Faults in Submarine Telegraph Cables

Some of the hazards that could befall submarine cables.

Click on the breaks and faults to find out about them.

Breaks - Trawler Maul

A photograph of a cable section damaged at one end.

Cables in Shallower water were at risk from trawlers.

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Breaks - Intermittent Disconnection

A photograph of a cable section with the outer layers worn away at places and a snap in the middle, but with the two ends still in connection.

Sometimes cables broke but the two ends were so close together that they touched occasionally. The temperature of the sea water often had an effect on these breaks; when it rose, the metal conductors expanded very slightly, often causing a conection between the two broken halves.

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Breaks - Strained core

A photograph of a cable section with the copper and Gutta Percha core protruding from one end.

Sometimes the extreme length and weight of cables put too much pressure on certain parts, causing them to stretch and even break.

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Breaks - A temporary joint

A photograph of a cable section with a corner which has a break in the outer layers of the cable.

A temporary joint 'made by Italians' during the Second World War.

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Faults - Toredo fault

A photograph of a cable section with no insulation around one end of the cable, and the copper core frayed at the very end.

The Teredo worm was a great nuisance to early submarine cables, burrowing into the insulation and exposing the conductor. They were eventually thwarted by the addition of a strip of brass around the gutta percha insulator.

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Faults - Crab's nest

A photograph of a cable section which is slightly bent and has a break in the insulation in the middle.

Sea life is no respecter of technology as the damage caused by a crab's nest shows.

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Faults - Perished core

A photograph of a cable section with frequent cuts in the insulation along the length of the cable.

If the gutta percha insulation was poorly made or stored prior to laying, it perished, exposing the conductor.

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Faults - Fish bite

A photograph of a cable section with no insulation at either end, and the core frayed.

Submarine cables aren't edible, but it didn't stop some fish and sharks trying to bite right through them!.

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