The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-12-13
DEEP SEA CABLES.
The Earth Encircled by Nine
Great Submarine Wires.
How the Work Is Done by 9
Little Army Of Operators.

How the Work Is Done by a
Little Army Of Operators.
Although 1t is comparatively very
brief period since the first submarine
telegraph cable was successfully laid be-
tween Ireland and Newfoundland, such
vast strides have been tiadc in the per.
lection, construction and laying Of deep
sea cables that the Garth Is now almost
entirely girdled by them. The coast
lines OF tho Americas, Europe. Asia,
Africa and Au,tralia are festooned with
countless miles of submarine cables that
loop gracefully from the ocean bed at
regular intervals to touch at some busy
seaport or relay office. There are now
nine great submarine cable companies
in the world, with over sixty thousand
miles Of cable, extending to tho re-
motest parts of the habitable globe.
The greatest of these companies is the
Eastern Telegraph Company of London,
with SO, 900 miles Of cablc under its
control. Thi, line starts from Lands
End, England, and runs under the
ocean to Lisbon. From there it loops
to Gibraltar, then uader the Mediterra-
mean to Malta and Alexandra, overland
to Su z, under tho Red Sea to Alden,
under the Gulf of Arabia to Bombay,
looping around to NJ .dras, to Singapore,
to Saigon, to Hong-Kong, Annoy and
Shanghai, in China, to Nagasaki, end
ing at vladivistock, Eastern Siberia.
Africa is loop,d oa the east from Alden
to Z,nzibar to Cape town. On tho west
coast 1000 miles OF cable only touch al
four places. Another long cable runs
from Lisbon to Pernambuco. South
America is festooned on both coasts
as far south as the Argentine Rspub-
lie. Tho Eastern also has line to
India throus III Persia, thence through
the Persian Gulf. There are nine
working cables between America and
England. All tn, West India islands,
the Grecian Archipelago and Australia
sia are reached by cables.
To work these vast lengths Of subma
rine cables good sized army of opera
tors is employed. Not much has beer
written about these men, but these deel
sea cable operators constitute one OF thu
finest bodies OF skilled workers in th'
--~-ia Al, tha cabla lines are manu-
factured and owned in England. Thes'
cablomen are brave, fearless and fa
above the average intelligence. The,
never finch from going where duty call
them, and they are most important fac
tors in commerce, diplomacy and pro
vincial government. They are grea
travellers, and numbers of them hav
been in every part of the known world
The deep sea cablemen are taught tht
rudimentary elements in London. Tho.
are then sent to Porta Kurno, Penzan &C
where they become familiar with tn
working of the siphon recorder, tn
spark aud the trans nitteE. When pro
ficiont they are detailed to any pIac
touched by cable. Those operators ar
well paid, work short hours aud yer.
seldom leave the service. They ar
callei upon to work in the deadly fever
Of Panama aud Africa, to face wiz
beasts in India, to work among prowl
ing bands OF robber nomads in Arab
and Persia; they must live in th
cholera stricken cities of Siam AM
China, the yellow fever Of Cuba, tn
torrii climate Of South America and tn
bleak coast of e stern Siberia. But j
spite of the fact that the cable lines ar
laid through such pestilential countries
tho morality rate among the cablo opera
tors is very low. This is no doubt du
to the fact that tho companies arc cor
tinually changing their mon about i
such places. An operator is detailed t
very unhealthy places for six months Q
year. He is then sent to some yer
healthy spot. Msn are often trans
ferred from Panam. to Nagasaki .
Cape Town.
To keep these vast lines in order
number of steamship, are fitted up fo
that purpose and thu men spend fe'
pleasant months on board them, takin
turn about. l: an operator marie, an
locates in place h, is allowed to re
main there. The men live very pea!
ant life, except whon thoy arc detailc
to dangerous or unhealthy station.
The men always rely on the protectio
of the home Government and they feal
lessly 90 to stations in the widest spot
of Arabia, Turkey, Persia or Africs
conscious of tho fact that if the native
modest them British gun boat will 500
make things howl in that vicinity.
The largest force of operators al
kept at the repeating stations, whcre a
messages havo to be transferred. 4
Suez aud Adcn 60 cable men are en-
ployed at each station. o. the Amer
can side the largest force is at Heart
Content, Newfoundland, where thel
are 40 men. This is steady colony {
cable operators. Nearly all of tt
older men are marriol , and are bringin
up families. They have chape
school, club house and own their ow
houses. At the cable stations tho CON
pany builds several buildings, includin
the office, clubhouse furnished wit
n niano billiard table card room an