Transatlantic
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2008-06-02T01:37:30Z
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/* Trivia */
{{otheruses}}The term '''transatlantic''' refers to something occurring all the way across the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. Most often, this refers to the exchange of passengers, cargo, information, or communication between [[North America]] and [[Europe]].
==Transatlantic crossings==
'''Transatlantic crossings''' are passages of passengers and cargo between North America and Europe. Prior to the 19th century, transatlantic crossings were undertaken in [[sailing ship]]s, which was a time consuming and often perilous journey. Transatlantic crossings became faster, safer, and more reliable with the advent of [[steamship]]s. The [[Blue Riband]] is awarded for the record fastest crossing. Grand [[ocean liner]]s began making regularly scheduled crossings, and soon it became a symbol of national and company status to build the largest, fastest, and most luxurious ocean liner for transatlantic crossings. Examples of some famous transatlantic liners are {{RMS|Titanic}}, {{SS|United States}}, {{RMS|Queen Mary}}, {{SS|Normandie}}, {{RMS|Queen Elizabeth 2}}, and {{RMS|Queen Mary 2}}.
==Transatlantic flights==
{{main|Transatlantic flight}}
Transatlantic flight would eventually surpass ocean liners as the predominant mode of crossing the Atlantic by the late 20th century. In 1919, the American [[NC-4]] became the first [[fixed-wing aircraft|airplane]] to cross the Atlantic (but in multiple stages). Later that year, a British [[Vickers Vimy]] piloted by [[Alcock and Brown]] made the first non-stop transatlantic flight from [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]] to [[Ireland]]. In 1921, the British were the first to cross the Atlantic in an [[airship]]. In 1927, [[Charles Lindbergh]] made the first solo non-stop transatlantic flight in an airplane (between [[New York City]] and [[Paris]]). The second solo piloting, and the first to carry a passenger, was [[Clarence Duncan Chamberlin]] on [[June 6]], [[1927]]. [[Edward R. Armstrong]] proposed a string of anchored "seadromes" to refuel planes in a crossing.
The first serious attempt to take a share of the transatlantic passenger market away from the ocean liners was undertaken by [[Germany]]. In the 1930s, Germany crossed the Atlantic with [[Zeppelin]]s that could carry about 60 passengers in relatively the same luxurious style as the ocean liners. However, the [[Hindenburg disaster]] in 1937 put an end to transatlantic Zeppelin flights. Beginning in the 1950s, the glory and predominance of ocean liners began to wane when larger and larger passenger airplanes began whisking passengers across the ocean in less and less time. The speed of crossing the ocean became more popular than the style of crossing it. By the 1970s, supersonic [[Concorde]] airplanes could cross the Atlantic in under four hours and only one ocean liner remained on the transatlantic route for those who favored the slower style of travel.
==Transatlantic cables==
{{Cleanup|date=April 2007}}
'''Transatlantic cables''' are cables that have been laid along the ocean floor to connect North America and Europe. Before the advent of [[radio]], the only means of communication across the Atlantic Ocean was to physically connect the continents with a [[transatlantic telegraph cable]], which was installed from [[Valentia Island|Valentia]], [[Ireland]] to [[Heart's Content]], [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]] in 1858. The first transatlantic telephone cable, [[TAT-1]], was installed in 1955. The first transatlantic fiber optic cable, [[TAT-8]], was installed in 1988. The [[exchange rate]] between the [[United States dollar]] and [[Pound Sterling|British pound]] is still colloquially known as "cable" by financial marketeers on account of the fact the rate of exchange was one of the early uses of the transatlantic cable.
{{Fact|date=April 2007}}
==Transatlantic radio==
'''Transatlantic radio''' communication was first accomplished on December 12, 1901 by [[Guglielmo Marconi]] who, using a temporary receiving station at [[Signal Hill (Newfoundland and Labrador)|Signal Hill, Newfoundland]], received a [[Morse code]] signal representing the letter "S" sent from [[Poldhu]], in [[Cornwall]], United Kingdom. Guglielmo Marconi initiated commercial transatlantic radio communications between his high power long wave wireless telegraphy stations in [[Clifden]] Ireland and [[Glace Bay, Nova Scotia]] on [[17 October]] [[1907]].
[[Amateur radio]] operators are usually credited with the discovery of transatlantic radio communication in the [[shortwave]] bands. The first successful transatlantic tests were conducted by radio amateurs in December 1921 operating in the 200 meter mediumwave band, the shortest wavelength then available to amateurs. In 1922 hundreds of North American amateurs were heard in Europe at 200 meters and at least 20 North American amateurs heard amateur signals from Europe. The first two way transatlantic shortwave radio contacts were completed by radio amateurs in November 1923, on 110 meters.
Marconi initiated the first commercial shortwave transatlantic radio communication between the UK to Canada using his "Beam Wireless Service" which into commercial operation on 25 October, 1926. Shortwave radio vastly increased the speed and capacity of transatlantic communications at dramatically reduced cost compared to telegraph cable and long wave radio.
[[Telstar]] was the first [[communications satellite]] to provide commercial transatlantic communications. It was launched by on July 10, 1962, the first privately sponsored space launch. Communications satellites vastly increased the speed and quality of transatlantic communication, but transatlantic [[fiber optic]] cables have carried the vast majority of transatlantic communications traffic since the early 1990s.
== Transatlantic tunnel ==
{{main|Transatlantic tunnel}}
The '''Transatlantic Tunnel''' is a structure proposed by one of the [[engineering|engineers]] involved in the construction of the [[Channel Tunnel]] beneath the [[English Channel]]. It would be a [[tunnel]] that spans the [[Atlantic Ocean]] between [[New York City]] and the [[United Kingdom]]. There have been plans to construct such a tunnel, but no major actions toward the production of it.
==Transatlantic rowing race==
{{main|Atlantic Rowing Race}}
The first East-West '''Atlantic Rowing Race''' took place in 1997 from the [[Canary Islands]] to the [[Caribbean]]. It now runs once every two years or so.
The first West-East 'North' Atlantic Rowing Race took place in 2006 from [[New York]] to [[Falmouth, Cornwall|Falmouth]] [[UK]].
==Trivia==
{{Trivia|date=March 2008}}
The term "crossing the Pond" is a reference to transatlantic travel.
==Transatlantic relations==
Through history and culture Europe and North America are deeply connected with each other and this relationship is often referred to as transatlantic.
==See also==
{{wiktionary}}
*[[Transatlantic flight]]
*[[Transatlantic relations]]
*[[List of islands in the Atlantic Ocean]]
*[[Transpacific]]
==External links==
{{commons|North Atlantic Treaty Organisation}}
* [http://www.acus.org/programs-education.asp 2007 Transatlantic Student Essay Contest]
[[Category:Atlantic Ocean]]
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