The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-02-13

The slb-oesanie Telegraph. q
A correspondent Of the New York Journal
Sf Commercs gives the following review Of
the history Of the telegraph; and an account
bf the snb-oceanic line Between Europe and
America, in letter from Washington:
One Of the most interesting enterprises Of
fhe age is that Of the International Submarine
Telegraph Company, for connecting Europe
and America by telcgraphc communication.
rhis great project is Of American origin, as
was the invention Of the electric telegraph
Itself. The time is well remembered when
Mr.. Morse's instrument was exhibited in .
Committee room of the Capitol, and when it
was deemed mere toy, and hardly ft for any
practical purposes. With much persuasion.
and after much hesitation, the Committee on
Commerce reported bill providing for an ex-
pertinent OF the telegraph between this city
and Baltimore. The terminus Of this end Of
the wire was in window in the Capitol and
the first exploit Of the machine was the con-
veyance, from the Baltimore Democratic Con-
vention, OF the nomination Of James X. Polk
and tho proceedings antecedent to it. The
Baltimore experiment, from first to last, cost
this government the sum Of $4,000 only. Il
led to the establishment of lines Of electric
telegraph throughout the world. Over forty
two thousand niles Of telegraph are now in
operation in the United States, and the wires
are now stretching from Europe to the coast,
and are soon to reach Calcutta. The telegraph
across the British Channel was the first i'm
portant experiment Of working the electric
wire under water. The project Of SUBJ Allan
tic telegraphinS originated here. Mr.. lIubbeI,
Of Pa, brought . project Of the work to the
notice OF the government three or four years
ago. He found no one to listen to him exceJ
Col. Jefferson Davis, who admitted that, IN
the progress Of enterprise, the time might come
for such . project. The first step taken was
by an American company, at the head OF
which was Mr.. Peter Cooper, of N. York, q
citizen eminent for wealth and public spirit,
for the establishment Of . line OF telegraph
between st. Johns, N. f., and the United
States This line was but recently put in full
operation The distance between Washington
and ST. Johns, N. F., by the telesraphic line,
Is AGO miles. and there are five or SIX sta
tons the line where the message is TO tie
fe-written. The difference in time between
this city and Newfoundland is q little more
than one hour. saw here dispatch, III.
other day, dated ST. Johns N.F.. at II o'clock
+. A. N and received here at ten O'Clock M.
connect with new line Of mail steamers, to
he established between Ireland and ST. Johns,
and with the submarine Atlantic telegraph.
One Of the company, Mr.. Fish. went to Eng
land. and there succeeded in getting up the
International Sub marine Telegraph Co. So
the last named enterprise, great as 1t is in con-
eep,lon, is American In origin; and it is also
American in management, and to some extent,
in ownership.
The terms which the Company have made
with the British Government for the use, by
the latter, Of the line. have been published and
ore very favorable to the enterprise. The
estimated cost Of laying the cable is $4,000
pounds. Seven per cent. on this SUN, the
British Government agree to pay the Com
pany annually for the use of the line, when
and while it shall be in operation, providing
that when the net profits Of the Company
reach six per cent. the annual stipend shall
be reduced to ten thousand pounds sterling
instead Of fourteen. Also, it is agreed that il
the government messages, at the tariff rate
charged to the public, shall amount to larger
sum, such additional payment shall be male
as shall be equivalent thereto. The British
Government are also to furnish ships to make
The necessary soundings, and aid in laying th'
cable.
The like terms were offered TO the Unitet
States Government and are accepted, SD fa
as the Senate is concerned, by the passage .
che bill "so expedite telegraphic communication
fJr the uses of the Government in its iore,gI
intercourse" which bill is now before tn,
Committee Of Ways and Means of the House
There IS no difference between the Senat,
bill and the British contract. The Umtet
States Government agrees to pay only tn
seventy thousand dollars, year, for the us
of the telegraph, whether its business shall
-at the tariff rates, exceed that sum or not
Nothing is to be done by either Governmen
until the experiment shall be in successful
operation. Nothing is hazarded by our Gov
sernment except the employment of q rottin
ship Of war and few idle officers, in layiff
down the cable--a work which cannot be don
by merchant ship, for want of sufficient
large decks rH
As regards the cost to the Government
the use Of this communication, it will be an
ply repaid by the facilities it will afford in ou
foreign intercourse. But were it not SO, th
expenditure would be justified as contrib,
tion to commerce, from which the Govern
ment derives its revenue. In the first exper
Reus which Congress author zed of the tel
graph between Washington and Baltim ,r
the Government took the risk of failure :
In this case, the hazard is taken by the Cor
pany. The forty thousand dollars which tn
experiment cost was the best investment u
Government ever made, e,-but not better pro
ably than that which is now proposed.
1t is not to be doubted that this electI
chain is destined to promote peace, CONNER
and civilization, and extend it to the ends
ths- earth.
Woly.s Are ranidlY incraasing in