1860
by Whitehouse, Edward Orange Wildman
1860. Very Good. Whitehouse, Edward Orange Wildman. A.L.s. to Latimer Clark. Westminster [London,] April 15, 1860 or 1861[year illegible]. 2- pp. 205 x 129 mm. Remains of mounting present. Provenance: Latimer Clark. Whitehouse was the engineer appointed by Cyrus Field to supervise the design and manufacture of the first Atlantic cable, which ceased to function a few weeks after its installation in 1858. Whitehouse's letter to Clark is largely illegible, but the phrases "joint testimony" and "the line during its manufacture at Chelsea" suggest that Whitehouse is referring to the hearings conducted by the joint committee appointed by the British government to investigate the causes of the cable's failure. In those hearings, blame for the cable's failure was laid largely at the feet of Whitehouse. Origins of Cyberspace 214. . (Inventory #: 40786)