The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-09-12

camille communities everywhere, in lessen
ing the risks and insuring the profits of
trade, it is especially to the consumers that
the benefits of the telegraph are most direct
and immediate. The same wires which
make known the existence of scarcity in
any particular section or country, also ena-
BILE. the merchant, in an instant as it were,
to compare the various markets for supply
ing the commodities in demand, and to
select the cheapest and the best. The ne
cessity for the investment of enormous cap
ital in single branch Of business Is thus
materially reduced, and, as consequence
reduction follows in the cost at when
consumers can be supplied. In the fall OF
1866, for instance, the people OF the Atian-
tic seaboard were threatened with hign
prices for breadstuffs in consequence OF
short crops; but the fact was made Known
by the agency of the telegraph, and IN q
short time immense quantities of California
-four were sent to the Atlantic States, O'a
the Isthmus, which produced the effect OF
keeping down prices. aud last year, when
the price of cotton in England had reached
its lowest point, it is claimed that the pro-
duction. both here and in other countries,
would have been seriously affected by the
depression of the staple, had not the tele-
graph promptly announced that the stock
If cotton in India and at other points indi-
Gated that the supply would scarcely equal
the demand, and thus caused sudden and
timely rebound in the market, which pre-
vented vast area of cotton lands from
being devoted to other purposes.
Facts like these, in every department OF
production and trade, attest the constantly
growing Importance Of the telegraph as a
commercial agent. But the development OF
the telegraphic system is just begun. The
new Atlantic telegraph between France and
the United States is an enterprise that Sc
cures the continuity of our telegraphic in
tercourse with Europe, besides Offering
the prospect of competition. The French
company proposes to 10y two cables, one
from Brest: to the French island Of st.
Pierre, on the coast of Newfoundland, and
the other from the island to New York or
to some intermediate point between New
York and Boston. The distance from Brest
to st. Pierre is 2345 miles, and from st.
Pierre to New York 300, miles: AS several
hundred miles will be allowed for undula-
tions at the bottom Of the sea, the aggre-
gate length of the entire line will be about
g, 500 miles-nearly twice the length Of the
existing cables. Improvements. such as
have been suggested by experience will be
made in the new cable, which will be much
heavier than. those Of the old line, and
much better protected from the chances Of
rust or injury. Preparations. have been
already begun, and it is expected that The
new line will be in full working order in
the fell, of 1869. Another proposition Of
great interest is project toconuect China,
with the New World by the electric tele-
graph. A company for that purpose has
been formed, and within q year it is ex-
pected' that the principal cities Of China,
open to foreigners, will be within instanta-
neous communication with the United States.
The importance of this work may. be ap-
preciated from the fact that the annual for
.eign commerce of these Chinese cities is,
now estimated at $eoo,oOo;Ooo. And yet
these are but some of the many projects
which are now engaging the attention oof
practical men, with view to binding to-
gether, with the magic cable, the minds and
the interests of distant peoples.