable continued, and fragments of messages were received, but the last signs of life were on October 28th 1858. The cable was abandoned less than three months after its inception.
1858 Italy - Sicily Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Italian PTT ? System 8 nm. 1 copper wire No 16 BWG
1858 Ceylon - India Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co British Government ? System 30 nm. 1 copper wire No 14 BWG.

1858

Cromer, England - Emden, Germany

Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co

Submarine Telegraph Co

William Cory

System 280 nm. CABLE: 2 strands of 4 copper wires No 22 BWG covered with gutta percha and Chatterton's compound to No 3 BWG and 12 iron wires of 6½ BWG.
1858 Vinkenpolder - Norderney Felten & Guilleaume ? ? System 4 nm.
1859 Ceuta - Spain Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Henley's Telegraph Works Spanish Government ? System 25 nm. 1 copper wire No 14 BWG.
1859 Cape Otway, Victoria - King Island - Three Hummock Island - Circular Head - Low Head, Tasmania Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Henley’s Telegraph Works 240 nm. Tasmanian & Victoria Governments Omes System 140 nm. CABLE: 1 copper wire No 16 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 1 BWG and 10 No 8 BWG best annealed iron wires. The contract to installl the cable was won by Messrs McNaughton & Co. of Launceston and they in turn contracted Henley's to manufacture and lay the cable. The first fault occurred three weeks after the cable was brought into use. It suffered from chafing due to the shoals and rocks on the sea bed around King Island as well as damage from ships anchors. It was finally abandoned on 24 January 1861
1859 Otranto, Italy - Valona, Albania Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co Italian Government ? System 50 nm. 1 copper wire No 13 BWG.
1859 Singapore - Batavia (Java) Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co 630 nm Dutch East Indies Government Malacca System 550 nm.
Completed 24 November 1859 (Guardian)
1859 Suez - Kossier - Suakin - Aden - Hallani - Muscat -Karachi Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co Red Sea & India Telegraph Co. Imperador - Imperadix - Berwick System 255 + 474 + 627 + 718 +486 + 481 nm. Cable: 7 wire strands weighing 180lbs per nm, covered with 4 coatings of gutta percha to Chattertons patent, 212 lbs per nm., hemp serving 1˝ cwt per nm. 18 armouring wires of best selected charcoal iron 16 cwt per knot. Total weight 21 cwt per nm. All sections had been abandoned by 1861

