Page:Ballantyne--The Battery and the Boiler.djvu/404

 "Well, you have no idea what an amount of interest and enthusiasm the affair created. You all know, of course, that the Indian cable, which Robin and I had a hand in laying, is now connected with the lines that pass between Suez, Alexandria, Malta, Gibraltar, Lisbon, and England; and the company assembled at Mr. Pender's house witnessed the sending of the first messages direct from London to Bombay; and how long, do you think, it took to send the first message, and receive a reply?—only five minutes!"

"You don't mean it, Sam!" exclaimed Rik, getting excited, in spite of his professed unbelief.

"Indeed I do," replied Sam, warming with his subject. "I tell you the sober truth, however difficult it may be for you to believe it. You may see it in the papers of the 24th or 25th, I suppose. Here is my note-book, in which I jotted down the most interesting points.

"The proceedings of the evening were opened by the managing director in London sending a telegram to the manager at Bombay.

How are you all?' was the brief first telegram by Sir James Anderson. 'All well,' was the briefer first reply from Bombay. The question fled from London at 9.18 exactly—I had my watch in my hand at the time—and the answer came back at 9.23—just five minutes. I can tell you it was