FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH ACROSS COOK STRAIT.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1867 Session I, E-09

E.—No. n.

FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH ACROSS COOK STRAIT.

(In Continuation of Papers presented on the 2§th August, IS6GJ

PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OP THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, BY COMMAND OP HIS EXCELLENCY.

WELLINGTON.

1867.

E.—No. 9.

FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH ACROSS COOK STRAIT.

No. 1. Copy of a Letter from Mr, Balfoub to the Hon. JonN Hall. Sic,— Wellington, 31st August, 1866. I have the honor to report that we went out in the s.s. " St. Kilda" this morning with a view to recovering some portion of the first submerged part of the Cook Strait Cable. We got on the bearings some little time before slack water, and after casting once or twice to look for the buoy without success, I lowered a boat and proceeded to grapple. At the second cast we got hold and called the steamer up to hand up the line, but owing to the vessel drifting a little the grapnel (which was a very light one) yielded. Immediately afterwards, however, the buoy rose to the surface a few yards off, and having thus got the line we very soon had the end of the cable on board. We picked up the whole of that piece of the cable, in all two miles and 556 yards, getting, at the same time, 130 fathoms of chain, a mushroom anchor, and an iron buoy which had been made fast to the outer end of this portion; the buoy having been damaged, had sunk. We then returned to harbour. There is still nearly a mile of cable (less or more) to be recovered, and I propose (weather permitting) to make the attempt to-morrow (Saturday) ; though from the fact of there being no buoy on either end I am not at all certain that we shall succeed in recovering it. As, however, it is worth about five hundred pounds it seems worth w-hilo to try to do so. The wages for the day amount to eleven pounds eighteen shillings, and for to-morrow will probably bo at least as much, and I should like, if the Government approve, to make a present of one pound to each of Mr. Donovan's men, Stafford and Mattison. As to-morrow will be Saturday I should be obliged by the Government letting me have, say thirty pounds by tho hands of Mr. Sheath to meet those liabilities, for the due expenditure of which sum I shall, of course, produce proper vouchers. I have, &c, James M. Balfoub, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Colonial Marine Engineer.

No. 2. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Baxfoue to the Hon. John Hall. Sic, — Wellington, 6th September, 1866. I have the honor to report that acting on the advice of Captains Kennedy and Mundle I went out this morning to make another attempt to recover the remainder of the broken part of the Cook Strait Cable. As before, on arriving at tho spot the wind and sea were both so high as to render work impossible, and we immediately returned. As it would appear that a run of windy weather has set in I do not consider it advisable to make further attempts at present, especially as the " St. Kilda" is required for other work. Should this portion of cable ever be required I believe it can be picked up as easily hereafter as at present. I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. James M. Balfoub.