1859

Malta - Sicily

Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co

Mediterranean Extension Telegraph Co

Lady Seale

System 70 nm. CABLE: 7 copper wires, six wrapped around 7th No 22 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 1 BWG served with tarred yarn and 10 No 5½ BWG iron wires.
1859 Great Orme's Head - Lynas Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Liverpool Docks Committee Resolute System 25 nm including entry below. CABLE: 2 copper wires No 16 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 3 BWG and 12 iron wires No 6 BWG.
1859 Air Point - Helbre Point
(Point of Ayr - Hilbre Island) 		Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Liverpool Docks Committee Resolute See above.
Laid 6 July 1859 (Manchester Guardian)
1859 Sweden - Gotland Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Swedish Government Berwick System 64 nm. 1 copper wire No 14 BWG.
1859 Whitehaven, England - Isle of Man Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Isle of Man Telegraph Co Resolute System 36 nm. 1 copper wire No 16 BWG. Taken over by the GPO in 1870.
1859 Jersey -Pirou, France Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Submarine Telegraph Co Resolute System 21 nm. 1 copper wire No 14 BWG.
1859 Abbotscliffe, Folkestone, England - Cap Griz Nez, Boulogne, France Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Submarine Telegraph Co Berwick System 24 nm. 6 copper wires No 14 BWG. Taken over by the GPO in 1890.
St Margaret's Museum, Dover, has cable sample LDBTM 2321, ex BT Museum.
1859 Heligoland - Denmark Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Submarine Telegraph Co Berwick System 46 nm
1859 England - Heligoland Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co 376 nm Submarine Telegraph Co William Cory System 328 nm
1859 Piraeus - Syra - Chios Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co Greek Government Elba  
1859 Candia - Alexandria Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co R.S. Newall & Co Elba Two attempts were made; both failed. 150 nm of cable laid at the first attempt and 292 nm at the second.
1859 Alexandria Harbour Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Egyptian Government ? System 2 nm
1859 England - Holland Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass, Elliot & Co ? ?  
1859 India River Crossings Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. -Glass Elliot & Co British Government ? System 10 nm 1 copper wire No 13 BWG.
1860 Dacca - Arrakan, India Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Henley's Telegraph Works British Government ? System 116 nm. 1 copper wire No 13 BWG.
1860 The Great Belt (Denmark) Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Henley's Telegraph Works Danish PTT ? System 14 + 14 nm. CABLE: 2 cables laid. 1 cable consisted of 6 copper wires No 16 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 1 BWG and 12 No 10 iron wires the other 3 copper wires No 16 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 1 BWG and 10 No 10 BWG iron wires.
1860 Barcelona - Balearic Islands (Minorca - Majorca - Ibiza - San Antonia) Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Henley's Telegraph Works 478 nm Spanish Government Stella System 381 nm. CABLE: Barcelona - Minorca 1 copper wire No 14 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 1 BWG and 16 iron wires No 12˝ BWG.. The rest 2 copper wires No 16 BWG covered with gutta percha to No 3 BWG and 18 No 11˝ iron wires.
1861 Beachy Head, England - Dieppe, France Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Submarine Telegraph Co ? System 80 nm. 6 copper wires No 16 BWG. Taken over by the GPO in 1890
1861 Algeria - France Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co 520 nm French PTT William Cory CABLE: 7 No 22 BWG copper wires covered with 3 layers of gutta percha and Chatterton's compound and then tarred yarn and 10 No 14 BWG iron wires then wrapped in hemp yarn saturated in tar. Cable parted when about 60 miles from Toulon. William Cory recovered cable in shallow water area round the Balearic Islands and ran the cable into Minorca. After loading more cable started laying from Toulon to Minorca but collided with her escort and had to buoy the cable and return to port for repairs. On attempting to recover the cable it was lost in 1300 fathoms, too deep for recovery, the scheme was then abandoned. Brunswick succeeded in recovering 28 nm of the cable.
