CABLE COMMUNICATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5460, 11 January 1896, Page 5

CABLE COMMUNICATION.

[Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, Jan. 11.

The Terranora returned to port this morning. She reports having completed laying the new single-core cable between White's Bay, South Island, and Otirangi, North Island, on Monday afternoon. The work of repairing the No. 4 cable between White's and Lyell Bays, was then begun, and was finished at three o'clock yesterday afternoon. About three-quarters of a mile of cable was cut out of the latter, and a new piece apliced in. With increased communication the department will be able to cope with the work without the aid of the Wheatatone automatic instrument, which will only be used when there is an unusual pressure of work.

The work of laying and repairing the cables occupied seventeen days. The cost of these cables will be under .£IO,OOO. The cost of three repairs, not including the value of the cable used, made previous to the purchase of the Terranora, was .£12,006. The two new cables have thus cost less than the three repairs referred to. The department now possess three good cables across Cook Strait, and one from Wangantii to Wakapuaka, making four cables in all between the North and South Islands. Each of these cables is duplexed, the four thus being equal to eight single wires. By the occasional use of the Wheatstone automatic machine for heavy Press work, the cable accommodation should now be sufficient for some time to come. The new cable enables Dunedin to work direct with Wellington, and in this way messages from the southern city will be as speedily dealt with as those from Christchurch. The operations were most successful, notwithstanding the broken weather, and no hitch of any kind occurred. Mr Logan, the Superintendent of Telegraphs, was in charge of the operations, and Captain Gray, of the Customs, was in charge of the vessel.