114 SUBMARINE CABLE LAYING AND REPAIRING. 



The fore tank would be loaded with the remainder of the 

 deep-sea portion (340 miles). The aft tank would be loaded 

 with a portion of both cables — namely, 365 miles of inter- 

 mediate spliced to six miles of shore-end. 



All ends of sections not spliced are secured outside the tanks 

 with sufficient sis.ck for splicing when required. 



The weights in each tank are then approximately : — 



Main 1,500 tons. 



Fore 500 „ 



Aft 1,200 „ 



Total 3,200 tons. 



The greatest load is thus amidships. If light at all at one 

 end it is better for the ship to be light forward, which is done 

 in the present case ; and, further, it is arranged that the bulk 

 of the cable in the aft tank will be drawn from j&rst, thus 

 keeping t\i^ ship in trim as the work proceeds. If the draught 

 is rather too little forward, the fore tank will be pumped full 

 of water. All tanks are filled with sufficient water to cover 

 the cable in them. 



The position of the various types in tank is now such that 

 the cables can be laid as arranged without loss of time. The 

 ship proceeds direct to Port A, and first lays the two shore-ends 

 of nine miles each from the top of main tank. If necessary 

 the heavier portions from the beach to about two miles out 

 are transferred into and landed from lighters engaged locally ; 

 and if there is a shallow stretch a few miles beyond this, the 

 ship is usually assisted in laying the lighter portion by a 

 repairing steamer of light draught. This portion of the work 

 will be considered later in detail. 



The ends having been buoyed, the ship proceeds to Port B, 

 sounding en route, and if any banks or suddenly precipitous 

 depths are discovered the proposed route on the chart is 

 modified to avoid such. On arrival at Port B the ship lays the 

 six miles of shore-end from the aft tank, and continues paying 

 out the intermediate type spliced to it in the same tank. 

 This continues — tests going on meanwhile between ship and 

 cable house at Port B, and watch being kept at Port A — until 

 the buoyed end is reached when the cable is cut in tank and the 

 final splice made. This leaves 120 miles of cable (weighing about 

 "360 tons) in this tank, and the ship is considerably lightened aft. 



