Cable

(kā'bl.) [Fr. and Sp.] (Naut.) A large strong rope or chain, used to hold a ve el at anchor. A hempen C., of 12 inches girth, 120 fathoms in length, weighs 3,075 lbs. Iron C.have, of late years, to a great extent superseded rope. They are not liable to become chafed on rocky ground, or to rot in moisture. Achain whose section is 1 inch breaks with 16 tons pre ure; and it is nearly equivalent to a hempen C. 10 inches in diameter.-Cable's length, the paying-out dimensions ofa ship's cable, usually 120 fathoms, or 720ft. [s. 128]