The general problem of the equilibrium configuration of a flexible cable im¬mersed in a uniform steady stream is treated analytically. It is shown that, when the configuration of the cable lies entirely in a plane, the solution of the differential equations that describe the configuration can be expressed in terms of certain functions which are called the cable functions and are expressed in terms of quadratures. The specific functions that apply to the most general types of configurations assumed by round cables, when neither the weight of the cable nor the tangential drag of the cable can be neglected, are derived and tabulated. The tabulated values of these functions greatly facilitate the determination of the shape and tension of towing or anchoring cables for a large variety of practical problems both in air and water.
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