251
18
The Bermula Turks Island Cable was laid in deeper water, than any other cable in the world, the greater part of it being in depths exceeding 3.000 fathoms. The Cape Town-St. Helena Cable also crosses a depth of over 3,000 fathoms, confirming the opinion I expressed that cables may be safely laid in 3,000 fathoms and over.
The next point in my evidence was as to the importance of a careful survey being made before laying the cable. It is interesting to note that for all the above cables special surveys were made (as has also been done for the German Atlantic Cable which we are now manufacturing) the soundings being taken more closely than on any previohs Surveys for cable routes.
Of course you are aware that there has been a great change of circumstances since 1896 as regards the cost of all materials—for instance, steel wire has increasel in price by 45 per cent., iron wire by 80 per cent.. copper by 40 per cent.. and gutta percha by at least 40 per cent., and the present_denmand for the latter material is so close upon the world's production that any largely increased requirements just now would make it impossible to forecast either the price or the period within which it could be obtained.
The state of the market must, for the present, upset all the calculations and estimates which were made in 1896.
&c.,
No. 8.
I
F. R. LUCAS.
19
The estimated cost for the manufacture and laying of the above lengths of cable of suitable types at present prices is £1,467,830.
We do not, however, consider that for the long section a core of
552 lbs. copper 368 G.P. represents the most economical distribution of material, and in lieu of this core we
600 lbs. copper recommend one of
340 G.P. as being of the same speed whilst complying with the requisite mechanical conditions,
*
The substitution of this core for the
552 368
would make the estimate for manufacture and laying £1,439,117, showing a saving in cost of £28,713.
We may say that at the present time we are supervising the carrying out of a contract in which a section of 2,440 miles of cable, to be laid in depths exceeding 3,000
fathoms, is provided with the core above mentioned, viz. :—,
600 340
Contingencies and sundries
To the above estimated price must be added the cost of the following items :-- Station instruments, cable tanks apparatus, &c., viz., six at £6,500... Two maintenance ships
£39,000
140,000
30,000
£209,000
DEAR SIR,
MESSRS, CLARK, FORDE, and TAYLOR to Mr. MERCER.
PACIFIC CABLE.
4, Great Winchester Street, London, E.C., January 16, 1900.
In accordance with your request we have made out an estimate for the above cable based on the following conditions :—–
The lengths used are those given on page 6, paragraph 8. of the Pacific Cable Committee's Report, and the core for the long section from Vancouver to Fanning Island
is taken at
552 lbs.
copper
368 G.P. (Report page 7, paragraph 20.)
"
The theoretical speed for this core is taken at 80 letters per minute, which, although rather a high result, can, we consider, be attained in actual traffic with automatic curb sending and skilled clerks working ** simplex.”
130 lbs, copper For the three shorter sections a core of
is given, which, it will be 130 G.P. noticed, gives a much higher speed than the core of the longer sections. We consider, however, that for mechanical reasons this is the smallest core that should be employed for a deep-water cable.
The following table gives the details of this Estimate
For the purposes of this estimate we have calculated the distances between the different landings, and have carefully considered the minimum lengths of cable that it would be prudent to provide.
Although the total distance by our calculations for the whole project agrees practically with that given on page 6 of the Committee's Report there is some difference in the individual distances, particularly on the Norfolk Island—New Zealand and Norfolk Island Queensland sections.
In the New Zealand section, where pur distance is shorter than that given in the Report, the difference may be due to our having taken Parenga-renga, near the North Cape, as the landing for the cable, and in the Queensland section, where it is longer, to our having taken the cable up to Lytton Island in Moreton Bay.
un 8
In the following table giving our distances, &c., the probable lengths laid are based per cent, of slack over the deep-water portion of each section which is more in accordance with modern practice than the 10 per cent, over the whole distance specified in the Committee's Report.
We have also added a short section from Vancouver Town (Point Grey) to Vancouver Island (Newcastle Island), the additional cost for which would be £4,217.
Speed per minute.
Section.
Section.
Core.
Distance.
Length probably laid.
Length provided.
Distance.
Length probably laid.
Length
provided.
Theoretical letters.
Paying words,
N. Miles.
N. Miles.
N. Miles.
Vancouver (San Juan)-
552
Fanning Island.
N. Miles.
3,237
N. Miless.
3,561
N. Miles.
3,653
80
8
368
Vancouver (Point Grey)-Vancouver Island Vancouver (San Juan)-Fanning Island
29
31
33
3,237
3,494
3,653
Fanning
Island - Fiji
200
1,903
£2,093
2,189
80
8
Fanning Island---Fiji (Suva)
*
1,895
2,047
2,181
(Suva).
175
Fiji (Suva)-Norfolk Island
889
977
Fiji-Norfolk Island
130
*1,019
874
961
1,003
160
16
130
Norfolk Island-New Zealand (Parenga-renga)
453
494
513
Norfolk Island --
New
130
488
537
554
Zealand (N. Cape).
130
130
Norfolk Island-Brisbane
758
834
866
སྨྱོ་༔
200
20
Norfolk Island-Queensland (Moreton Bay)
793
369
906
360
30
130
7,296
7,912
8,305
7,260
7,986
8,265
4453
03
PUBLIC RECORD
OFFICE
Reference :-
FLITTIC.O.885
7
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
P
20
The general suminary of the cost of these two projects is as follows :-
Frems.
Manufacture and laying
Short section (Vancouver Channel)®
Stations, instruments, &c.
Two maintenance ships
552 Core
36x
C'ore
340
on long Section.
on long Section.
£ 1,467,830
£ 43.117
4,217
4.217
339,000
39,000
110 000
140,000
30,000
1,652,331