THE LAYING OF SUBMARINE CABLES. 169 



until it has passed out. At this moment the latitude and 

 longitude are taken, and bearings if land is in sight, and 

 these are entered in the paying-out log and on the cable chart. 

 The ship is also put to half -speed while changing over from one 

 tanJs: to another. Sometimes it is necessary to stop the ship 

 altogether, and then move the engines and brakes as required 

 to ease out the bight of cable between the two tanks. When 

 all is clear in tank the ship is set on half-speed ahead, and when 

 the extra weights have been taken off the brake levers and 

 everything going well she is again put up to speed. The 

 details entered in the log are of a series of positions at which 

 the latitude, longitude and true course are observed. The 

 distances between positions are added as the ship proceeds, and 

 so also the cable paid out between positions, the difference 

 giving the amount of slack. The length paid out by factory 

 mile marks is also noted. In another column are entered the 

 times and positions when splices were paid out, the types of 

 cable at the splices, and in general all incidents and adjustments 

 bearing on the work. 



We may now assume that the work of laying the main portion 

 of the cable is nearly completed, and the ship is approaching 

 the buoyed end previously laid from shore. A sharp look-out 

 is kept for the buoy when it is known that the ship is in the 

 neighbourhood of its position. Sometimes it is discovered at 

 night by the aid of the search-light. As soon as the buoy is 

 sighted a boat is lowered with hands, and a line to shackle on 

 to the moorings, and when up to the buoy the ship is stopped, 

 the paying-out brakes loaded, and the cable stoppered. 



The turns of cable are then taken off the drum, and the line 

 (of which the end is held by the boat's crew) is passed three or 

 four times round the drum instead. On the boat reaching the 

 buoy one of the hands makes the line fast to the bridle chain, 

 and then slips the link or cuts the seizing of yarn by which 

 this is attached to the buoy. This operation has frequently to 

 be done by leaping from the boat on to the buoy — a hazardous 

 piece of work in rough weather, and a task with which only the 

 most experienced hands are entrusted. The ship's drum line is 

 now made fast to the mooring chain, and before heaving-in it 

 only remains to slip the chain from the buoy, which is done by 

 knocking out the slip hook. Relieved from the weight of the 



