194 KEPORT— 1897. 



away with us continually, and ^e had to give up the attempt. Communication was 

 restored with a piece of deep-sea cable and permanently repaired with the s.s. 

 'Ketriever' on November 21, 1878. 



La Serena — Valparaiso Section. — This cable was laid in 1876, and interrupted off 

 the Limaree River on July 26, 1877, as was thought, by floods from the river, although 

 in its normal condition it is practically a dry bed before it reaches the sea. 



This section was again interrupted on August 15, 1880, by an earthquake ; and 

 the same section was again interrupted by a landslip on July 4, 1885, presumably due 

 to an earthquake. 



Mollendo — CJiorillos Section. — This cable was laid in 1875, and was frequently 

 interrupted off Pescadores Point to the north of Mollendo, where considerable 

 inequality of depth is experienced, due presumably to the channels of an extinct or 

 subterranean river, whose estuary may now be some miles at sea, and create 

 periodical submarine convulsions at great depth and at, say, 40 or 50 knots from 

 the coast. In any case, all difficulty has ceased in this locality, since the cable has, 

 for a considerable length, been diverted to close inland and laid as close to the shore 

 as it was safe for a ship to get. 



This section was also broken in two different places by an earthquake which 

 occurred on December 10, 1887. 



Sast Coast of South America. — The geological and topographical 

 conditions on the east coast of South America are strikingly different 

 from those met with on the west coast. On this latter coast the land 

 plunges rapidly downwards beneath the sea, as a slope produced by 

 bradyseisraic thrust and folding, whilst on the former, when measured 

 over long distances, the slope is gentle, indicating an absence of orogenic 

 activities. Although the land is generally continued seawards at a low 

 angle by the deposition of sediments and the scouring action of currents, 

 here and there declivities may have been produced by such epigenic 

 actions. 



On the following sections interruptions have been rare or have not 

 occurred : — 



Maldonailo — Montevideo. — Since 1 875. 



Santos— Chv I/. Since 1892. 



Ch uy — Maldonado. — Since 1875. 



Itio Grande do Sul — Chuy. — Since 1875. 



From these sections, which lie on the northern side of the Rio de la 

 Plata estuary, as we proceed northwards interruptions have been more 

 and more frequent. They are as follows : — 



Montevideo— Bueiios Ayres. — October 12, 1889. 



Sta. Catharina—JRio Grande do Sul.— June 16, 1890. 



Santos— Sta. CatJiarina. — March 12, 1890. 



Montevideo— Rio Grande do Sul.— April 25, 1889 ; June 11, 1889* ; December 4, 

 1889 ; May 4, 1890 ; December 4, 1891. 



Chuy— Montevideo.— 3\xne 27, 1892; July 10, 1892* {restored); November 11, 

 1892 (date of interruption not recorded). 



Rio de Janeiro— Santos.— KpTil 16, 1889; April 5, 1890; December 24, 1890. 



Balda—Rio de Janeiro.— 3a,n\is,Tj 31, 1889; September 3, 1889* ; September 21, 

 1889* ; July 24, 1891 ; July 31, 1891 ; September 4, 1896. 



Pernamhuco-Balda.-April 1, 1889 ; July 20, 1889; July 14, 1891. 



CeaTa—Pernambuco.— April 8, 1890; March 14, 1891*; September 1, 1893* 

 January 12, 1895 ; March 3, 1896 ; March 4, 1897*. 



3Iaranham—Ceara.— May 22, 1889*; April 29, 1890; January 20, 1891 

 January 28, 1891 ; March 4, 1891*; March 8, 1891* ; November 25, 1891 ; October 11 

 1892*; February 12, 1894*; March 6, 1894*; November 25, 1894; April 28, 1896 

 December 2, 1896.* 



Para— 3faranMm. —Beptemher 6, 1888; November 2, 1888; May 22, 1889* 

 December 27, 1889; January 10, 1890; July 24, 1890; January 12, 1891 ; October 19, 



il 



