A TRIP TO THE HEADS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIII, Issue 5920, 16 February 1880, Page 5

A TRIP TO THE HEADS.

[by OPE fePECIAI; EHPOETEE ] The Lyttelton Harbour Board has for some time past been engaged in perfecting a system of communication between its various offices and stations, in order that incoming vessels may be brought up the harbour and berthed with the utmost promptitude, and that all details in connection with the harbour work may be at once known at the offices in Lyttelton and Christchurch, and be made available. for the benefit of all concerned. The plan adopted has been to provide an elaborate telephonic service, as being more simple and reliable than any other form of electrical appliance, and the work has been carried out under the immediate superim tendance of Mr Medding?, the District Inspector of Telegraphs, by whom also the telephones have been constructed. Being aware that arrangements had been made for pntting up the last of the fittings and completing the circuit of communication, I made application to be permitted to inspect the entire system. My request was courteously acceded to, and I was instructed to hold myself in readiness for Friday last. Early on that morning the trip was commenced, our first call being at the offices in Hereford street. In the Secretary’s room is a neat cabinet, within which are the instruments, secure from dust, and from the mischief which might be wrought by meddling fingers. In a central position is the speaking or, transmitting telephone, an instrument which is wonderfully perfect in its construction, and eminently satisfactory in its results. It consists of a square shaped box, within which is placed the v’brating diaphragm and its accompanying electro-magnet; and from the front of the box projects a short speaking tube of vulcanised indiarubber, provided with a suitably shaped mouthpiece. Two ordinary telephones are placed one on either side of the transmitting instrument, and connected therewith by means of flexible wires. To use the apparatus the operator places his mouth to the speaking tube of the transmitter, and holds one of the smaller telephones to each ear. He is then in a position to communicate with the office in Lyttelton, the Harbour Master’s private residence, the pilot station in Little Port Cooper, or the look-out station on the top of Taloa Head—now commonly known as the South Head, Beside the telephone, there is a perfect call system, for which electric bells are used. If Christchurch wants to talk to Lyttelton, a small lever is pressed, and a bell rings in the Port office so long as the lever is kept down. Lyttelton having denoted attention by similarly ringing the Christchurch bell, a small brass peg is moved from one hole to another in a conveniently placed switch-plate, and the telephones are so placed in connection in lieu of the bells. The telephones require no battery power, but the bells do, and this battery is neatly arranged in the lower portion of the cabinet. The battery is of the “ Constant ” type, and will remain in good working order for two years, without requiring any other attention than an occasional supply of liquid to restore loss by evaporation. The cell employed is the Leclanohe. Its outer glass vessel, in one corner of which is a small rod of zino.-is filled with a solution of sal-ammoniac, and the inner cell of porous earthenware contains a plate of gas carbon surrounded by a powdered' mixture of carbon and the black oxide of manganese, the fame substance which is so largely need in the preparation of oxygen gas Should the battery power by any cause become seriously weakened there is even then but little danger that the bells will cease to act, for Mr Mcddmgs has taken care to put infn f.Tift wire circuit a delicate instrument known as a relay, by the agency of which even a feeble current is converted into a force of sufficient power to operate the electro-magnct of the alarm bell- « a further precaution in the introduction of a lightning guard. This consists ot two plates of iron, one lying immediately over the other, but separated therefrom by a few small pieces of vulcanite—a non-conducting material. Suppose that a flash of lightning has struck the line of wire. The fluid rushes towards one of

the terminals until it comes to a lightning guard. Here the short distance between the upper and under plate, though an impassable barrier for the electric current generated by the battery, is nothing to the lightning. The greater portion passes to the lower plate, with a report like a pistol, and therefrom reaches the earth by whatever connecting line has been placed for the purpose. In the Christchurch office, the lightning would pass to the earth by means ■ of the gas fittings. In Lyttelton the water pipes are similarly used, and these form a better conducting medium, from the fact that gas offers a certain amount of resistance. Having completed our examination of the fittings, the little lever is pressed down, and in a few seconds more wo are conversing with the Harbour Master, who informs us that the steam tug Lyttelton will be lying at the wharf on our arrival in port, in readiness to convoy us to the pilot station. Then we make our way to the railway station, and down ■ to the port, where we examine the local fittings. This station is so arranged that it can bo made—with regard to the telephonic communication —terminal or intermediate, as may be required. A loop-line tuns from the office to Captain M'Clel'an’a private residence, so