THE CABLE STEAMERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 49, 21 February 1876, Page 2

THE CABLE STEAMERS

Afc an early hour on Saturday morning the Hiberma and Edinburgh were seen lying afc anchor some seven or eight miles up the Bay where, as ifc was surmised at the time, and afterwards proved to be the fact, they were taking the opportunity of cleaning up before coming down to Nelson, after completing the work of laying the cable and landing the instruments at Schroder's Mistake. A third steamer was also to be seen in their vicinity, which turned out to be tbe Luna, which had come across from Wellington to render any assistance that might be necessary. A little after three o'clock the big boats made a move, and under easy steam they proceeded dowu to the outer anchorage. An hour later the Bay presented an animated scene. The two large steamers were off the Lighthouse decorated from stem to stern with every flag ou board, including those of the countries which they had on previous occasions assisted in bringing into telegraphic communication with the rest of the world. There were the Brazilian, American, and Portugese ensigns, like the clasps attached to tbe medals on some old warrior's breast, denoting the actions in wbich he had been engaged, and, for the first time, there floated from their mast-heads tbe flag of New Zealand, showing that by the aid of these two magnificent vessels she too had been included in the telegraphic girdle which, ere long, will encompass the earth, ln company with these leviathans of the deep was the little "Wallace with all her bunting flying, and having a crowd of sightseers on board ; the llingarooma was beiug piloted out of harbor, and soon joined the gaily decorated fleet, and Bhe was followed at a short interval by the ship Celestial Queen, which waa being towed to the outer anchorage by the steamer Charles Edward, she also having a crowd of excursionists on board, and displaying a goodly array of flags, while in the distance was the Luna on ber way back to Wellington. Taking the opportunity of a swift" run out in the llingarooma, we, on Hearing the cable, shids, % stepped on board the pilot boat, and bidding good bye to the Melbourne steamer, were soon pulled alongside the Hibernia, where, in company with Mr Cross the harbormaster, we received a hearty welcome from Captain Cato and tbe officers, whose courtesy in showing us round tbe ship and pointing out to us the machinery used in laying the cable we would take this opportunity of gratefully acknowledging. On board this vessel there are three enormous tanks, 30 feet in diameter and 26 feet in depth, each capable of holding some 450 miles of cablo. A loug row of wheels with brakes and other apparatus for adjusting tbe speed at wbich the cable is to be paid out intervenes between tbe tanks and the wheel at the stern, over which it finally passes, the machinery being so delicate aud the arrangements so perfect thafc the rate afc which it passes from the tanks into the sea can be regulated to a nicety. " You must have bad an anxious time of it," was tbe remark we naturally made. The reply was suggestive of the perfection to wbich scieuce has brought the work to which we in New Zealand are now indebted for communication with Australia and the rest of the civilised world : — " Well, the fact is that we have been so long engaged in tbis business that ifc has become comparatively easy and, consequently, somewhat monotonous. Eor three days we were lowering the cable to a depth of 2GOO fathoms, and then our anxiety was certainly great, for had a mishap occurred, the "difficulty in picking ifc up would bave beeu considerable, but in 1000 fathoms or anything loss a breakage would have occasioned us little trouble, as with the apparatus with which we are furnished we could soon have secured ifc again." Captain Cato is a gentleman of very large experience iu tbis particular kind of work, he^ having been chief officer of tbe Great Eastern in some of her most important cable laying expeditions, and while we were looking down in wonder at tbe huge tanks in wbich tbe cable had beeu stowed, he remarked, "To you these may appear enormous receptacles, but you will perhaps be astonished when I tell you that tbey are very small compared with tbose on board the Great Eastern, which are eighty feet in diameter, or ten feet larger than the ring of Astley's Circus." Erom the Hibernia we proceeded to tbe Edinburgh, where we were received with equal courtesy aud hospitality. On board this ship, the largest of the tanks is larger than tbose of the Hibernia, being thirty-two feet in diameter. Sbe was tbe bearer of tbe heavier portion of the cable for tbe shore ends, her sister ship having carried the deep sea portion. There is so much to be seen on board these vessels that ifc was with difficulty that we could tear ourselves away when the pilot reminded us tbat it was time to leave, and any description that we could give of tbe beautifully perfect machinery would be inadequate to convey a fitting idea of its elaborate and intricate working. Shortly after dusk the two ships were instantaneously aud brilliautly illuminated from the water-line to the masthead with lights of every hue, from the deep red to the pale yellow, in honor of tbe completion of the task tbey had undertaken and carried to so successful a termination, and during tbe evening ! there were several discharges of rockets. It is to be regretted that sufficient notice of this could not have been given, as ifc might have been witnessed by a far larger mimber of people, and

