Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-08-13
THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.

all hoped but few confidently expected, il may seem
nopportune 10 lis to esk what good to US will be &C
compished by this great EVENT. We are brought
nearer to Europe in Effect, il is true; We placed n
| almost instantaneous communication with the great
pccuniary heart of The world; but still we do not
that this country will derive very much advantage
after all from the Atlantic telegraph. As nation
accept its benefits ony by consent of England,
and that after paying large subsidy. This coatent
may bs Withdrawn at any moment even after We
have paid the subsidy The messages Of England sre
to have precedence O: all others. Her government
can stop the transmission of the dispatches OF the
American Government whenever the Secretary OF
State in England sha!l think propsr..
The following extract from the charter shows the
precedeuce given 10 the Brsh Government, over all
other messages, and though it proesses to place dis
patches from the United States equality, yet it is
evident from section LXI that this equality may be
at any moment destroyed:
LvI. All messages and signals sent or Forwarded
for transmission and delivery for Her Majesty or on
! Her Mnj-.fys service shall have priority over all
| other messsge5 whatsoever, and II shall be lbpera.
tive on this company, their officers and servants, TO
trHurmlt aud deliver such messages and signals &C.
cordipgy and 10 suspend the transmission OF all or
any other messages until the said messages ana slg
/ mails ehdi trrt have been frhD-ulteu FTOVlueu d.
| ways, that the company may, in confederation OF
GUARANTEES or subsidy granted or secured by the gov
ernmen Of the United States, equal in rate or amount
10 that granted by or behalf Of Her Maj-stys
vernment grant aud extend To the government OF The
United States the like priority for Intelligence on ann
for their service all other messages and signals
whatsoever, except those for Her Majesty or on Her
Mhi-siys rrrvlce aud after they shall have done,
aud shalt have notified their having 40 done to the
Lords Commissioners of Her Mrjeslys Treasury ihe
! mes HUtsh
Of the United States shalt thenceforWard os en-
titled To, ana shall have. during the continuance IN
orcs of any ruch guarantees or suoady. me Ike pr
uriy messages and snga1 tor Her Majesty or on
Her Masrys service thUse of NIL orIet persons
whasuev-r, and tbenceiUr ward messages and signals
for Her Majesty or on Her Mes-ty's service, and
hose on the vice OF the government OF the United
SaIrs. shall between Themselves, have no right oi
priority but be transmitted nrd delivered respective
y in the order nf time in which they mey bs respec
tvely rendered Tor transmies0n and delivery.
1.-THE government and the Company cannot agree
upon The rate of remuneration tor sending public mes
sages. the matter to be settled by Referees.
The CvnpaDy ia authorized whether or not they
shall grant 10 The government o: the United States
any such priority s stated in The section before quo
ted, to make arrangements with that government for
the transmission of their messages The following
section authorizes the English government, under GER
!
| the Company
LXII. At all times from and after the period OF
twen years from the opening Of the said nes o.
i-legrap.ic communication for The transmission OF
messages, whenever one of Her Majesty principal
Secretaries State for tho time being shh be oiopin
Ion hat circumstances render it eIp-dent to vest IN
| Her Maesys government the control OF the opera
tiuns OF Ibe company, shall be a~u for such Sec
reary Of State, by warrant under his hand to cause
possession TO be TAKEN OF all the teegraphs and tee
graphic apparatus OF lhr varOus stations oil the com
pany, their licenses assigns for the space "t one
week from the date oi such warrant, for the purpose
| of preventing any communication being made or Big
nals given, such as shal be directed hnd sutno
rized by any such Secretary OF State and aso py
further warrants 10 cause possession OF 'pt
snid elrgraphn and telegrnphio apparatus 10 be TO
tanned from week TO week, 81 long AZ any sucn Secre
tary of State sha deem such possession expeoent lot
ths public service Provided always that tor every
cunpiuy, thGis sh all BIZ so retained
from aud be paid by th8 Eof,.o- srnS shoi '"""i""
Nniestys Treasury, the same amour" "i ptnh's Ne lhe
company would have made i'll Case they hhu coh'hueu
the working ui tn. ead Irlegraps, such proh'1 10 pt
computed upon al average OF The weekly Pron,s "'
he company tor three months immediately preceaius
| The issuing OF ID. dret OF the said warrauls'
Here, then, is power TO suspend even the most
important State despatch of the United States ~heh
ever Her Mnjestys Secretary Of State "shali oe OF
opinion thar circumstances render 1t expecien'.
| Owning both ends of the cable, che is able 10 con-
csn;rst. her action unknown and unsupported by US.
In consideration OF the vast amount of good that
| miyht be done through the iusrumentahty oi tina
csbls if propery managed and beyond the govern
mental control of any nation, think that it should
be open to all the world, protected oy every nanon'
and subject to the control of or else England
might own one end and the United States the olner'
And in view OF the fact that steam and the telegraph
Valentia Bay end to the Trinity Bay. Then let us
have one end of the telegraph, and let that emu oe
the Irish end.
As to the effects Of The cable on the trade OF 'he
country, it, in a measure, places the small traders al
the mercy of the large. the expenses OF transmitting
deppatches under monopoly are Certain 10 be very
far b.youd the means Of the small iradere while the
large trader will bs able 10 ascertain by reliable
despatch the actual state of the foreign markets
leaving the small trader entirely dependent upon the
: unreliable newspaper dispatches. But we are will
ing TO awhi; the working of the cable, and tho pub
fishing of The rules aud regulations OF the company
Mr.. Cyrus w. Field ID certainly the man of the
age To his perseverance, and indomitabe energy
ar. due the success OF the enterprise. He was The
d,st TO conceive the idea Of al Atlantic telegraph
and from the first conception of the idea, he ha
steadily followed his convictions, undismayed by TIT
difficulties which, for long titne retarded hs elor
aud eIertions.
In lew days the Queens and Presidents message
msy be expected and then it il hoped that proper
degree of enthusiasm will be manufactured and ella
boraiely displayed. Due notice has already beef
given. and there will be no excuse for a proper
amount of newspaper enthusiasm.