THE CABLES

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 82, 15 April 1901, Page 3

THE CABLES

A SATISFACTORY REPORT. By Telegraph—Press Association.] Wakapuaka, last night. Tho Eastern Extension Cablo Company’s repairing steamer Recorder arrived in tiic Bay this afternoon. She has been repairing one of the cables between Australia, and called in hero to make sure that the splice in the cable, which was paid over the ship’s side in a very heavy gale, had not parted before it reached the bottom. Everything being found satisfactory, her stay here was of very short

duration, and she sailed at 3 o’clock for Sydney, where she coals prior to her return to Singapore, the headquarters of tho Company in the East. The Recorder has for tho post throe months been engaged in repairing and renovating both cables which connect Australia with Now Zealand. Towards the end of last year she was summoned from the East to mend one of the cables which had suddenly parted sonic 330 miles off tho New Zealand coast, and communication was completely restored in February. She then turned her attention to a small fault which was found to exist in the other cable, a few miles from the Sydney end. Owing to a long spell of bad weather this proved to be a protracted job, and it was not until a few days ago that this wiro was passed as being in perfect working order. The vessel then returned to Sydney, and was on the point of leaving for the East when another flaw suddenly made its appearance in the same cable, this time about 350 miles from Now Zealand. Tho

tccorder immediately loft for the locality, nd as tho result of a smart piece of work lad tho fault located and removed on

Thursday last. She came to Wakapuaka to make certain of the final tests. To-day’s tests proved that both cables are now in first-class working order, and electrically perfect as the day they were laid. The officers of the C able Company at I,a l’erouse and Wakapuaka have had a most anxious time during tho last three months. It is difficult to attribute these recent breaks to any particular circumstances, but tho general opinion is that tho more serious of the breaks wero

due to the rocky piece of bottom on which tho cables are rosting, the action of the under current ronderihg tho lines subject to continual grinding over sharp rocky ledges. The' nature of the breaks was not consistent with tho theory of volcanic action, which was-at first entertained. As an example of tho costle work the Cable Companies havo to unde? take owing to unforeseen circumstances, it may be mentioned that tho repairs and renewals just carried out will cost the Estorn Extension Cable Company not less than seventeen thousand pounds. It is fortunate that the Company had

two cables between Australia and New Zealand, as it lias assured uninterrupted communication between Australia and New Zealand since 1890, when the second cable was laid. V