1861 Italy - Corfu Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co 90 nm Mediterranean Extension Telegraph Co William Cory CABLE: 7 No 22 BWG copper wires covered with 3 layers of gutta percha and Chatterton's compound and then tarred yarn and 10 No 5˝ BWG annealed iron wires. See the 1861 Algeria-France page for an identical cable.
1861 Toulon, France - Corsica Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co 250 nm French PTT Brunswick System 195 nm 1 copper wire No 14 BWG.
1861 Port Vendres, France - Minorca Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co French PTT Brunswick  
1861 Norway Fiords Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Norwegian Government ? System 27 nm. 1 copper wire No 14 BWG.
1861 Malta - Tripoli - Benghazi - Alexandria Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co British Government Queen Victoria (Wrecked in the English Channel) - Rangoon - Malacca Cable ordered in 1859 to be laid between Falmouth & Gibraltar. This was changed to Rangoon - Singapore and finally Malta - Alexandria. Length 1535 nm.
1862 Lake Constance Felten & Guilleaume ? ?  
1862 Lowestoft, England - Zandvoort, Holland Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Electric & International Telegraph Co Hawthorns System 125 nm. 4 copper wires No 14 BWG. Taken over by GPO in 1870
1862 Abermawr, Wales - Wexford, Ireland Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Electric & International Telegraph Co Berwick System 63 nm. 4 copper wires No 14 BWG. Taken over by GPO in 1870
1862 Cork Harbour Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Henley's Telegraph Works ? ? System 5 nm
1862 Blackwater Harbour Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Henley's Telegraph Works ? ? System 5 nm
1862 Cape Clear - Greencastle (Across the Bristol Channel) Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co ? Resolute System 2nm.
1863 Sicily - Sardinia Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Italian PTT Hawthorns System 211 nm. 1 copper wire No 12 BWG.
1864 France - Spain Siemens & Halske French PTT Dix Decembre  
1864 Persian Gulf: Gwadar - Karachi: Gwadar - Cape Mussendom - Bushire - Fao Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Henley's Telegraph Works 1250 nm Indian Government Marion Moore - Kirkham - Assaye - Tweed - Cospatrick - Amberwitch System 268 + 291 + 500 + 157 nm. 1 copper wire.
1864 Oran, Algeria - Cartagena, Spain Siemens & Halske French Government Dix Decembre [renamed Ampere (1) in 1870] Three attempts were made as part of the French Government's planned connection between France and Algeria (via Spain); all were unsuccessful. Part of the cable was recovered and laid between Bona, Algeria and Marsala, Sicily
1864 Italy - Albania Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Henley's Telegraph Works Italian PTT ? System 50 nm.
1864 Queensland Glass Elliot & Co Queensland Government ?  
No date Piombino - Elba ? ? ? System 8 nm
No date Dardanelles R.S. Newall & Co ? ? System 1 nm
No date Zuyder Zee Henley's Telegraph Works ? ?  
No date Fort Monroe - Cherrystone ? ? ?  
1865 Sylt - Tondern (Denmark) Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co Danish PTT ? System 7 nm
1865 Stralsund - Arkona - Trelleborg - Rugen Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Henley's Telegraph Works Swedish & Prussian Governments Caroline  
1865 South Foreland, England - Cap Gris Nez, France India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works Submarine Telegraph Co ? System 25 nm
1865 Valentia, Ireland - Heart's Content, Newfoundland W.T. Henley Telegraph Works manufactured the Irish shore end of 27 nm. Telcon manufactured the main cable 2300 nm. Atlantic Telegraph Co Great Eastern - Caroline - Medway - Albany - Hawk System 1896 nm. Cable lost about 600 nm from Newfoundland. Caroline laid Valentia shore ends. After the successful laying of the 1866 cable, Great Eastern picked up the end of the 1865 cable and completed the run. See below.
