176 NECESSITY OF A SYSTEMATIC CABLE -TESTING. 



with strong primary currents, we were therefore obliged to 

 use everywhere an alloy of gold and platinum, which with 

 thick pieces has its difficulties. Perhaps you will get along 

 with half the inductors on the Malta line (one coil). You will 

 thereby effect a considerable saving, as the great quantity of 

 silk -covered wire is expensive. 



I beg you to let me know in good time when and where 

 you wish to have the mechanician, and whether you think 

 one enough. I think you should have plenty of intelligent 

 assistants at your disposal, for any error may be very dangerous 

 even with the best preparation. 



I send this letter direct to Birkenhead, where I imagine 

 you still to be, and where William intended to visit you; may 

 I ask you to let William have a look at it? 



Would it not be better do defer your Malta line to the 

 winter, when you can more certainly reckon on calm weather? 

 October is said to be a very dangerous month there, and 

 the atmosphere does not become quieter before December. 



With sincere regards 



W. Siemens. 



The experience I acquired in the laying of the 

 cable between Cagliari and Bona really convinced me, 

 as expressed in the foregoing letter, that submarine 

 cables of the right construction and carefully made 

 ould be laid at any depth of water, and then also 

 promised long and certain service. I therefore took 

 especial pains to overcome the existing difficulties. 

 For that purpose it was necessary to establish a 

 systematic supervision of the manufacture of the cable, 

 in order to obtain the certainty that no defect existed 

 in the whole cable stored in the ship's hold. This 

 .could only be effected by making the testing instruments 



