THE CABLE SHIP ON EEPAIKS. 269 



When, however, there is any such wide difference between 

 the estimated and actual position of the fault as in the fore- 

 going example it is in most cases discovered by the ship upon 

 first cutting in. Before proceeding to buoy or pick up, and 

 while the two ends are on board, several tests will be tried. 

 If the electrician's first test nlaces the fault considerably fur- 

 ther on or further back, say, 10 miles, it is a matter of great 

 importance to confirm this by other tests, and if there is a 

 duplicate cable in good condition he will request the end with 

 whom he can communicate to take a loop test. This end 

 accordingly advises the other end to loop his cables. Where- 

 upon the ship joins the two ends, or, as it is called, " puts D F" 

 on board for a predetermined time, say, five minutes. This 

 result is confirmed by the ship taking a loop test with 

 the two shore stations looped through. Supposing that 

 these tests all confirm the first and place the position of fault 

 considerably further away, the ship, after advising the shore, 

 permanently splices the cable together again where it was cut, 

 slips the bight overboard and runs on to the newly-estimated 

 position, where she grapples and cuts in as before. In the case 

 of a break, of course, cable is picked up till the broken end 

 comes on board, and the ship then steams to a position further 

 on and grapples again. The distance she steams before again 

 lowering grapnel depends on the depth of water, the main 

 object in view being to be near enough to the end to have the 

 advantage of less strain in raising the cable, while not near 

 enough to let the end slip through grapnel. Generally speak- 

 ing, this distance is about equal to the depth of water. Having 

 raised cable she cuts it, buoys the good end and picks up to the 

 break. She then runs back to the last buoy, splices on and 

 pays out to the first buoy, where the final splice is made. 



But to return. When it is known on board that the fault is 

 removed, the cable end hanging to the ship is at once stoppered, 

 and the end of a sufficient length of good cable is got up ready 

 for splicing on. The jointer and his mate appear on the scene, and 

 commence preparations on the new end. The seaward end is not 

 at liberty for a few minutes, as, now communication is restored, 

 there are several service messages to be sent and received. 

 After the test proving the insulation perfect, the ship sends a 

 message to headquarters : *' Fault removed (say) 490 miles 