The 1865 cable was abandoned in 1877.
1865 India Hoopers Telegraph Works made the core - Henley's Telegraph Works Indian Government Amberwitch System 160 nm.
1865 Sardinia - Algeria Gutta Percha Co supplied the core. - Glass Elliot & Co Italian PTT Hawthorns System 270 nm
1866 Corsica - Leghorn (Livorno), Italy Telcon supplied the core. - Siemens Bros Italian Government Dix Decembre System 65 nm.
Laid 22 January 1866 (Guardian)
1866 Marsala, Sicily - Bizerte, Tunisia - Bona, Algeria Siemens & Halske French Government ? Used part of the 1864 cable from Oran, Algeria - Cartagena, Spain, which was recovered after it failed.
1866 Crimea - Circassia Siemens Bros ? ? System 40 nm
1866 India - Ceylon Hoopers Telegraph Works supplied the core - Henley's Telegraph Works Indian Government Amberwitch System 29 nm.
1866 Cook Strait No 1: Whites Bay, South Island - Lyall Bay, North Island, New Zealand W T Henley Telegraph Works NZ PTT Weymouth - Sturt - Taranaki - Wild Duck System 46 nm. Three conductors. First attempt failed when cable parted. Completed at second attempt.
1866 Lowestoft, England - Norderney, Germany Telcon supplied the core. - W. T. Henley Telegraph Works Co Reuters Telegraph Co William Cory System 224 nm. Operated by the Submarine Telegraph Co and formed part of the Indo-European Telegraph Co line. Taken over by the GPO in 1870
1866 South Foreland, England - La Panne Belgium Telcon supplied the core. - W. T. Henley Telegraph Works Co Submarine Telegraph Company ? System 47 nm Telcon sub contracted the work to Henleys
1866 Valentia, Ireland - Heart's Content, Newfoundland Telcon Anglo-American Telegraph Co Great Eastern - William Cory - Albany - Medway System 1852 nm. After laying this cable, Great Eastern recovered the lost 1865 cable and completed it
The 1866 cable was abandoned in 1872.
1866 Cape Ray - Cape North Telcon Anglo-American Telegraph Co Medway System 91 nm. Laid between 10 and 16 October, 1866. Three circuit cable.
1866 River Plate: Colonia - Punta Lara Henley's Telegraph Works River Plate Telegraph Co Dotorell System 30 nm.
1866 Chios - Crete R.S. Newall & Co ? ? System 200 nm
1867 Placentia - St Pierre - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia Telcon Anglo-American Telegraph Co Chiltern System 300 nm.
1867 Moro, Havana, Cuba - Key West - Punta Rassa, Florida India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works International Ocean Telegraph Co Narva System 102 + 133 nm. Laying began in August 1867 and the cable came into operation on 10th September. F.C. Webb was Engineer in Chief
1867 Hirtshalls, Denmark - Arendal, Norway Hoopers made the rubber insulated core. - R.S. Newall & Co Danish Norwegian English Telegraph Co Archimedes - Chevy Chase System 66 nm. Opened for service on the 1st July 1867
1868 Havana - Key West India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works International Ocean Telegraph Co Narva System 125 nm. Sir Charles Tilston Bright was Engineer in Chief
1868 Havana - Key West - Punta Rassa India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works International Ocean Telegraph Co Narva System 244 nm.
1868 Havana - Key West India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works Cuba Submarine Telegraph Co Narva System 125 nm.
1868 Malta - Alexandria (1) Telcon 942 nm Anglo-Mediterranean Telegraph Co Scanderia - Chiltern  
1868 Italy - Sicily Telcon Italian PTT Hawk System 3 nm
1868 Newbiggin by the Sea, England - Sondervig, Denmark Hoopers made the rubber insulated core. - R.S. Newall & Co Danish Norwegian English Telegraph Co Archimedes - Chevy Chase System 342 nm. The cable house at Newbiggin is still standing. "Cables were floated by tar barrels, towed ashore by Danish seamen in longboats, then pulled up the beach by horses and placed in trenches cut by local fishermen. They terminated in the ‘Cable House’."
1868 Denmark - Bornholm - Leipaja, Russia Hoopers Telegraph Works supplied the core. - Henley's Telegraph Works Danish Russian Telegraph Co La Plata System 88 + 229 nm.

