First Transatlantic Telegraph Cable Trivia Questions

The 1858 cable transmitted at about 0.1 words per minute. Even slow dial-up modems were thousands of times faster.

The first message was actually a test transmission from the telegraph company. Queen Victoria’s congratulatory message came later that same day.

The SS Great Eastern was huge but didn’t carry a zoo. It did carry livestock for food, but no exotic animals for morale.

It was far more expensive—roughly $100 to $200 per word in modern dollars, making it affordable only for governments and big businesses.

The 1858 cable failed after a few weeks. The first truly durable and successful cable was completed in 1866 by the SS Great Eastern.

The 1858 cable had a weak signal and required very slow transmission—sometimes minutes per letter—making a short message take hours to send.

During the 1858 expedition, a crew member accidentally tossed the only grappling hook overboard, delaying repairs and nearly ending the mission.

Gutta-percha, a natural latex from Malaysian trees, was the only flexible waterproof insulator available at the time and proved critical for the cable.