The Battery and the Boiler: Adventures in Laying of Submarine Electric Cables

  CHAPTER TEN.

  TELLS OF GREAT EFFORTS AND FAILURES AND GRAND SUCCESS.

  Thus happily and smoothly all things went, with little bursts of anxietyand little touches of alarm, just sufficient, as it were, to keep up thespirits of all, till the morning of the 30th July. But on that morningan appearance of excitement in the testing-room told that something hadagain gone wrong. Soon the order was given to slow the engines, then tostop them!

  The bursting of a thunder-clap, the explosion of a powder-magazine,could not have more effectually awakened the slumberers than this abruptstoppage of the ship's engines. Instantly all the hatchways pouredforth anxious inquirers.

  "Another fault," was the reply to such.

  "O dear!" said some.

  "Horrible!" said others.

  "Not so bad as a break," sighed the hopeful spirits.

  "It is bad enough," said the chief electrician, "for we have found deadearth."

  By this the chief meant to say that insulation had been completelydestroyed, and that the whole current of electricity was escaping intothe sea.

  About 716 miles had been payed out at the time, and as signals had tillthen been regularly received from the shore, it was naturally concludedthat the fault lay near to the ship.

  "Now then, get along," said an engineer to one of the cable-men; "you'llhave to cut, and splice, and test, while we are getting ready the tackleto pick up."

  "I don't like that cuttin' o' the cable, Bill," said one of the sailors,as he went forward, "it seems dangerous, it do."

  "No more do I, Dick," replied his mate; "I feel as if it never could berightly spliced again."

  "Why, bless you, boys," said a cable-man near them, "cables is used tothat now, like eels to bein' skinned; and so are we, for that matter.We think nothin' of it."

  Clearly the cable-man was right, for, while the picking-up apparatus wasbeing got ready, the cable was cut in no fewer than three places, inorder to test the coils that lay in the tanks. These being found allright, the picking-up was begun with anxious care. The moment ofgreatest danger was when the big ship was swinging round. For a few,but apparently endless, moments the cable had to bear the strain, andbecame rigid like a bar of steel. Then it was got in over the bows,where all was bustle, and noise, and smoke, as the picking-up machinerypanted and rattled.

  All day the work went on. Night descended, but still the cable wascoming in slowly, unwillingly,--now jerkily, as if half inclined toyield, anon painfully, as if changing its mind, until the strain wasequal to two and a half tons. A row of lanterns lighted it, and the menemployed watched and handled it carefully to detect the "fault," whilethe clattering wheels played harsh music.

  "We'll never find it," growled an impatient young electrician.

  As if to rebuke him for his want of faith, the "fault" came in then andthere--at 9:50 p.m., ship's time.

  "Ah!" said Mr Field, whose chief characteristic was an unwavering faithin ultimate success, "I knew we should find it are long. I have oftenknown cables to stop working for two hours, no one knew why, and thenbegin again."

  "Well now, Mr Wright, it floors me altogether, does this here talkin'by electricity."

  The man who made this remark to our hero was one who could not have beeneasily "floored" by any other means than electricity. He was a hugeblacksmith--a stalwart fellow who had just been heaving thesledge-hammer with the seeming powers of Vulcan himself, and who chancedto be near Robin when he paused to rest and mop the streamingperspiration from his brow, while a well-matched brother took his placeat the anvil.

  "You see," he continued, "I can't make out nohow what the electricitydoes when it gits through the cable from Ireland to Noofun'land. Ofcourse it don't actooally speak, you know--no more does it whistle, Isuppose; an' even if it did I don't see as we'd be much the wiser. What_do_ it do, Mr Wright? You seem to be well up in these matters, an'not above explainin' of 'em to the likes o' us as ha'n't got muchedication."

  Few things pleased Robin more than being asked to impart what knowledgehe possessed, or to make plain subjects that were slightly complex. Hewas not always successful in his attempts at elucidation, partly becausesome subjects were too complex to simplify, and partly because someintellects were obtuse, but he never failed to try.

  "You must know," he replied, with that earnest look which was apt tooverspread his face when about to explain a difficulty, "that a piece ofcommon iron can be converted into a magnet by electrifying it, and itcan be unconverted just as fast by removing the electricity. Well,suppose I have a bit of iron in America, with an electric battery inIreland, or _vice versa_--"

  "W'ot's wicey wersa, Mr Wright?"

  "Oh, it means the terms being changed--turned the other way, you know--back to the front, as it were--in short, I mean the battery being inAmerica and the bit of iron in Ireland."

