After the fortunate breakage of the cable in 1872 which allowed the South Australians to avoid payment of the penalties for late completion of the Overland Telegraph line, there were many other breakages for short or long terms. These were reported in the various newspapers as genuine reasons why overeas events could not be reported. For most of these cable problems leading to disruptions, there is no documentation still existing or accessible to evaluate the implications.

A typical announcement of the interruptions which occurred is that carried by the SA Advertiser for Monday 24 February 1873:

The Java line is still interrupted. The messages received last night were sent by post from Bezoeki to Banjoewangie.
The repairing parties have started, and communication is expected to be restored to-morrow.

One breakage at the end of October 1877 interrupted communications for a long time.

The Sydney Morning Herald of 15 November 1877 wrote a long article about cable breakages and the implications of these. In one part, the article noted:

"... in the event of breakage, we ought not to be able to calculate on having some certainty that a repairing ship will be nearer than Penang or Sydney.

We understand that the South Australian Government has made an arrangement with the Netherlands Steam Navigation Company by which, in the event of the breaking of the cable, a vessel would leave Batavia immediately and news may thus be brought from Banjoewangi to Port Darwin once a week.

If this arrangement is carried out, it will be better than nothing. But as long as these colonies are content to do with a single line, they ought to at least make it certain that, in the event of an accident, the repairing vessel will not be far away".

The Brisbane Courier of 5 December 1877 reported:

"We were told yesterday that the Edinburgh has been started from Batavia for Port Darwin, and that as soon as she reaches the Australian end of the line, she will be turned back to search for the spot where the break has taken place. But supposing that the repairing ship begins her task at once, about a month will have transpired between the breaking of the line and the commencing of repairs.

It does not appear that this delay is attributable to negligence on the part of the E. and A. E. Telegraph Company. The company has done best under the circumstances and, considering that the line is worked without a subsidy, they have done quite as much as could be expected.

At the same time, the expiration of a month between the breaking of the line and the commencing of repairs ought not to be necessary. In these days of abundant ships and of rapid communication we ought to be able to ensure the arrival of a repairing vessel at any point of the Australian coast in less than a half of that time, and we should no doubt be able to do so if those whose business operations most depend on regular telegraphic communication would take the matter up as the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce seems to be doing".

Especially in the early months of the service, there were a number of interruptions to the telegraphic communication which were mainly due to interruptions to the cable beyond Australia's shores.

The most critical break, from an overall perspective, was the cable break near Java just before the contractual deadline with the Eastern Company which would have required significant reparations to be paid. Todd and his colleagues might have thought "that was a good break"

E. C. Cracknell describes some of the issues leading to interruptions in a 1878 Report on duplicating the cable (Paragraphs 194 to 202). He also describes the damage inflicted by "an insect or worm".
In the same Report, Charles Todd addresses some of these interruptions in the early days (Paragraphs 379 to 381.

During the operational period".

A major problem arose during October 1888. One of the news reports covered the problems and actions to rectify the problems was published in the South Australian Register 26 October 1888.
It provided, in an excellent summary, the main stages taken to identify and remedy the problem:

Respecting the recent interruptions to both cables from Port Darwin to Java, Mr. Knevett writes:

25 September - the General Manager of this Company wired: Singapore - The Sherard Osborne leaves here to-day with new cable for renewal and alteration off Bali and Lombok Straits of both Java and Darwin sections, with the object of strengthening the communication with Australia at an expenditure of about £25,000.

1 October - this Company's Superintendent at Port Darwin wired: Repairing ship at work for renewal. One cable interrupted at a time for intermittent periods of few hours;

10 October - this Company's Superintendent at Port Darwin wired: Osborne been at work on old cable since 2nd; cable being buried found difficulty in picking it up. It parted on night of 2nd; on 3rd weather very thick; grappling unsuccessful.. Ship returned Banjoewangie morning of 5th to see if duplicate cable all right. Returned to ground again same day to resume work. Not spoken to her yet. This morning duplicate cable failed 41 miles from Banjoewangie. '' Ship supposed to have gone through new cable while grappling for old one. It is possible that she has Banjoewangie end on board".

31 October Port Darwin wired: 'Last message received from Banjoewangie 3:24 a.m. Singapore time, line then clear. Called Singapore at 4:20 a.m., but unable to get him. Hope be through again before next week';

11 November, 4:26 p.m. Adelaide time: 'Just spoken Osborne on old cable' and at 5:50 p.m. 'Osborne has now buoyed end of old cable. Hopes to pick up new cable to-night. Ship at work when new cable failed on morning of 10th';

Also on 11th advised: — 'There was very slight shock of earthquake felt in Darwin, 10 p.m. Singapore time on 9th. No particulars worth mentioning.'

12 November at 9:45 p.m Darwin wired: — 'Just got ship on new cable; he buoyed the Banjoewangie end of this cable this morning';

13 November at 5:30 p.m.: — 'Just got ship who says cable parted last night; now going to buoy and pay out from there; will be up to this buoy again about 10 p.m. to-night (Saturday);

14 November, Darwin-Java cable repaired 9.10 a.m. Singapore time;

15 November at 9:12 a.m.: - The duplicate or 1879 cable failed on 10th while ship at work on renewals of 1871 cable. Break was in the part about to be renewed. Ship now resumes renewal of 1871 cable and then proceeds with same work on 1879 cable. Hope all work finished during this week.
This he further explained on 15th, 1:44 p.m. — 'Already informed you Osborne was proceeding with fresh cable to strengthen both Darwin - Java sections by cutting and laying new lengths in Bali and Lombok Straits. This she proceeded to do, and cut in on 1871 cable. The duplicate cable failing on 10th she buoyed ends of 1871 cable, and proceeded to repair duplicate, or 1879 cable. This she has done, and now resumes work on 1871 cable. When this completed she will undertake the same repairs on 1879 cable. 'The break in 1879 cable on 10th occurred in a portion of the cable that ship has to renew";

21 November at 12:10 pm — 'Not spoken ship on 1871 cable since Tuesday (16th). The 1879 cable failed this morning at 7:30 a.m., Singapore time, about 60 miles from Banjoewangie. We may get ship at any moment;' and also on 21st, 6 p.m. — 'Nothing further to report.' 'Do not think it necessary to charter steamer here, as our repairing ship is on the spot;

24 November at 6 p.m. — 'Nothing from ship. We are watching day and night on both cables for signals. There has been no message to-day, the 25th, but the intimation that there was no change. This will show you the work the S.S. Sherard Osborne has been on and every endeavour is naturally made by the Company's ships and officers to restore communication as speedily as possible as no traffic means no revenue or dividends to shareholders".

The Madras-Penang cable is also understood to be repaired, but no official intimation has yet reached Adelaide. If this be so, the S.S. Recorder will also be free to assist the S.S. Osborne after which the S.S. Recorder will take soundings for the proposed cable from Banjoewangie to Broome — Roebuck Bay, Western Australia.

This cable is now being manufactured and will be laid about January, 1889 should all go well. There is no doubt the interruptions in July were caused by volcanic disturbance and great difficulty has been experienced in putting in thorough repair and renewing portions of both the Darwin Java cables. It is thought the ship may have gone through the 1879 cable, causing this present interruption while repairing the 1871 cable and may speak with Port Darwin at any moment.

S. Knevett.
Agent to the Company.