THE BREAKDOWN OF THE CABLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11562, 28 January 1901, Page 4

THE BREAKDOWN OF THE CABLE.

The cable has broken down just at the timl ?V | when there was more work for it to do than at any previous period of its history. The death of the Queen no doubt necessitated I the sending of many messages, official and otherwise, from London ■ to Australasia, - j while a vast number of messages of all kinds * were sent from these colonies on the re-, | ceipt here of the news. The latest infor-;• ■- \ mation wo have of the state of affairs is as i follows:—"Singapore advises via. Sumatra, I that "The repairing steamer is expected to restore cable communication this' (Sunday) :•';■ evening between Singapore and Java. Batavia posted 400 messages to Singapore on :; Friday evening, and Batavia further advises that Singapore posted on Saturday another- " 500 messages, which will -reach Batavia on /: Monday morning, and be forwarded to Aus- . tralia and New Zealand."- - This is not very comforting.' We have : . had previous experience of this sort of thing. . - The posted cables come in a confused heap, and the confusion is still worse confounded by these being mixed up with cables which . have been sent by the repaired line. When the last serious breakdown occurred it was . said that such a thing would never take place again, as means would be taken to prevent such a thing by duplicating the lines at the critical places.

In accordance with the wish of His Wor- ■.. ship the Mayor, our premises will be open for business on Tuesday, the 29th, : and will be closed on, the day appointed for national mourning, due ' notice of which will be given thereof.— Special line in sideboards, only £2 18? spot cash, at Tonson Gwlick G0y.,"8 gigaaue turui« turoealo, , : •" -•■'---- •■•■ "