Information Category | 24-12-07 01:17 GMT | Posted by Ian Chicken

Chapter 2: Ascension - The Early Years

1899 saw the outbreak of the Boer War, which brought about the need for communications bewteen the United kingdom and South Africa. The Eastern Telegrapah Company was given the contract to supply this link, in turn giving Telcon (A former Pender run company) the tender for the cables.

By 26th November 1899 the CS Anglia, had laid the first leg from Cape Town to St Helena (2065nm). She returned to the UK to take on more cable. While CS Anglia was completing this task the CS Seine laid the next section (844nm) from St Helena to Ascension Island.

Cable Laying at Comfortless cove

Thus it was December 15th 1899, that communications was first brought to the island. Though it did take some time to complete the work as the Marines took upon themselves to hinder the progress of E.T.C. in laying the cable from Cormfortless Cove (were the cables came ashore) to their main building in Georgetown

By February 1900 CS Anglia had laid the next stage from Ascension to Sáo Vicente (Cape Verde). from here via Portugal the final leg to the UK landing the cable in Porthcurno. To help with redundancy a second route was laid from the island to Freetown, Sierra Leone. The CS Anglia again completed this work.

By 1904 the work was till not complete due to the difficulties that arose between the Garrison Commandant,
Captain R.H. Morgan and the then E.T.C. superintendant C.A. Paine.

1908 saw the cable station in full swing and relaying some 30,000 messages.

In 1909 a search was carried to find a replacement beach for the cables to be brought ashore, but ended up staying at its original place. In 1910 CS Colonia and CS Cambria was in action laying a cable from Sáo Vicente to Ascension, then on to Buenos Aires in Brazil. This was the second largest cable ever laid at that time. Quickly the island established itself as important staging point for long distance cables to South America.

A Radio (Wireless) Station was commisioned to be installed on the island. This was situated on Ash Plain inland from Georgetown and once completed it operated 24 hours a day. Yet another cable was laid in 1919 by the <i>CS Colonia bewteen Rio de Janeiro and Ascension. The Signal station that was on Cross Hill was closed in 1922 and the Marines left the island. E.T.C. took sole control of the island.