The report reached Admiral Grant before Phillip and Henry had even left Southsea's walls. The messengers rode hard toward Portsmouth, cutting through the morning haze with the speed of men who carried history in their pockets. By the time Phillip returned to the temporary telegraph room to collect his coat and tools, word had already spread among the sailors. Some congratulated the wire crews with hearty claps on the back. Others simply stared at the copper line stretching into the distance with a mixture of awe and apprehension, as if it were a creature that had come alive.
Phillip felt none of their celebration. Not yet. The test had worked, but it had also revealed weaknesses that could be fatal if ignored. That thought lingered in his mind even as he stepped into the carriage with Henry and began the ride toward Portsmouth's naval headquarters.
