Searching for the Fault after Hauling Back the Cable from the Bottom of the Atlantic, July 31st, 1865 1865

This watercolor by Robert Charles Dudley depicts a scene from the 1865 transatlantic telegraph cable expedition. The artwork shows a group of men on the deck of a ship as they examine the cable that was just retrieved from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. This is a historically significant scene that captures the culmination of the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable. It shows the engineers and scientists meticulously searching for any faults in the cable that could hinder communication. This drawing demonstrates Dudley's ability to depict a specific, historical moment.