Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

356 ENGINEERING WONDERS OF THE WORLD. Fig. 1.—H.M.S. “ AGAMEMNON ” IN A STORM. {From a Painting by Henry Clifford.) tions were completed for making the mid- ocean splice between the lengths of cable on the two laying vessels. This being successfully performed, each ship set out on her course— the Agamemnon towards Ireland, and the Niagara towards Newfoundland. Mr. Bright was in charge of the Agamemnon (with Messrs. Canning and Clifford as engineering assistants) ; whilst his assistants, Messrs. Woodhouse and Everett, represented him on the Niagara. When both, vessels had paid out some three miles the Niagara's cable broke, owing to overriding and getting off the pulley leading on to the paying-out machine. Returning to the rendezvous, a new splice was made, and a fresh start proceeded with. Nothing untoward happened till the second day, when the cable parted whilst an en- deavour was being made to recover, a fault from outboard. The rendez- vous had then to be sought Repeated ... .1. i • Troubles. again. Alter the ships had duly met, the third mid-ocean splice was effected, and once more each vessel set out on her course. All went well for some days, until about 150 miles had been paid out from each ship, when suddenly—and for no apparent reason —the cable parted a little astern of the Agamemnon. It was subsequently discovered that the cable had been damaged here, owing to disturbance in the tank during the recent storm. A fifth return to the rendezvous was thereupon made by the Agamemnon ; but as