Undersea Telegraphic Cable
1837 - Samuel F. B. Morse applied for electric telegraph patent, September 28.
1847 - Werner von Siemens developed machine to apply gutta-percha onto cables for insulation.
1850 - use of copper wires twisted to form single strand for strength, covered in tar-cloth and reinforced with ten galvanized wires, resulted in reliable undersea telegraphic cable between England and France.
1866 - July 27, first transatlantic cable completed. Cyrus Field (U.S., 1819 - 1892) spent his entire fortune on the project (the first four attempts failed).