1868

Grisslehamn, Sweden - Nystad, Russia

Hoopers Telegraph Works supplied the core. - Henley’s Telegraph Works

Danish Russian Telegraph Co

Caroline

System 99 nm.
1869 Peterhead, Scotland - Skivoldsvig, Norway Hoopers Telegraph Works supplied the core. - Henley's Telegraph Works Norwegian - English Telegraph Co La Plata System 275 nm. Later taken over by Norwegian PTT and GPO
1869 Cephalonia - Zante: Cephalonia - Ithaca: Santa Maura - Ithaca: Santa Maura - Corfu India Rubber, Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co Levant Telegraph Co Agnes System 74 nm.
1869 Flinders, Victoria - Low Head, Tasmania Telcon made the core and laid the cable. - Henley’s Telegraph Works armoured the cable Telcon Investigator System 176 nm. Completed 1 May 1869 (Guardian).
Telcon transferred this cable to the Eastern Extension when the 1885 cable was laid. A new heavier shore end was laid at Flinders in 1879 to prevent damage by chafing.
1869 Lands End - Scilly Isles India Rubber, Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co Scilly Isles Telegraph Co. Fusilier System 27 nm.
1869 Brest, France - St. Pierre - Cape Cod, USA Telcon 2478 nm. - Henley's Telegraph Works 1086 nm La Société du Câble Transatlantique Française Great Eastern - Chiltern - Hawk - William Cory - Scanderia System 3333 nm. Taken over by Anglo American in 1873.
1869 Moen, Denmark - Libau, Russia Hoopers Telegraph Works supplied the core. - Henley's Telegraph Works Great Northern Telegraph Co Caroline System 310 nm
1869 Norway - England Hoopers Telegraph Works supplied the core. - Henley's Telegraph Works Great Northern Telegraph Co La Plata  
1869 Bushire - Jask Hoopers Telegraph Works supplied the core. - Henley's Telegraph Works Indian Government Tweed - Calcutta - Amberwitch System 505 nm.
1869 Crimea - Poti Telcon made the core. - Siemens Bros Indo European Telegraph Co ? System 300 nm.
1870 Salcombe, England - Brest, France W. T. Henley Telegraph Works Co Submarine Telegraph Co ? Taken over by the GPO in 1890
1870 Marseilles, France - Bona, Algeria Telcon 214 nm. Henley's Telegraph Works 300 nm French PTT International Telcon subcontracted part of the manufacture and all the laying to Henley's.
1870 Port Kale - Donaghadee, Ireland Telcon supplied the core. - R.S. Newall & Co GPO Monarch (1) - Blazer (2) Last submrine cable made by R. S. Newall & Co.
1870 Lands End - Scilly Isles W. T. Henley Telegraph Works Co ? Caroline System 27 nm.
1870 Scotland - Orkney Islands Siemens Bros GPO La Plata  
1870 Patras - Separto: Sunium - Thermia: Zante - Trepito: Ithaca - Santa Maura: Peraeus - Syra Telcon Anglo Mediterranean Telegraph Co Agnes  
1870 Bombay - Aden - Suez Telcon - W. T. Henley Telegraph Works Co 3600 nm total British Indian Telegraph Co Great Eastern - Chiltern - Hibernia - William Cory - Hawk System 3200 nm plus land lines from Suez to Alexandria owned by the Egyptians.
1870 Malta - Gibraltar - Portugal - Porthcurno Telcon Falmouth Gibraltar & Malta Telegraph Co Hawk - Hibernia - Scanderia - Edinburgh System 1150 + 366 + 824 nm. Investigator laid Porthcurno shore ends. Completed in June 1870 (NY Times, 24 June 1870)
1870 Malta - Sicily Telcon Anglo Mediterranean Telegraph Co Hawk System 54 nm.
1870 Messina Strait Telcon Anglo Mediterranean Telegraph Co Hawk  
1870 Malta - Alexandria (2) Telcon Anglo Mediterranean Telegraph Co Chiltern - Belgian Handed over on 22 November 1870
[The Manual of Submarine Telegraph Companies]
1870 England - Guernsey - Alderney W. T. Henley Telegraph Works Co GPO Caroline  
1870 Borkum - Juist - Norderney Felten & Guilleaume German PTT ? System 22 nm.
1870 Madras - Penang Telcon British Indian Extension Telegraph Co Scanderia - Edinburgh System 1408 nm.
1870 Penang - Singapore Telcon British Indian Extension Telegraph Co Scanderia - William Cory System400 nm
1870 Singapore - Batavia Telcon British Australian Telegraph Co Hibernia System 557 nm
