The Belfast-Stranraer Telephone Cable

Abstract

IN 1853, the British and Irish Magnetic Telegraph Company laid a cable between Port Patrick and Donaghadee. This cable proved to be successful and was one of the forerunners of the Atlantic cable in laying which Lord Kelvin played a leading part. Until last year, the telephone and telegraph traffic had been carried by four telegraph cables laid in 1870, ’79, ’88 and ’93 for telegraph working but afterwards converted to telephone working, and a ‘continuously-loaded’ cable made in 1921. In addition, a loaded cable connects Blackpool to the Isle of Man and thence to Ballyhornan, Northern Ireland. These cables were made by Siemens Brothers and Co., Ltd., and its associated company, Submarine Cables, Ltd., which claim to be the only British organization that undertakes the design, manufacture and installation of all types of submarine and land cables as well as the necessary carrier-current equipment. In the Engineering Supplement to Siemens Magazine of January a description is given of two more submarine cables completed last September, their opening coinciding with a special low charge for calls carried by submarine cable to Northern Ireland. As each of these cables can carry four calls simultaneously, there are eight circuits available to help carry the increased traffic brought about by the tariff reduction. It is possible to increase further the carrying capacity by the addition of more carrier equipment. One of the two new cables serves for transmission from Belfast to Stranraer and the other cable for transmission in the opposite direction. In addition to the submarine cables, there is a radio link connecting Ballygomartin, near Belfast, and Port Patrick.