and in the 1914-1918 conflict some telegraph facilities were seen as strategic targets. The case of Tabuaeran island is well-documented. During this period the activity of the cable ships was mainly to repair the damage produced by belligerent actions. In 1942 both the CS Pacific and CS Store Nordiske were put under British administration and the British company Cable and Wireless took over the management of both ships. William Elmgreen, fourth engineer of the Pacific, captured this time in his personal diary in the following terms: "On 9th April 1940, Denmark was invaded by Hitler's army. We still carried out repairs as usual, until May, when it was rumoured that some local Nazis were quietly planning to take over our ships. Both steamers immediately raised steam and left for Hong Kong. I was on the S/S Pacific and we arrived at Hong Kong four days later. We signed British Articles, pulled down our old Danish flag, and hoisted the Union Jack. Our neutrality markings were covered with war paint and we left immediately for a repair job on the high seas. On our main mast was a sealed document with this inscription: 'Thirty days from this date, the C/S-Pacific will be a Prize of War, belonging to his Majesty King George VI.' After this, the cable steamer, C/S Pacific was a Man-of-War, according to the Geneva Conference." The relationship between the Great Northern Telegraph Company and Cable and Wireless has been properly researched by Prof. K Jacobsen in a collective volume. Retirement and scrapping The Pacific was later stationed at Singapore, relieving the British Cable Steamer, The Cable, and then went on to Australia, returning to Singapore in 1941. After 47 years of service the ship was sold for DKK 104,360 in Singapore to Agaarwal Bros and towed to Mumbai for breaking up. CS Pacific in art In the early 20th century many Danish post-romantic artists were inspired by the world of sea and ships. In 1906 C V Bunch painted a marine inspired by the CS Pacific and Store Nordiske. Another Danish naval painter, Vilhelm Arnesen (1865-1948), painted in 1928 an oil on canvas with the Pacific as main motive. References External links National Maritime Museum of Denmark Ships of Denmark Cable laying ships 1903 ships