The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-12 00:00:00

moderate alleviation. The matter does really, we do
believe, demand a close, searching, and immediate

flvestigation.

The complete and triumphant success cf the

Transatlantic Telegraph naturally leads to the con-
sideration of the extraordinary changes that must
inevitably follow the almost miraculous event. It is

certain that the advantages afforded by instantaneous
communication will be gradually extended, until
every important colony and dependency can commu-

municate with Downing-street, and receive as
answer within a few hours—that time being required,
not for the transmission, but for the framing and
reading of the messages. The time required for a
special messenger to deliver the missive at so short a
distance from the" head-office that it would
not be worth while taking a cab, would be a
hundred, aye, a thousand-fold that consumed
in the passage from Newfoundland to Valen-
tia—nay, more, or passing round the world,
whenever the magnetic wires are carried to
the extent at which we have no doubt they will
eventually arrive. " Puck's" boast that he would
place " a belt round the globe in forty minutes," is
left immeasurably behind. It will not take even
forty seconds, or the hundredth part of forty seconds,

to pass over the entire circumference.
This will easily be understood by the following
simple facts :—Light is calculated to travel at the
rate of (in round terms) 200,000 miles per second.
The electric spark is supposed, and with much ap-
pearance of truth, to be transmitted at the same rate.
The circumference of the earth is 25,000 miles, ergo,
the earth may be traversed in the one-eighth part of
a second ; so that the difference of time between
London and Greenwich, and London and Hong lion;,
will not be an appreciable quantity.
We may easily imagine the extraordinary effect of

being enabled to understand the progress of events
in China at the very time of their occurrence; to receive

despatches from our Plenipotentiary, and answer
them within the time fairly allowable for considera-
tion ; to know bow Lord CLYDE, of Clydesdale, is

disposing of the Hindu rebels, and what may be the

extent of the reinforcement absolutely required, so
that there might neither be an excess nor a deficiency,

but that the happy medium might be selected.
The political importance of such speedy cammu-
nications is sufficiently obvious. It would be well
worth while to incur an outlay of many millions to
effect so great an object ; but for the present
let us rather regard it in its social aspect. It
will strike at the very root of the higher class of
crime. No absconding bankrupt can hope to arrive
at a city of refuge or haven of safety. lie must take
weeks or days to arrive at his destination, when the
account of his crime, and the description of his per-
son, will have reached it long before, and a police
officer will be the first to welcome his coming, and
(in consideration of the reward) look brighter when
he comes. It is difficult to say what may be the full
effect on commercial morality ; but whenever the

telegraph is established it will tend to the diminution
of crime by multiplying the chances of detection.
It will also arrest the progress of gambling specu-
lations, in which so many innocent persons are vic-
timised. Men will not be inclined to enter into
dealings with parties who possessed information of
which they knew nothing—who were virtually play-
ing with marked cards or loaded dice. The cry of a
shoat crop will no. longer be possible. The " ursine"
fratelmity will be deprived of their most formidable
weapons, and the feverish fluctuations in prices,
which have occasioned so much mischief to all classes,
but more especially to the consumers, will be effec-
tually prevented, when the state of the diffe-
rent markets of the world can be ascertained at
a brief notice, and a synoptical chart of prices
presented to every person interested, at
a moderate price. Trade will then once more become,
what it was in the olden time—the noblest pursuit
that could be followed. The merchant princes will
be more flourishing than ever ; and commerce will
prosper, and the welfare and happiness of the people
of every nation in the world, be greatly promoted.
We have just seen the inauguration of a mighty
system, of which no man can predict the results. It
is certain that it will greatly increase human power.
Let us fervently hope that it may multiply the hap-
piness of mankind in a similar ratio.