Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume III

THE LAYING OF SUBMARINE CABLES. 365 The Faraday is a ship of very similar dimensions. This vessel is of interest in that, penny steamboat-like, she has bows (in addition to rudders) aft as well as forward, the idea being to facilitate cable operations. Amongst smaller represen- tative vessels we have H.M.T.S. Iris, the guardian of the All - British Pacific Cable, with a gross registered tonnage a little over a quarter that of the Colonia. But though one of the smallest, the most interesting telegraph ship now is the Telconia, just recently built for the Telegraph Construc- tion Company. She, in fact, forms the first cable-repairing vessel so. designed that every- thing is ready to hand in its proper place, all the gear re- quired for cable operations being forward, and the sailors’ quarters relegated to the stern.* Fig. 14 presents a general idea of the disposal of the line, as well as the machinery for handling it, on a vessel intended for telegraph work. This view happens to depict the Great Eastern with her historic cable cargo ; but the same general plan is equally applicable to modern custom. The line having been made at the factory, it is gradually stowed on Shipment of |jOarj ßie ship, or ships, about Cable. . to lay it on the route selected. The cable is drawn out from the factory tanks * A full description of this craft appeared in “ The Elec- trician ’ of July 16, 1909. Fig. 13.—TELEGRAPH SHIP “ SILVERTOWN.” Cable and Machinery aboard Tele- graph Ship. over tackle leading to the laying vessel,* into corresponding watertight iron tanks on board—of which there may be three or four for different types and sections of cable, apportioned in suitable positions ready for laying. Fig. 15 illustrates one of these tanks, with the cable partially coiled therein—indeed, very closely packed in horizontal flakes, each carefully whitewashed to prevent sticking. Obviously no form of cable could be coiled to the very centre of the tank : the space is therefore usually filled up by a system of * As illustrated in the article on “ Early Atlantic Cables,” vol. ii, p. 289.