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

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

  DESCRIBES SEVERAL IMPORTANT EVENTS.

  The laying of this thick shore-end of the cable was an important pointin the great work.

  By that time Robin and cousin Sam had been regularly installed asmembers of the expedition, and were told off with many others to assistat the operation.

  The Chiltern carried the great coil in her tanks. After rounding ColabaPoint into Back Bay, she found a barge waiting to receive sometwo-and-a-half miles of the cable, with which she was to proceed to theshore. The barge resembled a huge Noah's Ark, having a canvas awning toprotect the cable, which was very sensitive to heat.

  A measure of anxiety is natural at the beginning of most enterprises,and there were some who dreaded a "hitch" with superstitious fear, as ifit would be a bad omen. But all went well.

  "Now then, boys--shove her along; push her through," said an experiencedleader among the cable-hands, who grasped the great coil and guided it.The men took up the words at once, and, to this species of spokenchorus, "shove her along, push her through," the snaky coil was sentrattling over the pulley-wheels by the tank and along the wooden gutterprepared for it, to the paying-out wheel at the Chiltern's stern, whenceit plunged down into the barge, where other experienced hands coiled itcarefully round and round the entire deck.

  It is difficult to describe the almost tender solicitude with which allthis was done. The cable was passed carefully--so carefully--throughall the huge staples that were to direct its course from the fore-tankto the wheel at the stern. Then it was made to pass over a wheel hereand under a wheel there, to restrain its impetuosity, besides beingpassed three times round a drum, which controlled the paying-out. A manstood ready at a wheel, which, by a few rapid turns, could bring thewhole affair to a standstill should anything go wrong. In the fore-tankeight men guided each coil to prevent entanglement, and on deck men werestationed a few feet apart all along to the stern, to watch every footas it passed out. Three hours completed the transfer. Then the bargewent slowly shoreward, dropping the cable into the sea as she went.

  It was quite a solemn procession! First went a Government steam-tug,flaunting flags from deck to trucks as thick as they could hang. Thencame the barge with her precious cargo. Then two boats full ofcable-hands, and an official gig pulled by a Chinaman, while thesteam-launch Electric kept buzzing about as if superintending all.

  When the tug had drawn the barge shoreward as far as she could withsafety, the smaller "Electric" took her place. When she also hadadvanced as far as her draught allowed, a boat carried to the shore ahawser, one end of which was attached to the cable. Then thecable-hands dropped over the sides of the barge up to waist, chest, orneck, (according to size), and, ranging themselves on either side of therope and cable, dragged the latter to the shore, up the trench made forits reception, and laid its end on the great stone table, where it wasmade fast, tested by the electricians, as we have said, and pronouncedperfect.

  A few more days had to pass before the insatiable Great Eastern wasfilled with coal and reported ready for sea. Then, as a matter ofcourse, she wound up with a grand feast--a luncheon--on board, at whichmany of the leading authorities and merchants of Bombay were present,with a brilliant company which entirely filled the spacious saloons.

  "Owing to circumstances," said Sam to Robin that day, "over which wehave no control, you and I cannot be included among the guests at thisapproaching feast."

  "I'm sorry for that, Sam," said our hero.

  "Why so, Robin? Does a morbid devotion to chicken and ham, or sweets,influence you?"

  "Not at all, though I make no pretence of indifference to such things,but I should so much like to hear the speeches."

  "Well, my boy, your desire shall be gratified. Through the influence ofour, I might almost say miraculous, friend, Frank Hedley, we shall bepermitted to witness the proceedings from a retired corner of thesaloon, in company with crockery and waiters and other _debris_ of thefeast."

  At the appointed time the company assembled, and enjoyed as good aluncheon as money could procure.

  "How some people do eat!" murmured Robin from his corner to Sam, who satbeside him.

  "Yes, for it is their nature to," replied Sam.

  After the first toast was drunk the company braced themselves to themental work of the afternoon, and although, as a matter of course, agood deal of twaddle was spoken, there was also much that threw light onthe subject of ocean telegraphy. One of the leading merchants said, inhis opening remarks: "Few of those present, I daresay, are reallyfamiliar with the history of ocean telegraphy."

  "Ah!" whispered Robin to Sam, "that's the man for me. He's sure to tellus a good deal that we don't know, and although I have been ransackingBombay ever since I arrived, for information, I don't yet feel that Iknow much."

  "Hold your tongue, Robin, and listen," said Sam.

  "Mind your foot, sir," remonstrated one of the steward's assistants, whohad a lugubrious countenance.

  Robin took his foot out of a soup tureen, and applied himself to listen.

  "When I reflect," continued the merchant, "that it is now fourteen yearssince the first ocean telegraph of any importance was laid,--when Iremember that the first cable was laid after an infinity of personaleffort on the part of those who had to raise the capital,--when Imention that it was really a work of house-to-house visitation, whensums of 500 pounds to 1000 pounds, and even 10,000 pounds were raised byprivate subscription, with a view to laying a telegraph cable betweenEngland and America, when I reflect that the Queen's Government grantedthe use of one of its most splendid vessels, the Agamemnon (_Hear! hear!and applause_), and that the American Government granted the use of anequally fine vessel, the Niagara--" (_Hear! hear_! and another round ofapplause, directed at the American Consul, who was present.)

  ("Five glasses smashed _that_ round," growled the lugubrious waiter.)

