The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1907-03-21
FIRST CHAIN CABLES.
How They Suppianted the Use d
Hempen Ropes on WarshIps.

Hempen Ropes on WarshIps.
The first man who succeeded In
making a useful chain cable was
Robert Finn, and he experimental
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 nc
stay pins or studs, says the London
Globe, but it served it's purpose, and
was, moreover, favorably reported
upon by some of the progressive sea-
men of the time.
At about the same period d lieuten-
ant in the navy named Samuel Brown
was 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 1t was
decided to give Lieut.. Brown the COM
mand CT a sailing vessel, the Penelope,
and send him on voyage to Marti-
nique and Guadeloupe. At his own
expense he was to supply chain cables
for the ship, and they were to be ex-
perimented with on the voyage. Dur
ing the four months the ship was
away the new cables were given q
thorough trial, and proved quite salts
factory.
When Brown had made his report q
committee was appointed to advise as
to the adoption of the chain cable in
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 cables
was reduced to three, and in 1S47 q
further change was ordered, two hem
pen cables only being retained. with
four chain cables as pricipal moorine
tackle.
During the Russian war the superb
ority of chain cables was amply de-
inonstratsd on many occasions. The
vessels we're exposed to the gales ard
hurricanes Of the Baltic and the Black
Sea but whereas the men-o'-war Win
these chains were able to keep their
mornings in the toughest weather.
many of the merchantmen transports
fitted only with hempen ropes broke
away and met with disaster. And 81
an ancient industry, one which IN
early days was almost monopoly II
Dorsetshire, was placed infinitely II
a secondary rank. No act OF par'!a-
ment such as that of Hendy VIII. CT
daining that mo person bat the IN
habitants only shall make cables
could bring back that prosperity to
Bridport which that town had en-
loved in the earliest days of Eas-
lands naval glory. A modern battle
shin carries four main cables an
anchors, each costing about 5l.E0e.
This gives her a total OF $50 fathL N
of chain cable.
TIE earliest anchors OF which We
have any record were of wood. an
gradually, through the iron anchor CT
one hook and the anchor in the shape
Of rake there was evolved the an
cher with the SlTilSul lHiSh ohesd ~
the two curving arms with fiattcnei
eytyemities and the long cross stock.
The process of slowing one OF tnese
old anchors was Icing and laEcroUs
one. 1t was hove close UP to the CAP
stcn or windlas3. a man was let down
by rope to hoo. On huge tackle. By
wi :ch the anchor was then holsteo,
still perpendicular. to a stout PRO. ect-
inc timber. Then the lower cni "a I
to be hoisted up Horizontally By ar
other tackle, and tie whole nau'
fast.
7, the modern stockless anchor \
chain is attach ed to it at the bai7 nc
ing point and this is passed throae
a pulley at the head Of the am &c r
davit When the anchor is hig1
enough, davit and all swing round uE-
til the anchor is over the billboard.
where it rests and is secured d.
chains