How were the first transatlantic cables laid for telegraphs, phone etc?
The first transatlantic cables were laid by Brunels Great Eastern ship after it was converted for the job. They do just lay on the ocean floor, but they did have problems with the cable breaking and getting snagged, I think it took a couple of attempts to lay the first cable. There are also cables that emerge at Porthcurno in Cornwall that connected the commonwealth to its colonies and India.