  "Well, well, who'd a thought there was so much in wicey wersa; but goon, Mr Wright."

  "Now, you must suppose," continued Robin, "that a needle, like themariner's compass needle, hangs beside my bit of iron, close to it, andthat a wire, or conductor of electricity, connects the iron with myelectric battery in Ireland. Well, that makes a magnet of it, and thesuspended needle, being attracted, sticks to it. Then I disconnect thewire from my battery by touching a handle, the bit of iron ceases to bea magnet, and the needle was free. Again I connect the battery, and theneedle flies to the remagnetised bit of iron. Thus, as fast as Ichoose, I can make the needle wag, and by a simple arrangement we canmake it wag right or left, so many beats right or left, or alternately,representing letters. By varying the beats we vary the letters, andthus spell out our messages. Now, do you understand it?"

  "I ain't quite sure that I does," replied Vulcan; "I've got a hazynotion that by touchin' and removin' the touch from a conductor,connecting and disconnecting wires and batteries, you can makeelectricity flow just as you let on or stop water by turnin' astopcock--"

  "Not exactly," interrupted Robin, "because, you see, electricity doesnot really flow, not being a substance."

  "Not a substance, sir! w'y, w'ot is it then?"

  "Like light and sound, it is merely an effect, an influence, a result,"answered Robin. "We only use the word _flow_, and talk of electricityas a fluid, for convenience' sake."

  "Well, w'otever it is or isn't," continued the puzzled Vulcan, gazing atvacancy for a few seconds, "when you've set it agoin'--or set agoin' thethings as sets it agoin'--you make a suspended needle wag, and when youstop it you make the needle stop waggin', and by the way in which thatthere needle wags you can spell out the letters o' the alphabit--so manywags to the right bein' one letter, so many wags to the left bein'another letter, an' so on,--so that, what between the number o' wags an'the direction o' the waggin's, you--you come for to--there, I'm lostagain, an' I must go in for another spell wi' the sledge, so we'll haveto tackle the subject another time, Mr Wright."

  Thus speaking, Vulcan seized the ponderous hammer in his powerful graspand proceeded to beat form into a mass of glowing metal with muchgreater ease than he had been able to thump telegraphy into his ownbrain.

  In the discovery of the "fault" and the cutting out of the injured partof the cable, twenty-six hours were lost. During all the time CaptainAnderson was obliged to remain on deck, while the minds and bodies ofthe engineers and electricians were subjected to a severe strain for thesame period. They had scarcely begun to breathe freely again, and tocongratulate each other on being able to continue the voyage, when theyreceived another shock of alarm by the cable suddenly flying off thedrum, while it was being transferred from the picking-up machinery inthe bow to the paying-out arrangements in the stern. Before themachinery could be stopped, some fathoms of cable had become entangledamong the wheels and destroyed. This part having been cut out, however,and new splices made, the paying-out process was resumed.

  "I'll turn in now and have a snooze, Robin," said Ebenezer Smith, "andyou had better do the same; you look tired."

  This
was indeed true, for not a man or boy in the ship took a moreanxious interest in the cable than did our little hero; he had begun toregard it as a living creature, and to watch over it, and dream aboutit, as if it were a dear friend in extreme danger. The enthusiastic boywas actually becoming careworn and thin, for he not only performed allthe duties required of him with zealous application, but spent hisleisure, and much of the time that should have been devoted to rest, inthe careful study of his idol--intensely watching it, and all that wasin the remotest way connected with it.

  "You're a goose," said Stumps, in passing, when he heard Robin declineto retire as Smith had advised him.

  "It may be so, and if so, Stumps, I shall continue to cackle a littlelonger on deck while they are examining the fault."

  That examination, when finished, produced a considerable sensation. Theprocess was conducted in private. The condemned portion was cut injunks and tested, until the faulty junk was discovered. This wasuntwisted until the core was laid bare, and when about a foot of it hadbeen so treated, the cause of evil was discovered, drawing from theonlookers an exclamation of horror rather than surprise, as they stoodaghast, for _treachery_ seemed to have been at work!

  "An enemy in the ship!" murmured one.

  "What ship without an enemy?" thought another.

  That mischief had been intended was obvious, for a piece of iron wire,bright as if cut with nippers at one end and broken off short at theother, had been driven right through the centre of the cable, so as totouch the inner wires--thus forming a leak, or conductor, into the sea.There could be no doubt that it had not got there by accident; neitherhad it been driven there during the making or shipping of the cable, forin that case the testings for continuity would have betrayed itspresence before the starting of the expedition. The piece of wire, too,was the same size as that which formed the protecting cover, and it wasof the exact diameter of the cable. There was also the mark of a cut onthe Manilla hemp, where the wire had entered. It could have been doneonly by one of the men who were at work in the tank at the time theportion went over, and, strange to say, this was the same gang which hadbeen at work there when the previous "fault" occurred.

