New-York tribune., 1903-01-03

finally accomplished at 3:44 O'Clock without
toward incident. TIE connection with the test
ing room was quickly made, and San Francisco
responded promptly to the call. Congratula-
tions and compliments OF the season passed be-
tween the ship and the shore.
Connection was made at 4oi between the two
lines and Honolulu by the ship There was JOY
board the Sivertown when the extraordinary
strain which had rested upon the entire stan
for nineteen days came to an end. -Four hours
were spent in testing and allowing the recently
laid line to acquire the temperature of the ocean
depths. At $40 p. m Honolulu time. came the
first caI from San Francisco
STORMY VOYAGE OF THE SILVERToNN.
The voyage. of the Silvertown from San Fran
cisco was eventful. and at times unpleasantiy
exciting. Twelve hours out from San Francisco
the cable ship was beset by had weather. when
continued with the exception Of one day, to the
end of the voyage Variable winds that at times
approached the velocity Of gales. heavy seas
that buffeted her about. retarded the progress as
well as ENDANGERED the safety of the cable; IN
fact every adverse condition that is usually en-
countered in the laying of cable was met Win
and at times made the task most hazardous
one.
4 more perfect day could hardly be imagined
than Sunday. December IA when the shore emo
was landed near the Cliff House. off San Fran
on hoar5 the steamer at 80 in the evening ana
the start was made at 12:So on Monday noIIi, n,
ing The favorable conditions continued uhcl
II O'Clock or the morning OF fhat gate, VII, LII
the vessel ran into a squall Of WIND ano IaLh
that came out of the west. steering q Souui ,
westerly course. the Silvertown offered a proao
stsrboard beam 10 the storm Soon the seas
were whipped into confusion, rolling the Vessel
in a manner most dangerous TO the caole: me
velocity of the wind increased. and carry IN tiIe
sf.ernoor great green seas boarded the star
hoard bow and swept along the deck ana es-
capped into the through the port scuppeiS, tta
Toward evening ropes were strapped ABOUT - nie
deck and everything was made fast the ram
ceased but the storm continued with uhapd teo
force throughout the night These were ANXIOUS
hous for the men charged with the saieS VI
the cable. - 49,
trte course or to cut and buoy the line bot
were fralgft with danger A deviation from Inc
s.oTrse was obviously out of the quesuolt as
much for the reason that such action would not
have Jessened the strain upon the cable. as the
more important consideration of the waste OF
thine and the danger of getting INTO @ unKnoMn low
depths. To cut and buoy the caole EOIlu la iaN
been eouallv dangerous Even one Of the great
buovs carried for Just such emergencies, couo 9na
scarcely have Heathered the storm with -'oVo
fstho7ns of cable weighing FIVE tons, tugging
q, IL All chances were carefully Weigheo anu
,be z-essel's bow was kept TO the southwest
TnssdaT the 18Th. brought no improvement in
the weather conditions. The WIND continued 10
blow great blasts from the west. and the seas
constantly bombarded the blg ships staFpoaro
SWEPT BY HEAVY SEA.
One particularly heavy sea boarded the star
board bow and swept the deck from fore 10 aIt'
smashed the scuIlery light and broke the gang
way ladder The chart rooms on the hurricane
deck were flooded and the bridge itself was IN
Nsded al times by the turbulent seas Those AZ
work in the paying out room on the main oech
sn6 about the cable machinery waded IN water
- the knees. The companion ways were pay
tened down in order to prevent the hooo1ng OF
the saloon One Of the cooks of the galley was
hsaly scalded by cauldron of spilled soup.
and severely bruised and injured. At times the
ship rolled terribly, and il seemed that the great
strain would prove disastrous TO the Sap!e: PIE
q per cent faster than the speed OF the vessel
This was increased during the storm TO 10 per
cent Even with this concession the strain was
terrific As the shin lifted and Iurched the
great drum around which the strand was pass
ing would almost cease 10 reTolTe one flo1snt, :
only TO resume with a rush the next, rendering
the lives of the men in the tanks seeming, IL
not real hazard. The dynamometer, Fegulat-
ing the speed of the line and the strain, was
huctuating wildly at such times rushing from
an indicated strain of two tons or less UP 10 Iour
and even fve tons. Ehe preakihs tsT,ra slTaIn IS
relieve the strain promptly meant disaster as
the loss OF the line in 900 fathoms would nave
resulted in long ana serious delay IN lhe coii
pletion Of the work of laying the cable, as well
a. being q most expensive happening TO the
contracting company Rare good judgment In
the handling OF both the ship and the cable at
these critical times aveTted an accident
ARDUoUS WORK OF SHIPS COMPANY.
Throughout Monday night and until Tuesday
noon when the wind abated I'm force. the ships
officers and and the cable staff were on
DUTY without rest or sleep Great relief was
expressed when the apparently critical situation
was passed although. when the wind abated at
noon on Tuesday. the continued with a
strong heavy swell that counter TO the ship 8
course On Wednesday. the 18th, the weather
improved. and everything ran smoothly ana
fair progress was recorded. Heavy swells made
the ship uncomfortable place, and rendered
close watch on the cable necessary On Thurs
dsv favorable conditions prevailed and, in spite
of q strong southwesterly breeze. 201 knots
paid out. which was the best day run
up this time On Friday the first section or
the cable. measuring 929 nautical miles. was
finished. and the vessel was stopped at O'Clock
on Friday night to make the change to the
after tank containing the second section
This interesting and hazardous operation was
successfully carried out in a little more than an
hour and progress resumed As the vessel
grew lighter the rolling increased. The charac-
ter Of The cargo and the ponderous deck machin-
cry made her particularly susceptible TO the on
slaught of the seas. Saturday. the 2oth, was
much like the preceding day. save that the roll
ing motion was accentuated by southwest winds;
reerins at times the west, with only lSf
knots reeled of. For twenty-four hours enoing
at noon Sunday. the list III knots OF caole
were laid The wind blew from the southwest
with moderate force, but on the whole the day
d pleasant one, and progress was gooo
During the night. however. there was a con-
siderab BILE sea on. and Of the cable men IN
the tank was caught in the sWirllng line ana
suffered dislocated shoulder. The day was
notable for two things. the crossing or the van
,-ou1er- Australian cable at O'Clock IN the
morning. and the receipt OF the hrst batch oi
news from San Francisco This latter consisted
of brief bulletins of President RooseVelts dp-
r,ontr1ent as arbitrator In the Venezuelan ollI-
Guilty the disastrous train wreck at byroIl al IA.
the capture Of the Humberts in Madrid Mar
coni's latest claims in wireless telegraphy uls-
coyerles and some minor items. The news from
shore was received with delight by those on
hoard the SilvertoNn Roosevelt's appointment
l,eine especially interesting 10 the English stan