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The Indo-European Telegraph: Landing The Cable in the mud at Fao, Persian Gulf, 1865. Creator: Unknown
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The Indo-European Telegraph: Landing The Cable in the mud at Fao, Persian Gulf, 1865. Creator: Unknown
The Indo-European Telegraph: Landing The Cable in the mud at Fao, Persian Gulf, 1865. 'When some four miles of cable had been paid out, and the boats were about one mile from the semi-fluid bank dignified by the name of shore, the boats grounded. Though there was very little depth of water, there was a great depth of mud of the consistency of cream. There was no use in hesitating; the cable must be landed at any risk; so Sir Charles Bright, to set an example to his staff and the men, was the first to get out of the boat and stand up to his waist in the mud - an example which was followed by all the officers and men, upwards of one hundred in number, who were all soon wallowing in the soft yielding ooze up to their chests, but still dragging the end of cable with them. The progress through such a material was necessarily slow: half-swimming, half-wading, it was impossible to rest for a moment without hopelessly sinking below the surface; yet no one thought of abandoning the cable...it was nearly dark before the last of the party reached the shore. All were grimed with mud, and nineteen out of twenty were nearly naked, having lost or abandoned almost every article of clothing in the struggle to reach the land. But...the cable had been landed'. From "Illustrated London News", 1865
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EDITORS COMMENTS
**The Perilous Pursuit of Progress: "Landing The Cable in the Mud at Fao, Persian Gulf, 1865"**
In this remarkable photograph, a team of brave individuals risked life and limb to lay down an undersea telegraph cable in the treacherous mud flats of Fao, Persian Gulf. Taken in 1865 by an unknown photographer, the image captures the moment when Sir Charles Bright and his staff waded into the soft ooze up to their chests, determined to complete the arduous task.
As they struggled through the muddy terrain, half-swimming and half-wading against the suction of the mud, it's a miracle that not one person abandoned ship. The conditions were grueling: by day's end, nearly all participants had lost or shed most of their clothing in their battle to reach solid ground. Yet, despite these challenges, they persevered.
The photograph serves as a testament to human ingenuity and the unyielding pursuit of progress. In this era-defining moment, when global communication was still in its infancy, pioneers like Sir Charles Bright were willing to push against seemingly insurmountable obstacles to connect nations across vast distances. This image is not only a fascinating glimpse into history but also an ode to the indomitable spirit that drives us forward.
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