Links of the Atlantic Cable (link sausage)

A telegraph cable under the Atlantic Ocean provided the first transatlantic communications in 1858. “Three links of the Atlantic Cable” was used in restaurant slang for an order of “link sausage” by at least 1873. The “three links Atlantic cable” term became rare by 1900 and is of historical interest today.
 
   
Wikipedia; Transatlantic telegraph cable
A transatlantic telegraph cable is an undersea cable running under the Atlantic Ocean used for telegraph communications. The first was laid across the floor of the Atlantic from Telegraph Field, Foilhommerum Bay, Valentia Island in western Ireland to Heart’s Content in eastern Newfoundland. The first communications occurred August 16, 1858, reducing the communication time between North America and Europe from ten days – the time it took to deliver a message by ship – to a much shorter time. Transatlantic telegraph cables have been replaced by transatlantic telecommunications cables.
 
1 September 1873, Wilmington (DE) Daily Commercial, “Local Intelligence,” pg. 8, col. 2:
“Three links of the Atlantic Cable” is another name for sausage at one of our city restaurants.
 
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
17 April 1875, The New York Clipper (New York, NY), supplement, pg. 2, col. 7:
There come whispers for a plainer and less expensive fare. “Two Sleeve-buttons,” “Two on Horseback,” “Boston Woodcock,” “Mystery,” “West Broadway,” “Links of the Atlantic Cable,” and the like.
 
Hudson River Valley Heritage Historical Newspapers (NY)
24 March 1888, The Rockland County Journal (NY), “Waiters’ Queer Orders,” pg. 6, col. 1: 
A NEWS reporter went into a restaurant on Ann street yesterday and after having given his order to the waiter asked him what was the meaning of the jargon waiters usually shriek at the cook.
(...)
How could any reasonable minded man imagine the “Three links of the Atlantic cable” was bologna sausage?
(...)
—N. Y. News.
 
4 April 1897, The Sun (Chanute, KS), “Slang of the Restaurants,” pg. 3, col. 2:
“The slang runs from ‘three links of the Atlantic cable’ (meaning sausage) to ‘San Francisco bay, one small boat half sunk’ (cocktail), and back again,” said a “traveling hash,” who has been in the business about twelve years.
(...)
“Three links Atlantic cable”—link sausage.