The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1907-08-01
FIRST CHAIN CABLES.
How They suppIanted the Uss OF
Hempen Ropes on Warships.

The first man who succeeded In
making a useful chain cable was
Robert Finn, and he eXperimented
with it in 1908 in small ship named
the Anne and Isabelle. Of three hum
dred tons burden. His cable was
made of very, short links, with no
stay pins or studs, says the London
Globe, but it served its purpose, and
was, moreover, favorably reported
upon by some Of the progressive sea-
men of the time.
AT about the same period a lieuten-
ant in the navy named Samuel Brown
vas also experimenting with chain
cables made of twisted links, and
this, when it was duly patented, he
brought to the notice Of the Navy
Board. After much discussion IT. was
decided to give Lieut.. Brown the COM
mand of sailing vessel, the Penelope,
and send him on a voyage TO Maru-
uique and Guadeloupe. At his own
expense he was to supply chain cables
ior the ship, and they were to be eX-
perimented with on the voyage. Dur
irr the four months the ship was
away the new cables were given
thorough trial, and proved quite satis-
factory.
When Brown had made his report
committee was appointed to advise as
to the adoption Of the chain cable III
place of the hempen, and as a result
the new tackle was gradually intro
duced into men of war. Between
1910 and 1911 the first chain cables
were served out to the ships, but the
full complement of hempen caoleS
was reduced to three. and in l847 a
further change was ordered, two hem-
pen cables only being retained. WIN
four chain cables as pricipal moorins
tackle.
During the Russian war the superb
ority of chain cables was amply ae-
monstratet on many occasions the
vessels were exposed to the gales anu
hurricanes of the Baltic and the BLACK
Sea but whereas the men-o'-Wsr WIN
these chains were able to keep tnelr
moorings in the toughest weather.
MANY of the merchantmen transports
fitted only with hempen ropes broke
away and met with disaster. And SO
an ancient industry, one when III
early days was almost a monopoly III
Dorsetshir,s, was placed infinitely IN
a secondary rank. No act OF parma
ment such as that Of Hendy VEIL. or
daining that mo person but the IN
hahitants only shall make cables
could bring back that prosperity 10
Bridport which that town had en-
loved in the earliest days OF Eng
lands naval glory. A modern Dattle-
ship carries four main cables anu
anchors. each costing about El'zoo.
This gives her total of 45O fatnoms
of chain cable.
The earliest anchors Of which we
have any record were OF wood. and
gradually, through the iron ancnor Oh
one hook md the anchor in the shape
of a rake there was evolved the an
Choir with the straight thick shank
the two curving arms with fiatteneo
extremities and the long cross STOCK.
The process of slowing one OF these
old anchors was long and laborous
one It was hove close up to the cap
stan or windlass. man was let down
hv rome tc hook on a huge tackle, by
which the anchor was then hoisted,
still perpendicular, to a stout project
ing timber. Then the lower end nao
to be hoisted up horizontally by an
other tackle, and the whole maze
fast.
In the modern stocllless anchor a
chain Is attached to it at the balanc-
ing point and this is passed through
a nulley at the head of the anchor
davit When the anchor Is hlgh
enough, davit and all swing rouad un-
til the anchor is over the billboard
where it rests and Is secured by
chains.