The Battery and the Boiler

by R. M. Ballantyne

Layout 4

 

AN ELECTRIFIED TIGER—Page 310.
Frontispiece.

 

 

LONDON
JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET.

 

 

THE

BATTERY AND THE BOILER

OR

ADVENTURES IN THE LAYING OF SUBMARINE

ELECTRIC CABLES.

BY R. M. BALLANTYNE,

AUTHOR OF "THE GIANT OF THE NORTH;" "THE LONELY ISLAND;" "POST HASTE; A
TALE OF HER MAJESTY'S MAILS;" "IN THE TRACK OF THE TROOPS;" "THE SETTLER
AND THE SAVAGE;" "UNDER THE WAVES;" "RIVERS OF ICE;" "BLACK IVORY;"
"THE PIRATE CITY;" "THE NORSEMEN IN THE WEST;" "THE IRON HORSE
"THE FLOATING LIGHT OF THE GOODWIN SANDS;" "ERLING THE
BOLD;" "FIGHTING THE FLAMES;" "SHIFTING WINDS;" "DEEP
DOWN;" "THE LIGHTHOUSE;" "GASCOYNE;" "THE
LIFEBOAT;" "THE GOLDEN DREAM," etc.

With Illustrations by the Author

LONDON:
JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET.
1883.

[All rights reserved.]

 

 

PREFACE.

This book professes to do no more than scratch the surface of a grand and interesting subject. It recounts a few of the adventures and experiences of those who compass land and sea in order to connect the ends of the earth by means of electric lines and cables.

R. M. B.

Harlow-on-the-Hill,
1882.

 

 

CONTENTS.

1. PAGE

2. CHAP. I. —

   IN WHICH THE HERO MAKES HIS FIRST FLASH AND EXPLOSION, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   1

3. II. —

   REFERS TO A NOTABLE CHARACTER, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   8

4. III. —

   EARLY ASPIRATIONS, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   17

5. IV. —

   EXTRAORDINARY RESULT OF AN ATTEMPT AT AMATEUR CABLE-LAYING, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   22

6. V. —

   PROSPECTS OF REAL CABLE-LAYING—ROBIN MEETS WITH HIS FIRST ELECTRICAL ACQUAINTANCES, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   31

7. VI. —

   TELLS Of OUR HERO'S VISIT TO THE GREAT CABLE, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   51

8. VII. —

   THE BIG SHIP—FIRST NIGHT ABOARD, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   63

9. VIII. —

   LAYING THE CABLE—"FAULTS" AND FAULT-FINDING—ANXIETIES, ACCIDENTS, AND OTHER MATTERS, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   74

10. IX. —

    IN WHICH JOYS, HOPES, ALARMS, GHOSTS, AND LEVIATHANS TAKE PART, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    86

11. X. —

    TELLS OF GREAT EFFORTS AND FAILURES AND GRAND SUCCESS, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    102

12. XI. —

    HOME! ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    119

13. XII. —

    A GREAT DYNAMO-ELECTRIC SEA-FIGHT, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    125

14. XIII. —

    TELLS OF A SUDDEN AND UNLOOKED-FOR EVENT, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    135

15. XIV. —

    THE RAFT, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    147

16. XV. —

    LIFE ON THE RAFT, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    160

17. XVI. —

    IN WHICH WILL BE FOUND MORE SURPRISES THAN ONE, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    170

18. XVII. —

    STRANGE DISCOVERIES ON PIRATE ISLAND, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    187

19. XVIII. —

    THE PIRATE'S ISLAND—continued, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    206

20. XIX. —

    AN EXPLORATION AND AN ACCIDENT, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    225

21. XX. —

    VARIOUS SUBJECTS TREATED OF, AND A GREAT FIGHT DETAILED,

    239

22. XXI. —

    DEPARTURE FROM PIRATE ISLAND AND HOPEFUL NEWS AT SARAWAK ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    259

23. XXII. —

    BOMBAY—WHERE STUMPS COMES TO GRIEF, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    274

24. XXIII. —

    STUMPS IN DESPAIR—AND BOMBAY IN RAPTURES, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    283

25. XXIV. —

    SHOWS THE DREADFUL DEPRAVITY OP MAN, AND THE AMAZING EFFECTS OF ELECTRICAL TREATMENT ON MAN AND BEAST ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    300

26. XXV. —

    A GREAT FIELD-DAY, IN WHICH SLAGG DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    316

27. XXVI. —

    BEGINS WITH A DISAPPOINTMENT, CONTINUES WITH A GREAT RECEPTION, AND ENDS WITH A SERIES OF SURPRISES, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    325

28. XXVII. —

    DESCRIBES SEVERAL IMPORTANT EVENTS, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    343

29. XXVIII. —

    THE CABLE LAID, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    354

30. XXIX. —

    UNCLE RIK'S ADVENTURES, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    363

31. XXX. —

    THE WRIGHT FAMILY REUNITED, AND SAM BECOMES HIGHLY ELECTRICAL, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    374

32. XXXI. —

    DESCRIBES A HAPPY HOME AND A HAPPIER MEETING, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    388

33. XXXII. —

    IN WHICH THE STORY FINDS A "FAULT," AND THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT ENDS, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    399

 

 

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

1. AN ELECTRIFIED TIGER (p. 310),

   Frontispiece.

2. TWO LEVIATHANS AT THE CABLE,

   ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   to face page 100

3. ILLUSTRATED TITLE.

4. THE PIRATES' CAVE,

   ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   201

5. ROBIN RESCUES LETTA,

   ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   255

6. THE LAST COIL,

   ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   361