that during the night ho is still in communication with any.portion of the system ; and there is also communication with the time-ball tower. In the Harbour Master’s office wo have a chat with the pilot station, where Captain Galbraith is “at home,” and then we are away to the wharf, where Captain Clark is waiting with the tug. Mr Meddings has three men with him, and they are taking on board a cabinet, with its instruments already fixed in position, and several bulky packages in which are certain accessories. All these things have —somehow—to be got up to the top of the headland which we see in the distance, and the men are exchanging congratulations on the fact that there is a cloudy sky. Our four mile run with the tug is a very pleasant one. We have to back out of the basin, and while we are turning the little s.s. Akaroa slips past us, with a laugh at our expense. The long stern chase which we make, results in a win, however, and the laugh is on the other side. We have a head wind, against which the brigantine Aratapu and the ketch Clematis are beating out slowly. As we are rounding into Little Fort Cooper, I notice on each side of the harbour, a big square patch of white. These marks are to indicate that no vessel may anchor between them and the Heads, for fear of fouling the cable. From Lyttelton, the wires are carried along on the ordinary poles, following the track to the lighthouse on Godley Head. Within about a quarter of a mile of the lighthouse, the line leaves the track, and is carried down to the water’s edge, near the little beach used for landing stores for the lighthouse. We can see very distinctly the line of polos, and the tiny structure on the beach which contains one end of the cable. Turning round, we can also eoo the othercable house, snugly placed oa a little strip of sandy beach which makes a pretty break in the fringe of worn boulders. We run into Little Fort Cooper, and soon open up the Pilot Station, where a small cluster of neat buildings forms a perfectly isolated settlement. A big white boat is being pulled vigorously towards us, with Captain Galbraith in the stern, and we are quickly transferred thereto. We do not pull direedy towards the houses, but some distance to the right of them, where there is a long, low structure, and a staging sloping down into tho water. This is the boat-house, often the scene of tremendous bustle and activity. A little more than four years ago tho pilot-stalion was on the far side of the entrance to Little Fort Cooper, where on an exposed beach of very limited dimensions, the old house and boatshed may still be seen. On such a spot the dwellers must h ive felt like so many rats in a trap, and great must have been their delight on being tranferred to their present comfortable quarters. In erecting the buildings the then Provincial Government had the work done thoroughly well. The boatshed is a substantial structure, its walls being of concrete and its roof of iron, and its entrance way protected by a miniature breakwater of boulders. The first object to attract attention is tho splendid lifeboat, a facsimile of those used in the English Preventive Service and on board the P. and O. steamers. This particular boat, built by White, of Cowes, Isle of Wight, and numbered 875, has been subjected to many a severe test, always with the most satisfactory results. Besides her stout planking, she has a thick diagonal lining, and a number of watertight compartments along each side, as well as fore and aft. She pulls 4 or 6 oars, and sails extremely well. The two other boats belonging to the station, which are built as nearly as possible on the same linos as the lifeboat, are equally good of their kind; and it is much to the credit of cur Colonial industries that such admirable workmanship can bo shown by a Lyttelton builder. At the far end of the boatshed is a large winch for hauling up or launching the boats easily and quickly. From the boatshed a broad pathway leads round to the houses. These in? elude the residences of the harbour master and coxswain, and the men’s quarters. All are substantial and comfortable. The single min have separate bedrooms, and a common living-room and kitchen, and the scrupulous cleanliness everywhere apparent might serve as a model for many a pretentious establishment. It is not the climate of Christchurch that one experiences in Little Cooper, where at first the heat seems intense. Captain Galbraith tells me that ihey have potatoes and green peas ready for use in October, and one sees at a glance that the big bushes of choice geraniums flourish out of doors all the year round. About the beach, and cropping up out of tho ground are numbers of huge bones. They are all whale bones. Thirty or forty years ago the place was a famous whaling station, and vessels have filled up without going more than a few miles beyond the Heads. The place on which the pilot station has been erected was where the crews went ashore and conducted many of their operations ; and it is after Captain Cooper, a celebrity amongst the whalers, that the bay has been named. As wo are about starting up the hill to the look-out station, I am informed that it is possible to cover the distance- “a mile and a third” —in twenty-two minutes. The first portion of the ascent, termed the zig-zag, effectually quenches my aspiration to achieve the feat. Before I have gone a hundred yards that wonderful little ten-ounce machine—the heart, seems to have been converted into the piston-rod of a mighty steam engine, and to be working