the compliment could, and no doubt would, have been acknowledged in a far mor fitting manner. As ifc was a few rock es were discharged from tbe shore, aud the Artillery Volunteers, unwilling that the event should pass unrecognised from the town, turned out with theii* Armstrong guns and proceeded to the port, whence they fired a salute of seventeen guns. Yesterday afternoon the steamers Charles Edward, "Wallace, and Lyttelton were busilv eugaged in plying between tbe wharf and the steamers, to which they conveyed many hundreds of visitors. The hour at which the vessels came down the Bay on Saturday was such as to preclude the possibility of our publishing a report of their voyage irom Botany Bay, and we therefore take the following from tbis morning's Times, to wbich journal ifc was supplied by Mr Moody, the Navigation Officer:*— u The s.s. Hibernia and Edinburgh, Captains Cato and Manning, loft England on the 17th November, 1875, and, after en ordinary passage, arrived off

(For continuation see fourlFt page )

the Australian Coast the 28th January, 1876. Before proceeding to Sydney a good look was taken at Botany Bay, after which the vessels proceeded to Sydney harbor, and anchored in Neutral Bay. Here they were coaled with the produot of the Bulli Bulli mines with despatch, and on Tuesday, February Ist, Captain Cato went round to Botany Bay in tbe Government steam tug to examine the landing plaoe, and place a buoy for the guidance of the vessels. Oh February 4th, in the afternoon, the cable ships weighed anchor, accompanied by Captain Hixon, President of the Marine Board, The Hibernia was then drawing 27ft of water, and about 5 p.m. tbe anchor was dropped opposite to the cable house, at the plaoe previously ! marked by the buoy. The next morning, February sth, everybody was up and doing; by 4 o'clock the anchor was lifted, and tbe vessels took op a favorable position for landing the shore end of the cable. To effect this the Edinburgh sent her boats, well manned, and a good Manilla rope having been previously run out to tbe shore, a sufficient quantity of the cable was payed into the first boat, which, by means of the rope was hauled to land, seven or eight boats supporting the cable (as they did at the landing already described). During this time, on account of tbe wind, tbe steamer Mystery was fast to the stern of tbe Hibernia, keeping her in line with the cable house! At 8 o'clock the above end was successfully landed, and the Hibernia proceeded carefully and slowly out of Botany Bay, keeping well towards the south head to avoid the Bum hor a Rock, tbe monuments ereoted to Captain Cook, and La Perouse, serving as first-class land marks to shape tbe course by. By 10 o'clock, the five miles of heavy shore end (14 tons to the mile) was paid out. Tbe first intermediate cable was then commenced, the weight of this being 4 tons to tbe mile, and the twelve miles of this boing laid the second intermediate, of less weight, was commenced at noon. Observations proved the vessels' position to be 3016-17 south lat., 151.2425 east long. All the time tbis was being paid out the Edinburgh was keeping the position assigned to her on the starboaru quarter of the Hibernia, and the latter vess.l experienced strong southerly currents, for which due allowance was made. The seoond intermediate cable being exhausted, the deep sea cable was started (this weighs 35 'wt to the mile), and the Edinburgh was signalled at 3 o'clock to go ahead and take soundings; an hour later she reported 774 fathoms, but a few hours afterwards the bottom suddenly deepened to 2,600 fathoms, the greatest depth sounded during the voyage. (A greater depth was obtained once on the passage, but a. there is some doubt about this; it will be verified on the return to Sydney). Thia sudden deepening caused some apprehensions as to the sufficiency of the cable, but everything weut smoothly, and the cable paid out like an ordinary rope. The course laid down in the chart was kept, and Solar and Stellar observations were assiduously taken. The wind increased to a brisk breeze, the two vessels keeping well in company. The utmost care was displayed in taking meridians to ascertain the strength of the currents, and at noon on the 6th it was happily found that a direot course bad been ron, the position being 34*45 Bouth lat. 15349 east long. The vessels' run from mi-i-day of the sth, being 126 nautical miles, the quantity of cable paid out being 156'2, allowing slack for covering iu case of accident. , On the 7th experienced cloudy weather with strong wind, the Edinburgh still maintaining her position on the starboard quarter. At 7 a.m. arrived one of the critical times in cable-laying, wben it is necessary to shift from one tank to another; on this occasion the deep sea cable in the aft tank was exhausted, and the change was made to the tank forward. The change was made quietly and quickly, and proved the men engaged experts at the business. The vessel was stopped during the time the alteration waß made and then she Bteamed ahead. , At noon, lat. 35 30, long. 156-20 was reached, tbe vessel having kept the' exact course laid down in the chart, the 24 hours' run being 131*5 nautical miles, and tbe quantity oi cable paid out 1486. The current was tested during the day by the surface water, and a variation in temperature of six degrees in five minutes was discovered. In the evening the Edinburgh parted company to sound. Oo the Bth nothing noteworthy occurred; the steamers passed a British whaling barque steering east, and at noon observations defined the vessel's position at lat. 3619, long. 158.58, the distance run iu the 24 hours being 137 miles, and the length of cable paid out 155 4. {Some anxiety was felt at the non-appearance of tbe Edinburgh, bot this was allayed wben that vessel was sighted aatem in the course of the afternoon, and she gradually drew up The Hibernia was then paying out at the rate of six miles an hour. In the evening the Edinburgh again went abead to sound. On the 9th the vessels experienced a light breeze with cloudy weather; at 7 o'clock passed close to the Edinburgh, from which vessel the Hibernia received soundingß — -2300 fathoms. The observations at noon were, lat. 37'426, long. 161*41. The vessel had made a 72-degree course, run 138 miles, and paid out in lhe 24 hours 1522 miles of cable. At 8 30 the vessel was stopped through the cable in the fore tank becoming exhausted . A shi It was then necessary to the main tank, and this was managed

