174 BUTLETIN OF THE 
ommended by Sir William Thomson, namely, steel piano-forte wire, No. 
22, Birmingham gauge, weighing 14} lbs. to the nautical mile. The 
friction line should be 4+ inch or slightly less in diameter, and should be 
oiled or kept wet with water where it comes in contact with tho friction 
Score of the roel. 
To take a Sounding with the Machine. 
The reel, containing the wire and stray line, being in its bearings, 
reeve the end of the stray line up over the cross-head pulley, from 
inboard to outboard, and then down through the guide which forms part 
of the attachment of the swivel pulley. Bend on the end of the sound- 
ing-rod. Ship the pawl into the ratchet-wheel, which is on the axle of 
the reel Place the friction line over the friction score, as shown in 
the figure, and from the scales reevo it under the pulley Y, on the 
same side of the machine as the friction score, then up and over the 
pulley Q, and down under the other pulley Y (Figs. I., IIT., V.). Haul 
the cross-head well down on the guides, against the resistance of the 
accumulator springs G, G (Fig. IL), so as to insure a large surplus of 
friction on the reel at the time of starting the sounding. Make fast the 
hauling part of the friction line to the cleat Z (Figs. I., IV., V.). Con- 
nect the sinker with the sounding-rod, and get it overboard, letting the 
stray line take the whole weight. See that the register and odometer 
are properly set. Attend the friction line, throw back the pawl, and let 
the reel revolve slowly until assured that everything is working well, 
when ease up the friction line and follow out as nearly as practicable 
the rule governing the amount of resistance to be applied to the reel. 
If a weight has been attached to the stray line to prevent the kinking 
of the wire, be particularly careful not to let the reel revolve fast until 
this weight is through the guide. Avoid any stoppage just as the end 
of the wire is leaving the reel, as it is not prudent to subject a very 
short length of wire to the torsion that may be caused by the spinning 
around of the sinker in the water, It is impossible to say how fast the 
wire may be allowed to pay out, since the limit of safety varies with 
circumstances, and depends on the state of the sea and the extent and 
rapidity of the ship’s rolling and pitching motions. The drawback to 
quick work with the original machine lies in the tendency of the wire 
to fly off the reel—and kink or break — during the downward plunges 
or rolls of the ship. The strain at such times is very much relieved 
from the wire; and, in a moderately heavy sea, should the reel be re- 
volving fast, it is sometimes not slowed down in time to prevent the 