1870 Batabano - Cienfuegos - Santiago de Cuba India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works Cuba Submarine Telegraph Co Suffolk System 150 + 425 nm. Because of shoals between Batabano and Cienfuegos "sugar flats" towed by the Spanish gunboat "Alarma" had to be used at times to lay the cable
1870 Santiago de Cuba, Cuba - Holland Bay, Jamaica India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works West India & Panama Telegraph Co Dacia System 197 nm. A landline connected the cable terminus to Kingston. Laying commenced on 13th September and was completed by the 15th.
1870 Colon, Panama - Kingston, Jamaica India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works West India & Panama Telegraph Co Dacia System 550 nm. Laying commenced from Colon on 24 October and on 27th October after 367 nm had been paid out the cable parted. Grappling went on until 1st November without success and the cable was abandoned.
1870 St. Thomas, DWI - San Juan, Peurto Rico India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works West India & Panama Telegraph Co Dacia - Suffolk System 79 nm. Laying started on 7th December and was completed on 12th.
1871 St Thomas - St Kitts - Antigua - Guadeloupe - Dominica - Martinique - St Lucia - St Vincent - Barbados: St Vincent - Grenada - Trinidad - Georgetown, British Guiana India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works West India & Panama Telegraph Co Dacia - Suffolk System 173 + 90 + 78 + 55 + 56 + 54 + 93 + 110: 89 + 92 + 360 nm. In 1874 the Martinique - Dominica cable was recovered, repaired and relaid by CS Kangaroo. A landline was built in 1872 to connect Basse Terre and Pointe à Pitre, Guadeloupe.
1871 Key West - Punta Rassa ? International Ocean Telegraph Co ?  
1871 Banjoewangie, Java - Port Darwin, Australia Telcon British Australian Telegraph Co Hibernia - Edinburgh - Investigator System 1082 nm. In service 20 Nov 1871, WFS 1930. Part of this cable was recovered by C&W.
1871 Java - Sumatra Telcon British Australian Telegraph Co Investigator  
1871 Orkney - Shetland Henley's Telegraph Works GPO Caroline  
1871 Gibraltar - Vila Real Henley's Telegraph Works Falmouth, Gibraltar & Malta Telegraph Co La Plata  
1871 France - Algeria India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works French PTT International  
1871 Minorca - Majorca Henley's Telegraph Works Spanish Government ?  
1871 Ibiza - San Antonio Henley's Telegraph Works Spanish Government ?  
1871 Singapore - Shanghai - Hong Kong Telcon China Submarine Telegraph Co Kangaroo - Minia - Agnes - Belgian Completed 11 June (NY Times, 25 July 1871)
1871 Rhodes - Marmorece: Cyprus - Salakigae Telcon Turkish Government Scanderia  
1871 Samos - Scala Nuova: Aevali - Mytilene Telcon Turkish Government Scanderia - Hawk  
1871 Canea - Rettimo - Candia - Sitia - Rhodes: Chios - Chesme Telcon Telcon Scanderia - Hawk  Operated by the Anglo-Mediterranean company and later taken over by them
1871 Zante - Corfu: Zante - Cephalonia Telcon Telcon Scanderia
1871 Vladivostock - Nagasaki - Shanghai - Hong Kong Hoopers Telegraph Works supplied the core. - Hoopers sub-contracted Siemens Bros to armour the cable as their own armouring factory had not been completed. Great Northern, China & Japan Extension Telegraph Co Africa - Great Northern - Cella - Tordenskjold System 772 + 491 + 950 nm. Tordenskjold laid the shore ends at Hong Kong.
1871 Lowestoft - Borkum - Greetsiel Henley's Telegraph Works German Union Telegraph Co La Plata German owned but operated by the GPO
1871 Trecastell - Howth No 1 Henley's Telegraph Works ? La Plata  
1872 Jamaica - Puerto Rico India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works West India & Panama Telegraph Co Dacia - Suffolk  
1872 Alexandria, Egypt - Sitia, Crete Henley's Telegraph Works Eastern Telegraph Co Africa Telcon sub-contracted the work to Henley's
1872 Sitia, Crete - Zante - Otranto, Italy Henley's Telegraph Works Eastern Telegraph Co Africa Telcon sub-contracted the work to Henley's
1872 Italy - Sicily Henley's Telegraph Works Eastern Telegraph Co Africa Two cables laid
