The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-17
AN AMERICAN CABLE-CAN WE NOT
HAVE IT?
From the ". y. Times.

From the ". y. Times.
Now that we have an English Atlantic cable
and French Atlantic cable-now that it has
been shown that ocean cables can be laid
without much risk and worked with great
profits it not time that our capitalists
should take steps, in behalf of the mercantile
and political interests of the country, for the
laying of an AHle7icaB Atlantic cable?
We have not the slightest doubt that money
could easily be raised in this city for such an
enterprise For such profitable and secure
investment, capitalists would eagerly compete:
and, if company were organized by the right
kind of men and established with the right
kind of managers, we might expect to see the
whole matter carried through most advanta-
geously. p
The present cables are under the control of
the two foreign Governments which are most
inimical to American interests; and circum-
stances are apt to arise at any time i'll which
they may be used to our serious detriment
The ends of both cables on this side of the
Atlantic are on soil that is foreign to us; and
they may at any time, through their entire
ocean length, be put wholly under the control
of our adversaries.
We ought not, in this matter and in this
way, to render ourselves liable to become the
victim of France or England.
We ought to have a cable of our own-this
end of it on our own territory, under our own
control, and the other end of it on the terri
tory of some European power (say Germany
with which we are never likely to have COLI
sion or difficulty. We have in many respects
more important relations with Germany than
with any other country of Europe England
sends us more goods than Germany but Ger
many sends us more population than all other
countries put together. We get more news
from France than from Germany; but we get
valuable 70, OF |,
from Germany in a week than we get from
France in a century. We have a very large
intercourse with Germany, and both our in
tercourse and our commerce will increase i'm
mensely in the future.
The length of the cable to any point in
Germany would be considerably greater than
to the points in France and England with
which we are connected. But in no way would
this circumstance prove drawback of any
consequence.
If we have no experience in the making
and laying of ocean cables, and no ship
capable of the work, we need not be too
proud to do as the French have done in re-
gard to the cable just completed. They got
their cable made in England, and they pro
cured the services of the great English ship
to lay it down.
The Great Eastern is indispensable to the
business of cable-laying, and the experience
which the English have had in the manufac-
ture of cable has enabled them to make a
good article. But if anybody object to pur.
chasing cable there, then let us make one
here. We shall be delighted to see it done,
and we have no doubt that American manu-
facturers can be found who would turn out
frst-class article.
Let us by all means have an American
ocean cable before the close of next year
Let one end of it be on American territory
and the other end on German territory.