A hundred years ago From the 'Spectator', 25 June 1870—The
new submarine telegraph from Falmouth to Bom- bay was opened on Thursday, and a distin- guished company met at the house of the chairman, Mr. Pender, to celebrate the event, and amuse themselves with telegrams to every- body. The Prince of Wales sent messages to the Viceroy of India. who, good man! was in bed, and did not want to be bored with the composition of congratulations, but dutifully composed them; to the President of the United States, who did not reply; to the King of Portu- gal, who sent his thanks; and to the Khedive, who was quite effusive about his desire for "progress."—not to say loans. One message, moreover, was sent from Simla to Washington, and got there in 40 minutes, a really noteworthy feat:-We want to understand, however, why the telegrams sent on these occasions are so absurd. Cannot the telegraph people, who really com- pose them, find something sensible for Princes to say, instead of hackneyed rubbish about "drawing the bonds closer" and the victorfet'of science?
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