The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1901-07-06
SEEKING GUTTA-PERCHA
"A WORLDWIDE HUNT NOW BEING
2 MADE By THE NATIONS,

the construction Of submarine cables
is the increasing scarcity Of gutta-
plrcha, AMI consequently its increas'
ing cost, for gutta-pefcha is an inlis-
pensable cable insulator. Between
1864 and 1890 the amount of gutta-
percha exported from the restricted
region where 1t is produced increased
from 1900 to $4,000 tons. Even as late
as 1882 only $500 tons was exported,
so that the actual increase in the nine
years was 1920 tons.
But this increase in production by
no means kept pace with the increase
in demand. owing to the enormous
extension Of cable laying in the SOS.
So intimately allied are electric cable
extension and gutta-percha production
that in the year or any given period
Of years it is quite possible to meas
ure the one by the other. But COM
paratiyely speaking cable laying in all
parts of the world has so outstrippel
gutta-percha production that there
has been a very decided increase in
the cost of gutta-percha in the market.
Between 1889 and 1898 It increased
by one-third.
The production Of gutta-percha,"
said George Clapperton, traffic man.
ager of the Commercial Cable Com
pany, lis a vital factor in making SUBJ
marine cables and | have heard the
comparative scarcity of gutta-percha
discussed as a serious element in the
cable laying of the future. But the
promising view Of the case is that
really there is not vast deal of deep
sea cable laying in the world which
remains to be done.
The last link in the second line
from England to South Africa has
just been completed and the German
cable to this country has been laid.
The two great lines in contemplation
are the. American cable to Hawaii and
the Philippines. and the British line
from British Columbia-abOut $4,000
miles. Then there is another line in
consideration from somewhere on the
eastern coast of South Africa to Aus
tralia, about 1900 miles more in North
ern Europe, making "a total OF from
$4,000 to $4,000 miles. When these are
completed the world will be pretty
we'll immeshed with cables and 1t
would be comparatively limited for q
time at least thereafter.
Nov, of course. the construction OF
the 10000 miles in the Pacific alone
will require a vast deal of gutta-
percha. Yet | imagine the cable man
ufacturers know where they are going
to get it, for | understand that they
are already prepared to bid on the
contracts. This l suppose, would hard
ly be the case unless they had the
gutta-percha in sight.
There is absolutely. no other sub,
stance known that will take the place
Of gutta-percha as a shield for the
copper wire case Of and electric cable
Search has been made and Is till being
| made for something that will do as
well, but it has not yet been success
full. Experiments have been made
with other substances. but they all
failed. So the deep sea cable seems
practically to be dependent upon
gutta-percha.
ut is a perfect insulator and it also
has the property not only OF not de-
teriorating by submersion in sea
water, but of actually improving the
longer it is submerged. Gutta-percha
that has been at the bottom of the
sea for years is better than when II
was first laid down. 1t retains it's re
markable Elasticity and remains still
as perfect in regard to it's insulating
qualities"
Covering the copper core of an cleo
trio cable with gutta-percha is one Of
| the most difficult and delicate process
ses in cable manufacture. The slight
est imperfection in the covering or
pore the fraction of hairs breadth
in size means sooner or later broker
communication involving an eXpen
sive voyage of the repair ship.
The gutta-percha, which must be O.
the finest quality, is laid on over the
wire to thickness of about the diam
eter of the wire itself. Over this i!
laid a coating Of paler and cheaper
quality of gutta-percha, and then come
the steel wires to give tensile strength
Over the whole is wrapped jute core
coated with tar.
There is on board every cable re
pair ship" said another man connect
ed with the Commercial Gable Com
pany. lone person who, although he ii
a mechanic having 'an important par
of the cable splicing to perform, is IL
about the position of first cabin pas
senger. He is called the gentleman
of the ship Until the time comes
for him to get in his fine work he doe
no labor whatever, because it is alb
solutely necessary that he shall keel
his hands soft and with all their deli
cacy of touch unimpaired.
This is the man who lays on TIT
gutta-percha covering over the part
of the cable after they are spliced
| It is the most delicate AMI careful
work imaginable. He has to go owe
the gutta-percha again and again
smoothing it down with his finger
and examining it infinitely as h
works to see if there is the slightes
imperfection or the most hair-lik
porosity. This has to be done witt
every coating at it is put on until thu
requisite thickness Of gutta-percha i
reached.
"a man whose hands were in tn
least hardened or calloused witt