August 5, 2026: The Wire Under the Ocean

Four failed attempts and a near bankruptcy didn't stop him. A fifth try, and one soaked, sleepless night, finally did the job.On August 4, 1858, the Niagara reached Trinity Bay, Newfoundland, and the next morning, August 5, the Agamemnon landed the shore end of the cable at Valentia Island, Ireland, completing the first transatlantic telegraph connection. American merchant Cyrus Field had driven the twelve year project through repeated failures and his own company's financial crisis before this attempt finally held, shrinking transatlantic communication from roughly two weeks down to minutes, at least for the few weeks the cable survived before a wiring mistake burned it out for good.This is bsnsHistory, the daily podcast about the moments when business quietly reshaped the world.Written and hosted by Ron Trucks. Research and editing by Rodney Russ. Sound design by Angela Cahoy. Music by Cody Martin and Soundstripe.For more daily business stories, visit www.bsnsDAILYpodcasts.com