The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-10
FRANCE.
Telegraph Gable Communication With the
United states-The Vast Undertaking-Iis
"Grandeur and Importance,

''t'randeur and Importance.,,
PARIS, July 81, 1853.
The Aontte,T Of this morning publishes the follow
ing article:-
The concession OF the French Transatlantic cable
mus Just been granted In public adjudication Z
don. 1t may now be hoped that France win at last
nave her own transatlantic cable and cease TO bt
tributary to foreign countries. The mission OF
century seems to be to teach every appreciate
the value OF time and the English adage 'srime II
money, Is now an European truth.
II steam shortens distance for the traveller cleo
trlc1ty does still more IL does away with distance
altogether by permitting an instantaneous exchange
OF news between the most remote points of the
globe.
At the present time telegraphing, as a custom, is
not reserved as an exceptional thing. For the ios
important circumstances Of life 1t is becoming, on
the contrary, an every day custOm-a requirement
OF every moment; it becomes more and more a sub
stitute Tor letter writing and like the latter has Its
postage stamp and box
In 1853 the number of kilograms sent in France
was ,75oOOO Ia 1867 this figure rose to 3,2l40 0)
What is less known is that the submarine cable ia
now an engine understood practical and multiplied
In all the seas OF Europe, and the following statistics
show that II Is only for France that the Submarine
cable Is a novelty.
England Is connected with Ireland by four subma.
rine lines. The two first are laid from Sranraer, o
Scotch burg thirty kilometres from Wigtown in the
bay OF Loeb Ryan, ana are carried, the one to
Carrlckfergus In Ireland on the bay of mat name,
IN the county OF Antrim, and the other to Belfast,
the great lpanuiacturing town OF Ulster The third
to Dublin: the fourth from Haverfordwest, town in
Pembrokeshre, on the West Cleddy, In the heart of
Milford Haven to wexford, CHIEF town of The county
or that name, on tho Slaney. In the Irish sea
there Is the lsle OF Man, connected with the
industrial and commercial town of Whitehaven.
islands Of Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney are con
neced by cables. In the North Sea the little port Of
Cromer, near Norwich, Is the starting point OF two
submarine cables-One to Schleswig and che other
to Emden in hanover in the Gulf Of Dollart.
Two cables connect Holland and England one
starting from LOweStOft and the other from YOXlOrd
ana both terminating at Harlem.
Lastly, England communicates with Denmark by
another line, and with Belgium by the cable from
Ostend to Dover
Denmark has connected the islands Of iceland and
Funen with the continent Sweden communicates
the lens Of MalmO and Christanstadt formerly pro-
vince OF Scania, and terminating in the Vicinity Of
Stralsund, In POmmerania
In the mediterranean a cable connects the Balearc
islands with Spain from Barcelona to the islands Of
Majorca, MinOrca and lviza.
The Piombino cable connects the island of Eiba
The Sicily cable has been extended to Malta
Tripoli, Benghazy and Aexandria. This is the con,
Meeting point between the East and the West Here
opens the great highway Of India and China.
Lastly two cables unite Europe with Asia across the
B0sphOrus and Dardaneles
What is Frances part In this great networks In
the Atlantic Ocean we communicate with England
Calais to Dover and from Dieppe to Newhaven-and
from Brittany we have little cable which connects
Coutances with the island of Jersey. In the Medi-
teranean we have not yet succeeded I'm commune
eating with Algeria, but the new cable which IL to
start from Nice to Corsica and terminate at La
Gale seems likely to be laid very shortly.
This rapid enumeration enables us to understand
the question OF submarine cables. So many lines
could not have been established unless experience
and practice had caused the science OF the electric
engineer to make great progress.
England having no bounds to her ambition at
tempted TO solve the problem Of the transatlantic
cable. II is already known that our neighbors have
achieved a glorious success through that perseye-
rance which is one of tile distinctive features of their
natural character.
Every one has followed the phases of that great |
work and all the incidents OF the laying or the At
antic cables are popularity known in Europe.
At the same time this success Is generally regarded
,ny as lucky venture, whereas II Is the fruit, on
he contrary ofpatent study and scientific abors and
lone again and has been done several times already
'nce Engand's success. Thanks to the progress
capable of being repaired within few hours;
thanks to the mechanical engines by which the
cable is paid out; thanks to the apparatus which
indicates the precise spot where the cable has been
Injured at the bottom of the sea, this adventGsods
under akin9 has changed its character, and has en-
tered into the sphere Of industrial undertakings-a
delicate one stil but nevertheless reasonable and
certain Even though an accident Is still to lie
feared In the dinicult process oi paying out the
total loss Of the cable is no longer possible
America has already submerged a large number OF
cables OF great length, connecting all her possessions
In the Atlantic aud Pacific. Lastly, for some years
past, TWO cables have been working In the Indian
y the Ceylon cable and the cable from
In this great movement France has delayed taking
up the place which belongs to her. For many years
past French TRANSATLANTIC cable has been desired
md asked for. In the vast network of submarine
or which we have just sketched map,
here Is one voia which strikes the view.
The Old ana New continents do not communicate |
yitk.One another by o direct route Dispatches
ROM Europe for New York must cross the North
Sea, pass through England and cross the Irish Sea
before reaching the Atlantic. Take map aud ina
The direct line from Europe to America and your
inger will trace the future course OF the French
cable from Brest to st. Pierre Mqueon and from st.
The first section Of the cable Will cover distance
Of 2,6ss English nautical miles, the second distance
OF only $50 miles. The future cable will. there
fore, measure about eight million metres AT
the present day English manufactures alone
are In position TO undertake such task; but such
are the resources Of the constructors and the cxpe
rence Of the engineers that II there be no accident
the President OF the United States will be able to send
French on the 10Th OF August 1859.
The Importance Of this enterprise needs no demon
between Europe and America Is estimated at fifteen
millions daily. and that close upon two thousand
towns keep up regular correspondence with America
IL Is due 10 this immense intercourse that the Eng
lish cables show receipts Of thirty-two thousand
francs day.
viii competition diminish these receiptss The
contrary may be affirmed without hesitation.
II Is a principle well known az the present time
that the multiplication OF means Of communication
multiplies the amount OF traffic.
What would have become Of railways had they
been supported only by those who patronized
coaches-thc only travellers known at the time OF
their constructions Quite recently France estab-
lished on the ocean a transatlantic postal service
similar To the English services Both services az
obtained their complement OF passengers and freight
40 much 80 that by the successive Increase OF lines
tue point has been reachd Of having departure q
day from England 10 America Does this competi-
ton diminish the customers OF the French transat
antc linesp on the contrary there IL obstruction OF
liavre 10 the great derimen OF exports. aud the
Chamber Of Commerce at Havrc makes Just COM
plants, aud asks that the line between Havre and
New York should. be doubled as the only means or
driving English packets from our ports
" Will be the same with kilograms. Competition
Will bring about lowering OF the tarffs and the
number oi messages will increase Al the outset the
cost OF transatlantic telegram was go. For year
past this high rate has been reduced by half and the
messages have irebcd. The English cable gets at
present as many messages u " can send and has
nothing TO gain by lowering it, rates, which 1t would
do al once Il, while increasing the number of mes
saees II had sufficient means OF transmitting them.
The more one considers tho consequences of the
enterprise IN the future the more one Is penetrated
with ~ grandeur and importance.
Tie Americans are studyiug at this moment the
project or Pacific cable AMI the time IL not far dis
tant when French commerce will know every morn.
ing the quotations ~ slS AZ Snanrnae of gold at