  "When I reflect," continued the merchant, "that the expedition set outin 1857 with the greatest hopefulness, but proved a total failure--thatthe earnest men (_Hear! hear_!) connected with it again set to work thefollowing year, and laid another cable (_Applause_), which, afterpassing through it a few messages of great importance to England andAmerica (_Hear_!) also ceased communication, which so damped the courageof all concerned, that for seven or eight weary years nothing wasattempted--no, I should not say nothing, for during that period MrCyrus Field," (thunders of long-continued applause, during which thelugubrious waiter counted the demolition of six glasses and two dessertplates), "without whose able and persevering advocacy it is a questionwhether to this day we should have had ocean telegraphy carried out atall--during that period, I say, Mr Cyrus Field never gave himself restuntil he had inspired others with some of the enthusiasm that burned sobrightly in himself, which resulted in the renewed effort of 1865, withits failure and loss of 1213 miles of cable,--when I think of theindomitable pluck and confidence shown by such men as Thomas Brassey,Sir Samuel Canning, Sir James Anderson, Sir Daniel Gooch, Sir RichardGlass, Mr George Elliot. Mr Fender, Captain Sherard Osborn, andothers--men of mind, and men of capital, and men who could see nodifficulties--and I like men who can see no difficulties," (_Hear! hear!and loud applause_.)

  ("You'll see more difficulties than ye bargain for, if ye go throughlife makin' people smash crockery like that," growled the lugubriouswaiter.)

  "When I think of these men, and of the formation of the TelegraphConstruction and Maintenance Company (_Applause_), and the successfullaying of the 1866 cable, and the picking-up and completion of the oldcable," (_Loud cheers_),--("Hm! a decanter gone this time. _Will_ youtake your foot out of the soup tureen, sir," from the lugubrious man,and an impatient "hush!" from Robin.)

  "When I think of all these things, and a great deal more that I cannotventure to inflict on the indulgent company (_Go on_!) I feel that thetoast which I have the honour to propose deserves a foremost place inthe toasts of the day, and that you will heartily respond to it, namely,Success to the T
elegraph Construction and Maintenance Company, for thatCompany has laid scores of cables since its formation, and has nowsuccessfully commenced, and will doubtless triumphantly complete, thelaying of the cable which we have met to celebrate to-day--the fourthgreat enterprise, I may remark, which the Company has undertaken--thecable that is soon to connect India with England."

  The merchant sat down amid thunders of applause, during which thereckoning of breakages was lost, and finally abandoned by the lugubriouswaiter.

  At first Robin and Sam listened with great interest and profoundattention, and the former treasured in his memory, or made pencil notesof, such facts and expectations as the following:--That only nine monthspreviously had they commenced the construction of the cable which wasnow about to be laid; that Captain Halpin in the Great Eastern had laidthe French Atlantic cable; that in a few weeks they hoped to connectBombay with Malta, and two months later with England; that, a few monthsafter that, England would be connected with the Straits of Malacca andSingapore. "In short," said one gentleman at the close of his speech,"we hope that in 1871 India will be connected, chiefly, by submarinetelegraph, with China, Australia, Europe, and America, and that yourmorning messages will reach home about the same hour at which they aresent from here, allowing, of course, for the difference in time; andthat afternoon and evening messages from Europe will be in your hands atan early hour next morning."

  At this point the heat and unpleasant fumes around him began to tellupon Robin, and he suggested that they had better go on deck for alittle fresh air.

  "I'll not budge," said Sam, positively. "Why, the best is yet to come."

  Saying this, to the surprise of Robin, Sam rose, went forward to thetable, and asked permission to make a few remarks.

  "Who is he?--what? eh!" exclaimed the chairman. "Turn him out," criedone. "Sit down," cried another. "No, no, let him speak," cried athird. "Don't you know it is Samuel Shipton, the great electrician?"

  "Bravo! go on! speak out!" cried several voices, accompanied by loudapplause.

  "Gentlemen," began Sam in his softest voice, "I regard this as one ofthe greatest occasions of--of--my life," (_Hear! hear_! from a fussyguest; and _Hush! hush! and then we shall hear here better_, from anangry one). "I little thought," continued Sam, warming apparently withhis subject--or the heat, "little thought that on this great occasion Icould--could--I could--" (_would or should; go on, man_, from animpatient guest).

  "Oh, Sam, don't stick!" cried Robin, in an agony of anxiety.

  "Who's that? Put him out!" chorused several voices indignantly.

  "There, sir, you've put your foot in it at last," said the lugubriouswaiter.

  Robin thought he referred to the interruption, but the waiter's eyes andforefinger directed his attention to the soup tureen, which, in hiseagerness, he had sacrificed with a stamp. Finding that no furthernotice was taken of the interruption, he listened, while Samcontinued:--

  "Yes, gentlemen, I have some difficulty in starting, but, once setagoing, gentlemen, I can keep on like an alarum clock. What nonsensehave some of you fellows been talking! Some of you have remarked thatyou shall be able to exchange messages with England in a few hours.Allow me to assure you that before long you will accomplish that feat ina few minutes."

  "Pooh! pooh!" ejaculated an irascible old gentleman with a bald head.

  "Did you say `pooh!' sir?" demanded Sam, with a terrible frown.

  "I did, sir," replied the old gentleman, with a contemptuous smile.

  "Then, sir, take that."

  Sam hurled a wine decanter at the old gentleman, which, missing itsmark, fell with a loud crash at the feet of Robin, who awoke with astart to find Sam shaking him by the arm.

  "Wake up, Robin," he said; "man, you've lost the best speech of theevening. Come--come on deck now, you've had quite enough of it."

  "Yes, an' done enough o' damage too," growled the lugubrious waiter.

  So Robin became gradually aware that Sam's speech was a mere fancy,while the smashing of the soup tureen was a hard fact.

  It may not, however, be out of place to remark here that the prophecymade by Sam in Robin's dream, did afterwards become a great reality.