CABLES TO AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15076, 20 August 1912, Page 7

CABLES TO AUCKLAND.

THE TWO DIRECT ROUTES.

READY ABOUT NOVEMBER.

The Auckland .Post Office will be directly-

connected by c.\blo with Sydney and also

with Fiji, befori the end of the year.

Mr. M. J. Milled, Australian mnager for (ho Pacific Cabin Board, told a Hebald

■ representative yesterday of the progress that was being made >ith the new works.

»■" The surveys for tV 0 two cables have been completed, and we are only awiiting (he arrival of the cable* from Enjland

(o proceed with the work,' said "Mr. Millward. " The direct cable Sydney to Auckland will be laid from Bondi, Sid--1 ney, to Muriwai, on the West. Coast, aid from this point it will be brought unde- ' ground to the Auckland Post Office. Th J ' steamer Silvertown, a vessel"■■ -which 'was specially built for laying cables, 1 is expected to arrive at Sydney I" about .November with the cables, and the vessel will immediately commence laying

the cable from Bondi to Muriwai. This v.-or': will take about eight days to complete, and by that time the underground recti will bo finished." At present Fiji is connected with Doubtjo..:-. Bay, but this route will bo extended from Doubtless Bay to Takapuna beach,

from which point the cable will be brought to the Auckland Post Office. As soon as the cable across the Tasman Sea is laid, tho steamer Silvertown, assisted by the Iris, will make tho connection between

Doubtless Bay and Auckland. . This work is expected to take about three days, but, of course, the time absorbed in both cases will depend on the weather conditions. Up-to-date apartments have been provided for the Pacific Cable Board in the ■ new post office. .The cable steamer Silvertown is a ~ three-masted steamer of 4935 tons. She ; was built by Messrs. C. Mitchell and Co.

(of Newcastle) in 1873, and her dimensions are: Length 338 ft, width 55ft, and

depth 34ft. The Silvertown is com' mantled by Captain D. Morton.