ROUTE SELECTION AND CABLE LAYING 317 



The addition of an equalizer at the end of the block requires two joints 

 and armor splices. Preparing the cable ends, brazing together the center 

 conductor and associated tapes, injection molding the polyethylene 

 around the center conductor, replacing and overlaying the armor wires 

 and binding the splice consumes 6 to 7 hours for a single splice, and 8 to 

 9 hours for two splices when overlapping of operations is practical. An 

 allowance of 3 hours is considered necessary for remolding in event of a 

 defective joint (disclosed by X-ray inspection). The time allowance 

 required to complete the splicing of ocean blocks is therefore 9 to 12 

 hours. About 1^ hours are needed to carry out the extrapolation, make 

 the equalization decision and turn over cable to the cutting point. Dur- 

 ing the interval between the cable cut and the completion of the joint, 

 the ship's speed was maintained at 5 knots so as to minimize the distance 

 over which extrapolation of equalization data had to be extended. Even 

 so, the final extrapolation covered the last 60 to 75 miles of each ocean 

 block. 



During the jointing intervals, system power was turned down to avoid 

 any hazard to the members of the jointing crew. It was restored as soon 

 as the moldings had been X-rayed and the outer or return tapes had 

 been brazed. These activities were so timed that in almost every case 

 the system was powered as each repeater went overboard. 



CLARENVILLE-SYDNEY MINES LINK 



Route Selection 



Clarenville having been selected as the site of the cable terminal sta- 

 tion on the west end of the ocean crossing, it was necessary to consider 

 how the system was to be extended to Nova Scotia for connection with 

 the North American continental network. 



A number of alternatives were possible as described below: 



Alternative 1 contemplated radio relay across Newfoundland to Port 

 aux Basques, and thence across the Cabot Strait. However, a survey 

 revealed that maintenance access to suitable sites would be most diffi- 

 cult, particularly in winter, and primary power was not obtainable. 



Alternative 2 involved a poor submarine route around the Avalon 

 Peninsula to possibly Halifax, Nova Scotia. The length of the sea cable 

 would be about 600 nautical miles. It would be necessary to cross many 

 working telegraph cables, (Fig. 3). Trawler damage could be expected as 

 the cable would need to traverse known trawling areas, and during the 

 winter months any repairs would be costly and prolonged. Also it was 



