New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-02
UNDERGROUND TELEGRAPH CABLES.
From The Birmingham Post.

From The Birmingham Post.
An enterprise which is of great Importance TO
Birmingham. more especially concerns it's
commerce. is being fastened ID completion. In
the early months Of last year the work of lay
ing a subterranean telegraph cable between our
city and London was commenced, and there APP
pears every prospect that it will be carried
through within the next tWevemOnth. The ef-
feet will be largely to increase and improve the
means Of communication between the Midlands
and the metropolis 100 miles away.
The London birmingham cable will consist
of scyenty-six copper wires. each with sep
arate wrapping Of brown paper in place Of the
gutta- pcrcha. Thus packed the wires fit loose
ly into a lead tube OF -. inches in diameter
and this, in turn, Is drawn into 3-nch iron pip
ing laid about ~ feet below the surface Of the
ground The wires and their lead casing are
made up in lengths of 1910 yards. and drawn into
the iron tube with a crabw inch. by no means
easy operation. The various lengths have to be
joined together with the utmost nicely. At the
point Of connection each wire in one cable Is
attached To the corresponding wire in the next
length. The junction is effected by placing
small copper tube over the ends OF the two wires
To be connected, so that they meet in the centre
Of the tube. The tube and wires are then care
fully soldered together A condition essential
TO efficient biography is that the cable shall be
entirely free from damp Hence before leaving
the mandatory it is baked for tweny-four
hours in oven main tanned at a heat of about
$50 degrees
cable will be the forerunner of many such lines
Of long distance telegraphs on the various ar
tera routes throughout the country The ad-
vantages of SuDterranean cables in being I'M
mune from the effects of gales and other eXter-
nal influences are obvious but up till compare
lively recently satisfactory means had been
devised for insuring good insulation in the I'M
dergrolnd conductors. There is subterranean
cable from Liverpool to Manchester. in which the
old gutta- percha system was superseded some
years ago by the paper wraI pings with results
which are said to be erninently favorable and 1t
is believed that the new line now being laid be-
tween our own city and the capital VIII demon
strate that the main obstacles in the way OF
underground telegraphy over long distances
have been efectually surmounted. The growing
volume of the Geographic work between London
and Birmingham rendered it necessary to en-
large the means Oh communication. and the new
cable is to supplement and not To supplant the
existing service. 1t may. however be found de-
sirable to utilize the present oren- wire system
TO a great extent for telephone purposes. trans
ferrng the telegrapnic work 10 the underground
cable.
The precaution is also being taken TO construct
the new cable on the twin wire principle.
that the seventy six single telegraph wires can
be converted into thirty eight metallic telephone
circuits. But the remodelling Of the telephone
system is not the object in view, the primary
end being to extend telegraphic cOmmunica-
ton with London to a point commensurate with
the growing needs of the public. and at the same
time to safeguard the service from the liability
to breakdown which attends the open wire sys-
TEN. 1t is said that nothing short Of irst-c ass
earthquake will seriously disturb the under
ground cable The gangs Of workmen who are
engaged in laying the cable have now ap-
preached TO within thirty miles Of Birmingham.
having reached Southam. For distance or
about forty-hve miles from LONDON the work ms
been actually completed and the next Ink.
reaching from Fenny Stratford to bennington
is now being added. six gangs. numbering aDout
thirty men each. being employed on detached
secti0ns Speclal endeavors are being put forth
to expedite the work in every possible way ana
the third and last link in the chain-that from
bennington to Birmingham-wl' soon oe I"
hand.