SUBMARINE CABLES. 



Fig. 27. 



Fig. 29. 



announcement that the project was already on the point of being 

 realised by Messrs. Newall and Co., on their own account. 



The distance between the points to be connected being 60 miles, 

 the cable was made with a length of 10 addition miles, to meet 

 contingencies. In this cable, which 

 enclosed only one conducting wire, 

 the external wires enclosing the in- 

 sulating rope were made thicker at 

 the parts near the shores than for 

 that which lies in deep water, the 

 former being subject to much greater 

 disturbing forces. A side view of 

 the part immersed in deep water is 

 given in fig. 27, and a cross-section 

 in fig. 28. A side view of the shore 

 ends is given in fig. 29, and a cross- 

 section in fig. 30, all being in their 

 full size. 



The gutta-percha rope was fabri- 

 cated by the Gutta Percha Company 

 in the City-road, London, from 

 whence it was sent ' to Gateshead, 

 where it received the iron wire 

 envelope at the works of Messrs. 

 Newall and Co., in the short space 

 of four weeks. Loaded on twenty 

 waggons, it was next sent by rail- 

 way across England to Maryport, 

 where it was embarked on board the 

 " Britannia," and transported to 

 Holyhead. On the morning of the 

 1st June, 1852, one of its extre- 

 mities being established at Holyhead, 

 it was laid in the bed of the channel. 

 This was done as follows : The cable 

 was very carefully coiled in the hold 

 of the steamer ; one end was then 

 passed several times round a brake- 

 wheel, and was conveyed on shore, 

 when it was attached to a telegraph 

 instrument. The other or lower end of 

 the cable was attached to another in- 

 strument in the cabin of the steamer, 

 so that any message passing from 

 instrument to instrument, was conveyed through the entire 



155 



Fig. 28. 

 Holyhead and 



Howth. 

 Deep sea part. 



Fig. 30. 

 Holyhead and 



Howth. 

 Shore ends. 