  "Call all the men aft," was the order that quickly followed thisdiscovery.

  The piece of cable was handed to them, and they were allowed to examineit in silence. They did so in great surprise, mingled with indignation.

  "It's bin done a'purpose, an' driven in by a skilful hand," said one.

  "You're right, Joe," said another.

  "I knows," whispered a third, "that _one_ of the men expressedsatisfaction when the last fault occurred, an' I've heard say that we'vegot enemies to the makers o' the cable aboard."

  The man thus darkly referred to, whoever he was, of course looked asinnocent and as indignant as the most virtuous among them; the guilt,therefore, could not be brought home to him. Woe betide him if it hadbeen, for there was a serious talk of lynching some one among thewrathful men, each of whom was now subject to suspicion.

  In these trying circumstances, the chief engineer accepted an offer madeby the gentlemen in the ship, to take turn about in superintending themen at work in the tank paying-out the cable.

  "It's not pleasant, of course," replied one of the men, speaking for therest, "but we feel it to be justifiable, as well as necessary, and arevery glad the plan has been adopted."

  Once more the big ship went merrily on her way, and the great cable wentdown to its ocean-bed so smoothly and regularly, that men began to talkof speedy arrival at Heart's Content--their destination inNewfoundland--which was now only about 600 miles distant; but theirgreatest troubles still lay before them. About eight o'clock in themorning of 2nd August another bad fault was reported, and they had onceagain to resort to the wearisome process of picking-up.

  At first all seemed about to go well. A gale was indeed blowing at thetime, but that did not much affect the colossal ship. The cable wascut, fastened to its iron rope, passed to the bow, and got in over thepulleys. Then, and very slowly, it was drawn on board. When a mile orso had been recovered, the gearing of one of the engines got a littleout of order, and the process had to be temporarily stopped; thensomething went wrong with the boilers, but soon these difficulties wereremoved. Immediately after, the Great Eastern drifted, so that it wasimpossible to prevent the cable from chafing against her bows. Equallyimpossible was it to go astern, lest the strain should be too great.Then the wind suddenly shifted, making matters worse. Suddenly thechain shackle and wire-rope attached to the cable came in over the wheelat the bows with considerable violence. Another moment and the cableparted, flew through the stoppers, and, with one bound, flashed into thesea and disappeared!

  Now, at last, the fatal climax so much dreaded had arrived. The daysand nights of anxious labour had been spent in vain. The cable waslost, and with it went not only hundreds of thousands of pounds, but thehopes of hundreds of thousands of people, whose sanguine expectations ofsuccess were thus rudely dispelled.

  Need it be said that something very like despair reigned for the momenton board the Great Eastern?

  Most of the gentlemen on board--never dreaming of catastrophe--were atluncheon, when Mr Canning entered the saloon with a look that causedevery one to start.

  "It is all over!--it is gone!" he said, and hastened to his cabin.

  Mr Field, with the composure of faith and courage, though very pale,entered the saloon immediately after, and confirmed the chief engineer'sstatement.

  "The cable has parted," he said, "and has gone overboard."

  From the chiefs down even to Stumps and his fraternity all was blankdismay! As for our hero Robin Wright, he retired to his cabin, flunghimself on his bed, and sobbed as though his heart would break.

  But such a state of things could not last. Men's spirits may be stunnedand crushed, but they are seldom utterly overwhelmed so long as lifeendures.

  Recovering from the shock, Mr Canning set about the process ofgrappling for the lost cable with persistent energy. But fishing inwater two and a half miles deep is no easy matter. Nevertheless, it wasdone. Again and again, and over again, were two monster hooks in theshape of grapnels let down to the bottom of the sea, with an iron ropefor a line, and the Great Eastern for a float!

  The plan, of course, was to go back a few miles on their course and thendrag across the known position of the lost treasure.

  We say known, because good observations had fortunately been obtained byCaptain Anderson just before the accident.

  Two hours did the grapnels descend before they reached the bottom of thesea! All night did the cable-layers fish, with the characteristicpatience of fishermen, but did not get a nibble. Towards morning,however, there was a decided bite, and the line became taut.

  "Got him!" exclaimed an enthusiast eagerly.

