The Biggest Cable

The Western Union Telegraph Co. announced the signing of a contract with the Italian Submarine Cables Co. for a direct line between Italy and the United States, by way of the Azores, if Portuguese permission is granted. It will be the longest and highest capacity single cable across the Atlantic (4,500 miles), transmitting 50,000,000 words a year, or five times the volume of any existing Western Union cable. Present communication with Italy is relayed by land lines through England and France. The Western Union chose Italy for the destination of its largest cable because of " the growing prosperity of Italy under Mussolini."

The new cable will be a " super-cable " recently developed by leading electrical engineers -- Dr. Frank B. Jewett of the Western Electric Co., General John J. Carty, Bancroft Gherardi of the American Telephone and Telegraph Co. The distinctive feature is a new copper alloy for the core of the cable, which increases the transmission capacity severalfold.

Practical submarine telegraphy is the growth of less than 80 years, although numerous experiments over small distances had been made in Europe since 1795 and S. F. B. Morse himself had laid a wire from Castle Garden to Governor's Island. A cable across the English Channel was attempted by the Messrs. Brett in 1850. They organized a company and enlisted the cooeperation of Cyrus Field in 1854. After repeated failures, a cable was laid from Newfoundland to Valencia Island, Ireland, by vessels proceeding from the middle in both directions. On August 17, 1858, the first message went over the wire : " Europe and America are united by telegraph. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men." The first cable consisted of a core of seven twisted copper wires, covered with gutta percha, hempen yarn saturated with pitch, wax, etc., and a spiral sheathing of iron wires, The whole about 6/10 of an inch in diameter and weighing one ton to the mile. The same general principles are followed today, but it is necessary to make the portions near the shore stronger and heavier. Cables cost from $350 to $1,500 a mile.

The first cable was effective for less than a month, owing to use of currents of too great potential, and very few messages were sent. Field was still active in seeking capital, and organized a new company which bought the Great Eastern, largest vessel of its day. On July 27, 1865, the new cable was finally completed, and from that time development has been rapid.

There are now more than 300,000 miles of submarine cables, about four-fifths of which are owned by private companies, the rest by Governments. The Eastern Telegraph and Cable Co. is the largest single owner. The British and French colonial systems require extensive cable facilities. The longest cable is 7,500 miles between San Francisco and Tokyo, via Hawaii and Guam. The construction and upkeep of cables is costly and difficult work. Frequent breaks require the services of specially equipped vessels for repairs.