50 
Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 
up on sounding-reel ; when the 50 fathoms had passed, the registers 
were read and the readings noted. Eeeling on to the sounding-reel 
was then proceeded with ; and at every 50 fathoms recorded by the 
fathom-wheel the register on sounding machine was noted. This was 
done for the whole 2700 fathoms of wire, and gone over a second time 
for fear of error. 
Deedge-eope. 
On our expedition in 1885 we used hemp and Manilla rope ; but as 
we wished to go into deeper water in 1886, the question arose — Should 
we continue to use hemp, or should we get a steel wire rope ? So far 
as I could gather from the experience of others, and notwithstanding 
the fact that the great work of the ''Challenger" was done with 
hemp, the arguments in favour of steel seemed conclusive, and to us, 
with only a limited time at our disposal, the speed gained in each 
operation when wire rope is used seemed of immense importance. 
Against attempting to use a steel rope, the following considerations 
had to be carefully thought over : — "We could not afford to fit out our 
steamer with expensive reels, and a special donkey-engine, like the 
American steamers and the "Talisman." In the case of the latter 
vessel, although they had everything that could be considered neces- 
sary on board, on one of the first occasions on which the wire rope was 
used the breaks proved insufficient, the wire went out by the run, and 
only that the end was made fast, it would have been lost. Captain 
Sigsbee also spoke of similar difficulties, and of the dangers arising from 
kinks forming in the rope. Taking all this into consideration, I deter- 
mined to get 500 fathoms of flexible steel-wire rope, f -inch in circum- 
ference. I felt sure we could keep this length under control; but 
with the evidence before me, I did not think it prudent to risk a 
greater length with the machinery at our disposal. Our wire rope 
was made by Messrs. Barton & Co., Glasgow. It was smaller than 
that used on board the " Talisman," her rope being 1^-inch circum- 
ference. It was in every way most satisfactory, and it was not given 
to kinking until it had been used in conjunction with a 2^-inch Manilla 
rope. 
To stow this rope on board I had a strong cast-iron reel, made by 
Messrs. George Perrott & Sons, Cork, furnished with a friction break, and 
bolted to the deck, fore side of the engine-room. Lest the break on the 
reel should not prove sufficient, the wire rope passed from it to the surg- 
ing head of the windlass (which was thrown out of gear with the engine) ; 
