The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-23
OCEAN TELEGRAPHY.

From the NJ Y. Tribune.
The fact that Holland has granted to an
American an exclusive right to connect that
country with America by an ocean cable once
more brings to view the urgent necessity
which already existed for an international
agreement, treaty, or code, regulating the
whole subject of ocean telegraphy. The lay
ing of one line across another; the protection
of cables in comparatively shoal water from
injury by anchors or their tackle; the comfy
to be observed between nations in the matter
of concessions and privileges; the use of
cables by belligerents and their immunity
Cor otherwise) from destruction as measure
of precaution or positive hostility-these
and many more points, should be promptly
covered by compact, drawn up by eminent
publicists and ratified by all civilized powers.
This should be done before the outbreak of
another war between maritime powers, or
calamities to civilization may result from its
absence.
The King of Holland, we understand and
believe gave to an American his only conces-
sion of a right to land an ocean cable on the
coast of his kingdom as an earnest of his
good will to this country, and as such let it
be received and accepted. We further learn
that European capitalists stand ready to lay
the cable if Americans do not choose to fur
nish the means Very good; let us have this
cable, and dozen more, if those who have
the means choose to lay them. We presume
that one result of their multiplication will be
rapid and vast increase of kilograms across
the Atlantic, based, of course, on a genera
reduction of charges. If the time shall come
and why not?-when $5 or G1 (gold) shal
pay for sending ten words in ten minutes
from America to Europe or Europe to Anne
RIGA, q dozen cables may be kept steadily
transmitting messages at least sixteen of every
twenty-four hours for over three hundred
days per annum. And then, if any particular
cable should get out of order, it will only
by necessary to work the others an hour
or two longer per day, and the business
will all be done promptly and to general
satisfaction.
But one point is vital, and we are sure our
Government will insist on it with regard to
every cable landed on any part of our coast
| that of perfect reciprocity. Whatever coun-
| try charters or authorizes company or indi-
vidual to stretch cable across the ocean on
| a course pointing to our shores must allow
| our Government to authorize cable to be
thrown across from our to its coast, and must
| concede to our Government and our people
rights and privileges identical with those
secured to itself and its people. There must
| be no juggling as to what the Government
and the company respectively can or cannot
| do, but square, open, absolute concession
| that our Government and our people are the
peers of any other, and must be treated ac-
| cordingly. We do not suspect Holland of
disregarding this principle; but it has been
violated by another power, and must be vindi-
| Gated, even though it should be requisite to
| pull up dozen shore-ends of cables and
heave their shattered fragments into the pro-
foundest depths of ocean.