The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-01-03

and the swaying movement is caused
by the induced currents set up in the
coiled cable by the rolling of the ship.
At the end of every fifth minute the
spot gives vigorous leap upwards on
the scale, and the electrician duly notes
its magnitude. This leap is caused by
a signal from the shore and proves
that the continuity of the conductor is
still preserved AS the cable leaves
the heated ship and sinks into the al
most freezing temperature of the ocean
bed, the insulation improves and the
spot of light gradually works down
towards zero. When, on the other hand,
the DETECTION grows larger and the spot
shows an inclination to steal off the
upper end of the scale, something is
wrong and a careful test must be taken.
Should this prove that fault exists,
the ship is stopped, the cable cut, and,
if the fault is near. picking up COM
mences. If the fault is some distance
away, the cable is buoyed, and the ship
steams to the locality of the faulty por-
ton.
THE LAST STAGE.
Surprising, however, all goes well, the
whole section is paid out and buoyed,
and the ship steams to the second land
ing place. Here the shore end is land
ed in the same manner as before, and
cable is paid out up to the buoy. When
the end of the first section has been
hauled on board, the splicing operation
commences. This consists of % joint
between the two inner cores; 90 splice
between the two outer sheathings. a
skilled jOinter with his assistant cleans
and braces together the ends of the two
conductors. Then drawing down over
-;
from either side, he applies two or
three more coats of the same material.
No air holes must be left between these
different coverings, as the enormous
pressure at the sea bottom might burst
them and render the cable faulty. The
splice in the sheathing wiYe is perform
ed by cable hands, and is a much less
delicate piece of workmanship.
Under the most favorable conditions
cable-laying is anxious work for those
in charge of the operation. At any time
during the paying out-which may last
with long section some ten or four
teen days-a storm may arise or some
mishap may occur on board which re-
suits in losing the cable in a depth of
over 1000 fathoms. In such a case the
date of its recovery cannot be predicted.
1t may be in three or four days; it may
be In as many weeks or months Every
precaution is therefore taken against
such accidents. Buoys are slung in the
rigging ready for slipping into the wa
ter, buoy ropes and graphing ropes are
cOlled where they can be paid out at a
moments notice and bell pushes in con-
nection with a bell in the engine room.
are placed in convenient positions at
the top of each tank.
A BROKEN CABLE.
Should the cable break out-board
and be lost in spite of these precau-
lions, a mark buoy is Immediately low
cred to guide the ship in graphing
operations. Dragging is then begun at
right angles to the line in which the
cable lies. Should the dynamometer,
under which the graphing rope runs,
show a steady rise in The strain. the ca.
BILE is evidently hooked. and heaving
up commences. As soon as the grapneI
reaches the bows with the blight of the
cable on one of its prongs. the two sides