Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-10-14
HOW HONOLULU
CABLE
WILL BE LAID

w ILL III A1lD
San Francisco, Oct. 6.-The big
steamer Silvertown is now fifteen days
out from London for this port with
5000 miles of cable coiled in her hold
in water-tight tanks. The vessel il
due here not later than the last week
in November, and within very short
time afterward she will commence the
laying of a cable between here and Ho-
nolulu. 1t will be the first stretch Of
the cable that will give direct tele-
graphic communication between Amer
lea and the orient Two other big
steamers are preparing to sail from
London with the cable that will be laid
between Honolulu and Manila.
Landing places for the cable have al.
ready been prepared. II will be brought
ashore on the American side about
half a mile below the Cliff House, and
wires to connect II with the main office
OF the Postal Telegraph Company at
Market and Montgomery streets are
now being laid in conduits along Geary
street and Point Lobos road from the
beach. The cable company contem-
plates establishing Geographic COM
munication with the Islands by the end
OF the year.
| Contrary to what Is probably the gen
eral belief. the size of the strand which
will connect the two hemispheres will
be, for the greater part OF its length,
only an inch in diameter. Near the
shore the cable will be considerably
thicker-about two and half inches
on account OF accidental strains to
which II may be subjected by being
caught in the anchors OF vessels. From
this thickness II will taper off to a
small deep-sea size.
| Although the cable which is being
used by the Pacific Cable Company Is
OF English manufacture, the insulating
cover OF India rubber with which IL
will be protected in the underground
approaches at San Francisco, Hawaii,
Guam, the Philippines and ultimately
In China, was made In America. The
cable itself would also have been made
here were there facilities In this coun-
try for its manufacture, but so far no
long cables have been made outside
Of England.
Since the first cable was laid aGroSs
the Atlantic there have been many
improved methods introduced in cable
laying. and while fifty years ago there
| gnpaFal no faiInrna
as successes. II is not expected that a
single hitch will occur to delay the
American cable across the Pacific.
The manner in which the cable will
be stretched across the ocean bed by
the cable ship is an interesting opera
ton. Obviously It would not be posi-
BILE to steam along and let the cable
pay itself out over pulley. as Otter
many miles of unnecessary strand
would be laid, and the whole twisted
about In a zigzag line, while the cable
itself would often be overstrained in
the process Of submersion. To obviate
this, special machinery for measuring
and controlling the speed at which Il
leaves the ship and for measuring the
lpull on the cable has been introduced
Similar machinery would have pre-
vented the frequent breaks which oc-
Cured during the earlier attempts al
cable laying in the Atlantic.
An intricate system OF wheels and
rollers, with tanks where continual
tests for electrical condition can b,
made, constitute the paying-out appa
ratus on the Silvertown. The wheels
are so arranged that they can be raised
or lowered to give the cable less OIL
more bend" as II passes between them
Powerful brakes are also supplied by
which the speed can be regulated. Tn,
length paid out and the rate of paying
out are obtained approximately from
the number OF turns made by the drum
lover which the cable passes, and this
Is checked by the mile marks, tn.
) known position of the joints, ETC., a.
they pass. The difference between the
speed Of the ship and the rate OF pay,
ing out gives the amount Of slack.
Another point which has TO be con
,sidered is the probability OF steep hills
: being encountered on certain parts Of
the route. Should one OF these hill
be at any part sleeper than the inclin,
: OF the cable as 1t leaves the ship ant
sinks to the bottom. II is evident thai
either the friction between the cabl,
and the ground would cause the form
er to break or the cable would be lef
In long span ready to break at som'
future time, So the speed of the shiI
has to be regulated to the inclination
of the cable and the probable angle o.
incline OF the steepest hill likely to b,
I encountered.
One of the principal differences II
the composition of the cable itsel
which will be laid across the Pacih,
iron the early cables under the Allan
= itic Is the increased weight Of copper II
the strand. Where the copper wires
: used to weigh 200 pounds to the knot
the same length now has so pounds o