338 SUBMARINE CABLE LAYING AND REPAIRING. 



levers, and is capable of bearing a strain of 50 tons at the 

 bows. The bow baulks with two sheaves are built in to the 

 head of the vessel, and the bows tapered gradually, so as to 

 give a considerable overhang of the sheaves over the cutwater. 

 This build is not apparent in the illustration, but as viewed 

 broadside the sheaves jut out a considerable distance, and fit 

 snugly into the taper of the bows. The primary object is to 

 facilitate cable work from the bows, chiefly in paying out, so 

 that the cable shall fall clear of the ship even when there is a 

 very small angle between ship's head and route of cable. More 

 deck space forward, where it is wanted, is also secured by this 

 construction. The design was first applied to this ship, and its 

 utility demonstrated, and several ships since built have adopted 

 the principle. Evidence that repairing and laying in shallow 

 waters of strong tidal force is exclusively bow work is manifest 

 in walking along the after deck of this vessel. The old holding- 

 down bolt holes for securing brackets of cable leads sheave and 

 brake in paying out aft are seen plugged up. The gear can 

 be rigged in a very short time if necessary, but is practically 

 shelved. An adjustable friction table is fitted on the 

 " Monarch " in a suitable position for cable to pass through 

 on its way to the paying-out gear forward. 



The "Monarch " carries two life boats and one steam-launch 

 specially for landing and repairing shore ends. A raft is made 

 of the boats, lashed together, with joists and planks across, 

 forming a sound floor on which ten tons of cable can be coiled. 

 A curious form of dynamometer is fitted forward in which the 

 sheave is normally horizontal, mounted on a vertical shaft about 

 18in. high. As the strain comes on the wheel, the shaf d is pushed 

 out of the vertical, and by means of an arm moves a piston in 

 a cylinder containing mercury. The mercury then escapes 

 from a small hole in the cylinder, and rises in a tube on which 

 the strains are graduated. As a matter of fact, the apparatus 

 is not used, but this is mostly owing to the fact that dynamo- 

 meters are not needed iu shallow-water work. 



There are over 100 telegraph cables in and about the British 

 Isles, by which the most important outlying islands are con- 

 nected with the mainland, and various rivers, estuaries, bays,, 

 and arms of the sea crossed. Eesides these the English Govern- 

 ment own cables to Holland and Germany and have a joint 



