New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-08
OCEAN CABLES-NEW LINES.


ton. This steady growth of revenues and
dividends has gone on, Notwithstanding the
fact that the rates for Cable dispatches have
been, in the mean time, frequently and largely
reduced. With the last reduction of the rates,
the business of the Cable has been more than
prOportionately increased. The lines have been
kept moro active, and it has appeared that
hundred people would use the Cable when a
message was transmitted for ten dollars, where
but one or two would use it while message
cost o hundred dollars.
We have always believed that there would
yet he far greater cheapening of Cable rates
than we have heretofore seen; and we have
also believed that with this cheapening there
would be such an increase of business as would
make it more profitable even than the higher
terms. Gables themselves can now be made
at lower cost than in former times; and expe-
rience has enabled tho constructors to intro
duce improvements by which they are better
and more effective than those first made. The
business of laying Cables has also been learned,
and there is now but little risk connected with
the submerging of a Cable line in any OF the seas
of the world. Such failures and losses as were
suffered in the first efforts to lay an Anglo
American Cable are now things of the past
experiences not likely to be hereafter repeated.
The second line of this Company was laid with
ease and facility, and in the recent laying OF
the line of the Franco American Cable there
was not the least difficulty of any kind. With
the improvement in Cable construction; with
the increase in the effectiveness of Cable ma
chinery; with the enlarged facility and in
IF NVn
sure that there are advantages which the pub
lie cannot fail of quickly obtaining. The de-
crease of risks will make capitalists more will
ing TO invest in new Cable lines; the diminu-
ton of cost and the increase in the effective
ness of tho operative machinery will lessen the
necessary outlay and EXPENSE and thus we
have assurance of such diminutiOn in the rates
of ocean teegraphy as will bring it within easy
reach of all who may have any occasion to
use it.
We believe that under proper conditions
there would be profitable employment for
twice, or thrice, or ten times the number OF
Cable lines that are now in operation between
America and Europe. If the number of Cable
messages per day have increased hundred
times within the last three or four years, they
arc still insignificant in comparison with the
number that would be transmitted if the ocean
telegraph was used as feey as our inland lines
are for business and social purposes. If we
had Gables conveying dispatches promptly and
cheaply between America and the various
countries of Europe, the mercantile classes
would uso tho inter-oceanic telegraph to an
extent indefinitely greater than may now APP
near probable; and we have no doubt that we
l.. &c
tions, and information about affairs, pass
over it rs freely as such things now
pass over the lines between New
York and Chicago It's employment for
social purposes would also be vastly increased
The hundred thousand Americans in Europe
would uso the ocean wires as they are accus-
toned, when here, to use their domestic wires.
The millions Of Germans in this country, if
able to communicate directly and on easy
terms with their friends in Fatherland, would
by themselves give profitable employment to
two or three GcrmanO-American lines, after
they got into tho habit of carrying on inter-
course in this way. In short, all classes of our
population who have any relations with any of
the countries of Europe, or any interests there,
would quickly como to deal with the Cable
inland lines, whose threads stretch in every
direction and unite all the cities and settle
ments of the country in constant intercourse.
In our judgment, there is no need for any
apprehension that we will have too many
Ocean Gables between the American people and
the different peoples of Europe. There are
reasons why we should give especial welcome
to the project for new line between this
country and Belgium-New-York and 0stend
being, we believe, the terminal points. Both
ends of the Anglo American line are on British
soil; and the English Cable would be for
midable ally of England in the event of war
with this country. In regard to the Franco
American Cable, the French Government have
attempted to deal with us very unfairly-with-
holding, in something like bad faith, those con-
ccssions to an American company which they
have sought to secure here for French
company. The proposed line between
New-York and Ostend, which has re-
ceved the necessary authorization from
the Belgian Government, is, as we
understand it, an American Company, chartered
by the Legislature of this State, aud securing
very important privileges to our Government
in case of any such exigency as may Mt any
time arise with any Of the Powers of Western
Europe. The rate of charges by the new line
have been fixed ut an extraordinarily low rate,
to, wit, ten cents word, or rather ten words
for dollar, which is the lowest price for any
message. We have no doubt however, that
even these rates will be found prottable-for,
in the first place, an improvement in the tee-
graphic machinery will be adopted which will
vastly inQrpage thp yorLcinUl canacitY of the
Cable; and, in the next place, this line will
doubtless secure the business of transmitting
German-American dispatches, which will