Its sheaves of conducting wire were insulated within a gutta-percha covering, which was protected by a padding of textile material enclosed in a metal sheath. The Great Eastern put back to sea on July 13, 1866.

它的绝缘导线束裹在马来树胶皮中，由一条套在金属套管的纤维带保护起来。1866年7月13日，“大东方号”船只又一次启航。

The operation proceeded apace. Yet there was one hitch. As they gradually unrolled this third cable, the electricians observed on several occasions that someone had recently driven nails into it, trying to damage its core. Captain Anderson, his officers, and the engineers put their heads together, then posted a warning that if the culprit were detected, he would be thrown overboard without a trial. After that, these villainous attempts were not repeated.

操作进行得很顺利。然而，这时意外发生了。好几次，铺开电缆的时候，电工发现电缆上被新钉进几颗钉子：有人蓄意破坏电缆的心线。“大东方号” 的安德森船长、船上人员和工程师们聚集在一起讨论了这件事，最后决定贴出布告说，如果在船上抓到了罪犯，那他就会被不经审判投入海中喂鱼。从那以后，这样的犯罪行为再也没发生过。

By July 23 the Great Eastern was lying no farther than 800 kilometers from Newfoundland when it received telegraphed news from Ireland of an armistice signed between Prussia and Austria after the Battle of Sadova. Through the mists on the 27th, it sighted the port of Heart's Content. The undertaking had ended happily, and in its first dispatch, young America addressed old Europe with these wise words so rarely understood: "Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to men of good will."

7月23日，“大东方号”船只距离纽芬兰岛只有800公里。这时，有人从爱尔兰向船上致电说，萨多瓦战役后，普鲁士和奥地利达成了停战协议。27日，船出现在赫尔斯堪敦港的大雾中。工程顺利地完成了，年轻的美洲用第一份电报向古老的欧洲致来了几句圣明但令人费解的贺词：“荣誉属于天上的上帝，和平属于地上善良的人们。”