New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-02-02
FROM WAsRNC TOW.
THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.
Of Tbe T. Tribvr.


WASHINGTON, Jan. %, 1857.
A very favorable feeling exists in the House
toward the Atlantic Telegraph, and ye: the Senate
bin, granting aid 70 it, may be sent back 10 that
BODY for amendment. 1t is not thought IN have
Been ether proper wise 70 subject the bill 70 the
bad Of appropriation tha'it carries. Pie objection
10 paying as much for the Of the line By this
Government az il paid by the British, IL one thst
6e, ON the face Of the BILL and strikes every under
standing This Government VIII not have tenth,
and perhsps not twentieth part If the business ~
transact 90 the wires that; and thus il seem. an
act of pure grace not founded either Ia the Deces-
sity Of the case nor based on any other substantial
reason, to make our bonus for the use Of the line
great az that Of England.
Besides, the attempt b. carry the bill 10 - pres
sbt shape is hardly just to tie Company. What 1t
manly desires, is not the eleemO.lnary aid Of the
Government in the shape Of an unearned subsidy,
running through fve-aDd twenty years, but the
good Of the Government, far price for trans
acting its business and the use OF ship ~ lay
down one half Of the cable. The latter u the only
provision Of the bill that is really nds pensabe 70
tie Company and therefore the only one that 1t
feels particularly anxious about. national veg
eel - absolutely necessary, lnasmuch a. there IS no
merchant ship ahOat suitable ~ the service. In
the first place the weight Of half the cable - some
twelve hundred tuns; and, IN the next 10 must ne
IN a angle coil running the whole length OF the mp,
90 AZ not 10 throw her out Of trm a. II 10 uDcOlled
This cannot be done where there ia not flush deck
running fore and aft, without obstruction, from
which TO pay out the wlre and 1t must be very
Iar.e at that Thus one Of the large frlgates,
Ike the Niagara, il absolutely necessary for
the required service. If the Company can make
sure Of such a vessel, they are not over
anxious about the rest. Ii Is the Judgment OF the
managers that but few years viii elapse before
both Governments will have 70 pay more than the
stipulated sum for the use Of the telegraph. Indeed,
il is computed that the British Government will be
compelled to pay two or three tunes as much as Is
agreed upon in the existing memorandum made by
IL And the answer that il made 10 the objection
that our Government ought not 70 be asked t. pay
IA much as that, is tiat tue stipulated SUN j. no
more than our business will be worth at current
rates, while il will be found that IT IS altogether
less than the British authorities will have to pay, on
the basis Of their agreement u pay the Ordinary
feegraphc tariff on all their messages
The managers Of the enterprise entertain no
doubts IN regard to its success, except under the
single head Of laying down the wire. The cable
once laid and in operation, no question IL admitted
about its paying immense dividends, whether the
two Governments bind themselves 10 hNed com
pensatiOn or not. The doubt and the risk Is about
placing the cable safely at the bottom Of the sea.
on board the ships. When the cable goes over
board this sum Of money must be put At risk. No
reasonable insurance can he effected on II, owing
to the untried aud peculiar nature OF the en-
terprise. The British Offices have been un-
fortunate in underwriting some OF the smaller
operations Of the same character aud are disln-
clined to this at any price The best rate they
have suggested il 80 per cent. The Company, OF
course, prefer iusuring themselves to paying so
heavy n premium. They are thus chiefly solcitous
On the point of lay ing down the cable. Should they
happily succeed in this they are very ready to
trust 10 the wants of the world 10 reimburse them
for their cost and risk. In word, they feel cent?
dent that the line will pay and pay enormously.
Thus they stand ready, il the first attempt should
fail from any untpward circumstance, to try
second and even third cable. They are sangmne,
however, and mem TO succeed al the Tie hrst trsl
If they can.
There is IA consideration that ought not TO lee over
looked IN binding this Government to any contract
with this or any other Company: that Is, the ten
dency which oil such contracts have to create mo
nopOlies. Should this Government bind itself Ia
pay this Company fixed sum per annum for five
and twenty wears there would be small chance for
any rival Company, however stupendOus the rates
or magnificent the dividend which the original Com
pany might pay. Ii would aid 10 confirm the cNil
which the British Government has initiated by It's
grant and agreement. 1his ought {" be avoided
The world IL always deeply Interested III having Tree
competition and i'll important an enterprise as
the Atlantic Telegraph the benefits of at least pos
sdble competition ought not 10 be precuded, by
the action of this Government at ANY rate. What
has been done on the other side cannot be
helped. Let the present Company he warmly
eountenanced and generously aided; give them
the use of a ship, or ships, and pay no
orally for any required service. But II another
company should appear in one year or nye years
1t 4h.l Coz h,4 panX
Ia ADVANCE the interests Of trade and commerce aud
civilization by giving it to them also. Let 1t not
tie its hands BY any action now, that may prevent
it from acting in the interest OF the whole public
hereafter if it shall have occasion aud desire to
do SO. j. = T.