  "Don't be too sure," replied a philosopher cautiously.

  "It may be a bit of wreck," suggested Ebenezer Smith, who was a naturaldoubter.

  "Or a whale, or the great sea-serpent," said the sporting electrician,who was everything by turns and nothing long.

  "We shall very soon know," remarked a matter-of-fact engineer. "If itis a loose object the strain will decrease as it nears the surface, butif it be the cable the strain will certainly increase, because itsweight will be greater the more of it we lift off the bottom."

  Earnestly did every one regard the dynamometer which told the exactamount of strain on the iron fishing-line, and to their joy the strain_increased_ until the object caught had been raised three-quarters of amile from the bottom. Then a swivel gave way, and the cable went backto its ocean-bed.

  But those plucky engineers were not to be overcome by a first failure.Having started with five miles of fishing-line, they proceed at once tomake a second attempt.

  "Oh, I _do_ hope they will hook it again!" said Robin Wright.

  "And so they will," said Ebenezer Smith.

  And so they did. Late in the afternoon of the Monday following,
theirfish was again hooked and raised a full mile from the bottom, whenanother swivel gave way, and down it went a second time!

  The fishing-line was now getting short. It behoved them to act withmore caution. New bolts were put in each shackle and swivel, and thecapstan was increased in diameter, being belted with thick plates ofiron. To effect these alterations the forges had to be erected on deck,and at night these cast a lurid glare on the busy workers, bringing outevery near object in vivid relief against the ebony background of spacebehind, while they made preparations for a third cast of thefishing-line. The cast was made successfully, it was thought, but oneof the grapnels had caught the line with one of its flukes, so that itcould not catch anything else, and the result was--nothing.

  A fourth attempt was then made. It was to be the last. Thefishing-line seemed too weak, and its frequent breakings had reduced itso much that other chains had to be attached to it. With this thing ofshreds and patches the cable was once more hooked and brought up nearlyeight hundred fathoms, when the line gave way once more, and the cablewent down for the last time.

  Nothing more could be done. The Great Eastern turned her large bows tothe east and steered grandly though sadly, away for old England.

  But don't imagine, good reader, that these cable-layers were beaten.They were baffled, indeed, for that year (1865), but not conquered.Cyrus Field had resolved that the thing should be done--and done it wasthe following year; for the laying of the cable had been so nearly asuccess, that great capitalists, such as Brassey, Gooch, Barclay,Campbell, Pender, and others, at once came forward. Among these werethe contractors, Glass and Elliot, who agreed not only to make and lay anew cable, but to pick up and complete the old one. Cyrus Fieldhimself, besides energising like Hercules to push the matter on, was oneof ten subscribers who each contributed 10,000 pounds. Thus 230,500pounds were privately subscribed before a prospectus was issued.

  Our little hero was at the laying of that (1866) cable, when the samegreat ship, with the same captain and most of the engineers andelectricians who had gone out on the previous voyage, landed the end ofthe 1820-mile rope on the shores of Newfoundland, on Friday, 27th July.He cheered with the rest in wild enthusiasm when the Great Easterndropped anchor in "Heart's Content." He accompanied Captain Andersonand the officers of the fleet when they went in a body to the littlechurch there, to thank God for the successful completion of the greatenterprise. He was present when the big ship, having received fromother ships 8000 tons of coal, and some six hundred miles of the oldcable, went back to mid-ocean to grapple for the lost cable of 1865. Heassisted and watched with the deepest interest the amazing efforts ofscientific and mechanical power put forth in the mere matter of draggingfor the cable from the bottom, and observed with reverence, amountingalmost to awe, the great moving spirit of the whole affair, theindomitable Mr Field, as he went to the bow and sat on the rope to feelthe quiver which told him it was dragging the bottom of the sea twomiles below. He was present, with blazing cheeks and eyes and batedbreath, when, on the 17th of August, the cable was caught, dragged tothe surface, and actually seen, and broke and sank again as deep asever--though not so deep as the hearts of those who saw it go! Heshared in the weary delays that followed, and in the final triumph whenthe cable was fairly caught and at last brought on board, and carried tothe testing-room, amid intense excitement, lest it should prove to havebeen damaged by its rough treatment; and his voice helped to swell theroar of enthusiastic cheering that greeted the announcement that the oldcable was still alive!

  But all this we must leave, and carry the reader back to old Englandfaster than the Great Eastern could have rushed--ay, faster than themessage on the flashing cable itself could have sped, for mind is moresubtle than matter, and thought is swifter than even the AtlanticTelegraph.