'Telegraph and travel. A narrative of the formation and development of telegraphic communication between England and India, under the orders of Her Majesty's Government, with incidental notices of the countries traversed by the lines.' [‎368] (407/782)

the office, altogether about 1,000 yards. The barge then steamed
direct to the landing-place, paying out cable as she proceeded.
A large party of workmen . . . was lent by Lieutenant Morgan,
E.E. to drag the end of the cable from the barge, and to lay it
in the trench, so that by about 3 p.m . the cable ship Tweed,
was in direct communication with the Jask office.
" In the meantime Lieutenant Stiffe had started in the A mber-
witch, and laid down two buoys to mark the direction which
Captain Day of the Dacca was to follow. The Amherwitch
had then gone out to a point about thirty miles along our course,
where delicate steering was required in order to avoid overlaying
the old cable, and was to burn blue lights so soon as the paying-
out ships hove in sight. At 5 p.m . on the 27th October, the
Dacca with the Tweed in tow left Jask, and steered the course
laid down by Lieutenant Stiffe, the Tweed paying out her
cable smoothly and well at from three to four knots per hour.
Nothing could have worked better than the machinery employed,
and the uncoiling apparatus answered admirably.
" Very great credit for these arrangements is due to Mr. F. C.
Webb, who was Mr. Clark's assistant from the commencement of
the cable manufacture in the summer of 1868 until a few days
before we left England in September 1869, when he unfor
tunately found himself unable to accompany the expedition.
His place has been well filled by Mr. Preece, who, under Mr.
Clark's direction, superintended the fitting of the machinery, and
most ably carried on Mr. Webb's designs. About 10 r.m. we
distinguished the lights of the Ambervntch, and, five miles
further on, those of a little steam cutter which had been sent
forward to act as a second beacon. Lieutenant Stiffe then boarded
the Dacca and assisted Captain Day in towing our paying-out
vessel, the Tweed, on her proper course. The weather, for
tunately, was calm: the cable came up from the tanks easily
and well; the machinery worked faultlessly, and we found it
practicable to let the cable run out at a pace which at one time
was nearly seven knots per hour. At 11 p.m . Friday the 29tli,
we had completed the Tweed's section of 240^ miles, which
brought us to a point nearly south of Gais Island. After seal-
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