1872 Maeda - Amagakudo, Kanmon Straits, Japan No 1 ? Japanese Government ? System 1.1 km. Single conductor with gutta percha insulation
1872 The Lizard, England - Bilbao, Spain India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works Direct Spanish Telegraph Co Dacia Taken over by Eastern in 1885
1873 Cuxhaven - Heligoland Henley's Telegraph Works Hamburg & Heligoland Telegraph Co La Plata Telcon sub-contracted the work to Henley's
1873 Valentia, Ireland - Heart's Content, Newfoundland Telcon Anglo American Telegraph Co Great Eastern This cable was originally ordered by the French Atlantic Telegraph Company just before its takeover by Anglo American. After completion, because of the shorter route, 1000 nm of cable was left and so additional cable was ordered to enable another cable to be laid, this being done in 1874.
1873 Heart's Content - Rantem - Island Cove - Placentia, Newfoundland - St Pierre - Sydney, Nova Scotia   Anglo American Telegraph Co Robert Lowe Because of the poor state of the land line Anglo American laid a cable to Rantem. From there to Island Cove a buried land line, then continued to Sydney via Placentia and St Pierre with a submarine cable.
1873 Para (Belem) - Maranham (Sao Luis) - Ceara (Fortaleza) - Pernambuco (Recife) - Bahia (Salvador) - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Present day names are in brackets Hoopers Telegraph Works Western & Brazilian Telegraph Co Hooper System 406 + 396 + 450 + 464 + 840 nm
1873 Carcavelos, Portugal - Madeira Telcon Brazilian Submarine Telegraph Co Seine - Minia  
1873 Oye, France - Fanö, Denmark Henley's Telegraph Works Great Northern Telegraph. Co La Plata - Africa System 383 nm.
1873 Skagen, Denmark - Marstrand, Sweden Henley's Telegraph Works Great Northern Telegraph. Co La Plata - Africa System 34 nm.
1873 Newbiggin, England - Sondervig, Denmark Henley's Telegraph Works Great Northern Telegraph. Co Africa  
1873 Porthcurno, England - Vigo, Spain - Carcavelos, Portugal Henley's Telegraph Works Eastern Telegraph Co Africa - Minia Telcon sub-contracted the work to Henley's
1873 Montevideo - Maldonado - Chuy Henley's Telegraph Works Montevidean & Brazilian Telegraph Co Mazeppa Western & Brazilian took over this company
1873 Italy - Sicily Henley's Telegraph Works Eastern Telegraph Co Africa 2 cables laid
1873 Syra - Thermia: Syra - Chios: Syra - Tenos: Andros -Tenos: Andros - Negraport: Morea - Hydra: Morea - Spetizia: Morea - Paros Telcon Greek Government - Eastern Telegraph Co Hawk  
1873 Montevideo, Uruguay - Punta Lara, Argentina India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works River Plate Telegraph Co Estella This company was taken over by Western & Brazilian
1873 Key West, USA - Havana, Cuba ? International Ocean Telegraph Co Dacia  
1873 Maeda - Amagakudo, Kanmon Straits, Japan No 2 ? Japanese Government ? System 1.1 km. Single conductor with gutta percha insulation
1874 Madeira - St Vincent, Cape Verde Islands Telcon Brazilian Submarine Telegraph Co Hibernia - Edinburgh  
1874 St Vincent, Cape Verde Islands - Pernambuco (Recife), Brazil Telcon Brazilian Submarine Telegraph Co Hibernia - Edinburgh - Seine - Investigator  
1874 Holland Bay, Jamaica -Ponce, Puerto Rica - St Croix Telegraph Construction & Maintenance Co West India & Panama Telegraph Co Minia - Kangaroo System 667 nm
1874 Para, Brazil - Cayenne, French Guiana - Demerara, British Guiana (Guyana) Hoopers Telegraph Works Western & Brazilian Telegraph Co Hooper Abandoned after 2 years
1874 Marseilles, France - Barcelona, Spain India Rubber, Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works Direct Spanish Telegraph Co Dacia  
1874 Constantinople, Turkey - Odessa, Russia Henley's Telegraph Works Black Sea Telegraph Co La Plata  
1874 Valentia, Ireland - Heart's Content, Newfoundland Telcon Anglo American Telegraph Co Great Eastern - Minia  
1874 Rye Beach, USA - Tor Bay, Nova Scotia - Harbour Grace, Newfoundland - Ballinskelligs, Ireland Siemens Bros Direct United States Cable Co Faraday (1) - Ambassador System 3200 nm. Anglo American gained a majority shareholding in the company, but it continued to operate under its own name even when leased by Western Union. Purchased by the GPO in 1920.