at a more than ordinary speed. The sensation soon subsides however, and one can look with pleasure on the glorious pane-, rama of land and sea. As wo proceed I learn from Captain Galbraith many interesting particulars of the routine work of the station. The official staff includes the pilot (Captain Galbraith), the coxswain and four men. Should two vessels be coming in together, the pilot takes charge of one of them, and tho cox. boards the other, the men forming the necessary boat hands. But in addition to this work, a watch must bo kept at the look-out station night and day, the watch being relieved every four hours. Not by any means unpleasant work, in this delicious summer weather, to be on the breezy hill-top for four houi's. On one side of the observer, is the entire length of the harbour, seemingly at his feet, and on the other aide he looks along Port levy. On the opposite headland, the lighthouse gleams white in the sunlight, and away beyond it—some 34 miles— can be seen a small hut on Motunau, the Table Island of Captain Cook. In nor’-westerly weather, when seaward objects stand out sharply, he may see tht Arawata or thoßingarooma four hours before they reach the Heads, equivalent to a distance of notices than 40 miles. But, to-day, the wind is north-easterly, and on (he water, at about a mile from tho land, tiiera is a broad line of fog. Beyond it there is a clear horizon. In the fog-belt, an American vessel is lying-to; she cleared out on the previous day, but evidently her cap am does nob like moving in tho haze. There is not always the same pleasant duty for the look-out on the south head, in dirty weather he is glad to avail himself of tho 10ft square hut, solidly built of buck and stone to withstand tho fury of the ga e, provided with a cosy fire to keep up warmth and life. In coming up the hill wo had fol-

lowed a well worn path, and lying on the ground alongside it I bad obseryc.i a line of galvanised wive. This, before tbo path ban become worn, formed a guide l.no for the during the night; without it they would scarcely have found their way to or from the station. While I have been looking round, Mr Meddings and his men have creeled the cabinet, which had to be carried up by hand, and from the top of the south head wo a' e now talking with the Harbour-master in Lyttelton, as easily as if ho was present. What a marvellous change from the former system of flag signals, limited in application, and, in unfavourable weather, difficult to decipher. Now the look-out man sees a ship coming up. He presses a small lever, ringing a bell down in the pilot’s house, or, if the pilot is away, in the offices in Lyttelton and Christchurch. Quick as thought he hears a return signal, and in a minute or two more it is known in Lyttelton and Christchurch that a given vesspl is in sight, how far she is off, how she heads, and indeed all that can be known about her. Almost as soon as it takes to tell tbo pilot boat is moving away, or if the vessel is one of those known as employing towage the tug is moving out; the necessary orders are being given for suitable wharf accommodation, and the Christchurch agents are perhaps arranging as to the disposal of the cargo. Another great advantage in the now system is the fact that the man who, for the time being is on look-out duty, is practically near enough to the station to converse with the inmates, and it may safely be asserted that he trill in consequence feel all the more pleasure in the discharge of his onerous duty. Similarly, the pilot-station is brought close to Lyttelton, and in any case of emergency—such as an accident or sudden illness —help can be speed-ly obtained. There are also many minor advantages. For instance, a wire is carried across from the pilot’s residence to the men’s quarters, and Captain Galbraith can call to his men during the night, or satisfy himself that the relief has turned out. It will be remembered that the piece of t he old Cook Strait cable, which now forms a portion of the Lyttelton Harbour system, contains three wires. Only one of these is in use. As before-mentioned, the ends of the cable are secured in small houses on either side of the harbour, and the plan of making connection with the land line at each end has been to use a lightning guard. This provision is a most important one, since a flash of lightning entering the line of cable, would in .all probability destroy its conductivity by ripping up the sheathing. It seems possible that the advantages of the Lyttelton Harbour Board’s system of telephonic communication, great as they undoubtedly are, may yet be extended with advantage. It is a good thing that the pilot and look-out stations have been placed on speaking terms with Lyttelton, both in the interests of commerce and for the well-being of the men employed in those isolated positions. So also it would bo a good thing if the lighthouses on Godley Head and at Akaroa could be included in the system. Perhaps the Harbour Board might by special arrangement with the Government be enabled to carry out this idea—one which no doubt has occurred to some of tbo members of the Board. On descending the bill, a few accessories were fitted up at Captain Galbraith’s residence, and the telephonic system was thereby completed, and the first sound heard was lively Scotch air which was being played upon the pianoforte in Captain M'Lellan’s private residence in Lyttelton. As we listened, a voice said, “My word, that’s good.” It was the look-out on the headland above us, who was listening also.