The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-06-14


ca to Cape Prince of Wales is about 1900
miles. The length of submarine cable across
Behring's Straits would be forty miles, and
the distance from East Cape, by inland pas
sage around the sea Ochotsz, and through the
settlements of Ochotsz, Ayan and Shaunter's
to the mouth OF the Amoor river would be
about $500 miles. The entire length of the
line would be a little more than 5000 miles.
Operative submarine telegraph wires have
been laid OF the lengths, respectively, of 300
and 900 miles, from Dover to Heligoland, and
from Malta to Tripoli; therefore water fur
nishes no obstacles to this line.
The Emperor of Russia has bound himself
to extend the main eastern and western line
from Irkoutsk to the mouth of the Amoor,
and what this man promises will be per-
formed, whether it be the emancipation of
forty millions of serfs or constructing tele-
graphic line over an immense extent of terri
tory. He is good for all his promises. The
extension of this line Is now rapidly advanc-
ing. And this is not all, and but small por-
ton of this Emperor's plans and enterprises.
His designs embrace nothing less than the
following stupendous works, says Mr.. Seward.
"A telegraph wire, with the necessary sub
marine cables. from the mouth OF the Amoor
river, acorss the Straits OF Tartary, over the
Island Of Sakhalin, across the Straits of La
Perouse, over the Island OF Jeno, through
Hakodadi, aud across the Straits of Saugar
to Yedo. the capital OF Japan" And then he
has other lines in contemplation, stretching
over vast territories to terminate at the Port
of Viadi Vostok, on the coast OF Tartary, OPP
poste to that part part of Hakodadi on the
eastern coast of the Japanese sea, and at the
ports Of Nankin, Shanghae, Annoy and Can
ton, on the Pacific coast, opposite to Califor-
mia. Russia has already brought all her chief
inland markets and mines, as well as her prin-
cipal ports on the coasts of the Pacific Ocean
into telegraphic communication with her car
ital.
Mr. Seward says that "such efforts belong
to the class Of human labors which are pro-
nounced TO be doubly blessed, because they
bless equally those who are subjects and those
who are the performers of them" These tel
egraph lines will be instrumental in renewing
and restoring the long-languishing civiliza-
ton OF the regions where our race first inn
pressed Its dominion upon the globe, appoint
ed for its residence. And the time will come
when the cost of sending words over wires
will be very much cheaper than it is now
Tho ipvanfore n,nat nou ha ra sv rdad hat tha
old forms will one day be thrown aside and
new systems invented which will be much
cheaper than the present ones, and equally as
good, II not better as well Is cheaper, so that
the magnetic wire will become, for the chief
purposes of social, commercial and political
communication as practical As, by reason OF
Its adaptation, 1t Is effective. In other words,
this wire will take the place of letter-writing
much more extensively than 1t does now
Friends, social, commercial, political, will talk
with each other through this space-annihila,-
Ing and time-destroying instrument all over
the world. Mr.. Seward remarks:
do not know any one object lying within
the scope Of our foreign relations more direct
ly important than the preservation of peace
and friendship with those two great and en-
lightened powers. Nor can | conceive of any
one measure Of national policy that would
more effectively tend TO secure that great OBJ
ject than the construction of the proposed in
ter-continental telegraph.
He hopes to see the magnetic wire stretch
ed across on the bed of the Atlantic Ocean
from Cape Clear to Cape Race, notwithstani-
ing past difficulties. The two lines in HE
opinion would naturally aid and strengthen
each other. Should they come In competition
the world would be benefited. Besides, the
great interests Of human society will, ere long,
require more than one and even more than
two trans-oceanic, world-eucircling telegraphs.
five ever have any friends on the opposite
side Of our globe, we hope the time will come
when we can talk with them through the mag
netic wire, and interchange sentiments oil
friendship and love without waiting for the
slow car, or the still slower steamship. Phi
losophers have said that, happiness consists
In the hurry Of the feelings then We say,
let these trans-oceanic and world -encircling
telegraphs be hurried up while we have =
breathing place on this planet.