1874 Rio de Janeiro - Santos - Florianopolis, Brazil Siemens Bros Companhia Telegrafica Platino- Braziliera Ambassador System 1026 nm including two following entries
1874 Florianopolis, Brazil - Rio Grande, Brazil Siemens Bros. See above Companhia Telegrafica Platino Braziliera Gomos Gomos foundered after laying this cable, and 204 nm of cable was lost. La Plata was chartered from Henley's, but foundered in the Bay of Biscay on 29 November 1874 with the loss of 58 crew. More cable was manufactured and laid by Ambassador
1874 Rio Grande, Brazil - Chuy, Uruguay Siemens Bros. See above Companhia Telegrafica Platino- Braziliera Ambassador  
1874 Alexandria, Egypt - Crete Henley's Telegraph Works Eastern Telegraph Co Africa  
1874 San Sebastian - Bilbao - Santander Henley's Telegraph Works Spanish Government Caroline - Investigator  
1874 Kyushu - Honshu, Japan ? Japanese Government Densimu Maru  
1874 Malta - Gozo ? Admiralty HMS Torch For use by the Royal Navy
1874 Fukushima - Imabetsu, Tsugaru Straits, Japan ? Japanese Government Store Nordiske August; Great Northern Telegraph Company awarded contract to lay 2 cables over this route. Laying was carried out in October
1875 Batabano - Cienfuegos - Santiago de Cuba, Cuba Hoopers Telegraph Works Cuba Submarine Telegraph Co Great Northern  
1875 Valparaiso - La Serena - Caldera - Antofagasta - Iquique - Arica, All in Chile - Lima, Peru India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works West Coast of America Telegraph Co Dacia  
1875 St Croix - St Thomas: St Croix - Trinidad: St Croix - Ponce Hoopers Telegraph Works West India & Panama Telegraph Co Hooper - Norseman System 49 + 635 + 140 nm.
1875 Kingston, Jamaica - Colon, Panama India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works West India & Panama Telegraph Co ? System 550 nm. Cable came into service on 1st January 1875. This cable was laid after the settlement of a dispute between West India and India Rubber over the failure to complete the 1870 cable over the same route.
1875 Punta Rassa - Sanibel Island - Key West ? International Ocean Telegraph Co Professor Morse In 1890 Rhiwderin overhauled and relaid this cable.
1875 Whitehaven - Ramsey India Rubber Gutta Percha & Telegraph Works GPO Caroline  
1875 Orbetello - Terranova, Sardinia ? Italian PTT Chiltern  
1875 (Laid in) Banyugawa Sagami ? Japanese Government ? System ½ km. Single conductor with gutta percha insulation
1876 La Perouse, Sydney, Australia - Wakapauka, New Zealand Telcon Eastern Extension Australia & China Telegraph Co Hibernia - Edinburgh System 1283 nm. HMS Challenger surveyed route. Sydney end of cable was diverted into Bondi Beach in 1917. WFS 1932
1876 Suez - Suakin - Perim - Aden - Bombay Telcon Eastern Telegraph Co Kangaroo - Hibernia - Seine System 803 + 670 + 144 + 1870 nm.
1876 Sicily - Italy ? Italian PTT Hawk  
1876 Shibukawa - Nou, Bisan Straits, Japan No 1 ? Japanese Government ? System 8.2 km. Single conductor with gutta percha insulation
1876 Kangaroo Island - Adelaide, Australia ? ? ?  
1876 Cook Strait No 2: Whites Bay, South Island - Lyall Bay, North Island, New Zealand Telcon; main cable. Siemens Bros; shore ends NZ PTT Agnes Completed September 1876
1877 Marseilles, France - Bona, Algeria - Malta Telcon Eastern Telegraph Co Kangaroo - Calabria  
1877 Rangoon - Penang Telcon Eastern Extension Australasia & China Telegraph Co Hibernia - Kangaroo  
1878 Tenedos - Syra - Chios - Candia Telcon Eastern Telegraph Co John Pender (1)  
1878 Tenedos - Constantinople Telcon Eastern Telegraph Co Red Rover (2)  
1878 Antibes - Corsica Telcon French PTT John Pender (1)  
1878 Alexandria, Egypt - Larnaca, Cyprus Hoopers Telegraph Works Eastern Telegraph Co Great Northern  
1878 Lemnos - Salonika No 1 Hoopers Telegraph Works Eastern Telegraph Co Great Northern  
1878 Santiago de Cuba - Jamaica