THE CABLE SHIP OX REPAIES. - 223 



ship is about to heave up the cable-end again, after having 

 completed the repair on the other end ; but their use may be 

 briefly explained. When the ship is up to the buoy on the 

 return journey, a boat is put off to attach a line from the ship 

 to the bridle ; the line is connected to the drum of the picking- 

 up gear on board, and after heaving up a little, the chain is 

 freed from the buoy. The strain of the cable is then taken 

 by heaving up a little more, and the riding leg can be dis- 

 engaged from the buoy. The slip links (S S, Fig. 129) are for 

 disengaging these chains easily, when freemg the buoy. One 

 of these links is shown in detail in Fig. 130. The link is in 

 two parts, one of which is a loop of iron rod fixed permanently 

 on plates riveted to the buoy, and the other a piece of bent rod 

 tapered at one end and working on the lower part of the fixed 

 loop. The diagram shows the link as fixed, and held together 

 by a square washer holding the tapered end of the movable 

 loop against the fixed one. To open the link this washer is 

 given a smart blow upwards, when the movable part falls and 

 disengages the chain. 



Another way of attaching the bridle chain to the buoy is 

 practised, where a chain is permanently secured round the body 

 of the buoy like a fender. The stray leg is attached a few 

 feet from its end to the fender chain by a seizing of spun yarn, 

 and the riding leg to the slip link. The few feet of slack are 

 then made fast to one of the flagstaff stays by taking two round 

 turns on the stay and then two seizings of spun yarn. When 

 the ship is up to the buoy on the return journey a boat with 

 hands is put off to the buoy, one of whom cuts adrift the seiz- 

 ings to the stays and unwinds the round turns. He then has 

 the loose end over the bow of his boat, and shackles the end of 

 the same on to the drum line of ware rope from the ship. 

 While he is doing this there is no strain on the chain, as it is still 

 held by the seizing on the fender chain. As soon as shackled 

 the ship heaves in a little on the drum line to take up the 

 slack, and on the word of command fr 'm the ship the man in 

 the boat cuts the last seizing adrift. The ship now has a clear 

 way to take the strain of the cable, and after heaving up a 

 little more to take the strain off the riding leg the men row 

 round to the slip link on the other side of buoy, and, on the 

 word of command from the ship to " let go," give the washer 



