laperouse

Landing of the New Zealand to Sydney telegraph cable at La Perouse in 1876

from Australian National Maritime Museum on The Commons

• 8 older comments, and then…
• beachcomber australia said:

  GoogleMapStreetView - goo.gl/maps/VA2l4 - see the rocks at left, particularly the arrowhead one.

• beachcomber australia said:

  Read All About It!, including an engraving of this photo, AT&CJ 12/2/1876 - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/70588890. And another engraving from further back - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/63333606

• beachcomber australia said:

  From the first link - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/70588890 - " ... At 6 a.m. [on Saturday 5/2/1876] the boats made ready, from the Hibernia, which was anchored one-third of a mile off. A great length of cable rope was stretched from the ship to the main land, 100 yards east of the place where the cable was to be landed. The life-boat, with the first portion of the cable on board followed, and the cable looped from seven other boats, was carried to the shore. When sufficiently far to the east, the main boat swerved back, and by this means abundance of slack cable was secured to reach into the operating room. The life boat, with the cable, was manned by a strong crew, who enlivened the proceedings by chanting sea-songs. The attendance of spectators was not numerous. Among those present were noticed the officers, engineers, and electricians of the ship, Mr. Dickenson (Learmonth, Dickinson, and Co., the agents of tho cabie vessels), Mr. John Rae, Mr. E. C. Cracknell, Mr. F. W. Hill, Mr. Phillip B. Walker, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Dalgarno, Mr. Wise, Mr. W. Hill, Mr. Peck, Mr. O'Sullivan, Captain McDermott, and Mr. Skarrat. When the first boat was brought with a heavy rope attached to the cable, the whole of the spectators cheerfully rendered assistance to the officers and crew, and dragged the life-boat in. At 7.30 a.m., the cable end was landed, and in twenty minutes afterwards connection was established. In two minutes after connection a remarkable feat was accomplished. As before explained, the cable is laid on the Hibernia in three large tanks, each containing over four hundred miles of wire. Each tank is connected, and a message was received at the station from the ship saying, "All right," or "O. K," the message having traversed the whole length of the wire which, if stretched, would reach to New Zealand. This piece of intelligence was highly satisfactory. In about an hour afterwards (ten minutes past 9 a.m.) the Hibernia began to steam slowly away, accompanied for a short distance by the Ajax and Mystery, and at 9.30 she passed through the Heads on her way to New Zealand, paying out the line without the slightest hitch. Shortly afterwards the Edinburgh started. Several other tests were taken, and proved that communication was perfect, when the Hibernia got out to sea. In addition to the information already furnished, it will be interesting to know that the total length of the line will be about 1370 nautical miles. ... .... "

• beachcomber australia said:

  John Rae (1813–1900) - adb.anu.edu.au/biography/rae-john-4443

• pellethepoet said:

  beachcomber australia So nice to make John Rae's acquaintance once again! See also State Library of NSW dry plate (copy) negatives (February 1876): Laying of the Pacific Ocean cable, La Perouse, Botany Bay [Digital order no. d1_05253] Electric telegraph officers' camp: laying the cable, Botany Bay [Digital order no. d1_05257] Electric telegraph officers' camp: laying the cable, Botany Bay [Digital order no. d1_05258]