THE LAYING OF SUBMARINE CABLHS. 121 



test being made from shore immediately after laying. The 

 end will then be sunk and moored to buoy, but as perfectly 

 insulated as if free and exposed to the air. The sealing is done 

 very carefully by the jointer completely covering the end with 

 gutta-percha and compound. 



Before transferring the piece to the lighter, the outer sheath- 

 ing (if there are two sheaths, as in most shore-ends) is stripped 

 off the top end at a distance equal to the length of trench on 

 the shore between the cable house and low-water mark. The 

 heavy outside armouring is not necessary when the cable is 

 buried on shore, and without this it is more easily handled. 



The end is now passed three times round the forward drum, 

 and the engine set to work. Cable is then hauled up out of 

 the tank and payed over the ship's bows to the lighter, in 

 which it is carefully coiled, the drum counter registering the 

 exact length of the piece. As the cable passes out, seizings 

 of spun yarn are put on it every quarter of a mile in order to 

 indicate the particular distances from shore at which bearings 

 are to be taken during paying out. 



When the_ piece (which may be one or two miles in length) is 

 transferred to the lighter, the last end is sealed and the cable 

 protected from the sun by covering with tarpaulins. The lighter 

 is then towed towards shore, taking on board one buoy with flag 

 staff", cage, mooring chains and mushroom anchor, 4in. manilla 

 hauling-off rope, a supply of balloon buoys, and four or five 

 cable hands. A steam launch generally precedes to take sound- 

 ings and avoid running the tug aground. If the tug draws too 

 much water the steam launch may be required to tow the 

 lighter a little further, for the closer she can be got in the 

 better. 



The lighter is usually towed stern first towards shore, so 

 that the paying-out sheave faces the shore when she anchors. 

 If the tow-line has been on her bows she is manoeuvred round 

 to this position when close enough in, and then anchor 

 is let go from bows (Fig. 57). Should the tide or current 

 swing her to one side, the tug will get a rope on, and keep 

 her in position till the end is landed. Otherwise the tug 

 anchors seawards of lighter, and makes fast hawser to lighter's 

 bows ready to tow her out again for paying out cable. 



