Ann Osbourne

This book tells the fascinating story of the laying of the Atlantic cable in 1866 which revolutionised communication between America and Europe. Details of the problems that arose and the eventual success of the venture are given, based on a remarkable collection of letters to and from the cable manufacturers, which is housed in Birmingham Library, and on contemporary reports in Birmingham newspapers, both of which sources Prof Stephen Roberts has painstakingly researched. It is the story of two Birmingham businessmen, Baron Dickinson Webster and James Horsfall, and their wire-making firm Webster & Horsfall, founded in 1718 and still in business today. The book is easy to read and will appeal to anyone interested in the history of Birmingham, set in the wider context of technological inventions and international communications.