208 



SUBMARINE CABLE LAYING AND REPAIRING. 



together, each containing only one prong. The sections are so 

 shackled together that the hooks are on alternate faces, as in 

 the form A. These follow the unevennfss of bottom more 

 thoroughly, acting like a chain in closely going over irregu- 

 larities of surface and therefore standing a better chance of 

 hooking cable. The short prongs as illustrated are specially 

 for use on rocky bottoms ; for soft bottoms, where the cable 

 may be buried, prongs with longer toes are substituted. 



A grapnel which has proved of great reliability on rocky 

 bottoms is the chain grapnel designed by Mr. G. M. Rennie, of 

 the Eastern Telegraph Company, in 1904, and illustrated in 

 Fig. 120. It is built up of flat links, ee ch having a double fluke 

 bolted to it. The links are welded or shackled up together 



o 



Fig. 119.— Hill's Eeeessecl Prong Grapnel. 



in sets of four or five in the form of a chain, successive links 

 and flukes being at right angles to each other. A dummy 

 link is provided at the front, to protect the first set of flukes, 

 and it is usually found desirable to attach 15 or 20 fathoms of 

 chain in front of the grapnel to sink it. Being formed of 

 separate links capable of independent movement, this grapnel 

 has great flexibility and can adapt itself to the irregularities of 

 bottom without the liability of the flukes being torn ofi" against 

 rocky obstructions as in the more rigid forms. Moreover, the 

 cable when hooked can be brought on board over the bow 

 sheaves, as the grapnel lies in the sheaves as readily as a chain. 

 The short-horned fluke shown in the illustration is used on 

 rocky bottoms, so that the grapnel can more readily pass 

 obstructions and projections in the rocky surface below, but 

 larger flukes are used for soft bottoms. The links are about 



