GRAPPLING FOR THE CABLE.

Evening Star, Issue 4024, 19 January 1876, Page 2

GRAPPLING FOR THE CABLE.

On board the Luna at Morser’s Bay, .... ... Monday blight. Although there was a very strong tide, with a heavy swell and a good stiff breeze, the grapnel was thrown over about nine o’clock this morning. The first cast was not success, ful, a sufficient allowance not having been made for the force of the tide. The second cast a!so was not successful The grapnel when hauled showed it had been dragged over rooks and one prong was broken. The others were more or less injured. A third cast was made, and after some dragging the cable was caught and everyone watched anxiously the tautened chain. The strain steadily increased, and the full power of winding seemed to have been reached. At last there was a jerk and a quiver, and all thought the cable lost. However, after hauling in some slack the strain was again apparent, though much less so than before. It turned out that the cable had broken when the strain was so tremendous, and that now the broken piece was being hauled in. A length of 1,267 fathoms was brought on board. The appearance of tin cable showed that it had been resting on a very rocky bottom, in fact, on only a pinnacle of rock here and there. A considerable portion ef the cable appeared to be as sound as when first laid, but parts Jwere more or less oxidised. The cable was covered with an endless variety ofanimal&nd vegetable life. The winding took two hours and as evening was near and the sea rising, the Luna came to the Bay for the night. Work will, if the weather permits, be recommenced to-monow.