The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-19
The Int ernatiOnal Ocean Telegraph
Company.

From the Times.
We are opposed, and strongly opposed, on
principle to all monopolies, their natural and
almost universal effect being to benefit the few
at the expense of the many, and the enterprise
which is the subject of these remarks is the pro-
tected grantee, it appears, not OF one but of
many exclusive privileges, or rather of the
same exclusive privilege from many distinct
nationalities. The priori influence deduclble
from the obtaining of these exclusive privileges
would be, that the combined intelligence and
experience oil the various Governments erecting
these monopoiies have been convinced OF the
national value of the interest to be created and
protected, thus granting the protection as they
would to patentee, or that they belle ved that
this interest OF national value could not be
created without the special protection of a
limited monopoly.
If our memory serves us right both of these
reasons we're adduCcd, discussed, and admitted
In the United States Senate before the Interna.
tonal Ocean Telegraph Company obtained their
bill; and, 1t we are correctly informed, the main
reason which induced the Spanish Government
to protect the Company, was the conviction that
no association would ever undertake to place
her West Indian colonies in telegraphic commu-
nication with the home Government, unless pro-
tected for a time against competition.
No one can recognize more fully than we do
the many advantages daily afforded to us By the
Atlantic cable. AS q material progress as a
BIuuu NNlOiy VI uluu1 ShClSyi COuTtSe, dQI
perseverance over the inorganic forces ofnature
we hail it, are proud of it, and OF the national
share we have had in its accomplishment. But
as commercial monopoly, it is necessarily
opposed TO our ideas of progress, and, as
political one, 1t may, oy reason of its foreign
termini, become one day greater national
bane than 1T is present benefit.
If, therefore, monopoly though it be, the
first cable OF the International Ocean Telegraph
Company, to be laid shortly from Key West to
Havana, Is to be-as We are credibly informed
the hrst link OF new transatlantic chain,
which, passing through the Windward Islands
along the northern coast of South America,
shall stretch from Cape st. Rogue to the Azores
and Canary Islands, and terminate at CadiZ we
presume we must hail it as one OF the many
goods OF questionable paternity; and, perhaps,
being possessed of no transatlantic soil our
selves, Spain is as convenient country as any
other on which its European terminus should
be landed. ..-
The International Ocean Telegraph Company
intend, we understand, to lay their cables to
Jamaica, and thence 10 the national focus OF the
whole trade of the Pacific, the Isthmus OF
Panama. The commerce of the southwest coast,
which, according to all laws political and
geographical would clearly belong to us, is now
almost entirely in the hands of the European
commercial communities, attributable mainly
to the liberal system of postal conventions
whereby England fosters indirectly the esta-
blshment OF markets for the principal staples.
Were our merchants once placed in telegraphic
communication with the republics of Colombia,
Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Chill, there can be
no reason why a fair average of the commerce OF
those countries should not be directed to US.