Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-06-03
Army's Secret Atlantic Cables
Cared For By Little Gray Steamship

Boston. June 1-(R-A little gray
steamship with a queer signal hang
ing from its masthead may be seen
now and again in the great ports of
Eastern and Southern United States.
Yet thousands of travellers who view
It never suspect that this vessel, the
only one Of its class, Is vitality con-
cerned in the defense Of the Ameri-
can coast.
The ship is the u. s. 8. Joseph
Henry. Its work is the maintenance
OF a secret system of submarine tel
ephone cables that enables the Coast
Artillery to train its big guns on
targets out at sea. The Joseph Hen
ry, anchored here or there or busily
steaming about its business. is the
only visible evidence of these under
water communication lines.
ls "Oculist of Coast Artillery"
1t might be appropriately called
the oculist Of the Coast Artillery"
The eyes that help find the range of
distant targets are located far away
from the harbor fort, sometimes on a
nelghboring promontory;. sometimes
on an island in the harbof. The ca
pies are the nerves that carry the
range finding observations to the
sA1S AL CD IhO UlS UdLLSIlES.
The fact that these underwater
cables exist Is no secret. Their exact
location, however, is a military Sc
cret. They are laid so that they are
out OF the way Of shipping lanes and
anchorages. Nevertheless, every 80
OFTEN, some vessel fouls one Of the
cables, or new cable must be laid,
or a cable develops a leak,
III this situation occurs anywhere
from Portland. Maine. to Galveston,
Texas, the Joseph Henry appears on
the scene. 1t is designated a mine
layer. although it never laid a mine
and probably never will. A hundred
and sixty-five feet long and displac-
ing Sol tons, it's only distinguishing
characteristics are a huge reel or
windlass, mounted horizontally on it's
forward upper deck, a big sheave on
a forward boom, and another pair of
sheaves at the bow.
1t looks like a Navy ship, but it Is
operated by the Army, being at
'tached to the Seventh Coast Artil-
lery at Sandy Hook. The crew con-
sists OF enlisted Coast Artillerymen
and warrant officers under Captain,
I. R. Parker. 1t is supposed to carry
a crew of rs, but the vessel is gem
orally shorthanded. When not work
Ing, 1t ties up in the shadow of the
Statue of Liberty at Bedloe's Island.
Repairing Damaged Gables
Wind and tide must often deter
mine the movements Of the Joseph
Henry. 1t slips away to where the
cable has been snapped, drags about
on the bottom for while with a
graphing hook, and hauls up one end
OF the broken line. The line may
have been badly damaged. It is
strung through a sheave then wound
on the big reel as the ship moves for
ward slowly through the water.
The cable looks like rope, less than
three inches In diameter, but it is of
sterner stuff than most ropes. 1t
weighs about ten pounds to the foot.
II it is of the "50-pair" variety. It's
core consists of 1o4 copper wires in
Insulation. About them is a water
tight lead sheath. The lead Is wound
with jute serving" and outside of
that is bound heavy steel "armor
WIRE"
1t is not easy to work with. Kinks
must be taken out. Leaks and sh IT
circuits must be found. Restored to
perfect condition, the cable is taken
out again by the Joseph Henry to be