GRAPPLING FOR THE COOK STRAIT CABLE.

(Fltdßl OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.)

WELLINGT9N, January 23rd. Thb Luna succeeded in picking up the Lyell's Bay end Of the cable, and gave it to the Eg« iilotit lost night. The Luna then started for Worser's Bay to pick up the spare piece of cable she Mt there the other day. She will then proceed to pick Up the White'e Bay end> then splice the spare cable to that, After that join up to the piece the Egmont is riding to and complete the circuit from the first grappling. Yesterday, the cable was too heavy to lift. When they took it about 70 fathoms from the break, it came up quite easy. The Egmont is in communication with Lyelre Bay and Wellington,

On Board the Luna, January 23rd. My hurried notes aent yeaterday evening will have informed you that after many disappointing failures and 13 hours' persistent effort, the cable was at length hooked and the end safely brought on board. Electrical tests Bhowed the three wires to be in perfect working order between the Luna and Wellington. The cable had been hooked only 70 fathoms from the broken end, co that up to the present there has not been an inch of cable lost during the grappling operations. After the Lyell's Bayenaof the cable had been transferred tp m Egamt, and fort ve^cl )aA Utn put in

telegraphic communication with Wellington, it was decided that the Luna should remain under easy steam near the Egmont all night, and proceed to pick up and splice on to the White's Bay end of the c^ble at daylight. At daylight, however, there was a strong N.W. wind, and the sea was too rough for our work. We waited about near the end till 7 a.m., hoping the sea would go down, but as there was then no prospect of quiet weather, the Luna steamed to Worser's Bay, leaving the Egmont still riding to the Lyell's Bay cable. The Luna anchored in Worser's Bay at 8.30 a.m. and is now engaged picking up the 1125 fathoms of cable recovered last week. This will be spliced on to the spare cable already in the after hold of the Luna, so that we shall have over 3i knots of spare cable in one length and in perfect condition, ready for joining on between the White's Bay and the Lyell's Bay ends. The actual gap between those ends is shown by the angle measurements of Captain Johnston and Mr Koch to be less than U mile, but it is prudent to have as muchap.ire cable in one length as possible, to provide for contingencies in cas6 of accident during the final paying out and splicing.

Monday, 24th. The Tui arrived this morning, but had no commurication wich the Luna, which was seen steaming past Sinclair's Head, as if bouud for the White's Bay end of the cable. The Egmcnt rode to the Lyell Bay end of the cable all night, 'but by telegram received fivm her this morning, she had difficulty in doing so, and once or twice when the sea and wind increased had serious thoughts of letting go the cable. The Tui on her L,st trip to Blenheim and back, did it in the short space of 9 hours and 20 minutes.

On Board the Luna, January 24th.

Strong N.W. wind all day. We have been grappling for the White's Bay end of the cable for about 12 hours, but without success, and anchored for the night at Otoronga Bay. On the 23th we left at four in the morning for the cable ground: The wind was S.E., and in a short time freshened so much that grappling was impossible. Shortly after 6 a.m., the Egmont, which was hanging to the Lyell Bay end signalled, " Cannot hold on much longer.' The Luna at once steamed up and found her riding very heavily and shipping much water. As worse weather was evidently coining on, and as the Egraont was already distressed, and as it was important, if the cable had to be slipped, it should be before the vessol was actually in danger, orders were given to the Egmont to throw her end of the cable overboard and let go the buoy anchor. This was promptly done. The officers on board the Luna _ took angle observations to fix the exact position, and after waiting about two hours the Luna left the buoy riding easily and safely, and returned to Wellington to await another spell of fine weather,