The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-29 00:00:00

TELEGRAPH 2'o SINGAPORE AND

CHINA.

The Times, in a recent article, condemning the
supineness of the Government in not promoting
telegraphic communication to India, advocated the

immediate laying of a submarine cable in two sec-
tions from Rangoon to Singapore, in order to faci-
litate our communication with China. The Indian
Government has long since agreed to lay this line
along the Malay peninsula, having stations at Ten-
assernn and Penang, but have wasted most valuable
time in arguing the question of cost with the
perial Government. We are happy, however, to
be able to state that the news of our warlike relit,
tions with China has urged the Home Government
to action, and instructions have been given for en-
tering into a contract for laying the cable from
Rangoon to Singapore by the end-of May; and
there is no doubt that, 'sat time, Singapore will
be in telegraphic comma ition,with London. The
working of this line will, ' ceifi4e .Ite ittihid hands
-of4 he Idian noverrirne/tt, as all other lines are in
„India.' The line from Calcutta to Rangdon was to be
finished last month, and intelligence to that effect is
expected by an early mail. No decision Las yet
been arrived at in reference to the line from Singa-
pore to Hon;-Kong, for which two projects had
been laid beforer the Government some months since
—one to run from Singapore to Pule Condore, thence
along the coast of Cochin-China, with a station
at the Bay of Touron, thence to the Island of Hainan,.
which will shortly be open to British trade, thence
to Hong Kong. Our readers may remember that
this is the route advocated by us in December last,
when the claims of Sarawak were before the public;
and we hear that Lord Elgin and Sir J. Bowring
have also pronounced in favour of this route. If this
line be adopted, the French Government will doubt-
less be willing to afford some support to the under-
taking. Then, again, a line could easily be run from
Pulo Condore to Bankok ; and we happen to know
that support could be obtained from the present en-
lightened King of Siam, who prides himself on his
English wi iting, and sympathises with all our scien-
tific movements. The second project is to run a line
from Singapore to Sarawak, on the Bornean coast,
thence to the Island of Labuan, thence to Manilla,
and thence to Hong Kong. After the late fearful
massacre of Christians in Bm•neo, we think it would
be highly impolitic to use that coast, to say nothing
of the entire absence of any pecuniary support from
its rulers. There should not, we think, be any hesi-
tation on the part of the Government as to which of
these two routes deserve .support ' • and it must be
some red-tapeism which keeps is from pronouncing •
an opinion on tho subject, and thus put the matter
in motion. A company could be formed, and a capi-
tal raised, we believe, in a few days. In discussing
these plans, we have not lost sight of the fact, that
India is not yet in telegraphic communication with
this country. The cable to effect this—that is, from
Aden to Kurrachee, however, leaves Liverpool on the
30th inst., by Messrs. Newell and Co.'s steamers, Im-
perador and Imperatriz. We are at a loss to know why
the laying of this section could not hare been per-
formed simultaneously with the one from Suez to
Aden. Surely there were more than two vessels to be
found in Great Britain suitable for the purpose.
Waiting for the return of the Imperador and 'rape- •
ratriz is about the most old-fashioned way of doing
things possible, and not at all in keeping with tele-
graphic movements. It reflects little credit on the
Board of Trado, and we trust a similar blunder
will not be repeated.—china Telegraph.