The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-08-13
A British Cable
Steamer Com
ing Here.

e HE. steamer brilannla, winch -
engaged in surveying the route
for the proposed British cable, ar
rived at Auckland, N. T., July z The
Britannia made short stay there and
proceeded to Norfolk Island, whence
she will sound Fiji and then on to
Tanning Island, and then for 100 miles
to the northward of that island; thence
she will come to Honolulu, which COM
pletes the work of the survey. After
coaling at this part. the Britannia will
proceed to London. She has on board
r. E. Peake. representative of the Pa
perintendent of the electric lines In
New Zealand: Mr.. Cumming, of the
New Zealand government telegraph
department; Captain Grey, OF his maj
esty's customs service, and others of
note
looking steel steamer. and was built In
1885 by Messrs. Laird Bros, of Birken-
head. England, to the order of the Tel
egraph Construction and Maintenance
Company, of London Her dimensions
are: Length, 240 feet; beam, 81 feet;
tiraught, when loaded. H.. 10 feet; ton
mage gross, 1850. She is twin-screw
vessel, her engines being on the COM
pound principle.
Capt. J. E. Leach is in command, the
other officers being: Mr. r. Garrett,
chief; Mr.. Campos. second; Mr. Gra-
ham. third; Mr.. Broughton, fourth
Mr.. Newton, navigating officer; Mr.
Kendall, chief engineer; DR. Coleman,
surgeon; Mr.. C.. w. Clarke, represen-
tative of the Telegraph Construction
Company. and Mr.. Murphy, of the New
South Wales land office, are also on
board, the latter gentleman having
gone with the Britannia from sydney
to Norfolk Island to render assistance
to the officers regarding Norfolk Isl
and, with which he is We'll acquainted
Before coming on her present voyage
the Britannia laid $50 knots of the
shore end of the Adelaide Frenantfe
section Of the Durham Mauritius- Cocos-
Fremantle- Adelaide cable TOR the East
ern Extension. Gable Company. and
proceeded thence to Sydney to coal and
| await the arrival of Mr. r. F. Peake
representative of the Pacific Cabl5
| Company, who was in Honolulu SONS
months since, ard then went on Il
Brisbane, where a cable house was
erected at Southport, fifty miles soutt
of Brisbane, on the coast. When TIL.
work was completed the steamer pro
ceeded ~ sound towards Norfolk ISL
and, and 10 miles from the Queensland
coast. and on the proposed cable track
came across range or mountains
$4,000 feet high, running north anC
south for 10 miles. but. probably stu
further, with least depth of 800 faith
Ioms where it was previously supposed
to be 1850 fathoms. having a gradien
of 1900 feet in 16 miles.
A new track for the cable was fount
TO the southwark of this along whici
Isoundings We're continued to Norfoll
Island. The soundings on the route al
finally selected showed a good bottom
for the bed of the cable. with no ex
cessive depths.
The Britannia arrived at Norfolk Isl
and on June Is, and, after surveying
round the island Arson Bay. on tn,
| northwest side of the island, was Sc
leeted as the landing place for the pro
posed cable. While at Norfolk ISLAND
the profile soundings We're taken fol
| the Fiji, Queensland and New Zealand
sections of the cable. The weather was
very unsettled during the stay at Nor
| folk Island. and the steamers position
| had to be continually shifted