as expeditiously and well as on the former occasion. On the 10th, at 6 o'clock p.m., the Edinburgh was again sent ahead to sound, the weather being pleasant aod fine; at noon the position was determined to be lat. 37*32* 11, long. 164 40, a 70-degrea course having been kept, the run being 150 miles, and the cable paid out 156 3 miles. This was the fastest 24 hours made during the passage. At 545 p.m. the Edinburgh signalled soundings 700 fathoms, and the tidings was received witb much satisfaction as a proof that the deep water was successfully passed. At this time, however, the weather was very threatening; the wind increased until it blew a fresh gale with a heavy southerly swell. On the 11 ih the weather continued rough and thick with a heavy sea; it moderated towards noon. Latitude 38 36, longitude 167-35, by order of the Superintendent on board, on behalf of the Cable Company, the course was altered slightly to the northward to get into well defined soundings. About noon the wind shifted in a heavy squall to the south-west. At 5 p.m. the vessel stopped to splice on to the second intermediate sized cable in the aft tank. While this was being effected the Edinburgh took soundings in 267 fathoms. This time the splice was made in tbe unpreced .ntly short period of one hour and ten minutes, and in less than one hour and a half from the time the vessel stopped she was again steaming ahead. On the 12th the Edinburgh waa again sent ahead to sound, and at noon the observations shewed the vessel's position in 3921 41 lat. 170 43 iong. with a 72$ course. The distanoe run being 148 miles, the length of cable paid out 157'4. At two in the afternoon the Edinburgh signalled 200 fathoms, with a strong breeze and fine clear weather. At 4.30 rounded to, and at 4,50 stopped; at 5 5 buoyed the end of the cable in lat. 39 I long. 171 ? 19. A marked buoy was placed about half a mile to the northward, and tbe vessels Btood off for the night. At 1.40 a.m. Btood back to the buoy and waited for daylight, when it was found that the sea was too high to work the boats, the vessels steamed into Golden Bay, and there, in comparatively smooth water, the transhipment of tbe staff of electricians to the Edinburgh was effectea on the morning of the 14th. On the evening of the 14th the vessels changed positions, and the Edinburgh, attended by the Hibernia, steamed out of Golden Bay to the place where the cable was left buoyed. On the 15th, at 8.40, the Edinburgh picked up aud spliced the cable, and then took up the work hitherto performed by the Hibernia, of paying out. The Hibernia went ahead to the place marked in the chart, as the probable termination of the deep sea line, in lat. 40 16, long. 173-18, and here, in 140 fathoms, waited the arrival of the Edinburgh. The latter vessel came up, and the two vessels proceeded together, (he Hibernia taking soundings until 7.55, wben in 40 fathoms the end was buoyed, aod the vessels came on to Nelson.